Guoqing Fu feels he was destined to become a film producer. He is always at the centre of a movie, acting as the magnet that brings everything together. He spends every day surrounded by people who love what they do, just as he does, and he finds inspiration in that. Growing up in Chengdu City, Sichuan Province, China, Fu dreamed that he would one day be able to make movies, and as a celebrated producer, he spends every day doing what he loves.
Now, Fu finds himself at the forefront of his industry. He is known for his versatility and commitment to his craft, always building a positive working environment that allows everyone to shine, a fundamental aspect of a leader. His work on films like Gum Gum, Underset, and Over have impressed audiences around the world, and his thoughtful approach to storytelling has earned him a stellar reputation.
“Produce high-quality and excellent movies for the audience, let the audience enjoy the movie, not just around the story. I hope that the audience is in an immersive story atmosphere. For professional film admirers, I am eager to let them taste the artistic details from the film and appreciate the artistic expression from it. Let the film deepen at the artistic level,” he said.
Earlier last year, one of Fu’s most decorated projects of his career premiered. The film, La Pieta, which Fu wrote himself, follows mid-aged female celebrity Crystal, who acts with a young director Kronos in his drama show. She falls in love with him, however, after they have sex on stage, she finds out Kronos is her son she abandoned.
“When I wrote the story, I was inspired by many Korean films, including Park Chan Wook’s vengeance trilogy and some works by Kim Ki Duk. I’m always interested in stories about revenge, and this one felt right to me. The final picture is also very beautiful thanks to my cinematographer and production designer. Just like the title La Pieta, I really wanted a classic look out of this film, and with the help of my crew, it turned out exactly like what I wanted,” said Fu.
This was a passion project for Fu. The central focus of revenge, while telling a story within a story, was intriguing for the filmmaker. After he wrote the script, he also decided to direct the film, allowing him to fully be in charge of executing his vision.
“I’m always interested in narrative storytelling. I’m also aiming for the position of a creative producer, I’d love to write my own story and make it to the big screen,” he said.
La Pieta debuted in May 2018, and Fu’s passion project captivated viewers and critics around the world. On top of being an Official Selection at dozens of festivals, the film took home over eight awards, including Best Drama Short at the Five Continents Film Festival and the International Independent Film Awards, recognizing Fu’s extraordinary talents.
“I’m very proud of this film. The success of this project feels to me very different from other projects because I’m not only the producer but the writer and director. It’s a dream that my passion project can gain a lot of recognition from different film festivals. It gives me more confidence to stick with my dream and follow my heart,” he said.
Fu and his team got the script locked down fairly quickly, as it had been brewing in his mind for some time. What took time was casting, as Fu wanted to find the perfect actors who could transform his characters into real people. The main characters both have very complex backgrounds, and Fu wanted to find versatile actors who could portray this. He also made sure to hire the right crew, especially the department heads. With the right people, he sorted out all the potential problems during production meetings, which allowed everything to move smoothly while shooting.
As the writer, director, and producer of La Pieta, the success of the movie rested on Fu’s shoulders. He had the entirety of the creative control, making all the final decisions.
“My favorite part of this project was having the chance to shoot in a real theater stage. I have never directed a play before and directing the climax scene on the theater stage is absolutely amazing, when the curtain is opening and the actor can really feel they are in a play and they will put on a show for the audience,” he said.
Be sure to check out Fu’s outstanding work with La Pieta.