Donnie Yen Advocates for Investment in Chinese Action Films
Donnie Yen, a Chinese action movie star and member of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), recently attended the two sessions in Beijing. During a media interview, Yen expressed his concerns about the decline in Chinese action movies and suggested that more investment should be made to attract filmmakers to tell good Chinese stories through the appeal of action films.
Yen emphasized that the action movie genre is an excellent way to tell the story of China in general, and Hong Kong SAR, in particular. With examples from the likes of Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, Jet Li, and his own IP Man series, he believes that action movies have the potential to become the pride of China.
As an actor who has also worked in Hollywood, Yen has expressed his dissatisfaction with the way Asian characters are often portrayed in Western media. He believes that there is a lack of attention paid to the progress and development that has taken place in China. Instead, the Western media tends to focus on negative stories, which he feels is unfair.
Yen is more selective with the Hollywood movies he takes on and will only accept a role that is respectful of Chinese culture. Many of his films center around Chinese national identity, and he feels that action movies are an excellent vehicle for storytelling, as they can reach a wider audience and effectively promote positive themes.
This is the first time that Yen has served as a member of the CPPCC National Committee from HKSAR, and he plans to continue advocating for more investment in Chinese action films. By doing so, he hopes to preserve and promote the unique cultural identity of China through the power of cinema.
