Revolving around the aftermath of a terrible taxi accident that leaves the driver dead and a young woman brutally scarred, Zhang Yibai's Lost-Indulgence tackles the thorny issues or responsibility, grief and redemption that follow the dead man's family as they embrace the injured young woman.
CEC: What spoke to you about this story and convinced you that you had to tell it?
Yibai: Because the boy's experiences are something I have never experienced before, so it leaves me enough room for imagination. That's why I want to tell the story.
CEC: How long did it take from the time that you finished the script to beginning production? What obstacles did you face to get the picture in front of camera?
Yibai: It took me two years before I could shoot the film. The biggest obstacle is really how to tell the story in the best possible way.
CEC: Do you consider yourself a cinephile? Does this inform how you make movies?
Yibai: Yes. Reading is another thing I love to do. For me, the things I read help me even more in my own filmmaking.
CEC: How do you know when you're ready to shoot a scene? Do you prefer to work quickly or more methodically?
Yibai: I leave a lot to improvisations. I find it more exciting. I work methodically.
CEC: What were the major challenges when editing the film?
Yibai: Making choices.
CEC: If you could make this picture again, would you do differently?
Yibai: I would change all actors to first time actors. Or with lower budget.
CEC: What's next for you?
Yibai: My next film will be a comedy.
