Zhang Yimou

HERO is a combination of my personal feeling and the commercialism.

Only people have been through that miserable time will recall the pass from their deep memory.

People have become shallower. They view spending, entertaining, seeking leisure and enjoying as the main objectives of their life.

Time has changed and now is the age of spending.

I hope before I am getting too old and when my mind is still functioning, I can tell some better stories.

People in misery is what most important in art.

Under the big political umbrella, a man is just like a leaf in the ocean, with no control of his destiny and does not have any choice.

I must stick with Chinese language films.

You must know what you are capable of.

For over ten years I always had, but I don't speak English.

The so-called commercialism includes elements like story, plots, rhythms and large big scenes.

To do art, one thing should always remember - subjects of people in misery have deep meanings.

Wuxia is a fantasy world exists in everyone's mind.

Now a movie with 30 million returns would be something very incredible and the producer can only get 10 to 15 million. This is only 100 thousands US dollars. This is not enough!

Piracy has destroyed the domestic market.

But I think we need the international market.

I'm not Ang Lee who knows so much about western market and the taste of western audiences.

I am a fan of wuxia.

To survive is to win.

Ang Lee was educated in the West and his English is good.

This is my first wuxia movie and I must consider this before trying to make something with my own.