From the “Meet the Filmmakers” series held in Feburary 2010 at the Apple Store in Sanlitun, Beijing. The series, co-presented by the Apple Store and dGenerate Films, is an ongoing series to showcase Chinas newest filmmakers powered by digital technology. Cui Zien is a director, film scholar, screenwriter, and novelist based in Beijing. He is an associate professor at the Beijing Film Academy. Cui Zien is a premiere avant-garde digital filmmaker in China. He has published nine novels in China and Hong Kong, and he is also the author of books on criticism and theory, as well as a columnist for magazines. Interview conducted by Jane Zheng. Videography by Michael Cheng. English transcription by Yuqian Yan. Q4: It is always very different to resist the temptation of fame and profit. How do you see these two things? CZE: I think a good artist should identify himself as lower-class. My definition of lower-class is different from proletariat, yet its not the same as middle-class either. The upper-class always have too much and dont know what to do; while the middle-class always get the exact amount. So I consider the lower-class as more creative. The so-called fame and profit, failure and success are just social constructions. When we are by ourselves or with several true friends, we are not judged by these criteria and therefore in the most natural status. For example, when we celebrate Chinese New Year with our family, no one really cares about whether weve succeeded or not. I …
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