When Ceng Guoxiang presented his first independent film feature film "July and An Sheng" to the audience, the experiences of childhood and women began to highlight its preciousness. In the booming commercial film market in China, young female audiences are generally faced with an embarrassing situation. Most female characters suddenly grow up after their first sexual experience, or because of the tragic consequences of abortion. Ceng Guoxiang is familiar with this complexity. He knows that the painful struggle of contemporary women in their growth is not only the youthful nostalgia of Anne Baby in the original novel.
Ceng Guoxiang originally planned to let Zhou Dongyu, who often plays the girl next door, play the obedient July in the play, and let Sandra, who has a rebellious left ear, play the role of smoking, drinking and fighting. When we first met, the first thing Zhou Dongyu said to Ceng Guoxiang was: "The director is very handsome." Ceng Guoxiang said thank you, but I didn't expect Zhou Dongyu to add: "But what I mean is only within the scope of the director." Ceng Guoxiang found that this girl often speaks without thinking, regardless of whether the other party is happy or not. "She really has something to say and won't do too much to hide herself. I think the feeling is that she was a peace at first.
"July and An Sheng" was nominated for six Golden Horse Awards, including best director and best adapted screenplay, which made Zhou Dongyu and Sandra win the best actress at the same time. At the award ceremony, Sandra said to Zhou Dongyu, "Anyway, maybe I wouldn't be standing here without you, and of course you wouldn't be standing here without me", and it all started with Ceng Guoxiang's accurate judgment of them. This shows the talent of this director. What else do you know about this director?