Exclusive Interview with film producer Jianhao Andy An

Dwelling by the West Lake is a Chinese film directed by Gu Xiaogang and executive produced by Jianhao Andy An, serving as a follow-up to Gu’s multi-prize-winning debut Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains. Recently, the film received three nominations at the 17th Asian Film Awards, with Jiang Qinqin winning the Best Actress award. The film stars Wu Lei, Jiang Qinqin, and Chen Jianbin.

Dwelling By The West Lake Synopsis

Mu Lian’s father left home and went to Hangzhou for more than ten years without any news since he left. In order to find his father, Mu Lian went to Hangzhou alone to study. When he was about to graduate from college, his mother, Tai Hua, came to Hangzhou to take care of him. While she was picking tea for a living, she fell in love with the tea-picking owner. Tai Hua was about to start a new life, but fate pushed her into another desperate situation. She was driven away from the tea garden by her lover’s mother. Then she was deceived by her closest sister, Jin Lan, into the pyramid scheme “Butterfly International”. Tai Hua became addicted to it. Mu Lian was physically and mentally exhausted trying to find his lost father and save his addicted mother.

“Butterfly International” grew like a vine, planting the seeds of the devil in the hearts of countless people. Tai Hua also changed, from her clothes to her words and deeds, she was like a “newborn”, and her crazy behavior surprised Mu Lian. When the mother fluttered in the dream like a butterfly, the son tried every means to rescue her…

Executive Producer Jianhao Andy An’s Journey

Jianhao Andy An is a distinguished film producer in China. His career boasts notable achievements. Besides Dwelling by the West Lake, he co-produced Love Is A Gun, which was officially selected for the 2023 Venice Film Festival and won the Lion of the Future Award. In the realm of short films, Andy co-produced When Winter Comes, which was selected for the Palm Springs ShortFest 2024, and produced Winter by River, which was featured at the Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia 2022. Furthermore, he worked as a writer, director, and producer for It’s Better to Save Trouble, which garnered recognition at various film festivals, including the New York City Independent Film Festival, New York International Film Awards, DC Asian Pacific American Film Festival, and Flickfair Film Festival 2022.

We caught up with Jianhao to get his insights on Dwelling By The West Lake.

Can you tell us about your involvement in the project “Dwelling by the West Lake” and how you became a part of it?

I became friends with director Gu Xiaogang through a mutual friend. After watching Xiaogang’s first feature, Dwelling in Fuchun Mountains, which went to Cannes in 2019, I was so amazed by his unique visual language of portraying Chinese “Shanshui(Mountain and Water).” When I found out he was working on his second feature, I was immediately interested. Xiaogang needed a producer at the time, so the bond became natural.

What aspects of the film’s production and storytelling drew you to be a part of it?

What really pulled me in was Xiaogang’s dedication to combining “art” and
“narration.” I don’t think there’s a clear line between “art films” and “commercial films.” But it’s true that most “art films” or “auteur” films appeal to a smaller audience. They tell stories differently or use unique film language to convey emotions. Film enthusiasts love it because it’s different, but most people don’t accept it for the same reason.

In Dwelling in the West Lake, Xiaogang was very clear from the start that he wanted to tell a beautiful story. It was a brave choice, especially for a second-feature director, but I thought the story he wrote really reflected a generation of Chinese people. With his established visual style, I thought it had great potential to balance both art and story.

“Dwelling by the West Lake” marks another significant achievement in your career. How do you perceive these honors and recognitions you’ve received, especially at this stage of your career?

Besides its festival recognitions and achievements, Dwelling by the West Lake is my first mid-budget, theatrically-released film. I learned a lot about the process of releasing a film in theaters and what impacts the box office, things I hadn’t experienced before. I think I’ve become a more well-rounded producer now, but I still have a lot to learn.

Could you share some memorable moments from the production of “Dwelling by the West Lake” that reflect the challenges and rewards of being a film producer?

No film is made easily. Dwelling by the West Lake involved the dedication and hard work of hundreds of people. I can’t pinpoint a single biggest challenge because there were so many. But when the box office hit 100 million CNY, it was a milestone in my career. It was a great reward for someone who believed in this film.

What traits do you believe are essential for a successful film producer to possess?

I think a good producer needs to be insightful and sensitive to good content, opportunities, audience demands, and the market. As Robert Towne once wrote in his book:”a series of shared beliefs, in this case focusing on what was wrong with the country, created a sense of communion between filmmakers and filmgoers.” A producer should think about these things before acting. Which type of film for which market and for whom? Different films need different strategies.

Also, a producer should always be improving their professionalism and skills – keep evolving and learning. This way, they can keep up with the world’s development and make better movies each time.

With your involvement in a range of projects, how do you balance creative freedom with commercial viability when selecting projects to produce?

For me, telling a good story is the simplest yet hardest part. “Art films” are praised for their unique visual and sound language but often criticized for their story and characters. From my experience, leaning towards either side is doable, but balancing both is tough.

So, our team always asks, how can we tell a story in the most unique, interesting way? The story can’t be too common, and the techniques we use can’t be too common either. It’s a compounded difficulty, but achieving both is what makes cinema great.

How do you view the evolving landscape of the film industry, and how do you adapt to the changing trends and demands?

I think short videos, social media, and online platforms have made it harder for theatrical films to survive. Attracting people to theaters instead of having them watch content at home or scroll through their phones is a serious challenge every filmmaker faces today. My thoughts align with what I mentioned earlier: we need to tell interesting, meaningful, and lasting stories in the most creative, beautiful, and striking way. We must treat our audience better so they keep believing in cinema.