Chinese movie director makes his mark in Hollywood

Chinese film director Feng Xiaogang left his handprints outside the TCL Chinese Theater in Hollywood. Provided to China Daily

Chinese film director Feng Xiaogang left his handprints in cement outside the TCL Chinese Theater on Nov 1 as groups of Chinese onlookers snapped photos of celebrities' names on the Avenue of Stars.

"Hollywood is a place of sunshine, beach, dreams coming true and endless creativity and innovation," Feng said at the ceremony. "I'm honored to join the people who have left their handprints at the theater."

Feng is the first Chinese film director to cement his hand and footprints at Hollywood's TCL Chinese Theater. Formerly Grumman's Chinese Theater and Mann's Chinese Theater, it has been home to many movie premieres since 1927 as well as Academy Awards ceremonies.

Among the theater's most distinctive features are concrete blocks set in the forecourt, bearing the signatures, footprints and handprints of popular film personalities from the 1920s until now.

Feng's handprint celebration inaugurated the three-day "Beijing Film Panorama in America" from Nov 1 to Nov 3. The TCL theater screened seven of Feng's trademark films with English subtitles including Back to 1942, Aftershock, If You Are the One II, The Banquet, A World without Thieves, Cellular and Assembly.

The Beijing-born Feng is a highly successful and visionary film director whose comedic films have consistently topped box office charts in China over the last 20 years. He recently broke that mold by making drama or period drama films, such as the well-regarded Back to 1942, which was shown at the TCL theater on Friday afternoon.

Feng received a certificate of recognition from Los Angeles County Supervisor Mike Antonovich and the representative of Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti.

"Los Angeles is the entertainment center of the world," Antonovich says. "The theater we're in today is very historic, beginning in 1927. Famous Hollywood stars, directors, producers left their handprint and signature at this facility, including Alfred Hitchcock, Steven Spielberg, Ron Howard and Clint Eastwood."

"The TCL Chinese Theater brings the world of entertainers together. China and the United States have a great partnership. We need to continue that and have more cooperation between us," he adds.

Alwyn Hight Kushner, president and chief operating officer of TCL Chinese Theater, acclaims herself a fan of Feng and says: "It's a trend that American and Chinese movie industry work together. TCL Chinese Theater just screened Jackie Chan's CZ12 which was warmly received by the local audience."

Feng's actress wife Xu Fan, Wang Zhongjun, chairman and CEO of Huayi Brothers Media Group, and other entertainment stars, including Tang Guoqiang, Zhang Guoli and Deng Jie, joined the celebration.