Boomsday

Why did you want to make an Olympic-themed documentary? I never wanted to make an Olympics movie. My interest in the Olympics is more than just the Games. I see it as a lens through which we look at the changes in the city and the people of China. Is that where the title came from? Yes. This film is about everyday people in Beijing who are affected by the urban changes occurring in response to the Olympics. For me, 'boomtown' means a mixed blessing–you get the good with the bad. So how did you choose your subjects? I lecture at the Beijing Film Academy and I got my students to scout subjects for me. The most important thing is that, visually, they trigger emotions and symbolism related to the Olympics. For example, there's the little boy who dreams of being a torch-bearer. His connection to the Games is actually more imagined than real, but he taps into images that everyone has of past relays. What has the response been like from audiences? Generally, when I screen the film, the audience is predominantly foreign, and one of the unexpected results is people saying it has compelled them to reconsider their perspective on China. And your Chinese viewers? They tend to relate to it more in terms of memory or nostalgia. One comment I often get from both Chinese and foreigners is, "Hen zhengshi"–it's authentic, it's real. The level of authenticity is something people talk about.

Tan Siok Siok