Interview with Wei Jun Chen, Director of "Please Vote For Me"

Sep.10th.2007, Monday

Finally, I’ve got the chance to interview Wei Jun Chen, the Chinese director of "Please Vote for Me".

We are both excited to know that there is another Chinese involved in this international project, and it feels so great to discuss democracy in Chinese on the phone.

Siyi (S): “Have the kids and their families already watched the film?”
WeiJun (W): “Chen chen (the little leading character) and his mum have seen it.”

S: “What do they think about it?”
W: “Chen Chen is very satisfied with his performance, except for criying in the end, not like a man, he said .”

S: “Why did you choose this perspective to demonstrate democracy?”
W: “I think, in China or this world, some people may not care about democracy, may be not concerned about politics, but most people like kids. From the perspective of kids, we see human nature more truly.”

S: “How did you realized this documentary in a primary school environment?”
W: “I went to the school before the summer vacation in 2005, getting along well with the kids and teachers, making them more comfortable with the video camera. Also, I managed to get permission from the school. In the following school year, I could carry on with the shooting of their annual election of the monitor. It took 5 or 6 days to finish the filming.”

S: “Can you screen it in China? How does the Chinese government react towards this documentary movie?”
W: “Unfortunately we can not screen it in China. We are cautious to the reaction of government.”

S: “So what do you think about democracy?”
W: “As I answered on the press conference, democracy is not only a form of government. It is a spirit, which inspires people to safeguard their rights and defend them.”

At the end of the interview, Wei Jun has got another invitation for a movie festival at Los Angeles that wants to screen "Please Vote for Me". But due to his busy schedule, he refused. At the moment he is engaged in producing another documentary.

/Siyi