From Assembly Line to Auteur: The Unlikely Ascent of Zhang Zhongchen and “Farewell, My Last”
In an era where overnight sensations often capture public attention, director Zhang Zhongchen’s story stands out as a testament to perseverance and an unyielding passion for cinema. Towards the end of last month, a video shared by the director on social media instantly ignited a flurry of excited comments and tags like “Security Guard’s Unlikely Rise” and “Dark Horse of the Year.” In this raw, heartfelt five-minute preview, Zhang Zhongchen offered a glimpse into his highly anticipated debut feature film, “Farewell, My Last,” while candidly reflecting on his truly extraordinary life journey into filmmaking.
“Farewell, My Last” first garnered significant buzz back in 2021 when it made a remarkable splash at the 15th FIRST International Film Festival, an event known for championing emerging voices in Chinese cinema. The film not only commanded attention but swept two major accolades in the main competition: Best Narrative Feature and Best Director. Following this impressive early success, anticipation mounted as the film navigated the complexities of distribution, finally making its long-awaited premiere on December 21st, over three years later.
Hailing from a modest village in Dangshan County, Suzhou City, Anhui Province, Zhang Zhongchen’s path was far from typical for an acclaimed director. Born in 1991, his early adulthood saw him entering the workforce after technical school, enduring the monotonous grind of a factory assembly line. It was a chance trip to Beijing, however, that inadvertently opened the door to his destiny. He secured a job as a security guard at the prestigious Beijing Film Academy – a placement that would fundamentally alter his trajectory. “I’ve protected Luc Besson and Mikhalkov!” he quipped, recalling those early days with a touch of awe. It was within this unlikely environment that Zhang Zhongchen’s dormant passion for film was ignited. Obsessively, he seized every opportunity to “audit” classes, absorbing knowledge about cinema from the ground up, teaching himself the fundamentals of storytelling and visual language. “It was hard, but I knew it was the closest I could get to my dream,” he shared, highlighting the immense dedication involved in his self-taught education. “Through film, I realized I still had a place, however small, in this world.” His story is a powerful reminder that true ambition can blossom in the most unexpected of places.
A Deeply Personal Canvas: Pouring Life into “Farewell, My Last”
During a candid post-screening Q&A session at Shanghai’s Grand Cinema, Zhang Zhongchen elaborated on the intensely personal nature of his film, revealing that he had poured his entire life experiences and profound emotions into its creation. “This film is ‘consuming’ my life, like a health bar in a game that turns red in an instant,” he explained, illustrating the exhaustive emotional toll of bringing his vision to fruition. The narrative of “Farewell, My Last” found its genesis in the tragic real-life experiences of a childhood friend. This deeply affecting burden had weighed heavily on Zhang Zhongchen for years, gnawing at him until he finally felt compelled to pick up a camera and translate the stories of those often at the mercy of fate onto the screen. “I just had this drive, and in 2017, I finally decided to make my own film.”
The audacious undertaking of funding a debut film with such a niche and sensitive subject matter proved incredibly challenging. Faced with an uphill battle to secure investment from traditional channels, Zhang Zhongchen found himself at a crucial juncture. It was then that an extraordinary act of solidarity unfolded: his fellow security guards, who also harbored a deep love for film, stepped in to provide vital support. “They took out their hard-earned savings to support me,” he recounted, visibly moved by their generosity. These ordinary individuals, through their astonishing belief and financial sacrifice, fueled the flames of idealism and helped bring a seemingly impossible dream closer to reality.
Authenticity Forged in Experience: Crafting Characters from Reality
The veracity and rawness of “Farewell, My Last” are deeply rooted in Zhang Zhongchen’s own life experiences. The film’s male protagonist, Fang Yuan, works as a factory security guard, a direct mirroring of the director’s early career. Furthermore, the film masterfully employs surveillance footage as a recurring motif, a stylistic choice that powerfully depicts Fang Yuan’s inner world and emotional state. “Like in the film, I would watch people coming and going on the monitors, trying to find some meaning in life,” Zhang Zhongchen explained, drawing a direct parallel between the character’s existential reflections and his own.
Adding another layer of authenticity to the production, the lead actor, Wang Yaode, was Zhang Zhongchen’s roommate during his time as a security guard. A non-professional actor, Wang Yaode undertook an immersive preparation process for his role as Fang Yuan, spending significant time at a school for the deaf and mute in Pingdingshan. His profound interactions with the students there provided him with an invaluable, deeper understanding of the character’s struggles and perspectives. “One student had closed himself off because of his disability,” Wang Yaode shared emotionally, recounting a particularly poignant encounter. “He longed to live and love like a normal person.”
This authentic exposure not only helped Wang Yaode inhabit his character with remarkable depth but also provided unexpected wells of inspiration for the broader narrative of the film. The profound experience even influenced the casting of the crucial role of the younger Fang Yuan, who was discovered at the same school for the deaf and mute children. Subtle yet powerful real-life observations, such as how these children, unable to hear, wouldn’t notice when eggs rolled off the table during meals, were sensitively woven into the film’s fabric, enriching its texture and emotional resonance.
The Unyielding Spirit: Navigating the Challenges of Independent Cinema
Unsurprisingly, “Farewell, My Last,” with its intimate and niche subject matter, is currently facing the all too common uphill battle of limited distribution. At present, only a select few cinemas in Shanghai are showcasing the film, a stark contrast to the widespread release of commercial blockbusters. Zhang Zhongchen candidly captured this struggle in a recent social media post, writing, “Limited screenings, a difficult ‘crawl’,” a poignant caption accompanied by an image from the film depicting a young cicada arduously struggling to climb out of a vegetable basket. This striking metaphor perfectly encapsulates the arduous journey for independent cinema to reach wider audiences.
Despite the critical acclaim and the passionate commitment poured into its creation, the director remains brutally pragmatic about the film’s financial prospects. “It’s probably hopeless to recoup the costs,” he admitted with disarming honesty. Yet, this challenging reality has not dampened his spirit or his fervent hope. He continues to champion the film, fueled by a greater purpose: “but we still hope more people can see it, and we hope we can continue to make films and not be blown over by the wind!” Zhang Zhongchen’s journey from a factory floor to a film festival stage, and his ongoing battle to share his deeply personal story, serves as an inspiring beacon for aspiring filmmakers and a powerful reminder of the relentless dedication required to chase artistic dreams against formidable odds.