Actor Tony Leung Chiu-wai has three projects planned: a film directed by Johnnie To, another project set in India, and a six- to seven-episode streaming series in which he plays a serial killer.
The Hong Kong film legend opened up about the project in an interview with Variety ahead of his role as jury president at the 28th Shanghai International Film Festival.
To project is waiting for a completed script. With the monsoon season continuing until September, there is a high possibility that no Indian films will be shot this year. The serial killer series is currently fine-tuning the script and plans to finalize its shooting schedule once Leon finishes his jury duty in Shanghai. Details about the three projects are not being disclosed at this time.
“I’m very happy and very honored,” Leon said of his role as a juror. “I remember attending the Shanghai IFF many years ago, but I forget the exact year. This is the 28th time, and I’m sure it has improved a lot compared to before, so I’m definitely looking forward to visiting and experiencing it firsthand.”
Leung, who has previously served as a jury member for the 64th Berlinale and as president of the jury for the 37th Tokyo Film Festival, approaches Shanghai’s Golden Cup lineup with a fresh mindset. “This time, I don’t know anyone in the main competition, so I’m actually hoping for a few more fun surprises,” he says. “In my experience, the final decision will be made much faster if all the jurors discuss each film for 15 minutes immediately after they have seen it.”
The film festival will screen “Silent Friend,” written and directed by Hungarian film director Ildiko Enyedi, as a special tribute to Leon. This film will be his first European work. “This is a project that is very close to my heart. The preparation required a huge investment of time, with a lot of reading and thorough research. The director’s creative methodology is very different from other filmmakers, which means that this kind of film is best suited for an audience that is already inclined towards this genre,” says Leon. “I am very keen to discuss my preparation and creative process with the audience, thereby fostering a deeper understanding of the work.”
Leon is an actor who has played over 100 roles over a career spanning nearly 50 years. “Since I was 6 or 7 years old, I have consistently watched three to four movies a week. I watch a wide range of films, from mainstream blockbusters to foreign feature films to arthouse and independent films from around the world. I am just guided by what interests me,” says the actor.
Regarding AI, Leung said: “Say you need three different cuts of a movie. If you hired a human editor, it might take a month or two. AI could probably do that in minutes. Humans can’t match that speed, so the unfortunate part is you lose your job.”
But he distinguishes between speed and reliability. “Once the audience knows something is not human, their perception completely changes,” Leon says. “It’s the same with art. Looking at Van Gogh’s original paintings has a completely different feeling than seeing Van Gogh’s style generated by AI.” “Currently, there is no comparison because AI is not conscious. Unless one day AI actually becomes conscious, or aware of its own existence, like us humans, then it will have its own thinking and its own creative abilities. But right now, AI doesn’t have a soul. Unless you can hide from the audience that the actor is CGI or AI, the moment they realize it, they’re going to think, ‘Oh, it’s not real.'” And that instantly breaks the immersion and affects the entire viewing experience. ”
Leung also uses this technology for learning and relies on it for research. “At the end of the day, it’s a very efficient tool,” he says. “Sometimes I can’t find a term in the dictionary, but the AI explains it for me. It has a huge database, so I ask it questions almost every day. Sometimes we discuss abstract concepts like free will and consciousness, but with the AI, I can find a lot of material to read.”
The Shanghai Golden Cup Award will be presented at the festival’s closing ceremony on June 20, with screenings and industry events continuing until the end of June.
