Though he has won praises left and right for his performances, Zhu Yilong recently stated that he is not yet ready to make the move from acting to directing.
The actor shared as much during an interview on the red carpet during his appearance at the 7th Pingyao International Film Festival on 11 October, where his new movie, “Only The River Flows” premiered that night as the opening film.
When asked if he has plans to direct in the future, Zhu responded, “I would like to improve as an actor first and there are still many more roles I want to play.”
Asked if he would like to work with renowned filmmaker Jia Zhangke, he replied, “Of course, if such an opportunity arises.”
Speaking about his new movie, which is based on the Yu Hua novel, “Mistakes by the River”, Zhu stated that it is “not as rough as the sea, but more like the gentle flow of the river”.
“When the sun shines, it will reflect a different light. I hope that everyone can go into the cinema and experience this movie,” he added.
Directed by Wei Shujun, “Only The River Flows” tells the story of Police Chief Ma Zhe (Zhu Yilong), who begins investigating a series of murders in a riverside town in rural China in the 1990s. The movie was selected to compete in the Un Certain Regard section of 76th Cannes Film Festival back in May 2023.
(Photo Source: Zhu Yilong Weibo, Chopard IG)