actor simon yam: his story is the best rebuttal to "lying flat"
2024-09-26
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original title: grateful for the opportunity to play the role of a porter (lead)
actor simon yam: his story is the best rebuttal to "lying flat" (topic)
text/beijing youth daily reporter xiao yang
the movie "my grandpa" is currently in theaters, in which actor simon yam plays the porter kong wanshan. unlike many of the "tough guy characters" simon yam has portrayed in hong kong films, kong wanshan is simple and tough. recently, simon yam said in an exclusive interview with a beijing youth daily reporter that as an actor, one should keep exploring and trying, just like climbing the 18 bends of mount tai. "i am very grateful for the opportunity to play an ordinary little person who has a unique life story. kong wanshan not only carries the spirit of mount tai, but also carries warmth and tenacity."
creation
it took 15 years from conception to completion.
"my grandpa" is directed by zheng chunyu and starred by simon yam and lou yixiao. the film focuses on the deep emotions between three generations of grandparents and grandchildren. it delicately depicts the touching story between the retired soldier kong wanshan (played by simon yam) who changed his job to become a porter on mount tai, the frustrated dancer wang licui (played by lou yixiao) and the abandoned baby xiaoshan. in the face of many challenges, they supported each other and experienced the process of growth and redemption together.
director zheng chunyu revealed that the filming of this movie was related to his childhood memories. "next to my elementary school campus, there is a military sanatorium. there live many disabled veterans who have experienced the war years. most of them have no family to accompany them. however, they have found a special emotional sustenance - every day after school, the veterans will stand at the school gate and watch us, the seven or eight-year-old children, jumping out of the school gate. sometimes, they will take out a few candies from their pockets and generously share them with us. in the late 1970s when supplies were scarce, this sweet experience, like a seed, was deeply rooted in my heart and became the inspiration for my film "my grandpa"."
zheng chunyu revealed that it took 15 years from conception to completion for the script of "my grandpa". as a child who grew up at the foot of mount tai, zheng chunyu has a special feeling for mount tai. "i am an athlete. our daily training is to run from the foot of mount tai to the top of the mountain step by step, twice a week. such a challenge not only exercises our physique, but also sharpens our will. we are not alone on this climbing road. there are always those hardworking porters around us. they carry heavy burdens on their shoulders, but walk steadily, which left a deep impression on me."
role
simon yam's role as a porter is due to his "shandong genes"
simon yam expressed that his choice of playing the role of a porter on mount tai was due to his "shandong genes". simon yam's ancestral home is jining city, shandong province, and he jokingly said that green onions run in his blood.
many years ago, simon yam once wrote on weibo: "my hometown is in shandong, where there is the yellow river and mount tai." this sentence touched director zheng chunyu so much that when he was preparing for "my grandpa", he thought of letting simon yam play kong wanshan. after hearing the invitation, simon yam rushed to meet zheng chunyu. zheng chunyu said: "brother hua has the boldness and tenacity unique to shandong people, which immediately reminded me of my uncle. their figures and outlines are so similar. this intimacy and his understanding of the role make me believe that he will be the soul of this movie. his joining has injected new vitality into this work."
in order to vividly present the character of kong wanshan, simon yam invested a lot of time and energy in research and experience. "i watched a lot of documentaries, repeatedly experienced du fu's ancient poem "viewing the mountain", felt the profound history and culture of mount tai, and the life atmosphere of the people of mount tai, and incorporated these elements into the role.
filming
it is a test of both physical strength and will.
simon yam also carefully observed the life of the porters. "there are about 7,000 steps on mount tai, and the porters would climb up step by step. tears and sweat were mixed together. when the temperature was high, the porters always had a towel around their necks." simon yam also learned from the porters the skills of using shoulder poles and ropes, as well as how to maintain body coordination and balance under heavy loads. "balance is very important. i have to learn how to correctly distribute the weight of my body to maintain stability on the rugged mountain road." the actual filming was also a test of both physical strength and willpower for simon yam. simon yam revealed that the filming process of this play was almost equivalent to climbing mount tai twice, and the physical exertion was doubled.
although there are magnificent sunrises at the top of mount tai, there are also freezing winds, sometimes so strong that people can't stand steadily. when "my grandpa" was filmed, the lowest temperature was only minus 27 degrees celsius. director zheng chunyu revealed: "when a major scene was about to be filmed, brother hua suddenly said, director, please stop first. it turned out that the weather was too cold, and brother hua's hands were frozen and he couldn't hold the shoulder pole at all. later, he used a heat source to warm his hands, and his hands were slowly able to move." ren dahua said that it was the various harsh natural conditions that shaped the unique qualities of the porters on mount tai. "kong wanshan's life was a life of constant struggle and responsibility. even in old age, he still maintained that indomitable spirit. his story is the best rebuttal to 'lying flat'."
insights
cherish the present and respect every labor
simon yam also hopes that everyone can have the opportunity to climb mount tai. "this is not only a physical challenge, but also a spiritual exploration. in the process, you will realize the unremitting pursuit of your dreams and no longer be so afraid of difficulties and challenges. moreover, when you are enjoying a bottle of cool mineral water and tasting a simple egg on the top of the mountain, you might as well think about how those porters transported these materials up step by step. it is their efforts that allow us to enjoy the beauty of life here. this mentality will make us cherish the present more and respect every bit of labor more."
simon yam said that his love for the acting profession is precisely because he has the opportunity to experience different lives. "i am very grateful to the director for giving me the opportunity to play a porter. i have filmed so many dramas before, but rarely played such an emotional and vital little person. kong wanshan put his whole life on the shoulder pole and walked from the bottom of the mountain to the top every day. i think i should learn from him in both filming and being a person. this role is a kind of inheritance and tribute to the spirit of mount tai."
source: beijing youth daily
