Director Zhang Mo with the cast of "Suddenly Seventeen" at the roadshow in Beijing. (Photo : YouTube/Cassie Ho)
Born with a golden spoon in her mouth, Zhang Mo, 33, daughter of famous director Zhang Yimou and writer Xiao Hua, is definitely gaining more attention as she made her directorial debut with “Suddenly Seventeen,” which started to hit theaters last Dec. 9.
Zhang Mo learned her directorial skills from helping her father Zhang Yimou with his films back in the late 2000s.
Zhang Mo studied architecture at Columbia University and after finishing her master of fine arts in filmmaking, she then returned to China to work in her father’s crew production. Later on, she helped her father Zhang Yimou as an assistant director.
Zhang Mo said in an email interview to The Strait Times that watching her father was like watching a Wikipedia of filmmaking.
She learned all aspects of the art from her father. As she was an editor and assistant director in some of her father’s movies, directing and editing later on became the best benefits for her in terms of making her own movie.
“If he was not a director, I probably wouldn’t have become a director,” she said.
She added that she had the experience of going overseas and back to China, so she thought that she should make a story about finding oneself. She thinks that it will be something intriguing to the post-1980s and 1990s generation.
Her debut film is said to be influenced by her father, who took charge as a producer to help his daughter. Thus, the movie is expected to draw a massive audience.
"Suddenly Seventeen" is a comedy romance about a woman who got transported back to her 17-year-old self as she learns to love and appreciate herself more.
Watch the trailer below:
