On December 22, 2022, Ni Zhen, a film artist, educator, and Taishan Beidou-level film scholar, died of illness at the age of 84. The film industry is deeply saddened by the death of this film master who created classic films such as Raise the Red Lantern (1991), Pink (1994), and The Opium War (1997).
Memorial site
He learned about film from film modeling and influenced several generations of filmmakers
As a film scholar, Ni Zhen is the author of academic works such as "Exploring the Screen", "Reform and Chinese Film", "The Story of Beijing Film Academy-The History of the Fifth Generation Film" and "Chinese on the Screen". The film modeling, film narration, film analysis, master research, contemporary Chinese film and other courses offered by the Film Academy have influenced the creation of several generations of Chinese filmmakers. Many students who were not in Ni Zhen's class also went to this teacher's class because of his reputation.
Zhang Xianmin, a professor at the Beijing Film Academy, once said that Ni Zhen is the pillar of film theory and the builder of aesthetics, and his articles and writings have led the industry for a long time. In 2022, the "100 Best Film Books" selected by 51 critics will be published in the British Film Academy's "Sight and Sound" journal (Sight and Sound), and Ni Zhen's "Beijing Film Academy Story" (English version) will also be published. was included in it.
Ren Zhonglun, chairman of the Shanghai Film Association, also has a background in film theory research. He said in the article commemorating Ni Zhen, "We respect Mr. Ni Zhen because of his character and craftsmanship, and because he is a filmmaker with faith. His articles have given Chinese films a lot of help, ideas never die, we will always remember the thinkers and creators of Chinese films.”
Chen Xihe, a professor and doctoral supervisor at the Shanghai Film Academy of Shanghai University, commented that Ni Zhen was born in fine arts. He "understands the nature of movies from the perspective of combining theory and practice, and from the perspective of movie modeling." Chen Xihe recalled that in the 1980s, Beijing Film Academy, "Ni Zhen talked about film modeling, and Zhou Chuanji talked about film sound. Their theories have had a profound influence on several generations of Chinese directors. His understanding of film modeling has greatly improved the understanding of Chinese filmmakers and students on film images. know."
Zhu Feng, president of the Shanghai Film Critics Society, remembers that in the 1980s, he heard Ni Zhen talk about the movie "Flying Wild Wild Goose" for the first time in class. Ni Zhen analyzed to the students that in "Wan Yan Nan Fei", Veronica "used 10 shots and slapped 22 times in 30 seconds, how many camera positions were used, how many slaps were in the picture, and how many slaps were in the picture. How many are there?" Zhu Feng developed a strong interest in movies. "Film art is so interesting! Movies can be analyzed in this way!" Since then, Ni Zhen's class has also planted seeds in Zhu Feng's heart. Beijing Film Academy, studying film seriously.
Last year, the Shanghai Film Critics Society awarded Ni Zhen the "Contribution Award for Theoretical Criticism". At that time, Ni Zhen, who was already in poor health, came to Shanghai from Hangzhou in a wheelchair and accompanied by a nurse to receive this award. When he received the trophy, he was so excited that tears filled his eyes, and he was speechless for a long time. "This also makes me feel that our Shanghai Film Critics Award is so important in his mind."
"Great experts are here"
On December 28, 2022, Ni Zhen's farewell memorial meeting was held in the suburbs of Beijing. The mourning of people from all walks of life in the film industry represented by the fourth, fifth and sixth generation directors arrived; Photos, manuscripts, writings, etc. during his lifetime are for people to remember. Directors such as Zhang Yimou, Chen Kaige, Jia Zhangke, Lou Ye, etc. have posted condolences.
After retiring, from 2002 to 2012, Ni Zhen was invited to serve as a special-term professor at the Shanghai Theater Academy. made an important contribution. Through this memorial meeting, the academic circles have also made a detailed review and sorting out of Ni Zhen's experience.
Zhang Zhongnian, the former deputy dean of the Shanghai Theater Academy and the director of the director department, recalled that Ni Zhen took the initiative to find him and made an appointment at the cafeteria of the Shanghai Theater Academy. He said that he had retired in Beijing, "I am willing to do something for the discipline construction of the film industry of the Shanghai Theater Academy. Specifically, we can also cooperate with you to lead graduate students to start." This statement made Zhang Zhongnian "overjoyed", "Our film discipline was very weak at that time, this is really 'a great expert sent to the door!', if he did not send it himself Even if I come to the door, I can’t invite him.” Recalling the scene at that time, Zhang Zhongnian was still excited.
Li Zhenlin, dean of the Shanghai Film Academy, said that Ni Zhen, as one of the founders of the Shanghai Film Academy, was also the founder of the earliest discipline of the Shanghai Film Academy. "He made several plans at the time, how to position our entire film discipline, Today, our drama, film and television, film, radio and television disciplines can go to today, we must deeply cherish the memory of Professor Ni Zhen who led us. Drinking water and thinking about the source, we miss his pioneering work.
In recent years, Ni Zhen's health has suffered many problems, but he has always cared about his students. From 2017 to 2020, Ni Zhen returned to the Shanghai Theater Academy as the "Director of the Ni Zhen Film Screenwriting Studio of the Shanghai Theater Academy". Li Zhenlin, Dean of the Film Academy of Shanghai Theater Academy, said: "Mr. Ni Zhen always cared about the students. When our academy moved to the Changlin Road campus, he rented a house near the school so that he could come to the school for classes. Teacher Ni is really It is the last time to work for the Shanghai Theater Academy. His death is a very heavy loss for our Shanghai and Zhejiang regions." Li Zhenlin regrets.
Memorial site
In the old age of a martyr, the movie with great ambition
Many experts and scholars who expressed their condolences said that Ni Zhen still had great enthusiasm for film creation, film education and film research in his later years. Zhang Zhongnian recalled that Ni Zhen told himself two months ago that he wanted to write biographies of Xia Yan and Xie Jin. "He said that he had a detailed thought, and asked me when I would be free, so that I could have a detailed discussion with him. At that time, his family was also in great difficulty, and he was still thinking about this career. He wanted to create and write. Writing, this whole-hearted love and unconditional devotion to the film is moving."
Li Zhenlin also remembers the last time he and Ni Zhen met. It was at last year’s advanced training class for screenwriters in the Yangtze River Delta. Ni Zhen talked about the theme of a small town in the south of the Yangtze River and the adaptation of modern novels in Zhejiang that he wanted to shoot. “He never forgets these two series. I think we can push for completion in the future as well.”
Zhu Feng also sighed with Ni Zhen's "movie feelings of a martyr's ambition in his old age". "He is already such a late old man sitting in a wheelchair, but he still talks about his plan, his ambition, and hopes that everyone will help him realize this wish. His last sentence is 'please everyone' , 'I have so many plans, let's make them come true together.' I think, I will think of him often, and remember that he is a person with a special style, a different person with spirit, vitality, affinity and talent. expert."
On the day of the memorial service, Professor Xu Feng of the Central Academy of Drama translated and conveyed Jean-Michel Frodon, a famous French film critic, French film historian, and former editor-in-chief of "Movie Handbook", about this Chinese film theorist. Dean's respect and remembrance——
"As Professor Ni Zhen passed away, I think about him with great emotion and recall the moments when I was lucky enough to meet and talk to him. I remember his tenderness, and the energy that went with him, and the way he shared his blog. But I have a special sense of gratitude to him for being the teacher, organizer and narrator who accompanied the sudden revival of Chinese cinema. Of course, he was not alone, but he was the one who brought this revolution to life. The astonishing impact of the show is unfolded, allowing us to rediscover the Beijing Film Academy under various difficult conditions. Thanks to Chris Berry's translation, Ni Zhen narrates this epic to people around the world who do not understand Chinese in his book If Chinese cinema has been so vibrant and admirable for half a century, it owes much to what Ni Zhen and his peers have done."