Chinese Director Han Yan Opens Shanghai Film Festival With Poignant Drama ‘Love Never Ends’

Mathew Scott
·2 min read

Chinese director Han Yan says he’s been inspired by his own movie after one of the biggest talents in the country’s commercial scene saw his latest film Love Never Ends open the 25th edition of the Shanghai International Film Festival on Friday.

Han quickly developed a reputation as a filmmaker with his finger on the pulse of the Chinese audience after emerging with box office hits such as Go Away Mr. Tumor (2015), a film that tapped into the contemporary popularity for drama tinged with very dark humor.

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Love Never Ends shows he’s not lost that touch, either, as it’s a film that’s lifted from a popular webcomic by South Korean artist Kang Full, while it tells the story of an ageing couple who find love towards the end of their lives. It comes at a time when the fact that the headlines are full of stories about China’s rapidly aging population seems to have everyone wondering about exactly how they are going to spend their twilight years.

Han may still just be 39 years of age but he’s obviously been facing the same concerns and he revealed that in making Love Never Ends – which stars the veteran actors Ni Dahong and Kara Wai – he’d at least had some of those worries laid to rest.

“After making this movie, I’m not so afraid of aging anymore, I even feel a bit relieved,” the director said from the sidelines of the festival. “If I can be as free and brave as Old Chang [played by Ni Dahong], then aging is nothing to be scared of.”

Han’s film kicked off Shanghai’s return to full operations for the first time since 2019 and with the Chinese industry wanting to tell the world it’s again open for business as the cloud of the global pandemic continues to lift. To that end the red carpet on Friday welcomed the likes of Hollywood action man Jason Statham – there to promote Warner Bros.’ Meg 2: The Trench.

The festival’s main Golden Goblet Awards this year come in five flavors — Main Competition, Asian New Talent, Animation Film, Documentary Film and Short Film — and will be announced on June 17, while the festival itself ends on June 18.

The big occasion certainly wasn’t lost on Han.

“I’m very honored that Love Never Ends can be the opening film of this Shanghai International Film Festival. I sincerely wish the festival all the best and hope that all the filmmakers and film lovers can find joy and inspiration here,” he said.

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