Although it’s been a while since she starred in a mainland production, Fan Bingbing is not saying no to returning to her home country’s film industry, as long as there is a good project to be had.
In an interview with THR recently to promote her new movie, “Mother Bhumi”, the actress, who was previously banned in China due to her tax evasion scandal, said, “The problem is that Chinese cinema today lacks diversity. This year’s National Day box office in October was lower than in 2024, which is worrying. Audiences now prefer short online dramas, one-minute episodes they can binge while on the toilet!”
“People no longer have the patience to sit quietly in a dark cinema and dream. It’s a great loss, not just in China but worldwide. If I make another Chinese film, I want it to be one where I truly feel something for the character,” she said.
At the same time, Fan said that she is not denying that there are still art-house films in China, but that it is getting harder to make them due to poor ticket sales.
“There are directors like Jia Zhangke and Zhang Lu, and the many younger sixth and seventh generation filmmakers need real support,” she said. “In China, if an art film doesn’t do well on its first day, screenings are cut by day two or three, so no one gets to see it.”
As for her next project, Fan said that she just concluded filming the adaptation of Junichiro Tanizaki’s “Diary of a Mad Old Man” with director Wang Ying.
(Photo Source: Fan Bingbing IG)