Exclusive | "Jiangyuan Lane" disappeared? Shengli Cinema will build a film and television base on Zhapu Road
Many citizens and tourists have discovered that the "Sauce Garden" at the entrance of the Victory Cinema on Zhapu Road is being demolished. Where will this popular check-in spot in the city center go in the future? "We plan to build a film and television base in the city center, which will serve as an extension of the Victory Cinema business format." Shen Bin, the manager of the Victory Cinema, said in an exclusive interview with the Jiefang Daily Shangguan reporter that the demolition of the relevant scenery is the next step to revitalize this century-old historical block. With the support of the Hongkou District Government and relevant departments, the eight-shaped intersection of Wujin Road, Beihaining Road, and Zhapu Road in front of the Victory Cinema will be built into an immersive film and television base with a sense of history, welcoming film and television people from all over the country to come and shoot Shanghai stories without any threshold or restrictions. At the same time, the block has introduced "niche" stores with traffic, such as wonton shops, teahouses, and cheongsam shops, to create cultural tourism and leisure consumption scenes for young people on the basis of meeting the needs of film and television shooting.
The sudden rain stopped during the plum rain season, and the entrance of Shengli Cinema became busy again. "As a film and television base, we must first be able to be 'adaptable' and have the ability to accommodate all kinds of things." Standing on the rooftop terrace of Shengli Cinema, Shen Bin described to reporters the blueprint of his future Zhapu Road Film and Television Base.
The city streetscape is being updated as seen from the rooftop terrace of Victory Cinema. Photo by Zhong Han
After the renovation, the block will be restored to the aesthetic style of Shanghai in the 1930s, unified with the Victory Cinema. The walls are gray, the vermilion doors and windows are old, and a circle of light bulbs is installed under the eaves of each floor, flashing at night. At the intersection of Beihaining Road, a black steel structure archway is newly erected with the three words "Jiangyuan Lane" inscribed on it. This is a check-in point reserved for those who want to come to "Jiangyuan Lane" to find their memories. These three words can be disassembled. In the movie lens, it can become Zhang Garden or anywhere. Shen Bin said that not positioning is the positioning of this film and television base. "Whether you are a blockbuster or a short drama, or an advertisement, as long as the subject matter is suitable, anyone can come here to shoot, and we don't set any limits."
One hundred years ago, this was Shanghai's "Golden Triangle of Movies" and one of Shanghai's cultural landmarks. "We want to restore this landmark through urban renewal." Shen Bin restored this historic block just like he restored the Victory Cinema, uncovering layers of historical traces to find the most glorious form of "the birthplace of Shanghai culture and a gathering place for cultural celebrities" and put it into operation.
This will be a "live" neighborhood. Today, one side of the road is waiting to be stripped of the "coat" of the movie, while the other side has been restored to its original state, with retro shop signs such as "Chun Fangyuan" and "Duiyin Tea Bureau" hung up. In the future, citizens and tourists can go in to drink tea and eat wontons, so that checking in will not only stop at taking pictures of the street scenes outside. Commercial formats can generate blood for film and television bases and provide real scenes for filming. The broadcast of film and television dramas can also attract traffic to these stores and create new urban cultural and tourism hotspots.
The teahouses and wonton shops on one side of the road have been renovated. Photo by Zhong Han
"We are attracting investment from the perspective of film and television, hoping that these shops can become a plus for the film and television base, bringing popularity and vitality." Shen Bin introduced that as part of the film and television base, these shops need to give priority to film and television shooting. When there is a need for shooting, the relevant areas will be temporarily closed and suspended, and the store signs can also be temporarily changed according to the requirements of the scene setting. These have become important terms of the contract. Just like the Victory Cinema regularly broadcasts high-quality art films, Shen Bin also chooses merchants to settle in like "selecting films". "We don't want chain stores, but small brands, hoping that it can achieve the ultimate in the niche." For example, a pork ribs and rice cake shop that is about to settle in is the "No. 1 on the must-eat list" on Wukang Road. The owner starts to boil the ribs by hand at 6 o'clock every morning. The Chinese cheongsam shop that is being contacted will get the best storefront, not for rent, but so that it can "color" the block and become a touch of Shanghai style between the streets.
It is reported that these shops will be officially opened for business after the renovation of the block is completed at the end of August this year, and filming and visiting the film and television base can be carried out at any time. "Jiangyuan Lane" is gone, but the cultural and tourism benefits of "Jiangyuan Lane" will be more lasting.
"Shanghai has both local characteristics and international tolerance, and has always brought a different kind of strength to film and television." At the recent launch of the "Three-Year Action Plan for High-Quality Development of Shanghai's Film Industry to Promote Urban Spirit and Build a City of Film", director Chen Kexin talked about his experience of filming "Jiangyuan Lane" on Zhapu Road earlier this year. He still remembers the fireworks atmosphere in the century-old historical block. That sense of life and reality gave him great inspiration and support.
Photo of the press conference for the "Three-Year Action Plan for the High-Quality Development of Shanghai's Film Industry to Carry Forward the City Spirit and Build a Film City" Photo by Zhong Han
Shen Bin opened the wooden door of the Chinese-style tower on the top floor of Victory Cinema. The ripe bayberries exuded the scent of summer. A plaque with the words "Recommended Filming Locations for Shanghai Film and Television Shooting" issued by the Shanghai Film and Television Production Service Agency was placed on the table, polished to a shine. He still remembers that when Chen Kexin first came to Zhapu Road to see the scenery, he asked in amazement and surprise: "Is it really possible?" "We have known each other for more than ten years and have collaborated on more than a dozen works. When have I ever lied to you?" Filming is an industrialized project, with a crew of nearly a thousand people. Shooting in a downtown area is a huge challenge. Shen Bin's confidence comes from nearly three decades of experience in film production, the strong support of the Hongkou District Government behind him, and the gains from the development and operation of Victory Cinema.
The plaque "Recommended Filming Locations in Shanghai" Photo by Zhong Han
In 2020, he took a fancy to the Victory Cinema, which had been "completely changed" at that time, and spent three years and a lot of money to restore it and turn it into a movie-quality space. During the renovation, the team investigated the surrounding history and culture and filmed the documentary "Victory Past". "The more I understand this neighborhood, the more I find that it is very suitable for my job - filmmaking, which is something I never dared to think about in the past." Shen Bin introduced that the construction of the film and television base had been planned for a long time, and "Jiangyuan Lane" just caught up with "fate". "Filmmaking requires the right time, place and people. If it is earlier or later, it may not be realized."
When the spotlights on the set were set up here, the eyes cast the farthest came from overseas. "When director Peter Chan was filming, many directors from Japan, the United States, and France came to visit the set. They were all curious and interested in the historical and cultural features here." Shen Bin believes that just as Peter Chan had previously called on more filmmakers to tell the Shanghai stories of every era, with the official construction of the Zhapu Road Film and Television Base, it will attract more domestic and foreign film and television crews to shoot in Shanghai, tell and spread the story of Shanghai. "We hope to make it a gathering place for filmmakers."
This means that the Shengli Cinema, which has been in operation for a year, has ushered in an extension of its business format. Shen Bin imagined that after the renovation is completed, the surrounding century-old buildings and shops along the street will form a rich interior and exterior scene, providing filming, leisure, catering and other services for the crew. The Shengli Cinema is like the "backstage" of the set, which can guarantee functions such as makeup and rest - this has been verified in the filming of "Jiangyuan Lane". One step further out is the Sichuan North Road business district, where you can see contemporary Shanghai and satisfy the fashion and shopping experience. The screening space on the first floor of the cinema reserves a space for art films, and we look forward to more movie lovers going to the old cinema in both directions.
With the change of viewing habits, many independent cinemas are now facing difficulties in survival. The Shengli Cinema with only 50 seats may be one of the smallest independent cinemas in China. Its journey of preservation and revitalization has been difficult, but now it has finally ushered in the dawn of "victory".
