Big plans for tiny times(2)

Niu Weikun, 26, a Beijing-based office worker, says she was a fan of the original novels in high school, and is now hooked on the big-screen adaptations. "The movies remind me of my time with old friends," she says.

"Rich families' lifestyles are common in Chinese movies today. It might be an overstatement it to say that the lavish lifestyles depicted will have a negative influence on teenage girls.

"Fine clothes will make the movies look beautiful. That's all."

Nevertheless, Niu says she would rather watch the third installment of the series later when it is available online because paying to go to the cinema is more worthwhile when going to see a film with special visual effects.

"It's a story about youth, but we expect the audience to be of all ages because all people must have some memory of their younger years," says Li Li, the chief producer of the movie.

"We want to find the emotional resonance."

Though the four young women' adventures continue in the same vein as the first two films, there are some surprises in Tiny Times 3, which mixes romance with a thriller.

There are fresh international faces, too, such as Korean actor and model Hyun-Jae Lee. Some scenes have been shot outside of China, including in Rome, Italy. Unusually, the films title appears on screen half an hour into the movie.

"There must be some dark side when growing up," Guo says. "However, no matter how dark the days we went through were, there will be some faint light flickering at the end of the tunnel."

The Tiny Times series is far from finished. Co-producer Angie Chai from Taiwan has revealed that the fourth installment is currently being edited.

Author Han Han will release his directing debut, a road-trip comedy, The Continent, next week. The close release dates have prompted inevitable comparisons between the two films and their directors.

"There are many different types of good movies. I will not compare myself to others and can only forge my own path as well as I can," Guo says.

Guo and Han, only a year apart in age, are generally considered to be the biggest literary rivals among Chinese writers of their generation. They came to fame in the same way - by winning the top prize in the same national writing contest as teenagers.

A reporter at the premiere asked Guo about Han once saying that Han wanted to make friends with him.

However, Guo's response to the offer of friendship was lukewarm. "I don't have many friends," he says. "And I don't want to make many friends."