China’s Shaw thing
Hans Zhang stars in Chinese period drama The Legendary Tycoon, based on the life of Sir Run Run Shaw. Director Chuang Hsun-Hsin tells DQ about the man who inspired this 45-part biopic. He has been described as one of the most influential figures in the Asian entertainment industry, building some of the largest film and television production companies in the region. So it’s only fitting that Sir Run Run Shaw’s life – he died in 2014 aged 106 – is now the inspiration for a television drama produced and distributed by China’s Huace Group. The Legendary Tycoon tells the story of a film tycoon who never gave up on his dreams of a career making movies, leading him to become a household name across China. The series has yet to confirm a broadcaster or a premiere date, but it debuted in Cannes when it was screened at TV industry event Mipcom last month. Here, series director Chuang Hsun-Hsin explains the origins of the series and the challenges of producing it, which included recreating several Chinese cities over a 50-year period. How would you describe the story of The Legendary Tycoon? Chuang Hsun-Hsin: It is a story about the entire life of the film tycoon Sir Run Run Shaw. He devoted his life to his film empire and influenced the development of Chinese films for half a century. He was also a famous philanthropist. Since the 1980s, he donated thousands of educational and medical buildings named Shaw Buildings and tens of billions … Continue reading China’s Shaw thing
