This director is vindictive.

Chapter 161 I am a director, not a drug addict

The box office of "Dying to Survive" was a huge hit as expected.

It has already booked the title of the National Day box office champion.

Naturally, this has caused a lot of discussion and some controversy.

The industry has begun to analyze why "I Am Not a Drug Lord" is so popular?
"The overwhelming online publicity and the almost zero negative reviews from audiences have drawn countless people to the cinema to see it. I also watched a preview of "Dying to Survive" in the cinema, and the whole venue was packed.

After watching the film, I began to agree with the predictions of those in the industry. I also saw in "Dying to Survive" some elements of Indian films that have been incredibly popular in the domestic film market over the past two years. The three most important elements are considered the "three axes" that have split the Chinese film market.

The first move: emotional resonance!
Social topics such as education and healthcare are always practical issues that a country cannot avoid.

The topic of birth, aging, illness, and death is an inevitable step in each of our lives, sooner or later. Therefore, "Dying to Survive" focuses on the common reality of illness, a common occurrence for most viewers. This is clearly something that most viewers can easily relate to, and the film is therefore highly relatable and has resonated with a large audience, bringing tears to their eyes.

As one of the few villains in the film says, many diseases in this world can be cured, but there is one disease that you can never cure, and that is poverty. Poverty itself is enough to touch the hearts of most viewers.

The second trick: find the problem!
Lu Xun said in "In Memory of Miss Liu Hezhen": "A true warrior dares to face the bleak life and dares to look squarely at the blood." In fact, only those who dare to face the reality of society and expose the truth of society are real warriors in this world.

In fact, in the vast land of China, there are a wide variety of themes for film and television works. However, achieving the transition from life experience to film and television works is a difficult task.

First of all, from the genre perspective, this type of social reality subject matter is highly sensitive and few directors would take it on. Even if it were to be filmed, it would likely be difficult to pass censorship for reasons that are well understood, and the production costs and expense would be too high, so few directors would be willing to take the risk.

Secondly, regardless of the subject matter, a film or television work ultimately must be judged by the audience. If the audience understands it, it will naturally be passed down through word of mouth, becoming a classic. However, if it is too profound, it can easily become like some art films, which, even if they win many awards, have a hard time gaining audience acceptance, thus falling into the awkward position of being too highbrow in the film market.

The third trick: solve the problem!
Progress has always been achieved in an environment where "even if there are no conditions, we will create them and move forward."

While the domestic film and television market is being misled by the "traffic-only" mentality, many people are still trying to change this situation. At the same time, with the advent of the consumption upgrade boom, audiences have their own aesthetics and demands for film and television products, and their requirements are becoming increasingly higher.

The recently released film "Dying to Survive" is also based on a true story, set during the crucial years of healthcare reform. The film's portrayal of human nature and the importance of law over emotion mirrors the realities we face in that era.

Therefore, the first half of the film has a comedic tone, and the plot is easy to understand, catering to the tastes of most audiences; while in the second half of the film, the comedy turns to tragedy, which elevates the theme of the film and meets the needs of those audiences who have higher requirements for film and television works.

Therefore, for the domestic film market, the release of "Dying to Survive" is not only a test of the current audience's demand for film and television, but also a milestone for the Chinese film market.

At the same time, to satisfy audiences at all levels, the film's protagonist is a small-time hero, possessing the fear and compassion of ordinary people, a passerby that every ordinary person can relate to. This return to the extraordinary deeds of ordinary people in real life is the heroic story that hits the mark and is more easily accepted by the audience.

Many of my friends in WeChat Moments not only contributed to the film's box office, but also shared their laughter and tears in the cinema. The real and sensitive topic of medical care was brought to the screen, and the story of the film itself is very intriguing.

"Dying to Survive" not only reflects real-world issues within the medical industry, but also offers a powerful message to directors in the Chinese film market: box office success isn't determined by traffic alone; audiences' aesthetic tastes and tastes are already capable of supporting the success of high-quality films."

Of course, as the saying goes, fame brings trouble.

This is true for Guo Xiaosi in "Jade Dynasty" and Chen Mo in "Dying to Survive".

Even though "Jade Dynasty" has a very bad reputation, its daily box office still exceeded 100 million yuan on National Day, which is really hard to accept.

And Guo Xiaosi was finally scolded to tears.

At a promotional event, he finally, finally, cried and uttered those astonishing words: "Is it because my name is Guo Xiaosi that whatever I do is wrong?"

As for Chen Mo, although "Dying to Survive" has achieved great success in both reputation and box office, in fact, when a movie becomes popular, it is inevitable that some people will start to want to take advantage of it.

Chen Mo was naturally prepared for this.

As a director, he naturally became the target of media attacks during a promotional roadshow.

"Director Chen, some people say that the reason why "Dying to Survive" can explode in social circles is largely because it hits the social emotions. The fear of death, suspicion of the medical system, sympathy for the grassroots people.
At the end of "Dying to Survive," Cheng Yong is arrested, and his beneficiaries, the patients who benefited from him, stand by the roadside, staging a farewell ceremony. The story ultimately points to the self-redemption of a civilian hero, rather than a reflection on or critique of the medical system.

Does this romantic style contradict the realistic temperament?

"I've never thought about any particular 'ism'. The so-called 'ism' is always a label others put on a film after it's released. As a director, no matter what technique I use, I just want to shoot a story that's authentic, engaging, and moving.

During the creative process, I didn't really consider the social value too much, because the social significance already existed when I chose this subject.

Moreover, I have always believed that if you only want to convey a meaning, the audience will not listen. You must polish the story to be very attractive so that the audience will open their hearts and listen to your message. "

"We all know that 'Dying to Survive' is based on a prototype character, and the prototype character Cheng Yong is also a patient. So why did Cheng Yong become a healthy person in the movie?" the reporter asked again.

"If he is a patient, his motivation is to save himself and make money, and finally save others. The arc of this character is very small. But if he is a healthy person, it will be completely different!" Chen Mo said lightly.

Finally, the reporter's true intentions were exposed.

This question raises one of the most controversial questions on the Internet.

"Who is the villain in 'Dying to Survive'? Many netizens have expressed that the Swiss pharmaceutical company's representatives in the film seem rather repulsive, selling overpriced drugs with greed and ruthlessness.

But are pharmaceutical companies really the bad guys? Is this biased? Is it trying to please the audience and disregard the facts?

This issue can be said to be the biggest controversy encountered by "Dying to Survive".

Of course, Chen Mo was prepared for this question.

"There's always a villain in a movie. You have to have someone the audience likes and someone the audience doesn't like. But just because they don't like someone doesn't mean they're bad.

Of course, regarding the setting of the medical representatives in the movie, I admit that there are indeed commercial considerations. However, if you look closely, you will find that I never said that medical representatives are bad in the movie. In my opinion, medical representatives are not villains, but they stand on the opposite side of the protagonist because of their different positions.

We respect intellectual property rights, but I believe that if faced with a choice between intellectual property and human life, I can give it up. Only by highlighting this point can the story gain power, and it's not just about creating a specific dramatic conflict. Furthermore, in my opinion, there are no villains in today's stories. Everyone, from the police to the judges to the pharmaceutical representatives, has a conscience.

In addition to the medical representatives, another businessman who sells fake drugs in the film, Zhang Changlin, can be said to be the most villain-like. In the early stage, Zhang Changlin even threatened Cheng Yong to report him for the sake of profit, but later as the circumstances changed, he did not finally give up Cheng Yong in the interrogation room, but left a slightly ironic laugh.

In fact, I just want to tell everyone through this point that no one can look at things simply.

In fact, in the film, I believe that anyone who has seen the movie will find that every character that appears is not so perfect. Cheng Yong is timid, cowardly, and even commits domestic violence.

Lü Shouyi, Pastor Liu, Liu Sihui, and Peng Hao all have their own standpoints. Lü Shouyi's wife, everyone forgives Cheng Yong, but she can't forgive him because her standpoint is clear: her husband is dead. You can call her selfish, but who in this world isn't selfish?
The same goes for other patients. They're taking medication that costs tens of thousands of yuan per bottle, but Cheng Yong sells it for 5,000 yuan, and they still think it's too expensive. Some say this is just human nature, but I'd argue it's also because they have their own perspective! From a patient's perspective, the cheaper the medication, the better, even free! You could say they're taking things for granted, but it's simply human nature!
Including medical representatives, they spend so much manpower, material resources and energy, and invest so much cost to develop drugs, so naturally they hope to make money by selling drugs. This is also their position.

Including the police, Cao Bin sympathizes with the patients, but as law enforcement officers, they must act in accordance with the law, and this is also a matter of stance."

"Some netizens said that your position as the director of "Dying to Survive" was not neutral or objective enough. What do you think?" the reporter asked.

Chen Mo laughed: "Your so-called neutrality and objectivity are ridiculous when applied to a director. As a director, I have always believed that it is impossible for a director to be completely neutral, because if they are completely neutral, there will be no emotional substitution. If they can't even substitute emotions, then what kind of movie are we making?
We usually label movies as "the work of director X," which is actually self-explanatory. It means that the movie is the work of a certain director, which is a label. If we have no stance and are completely objective, then why do we still emphasize this point?

At the same time, Chen Mo was also asked about the ending's "glorification and whitewashing".

Just as the plot takes a sharp turn, about to turn tragic, the camera flashes, and Cheng Yong is deified, garnering universal admiration. Then, three years later, Cheng Yong is released from prison, and "genuine drugs are now included in medical insurance." Generic drugs, once prized treasures, have suddenly become "that stuff" that no one buys.

Is this ending just to pass the trial?" the reporter asked again.

Chen Mo smiled. As for this question, if you say it is, then it is definitely true.

But he certainly couldn't answer like that!

Actually, yes and no!
The most important thing is, what kind of ending of "I Am Not a Drug Lord" can be considered grand and spectacular?
The story actually ends there. How should the ending be arranged?

How can we arrange it so that everyone is satisfied? This is impossible.

Even more so, if we don't use this ending, what ending should we use? Cheng Yong is sentenced and that's it? This will also not be satisfying.

But you want Chen Mo to come up with a really awesome solution, isn't that nonsense? He is also a human being, not a god. Even if Chen Mo is a reborn person, it is useless to solve this problem!

When he was reborn, the problem remained the same.

"I'm actually very confused about this question. Why do people think this way? First of all, movies can raise questions, but we directors can't really provide perfect solutions to problems. The title of "Dying to Survive" actually tells everyone this very well. Cheng Yong is not the God of Medicine, and as a director, I, Chen Mo, am not a God of Medicine either!

This problem exists, and what I hope is to let everyone know that this problem exists, so that everyone can think about and discuss how to solve it, rather than giving a solution through a movie.

So many people have tried hard to think of perfect solutions to the problems that exist in society, but they can't come up with any. Why do we think that directors have this ability?

What we can film is what we think is the best way to solve the problem at the moment. Maybe this solution may not be the best, but at least it is feasible at this stage, isn’t it?

I also really don't understand why people don't believe our country will get better. Why can't it get better? In 2002, the survival rate for chronic myeloid leukemia in China was 30%. Now it's 85%. Isn't this social progress?
One thing I can tell you is that the ending of "Dying to Survive" has been like this from the very beginning, and it can be said that this movie was not cut at all during the review process!

So there is no such ending added just to pass the review."

In fact, these things are really just promotional materials. At this point, "Dying to Survive" has become a big hit.

Various aspects of "Dying to Survive" have also begun to be analyzed under a magnifying glass by netizens.

For example, details.

One netizen exclaimed, "Good movies are all about detail!" "Dying to Survive" is filled with details. Some are meant to reflect real life, like the ticket scalpers at the hospital entrance; some are meant to create atmosphere, like the flies hanging on pork at the slaughterhouse; and some are meant to reflect character, like the book "The Capital of Being a Human Being" that Cheng Yong reads after he becomes rich.

Some scenes, seemingly casual, actually hold deeper meaning. For example, in the scene where Cao Bin reports the case to the police chief, the chief pulls out his ashtray and reminds Cao Bin, "Don't spill the ashes." The image of a stern, unyielding police officer comes to life.

You won’t know until you see it, and you’ll be shocked once you see it. I can only say that the director really put his heart into it!”

“Not only that, the character of Zhang Changlin is really interesting and ironic.

Zhang Changlin sold fake medicine, engaged in malicious competition, and drove up drug prices. However, after he was arrested, he was tortured in various ways but still refused to give out the identity of Cheng Yong. This shows that even thieves have their code of conduct.

Seeing this, are you suddenly a little moved by Zhang Changlin? That's right, you see, human nature is like this. Good people have to go through 81 difficulties to become Buddhas, while bad people just need to put down their butcher knives.

"There are so many symbolic things in the movie! Especially the masks, they are really impressive.

The mask symbolizes the patients' mental defense, or respect.

When Cheng Yong first started selling and was rejected, the patients were wearing masks.

Later, when he was discussing the contract with the group leaders of the patient group for the first time, he asked everyone to take off their masks because he felt that everyone did not respect them. Everyone took off their masks in a state of depression, symbolizing that they were desperate and forced to succumb to him due to the situation.

Cheng Yong said arrogantly, "You think it's germy, right? Then go away," but he quietly put out the cigarette in his hand.

At that time, Lv Shouyi was the first to take off his mask. Later, when the team disbanded, Lv put on his mask again. After Old Lv died, Cheng Yong came out of Lv's house. People in the corridor looked at him, but they were all wearing masks and had indifferent expressions on their faces.

When Cheng Yong was paraded through the streets in the prison van, people took off their masks on their own initiative, symbolizing that they had completely accepted and respected him.

One mask has been used up to its limit!"

"Not only that, the movie also has many details and foreshadowing. When Cheng Yong first tried to recruit Pastor Liu, he tricked him by saying, 'God says if I don't go to hell, who will?'

At that time he said this just to make money.

At the farewell dinner, he said, I have elderly parents and young children to take care of, and I don’t want to go to jail.

Later, after Lao Lu died, he decided to buy medicine at cost price or even at a loss, knowing that he might go to jail. At that time, he thought from the bottom of his heart, if I don’t go to hell, who will?

Old Lu died. His wife did not forgive Cheng Yong, Huang Mao did not forgive Cheng Yong, and a large group of his fellow patients stood in front of Old Lu's house, all staring at Cheng Yong grimly. Even Cheng Yong himself did not forgive himself.

But was it Cheng Yong's fault that Lao Lu died? If Cheng Yong really didn't care about Lao Lu, he would have been dead for a long time. Just like Cheng Yong said, he has elderly parents and young children to support, and he also has a large factory of workers to support. Is it wrong for him not to go to jail? The patient doesn't want to die, so does Cheng Yong want to die? Maybe his mistake is that he doesn't understand the saying "a peck of rice is a favor, a peck of rice is a grudge." Saving people is not enough. People want to save them to the end, to see them through to the end. If you don't save them to the end, then you are wrong.

So Cheng Yong ended up in jail in order to save others.

It was clearly a gang that committed the crime, but in the end only Cheng Yong went to jail.

If I don’t go to hell, who will?

(End of this chapter)