Movie poster (From the Internet)

CHONGQING (CQNEWS) -- Recently, Apple launched the New Year’s short film Daughter, which was welcomed in the Wechat Moment. This is the third time Apple took scenes in Chongqing after shooting Three Minutes and A Bucket. Recently, the reporter interviewed the head of Chongqing production team exclusively and learned the story behind the scenes of the film shooting.

The protagonist’s prototype is “the bravest woman taxi driver in Wuhan”. This is the first time to choose a star actor

The movie Daughter tells the story of a single mother who drives a taxi with her child. She sticks to her family and society’s incomprehension, and finally meets her mother on New Year’s Eve and lays down her burden. The delicate emotional conflict and calm narrative rhythm of the film hit people directly.

Chaotianmen Square (Picture above: From the internet/Picture below: Photographed by Li Yukun)

According to the head of the Chongqing production team, the film is actually adapted from a real story, and the protagonist’s prototype is “the bravest woman taxi driver in Wuhan”, Li Shaoyun. In reality, Li Shaoyun drived taxis with his three-year-old daughter at night and spend nearly a thousand sleepless nights together. After artistic treatment, the story was moved to the big screen, moving thousands of audience.

At the same time, Daughter invited Theodore Melfi and Lawrence Schell as directors and photographers. Theodore Melfi was nominated for the best film and the best screenplay at the 89th Academy Awards in 2017 for his work Hidden Characters. Laurence Schell was the director of the film Clown and was nominated for the best picture at the 2020 Golden Globe Award.

Tongzi Building, Nanbin Road (Picture above: From the internet/Picture below: Photographed by Zhang Zhi)

What’s more, Daughter was starred by famous actress Zhou Xun, which was also the first time that Apple’s New Year Short Film Series to choose a star as the actor.

As can be seen from Apple’s behind - the-scenes look, the scene that Zhou Xun recalled the scene shooting when she was young, was directed by Lawrence Schell. The daughter, Duoduo held a kaleidoscope to see the world’s shooting scene, which is to build a platform directly outside the taxi and load the taxi to shoot, so that we can get a more real picture.

In order to get a view, they look for 10 alternatives for one platform scene and travel around Chongqing for scenes in 20 days. 

After the release of the film, many citizens found that Haitang Yanyu Park, Sujiaba Interchange, Egongyan Bridge, Raffles... so many landmark buildings in Chongqing appeared in the film one by one. The head of Chongqing production team told the reporter that during the preparation of the film, the director had visited several cities in China, and finally made Chongqing the film location again.

Caiyuanba Yangtze River Bridge (Picture above: From the internet/Picture below: Photographed by Zhang Zhi)

“Before shooting, the director required that the scene should have a three-dimensional sense, a sense of city and life atmosphere. We sent dozens of staff to go through streets and lanes of Chongqing in 20 days, and selected dozens of scenes. Finally, the unique topography and cultural features of Chongqing were recognized by the director,” the person in charge said.

According to the staff, in order to find the platform for the dialogue between the mother and daughter in the film, they have looked for more than a dozen rooftops as alternatives. Caiyuanba Platform, Nanqu Road Gas Station Platform and Baixiang Hotel Platform have all left the figure of shooting team.

After the film was released, many Chongqing citizens felt a sense of pride when they see the familiar scenes in the film. “关山难越” said that “ss a native of Chongqing, I want to cry when I see the taxi. It’s time to go home for the Spring Festival.”

Sujiaba Interchange (Picture above: From the internet/Picture below: Photographed by Zhang Zhi) 

(Translated by Luo Juan, Fathom Language Limited)