Interview: British actor Joseph Fiennes speaks high about working experience in China

Joseph Fiennes, British actor presenting the trailer of "The Last Race" in the Chinese pavilion at the ongoing 69th Cannes Film Festival talked about his nice professional experience in China.

"It was incredible to work in China for the first time in my life and collaborating with a complete Chinese crew, producers, director and actors," Fiennes told Xinhua in an exclusive interview here in Cannes.

"It was a very wonderful and invigorating experience, and that's the blessing of an actor, because you get taken into other cultures and introduced into their point of views," he said.

The Last Race is a Sino-American co-production film directed by Stephen Shin and starring Fiennes and Shawn Dou. The film is based on the real story of the Chinese-born Olympic runner and missionary Eric Liddell's heroics in a Second World War prison camp in China.

Asked about the best part working in China, Fiennes said: "All of that, I have always loved to work with another culture and language."

"I was sent the script, I read it and I responded. Previously during my career, I worked with another Chinese movie director in Killing Me Softly by Chen Kaige," the British actor said.

About the collaboration with director Shin, Fiennes said he researched a lot on the specific subject to make sure to bring the context and the emotional truth to the screenplay.

"I also tried to step into the director's and writer's vision," Fiennes continued.

As for his favourite Chinese movies, Fiennes said: "Among the Chinese movies that really stayed with me, I would name two titles, Farewell My Concubine by Chen Kaige and Raise the Red Lantern by Zhang Yimou."

For Fiennes, the success of the Chinese cinema is partly because Chinese movies are evolving and, secondly because China is more and more open. The talent has always been there and from the distribution point of view, the job is very exciting. Endit