Dong Yue offers us a view of China and its social changes with «The Looming Storm».»

Le Regard Libre N° 50 - Loris S. Musumeci

FIFF 2019 special report

This is Dong Yue's first feature film, and he's already making a big splash. Dong Yue tells the story The Looming Storm (French title: Endless rain) the story of Yu Guowei, head of security at an old state-owned industry. It's 1997, in the south of a China that's changing. A series of murders of women is committed in the vicinity of the factory. Yu investigates, to the point of obsession. Especially as the local police seem to be giving up. When he loses his job, like many other employees, he nevertheless continues his pursuit of the suspected murderer. Even to the point of causing trouble.

Loris S. Musumeci: Dong Yue, what led you to cinema and the making of The Looming Storm, your first feature film?

Dong Yue: I completed my film studies at the Beijing Film Academy in 2006. After that, I worked as a cameraman. Quite quickly, I began assisting in the making of films that didn't really catch on. So, in 2010, I decided to follow my own path. I started writing, on subjects that interested me, so that one day I could see a film made by my own hands. Five years passed before I met a producer who agreed to support my projects. And so, little by little, the making of The Looming Storm.

And why this film, which belongs to both the detective and social genres?

My main interest is social change in China. Every major change in my country has had a major impact on individuals, particularly in 1997, the year in which the film is set. Bear in mind that, in China, a social change directly affects everyone's life. What's more, I wanted to get a message across through my film, and not just be aesthetically pleasing.

The title of your film evokes the climate, but what link do you make between climate issues and the film's plot?

When I was looking for a suitable location for the shoot, I went to northeast China. The climate is cold and wintry. However, I was only moderately convinced by the location, as many directors had already exploited its landscapes. So I went further south, to Hunan province. After talking to the local population, I learned that in winter it rains constantly. And this is not without influence on people's lives; it has a major impact on their state of mind. Over there, rain is a source of depression. And that's exactly the mood I was looking for in my film. Snow, on the other hand, is very rare. It symbolizes dreams and the unreal. So, as you may have noticed, I thought there was something to be done with that aspect.

You mention snow as a symbol of illusion, and I wonder where the boundary between reality and dream lies in your film.

The boundaries are very blurred indeed. It's just that, through this confusion, I want to give the viewer room to think. I want them to question how much of their own lives is illusion. Where do our fantasies fit in? Is our imagination beyond us? Can we sink into an abyss?

How did you go about building your main character, Yu?

This character doesn't have much to do with me. But he is related to people whose stories I've heard and who have made an impression on me. Ever since I was a child, I've heard stories told by elders who worked in state-run factories under the «planned economy system». In these factories, there were security guards, like Yu, who are not real policemen. It's important to understand that, in those days, the gap between rich and poor was smaller, whereas there was a gulf between social statuses. Yu is very representative of a lower social class. And I wanted to talk about people like him: the little people.

In addition to being at the bottom of the social ladder, poor Yu seems a little lost in the investigation he's leading, and even ends up losing his job. Is he the very figure of looser?

Yes, really! Yu is a failure. And he's not the only one; many other workers also feel lost and disappointed. Because of the political reforms, many have suffered redundancy and the problems that go with it.

In my opinion, the image brings out the true beauty of industrial landscapes. The latter create a very special aesthetic, made up of chimneys, pipes, smoke, wagons, flames, staircases and so many other characteristic elements. How did you work with these landscapes?

In addition to the climate I mentioned earlier, the location also presented itself well because of its factories. I focused on an industrial town, which seemed like the perfect setting. But then again, it wasn't an easy task. Over the past twenty years, the landscape in China has changed enormously, and few industries have an old-fashioned look like the ones in the film. In fact, I like this style, which makes factories look like labyrinths or even monsters, eating away at your sense of existence.

The camera also places great emphasis on the characters' faces. Just think of the film's opening scene, which shows Yu from the back, only to plant itself rigidly in front of him. What are these faces saying?

Through these faces, I wanted to tell the story of a generation. What changed for them when they experienced the relationship between man and time. The fact that the film begins with one character, and his or her face is immediately revealed, is perhaps not insignificant. No doubt the shots were arranged in this way, because before anything else, I wanted to talk about a character, who then becomes the film's common thread. Yu has an appearance rate of over ninety percent.

The subject you've tackled is a tough one. There's violence, sadness, unemployment and death. Nevertheless, the beauty of the images is undeniable. And I think I even detected a little joy in them, notably in the love affair between Yu and his girlfriend, and in a popular ball in the town square. Did you want to convey a glimmer of hope?

To be honest, I don't think there's any joy in my film at all.

So I had a different perception than you.

And that's your right! For me, in any case, the whole film seems to suffocate under enormous pressure, even in the scenes at the popular ball or in the romantic relationship. The whole atmosphere is depressive. Many of the film's details act as sad metaphors. Yu's electric pulse pistol, in the form of a stick, is a sign of impotence. Without it, he doesn't even feel like a man. It says a lot about the men of that time and class who didn't feel manly, because they were small and powerless.

You said so yourself when you spoke at the film screening: The Looming Storm made a lot of noise, but was roundly criticized by the public. Do you intend to continue making films? Still in China?

Oh yes, I intend to go ahead. For me, China is the breeding ground of my inspiration. I'm going to continue making films about ordinary people who don't matter. Yu is representative of the Chinese, and I want my future creations to retain a distinctly Chinese character. Today, many films made in my country bear a strong resemblance to Hollywood cinema. I think that's a pity, because a Chinese view of a Chinese subject can be of enormous benefit to us, especially when it's about people who have suffered.

Write to the author: loris.musumeci@leregardlibre.com

Century Pictures