娱乐英语新闻:Feng Xiaogang faces Aftershock ambush

With the film's Chinese title translated as Tangshan Earthquake, one big concern and a frequently discussed topic is how the director would recreate the tragedy on screen.

According to Feng, this was also his priority and major challenge when shooting the film.

"Although the film's focus is how those survived continue with their lives after the tragedy, I needed to create an earthquake that was realistic, while influencing audiences' emotions, on which I have little experience," he said.

Thanks to the assistance of a South Korean special-effects technical team and extensive research, the four-minute earthquake scene is close to what hit Tangshan 34 years ago, survivors told the Global Times after the film's preview in the city.

"The scenes are so real that I started crying immediately," said 73-year-old Wang Hongru, thanking Feng for having made a film to let future generations understand and remember what Tangshan people went through in 1976.

However, it is Feng's exploration of earthquake survivors' emotional worlds that made a stronger impact on the audience. Aftershock focuses on telling a moving story of how a mother has to choose between her son and daughter both buried under two ends of the same rock, with only one able to be saved. Her ensuing 32 years of guilt and regret is the film's focus and was well received.

The storyline and the sincere performance of leading actress Xu Fan, who is also Feng's wife in real life, caused a strong reaction in Tangshan and at the Beijing premiere.

When Feng asked if he had fulfilled his task in honoring those killed or affected by the earthquake, the audience answered, "Yes!" in unison.

The Beijing audience also applauded the director and the film for five minutes after the premiere, many with tears still in their eyes.

Aftershock is scheduled to open in cinemas Sunday.