In the Chinese peoples’ War of Resistance Against Japan (1937-1945), many forces joined together to repel the invading Japanese Imperial Army, but none more so than the Zhuang minority fighters, who were highly trained in the martial arts perfected by their ancestors. The battle skills of these ancestors were so legendary they had earned the name “Wolf Troops”. This intrepid new generation of Wolf Troops not only fights but also secures the last cache of a highly-prized and much-needed local medicine, “notoginseng”, used to treat wounded soldiers, thereby keeping it from their Japanese enemy.
See the North American Premiere of ‘A Roar of Wolf Troops‘ on February 25, 2018 @1:00pm at Cinema Village (22 East 12th Street) as part of New York City’s 7th Annual Winter Film Awards International Film Festival. Producer and screenwriter Wang Yong spoke with Winter Film Awards’ Christy Addis and fills us in on the details.
Christy Addis: As a producer, how did the project come together?
Wang Yong: The power of an individual is limited. After composing the screenplay, I invited Zhang Bangxing and Wu Zongping, with whom I have cooperated closely, to be my co-producers. We read and discussed the screenplay wholeheartedly, worked out a feasible shooting plan together and raised funds for the shoot. The funds took one year’s effort. We then searched the Chinese film industry for the most suitable director, actors and actresses, cinematographers, editors, etc and a creative team with unity, devotion and expertise was created. We cooperated very well together and overcame difficulties to finish the shoot and make the best film we could. This film is the outcome of the sincere cooperation and shooting between the creative team and post-production team. I feel grateful to everyone in our team.
Christy: What led you to tell this particular story about the clash between the Japanese Imperial forces and the Chinese, and the struggle over the medicine?
Yong: Wenshan is the place where I was born, grew up and worked. It’s a wonderful and beautiful place. China is the only country in the world that grows “notoginseng”, which is a Chinese medicinal crop, and Wenshan is the most important place for its production. Over 90% of notoginseng comes from Wenshan. According to the Compendium of Materia Medica and other ancient Chinese medical texts, notoginseng has been grown in Wenshan for more than 400 years. The soil, climate, altitude and other geographical factors in Wenshan are most appropriate for notoginseng. The notoginseng grown in Wenshan has the highest quality and medical efficacy.
The notoginseng grown in Wenshan can be eaten directly. Notoginseng can promote the circulation of the blood or the automatic coagulation of the blood, whichever is needed by the body. Directly taking notoginseng can help to achieve the two-way regulation of the blood as it is the best medicine for dispersing blood stasis and hemostasis, and relieving swelling and pain. It can be used on gunshot wounds, cuts and various injuries from falls, fractures, contusions and strains. Its curative effects are outstanding.
I’ve grown notoginseng along with my fellow people ever since I was young, and I grew up listening to magical stories about it. Elderly people and veterans in my hometown often say that Wenshan notoginseng was the scarcest medicine during the War of Resistance Against Japan, when it fetched a very high price. It was secretly carried to the front line to cure wounded soldiers. The Japanese Imperial Army also wanted notoginseng, so they sent special forces to obtain it. I read a great deal of historical data afterwards as good records of this matter have been kept. This was how I came to know the story of how the Chinese people fought for notoginseng in the War of Resistance Against Japan.
Christy: What were some of the challenges making this movie?
Yong: The first challenge was the limited funds, because we didn’t get much money. This is a low-budget movie, but the shoot was very difficult and things like guns, ammunition, fireworks, background settings, props and trailers require a great deal of money. We barely had any money left when it came to the post-production phase. However, we finished the film by borrowing money anyway. So money was the biggest challenge.
The second challenge was the rainy season that we faced while shooting. It rained almost every day for over 40 days of the shoot, which wasted a lot of time. Meanwhile, we encountered complete one-off rainstorms and floods twice during the shoot. The floods carried away a lot of our costumes and props, which caused us huge economic losses. We went over budget in the shoot, which resulted in the necessity to borrow money for the post-production phase and domestic release.
The third challenge we faced was the difficulty of both shooting and acting in a war movie, but we overcame it with our own efforts.
Christy: For audiences not familiar with this history, was the struggle over the possession of notoginseng medicine a true story? Tell us about the importance of showing the contributions of the Zhuang minority.
Yong: The story is recorded in historical data, so it is a true story. The details and plot involving the struggle over the possession of notoginseng was an artistic creation which originated from life but is heightened over life.
More than 450 years ago, Ms. Wa, an ancestor of the Zhuang minority, led an army to fight against the Japanese invaders. She organized Zhuang adults into an army to fight in Jiangsu and the coastal areas of Zhejiang Province. They achieved successive victories in their battles, and finally wiped the invaders out. Their army was known as the “Wolf Troops” in China by virtue of their outstanding martial arts level, proficiency in using weapons and fireworks, ferocity, intelligence, bravery and loyalty to the country.
During the War of Resistance Against Japan, every Chinese national became engaged in resistance against the Japanese invasion. The Zhuang people carried forward the spirit of the Wolf Troops and feared no sacrifice in killing the invaders. Thus they became the Wolf Troops that terrified the Japanese invaders by their name alone. The Zhuang people formed a significant part of the power standing against Japan. Many heroes emerged and made outstanding contributions to the survival of the Chinese nation and the defeat of the formidable Japanese militarism.
The Japanese Army invaded the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region twice in 1939 and 1944 respectively. In the second invasion of Guangxi, a Zhuang woman named Mo Huamian from Liujia Village of Hechi County organized the people into troops to fight against the Japanese invaders. She set a radiant example among Zhuang woman, and later became known as ‘the female hero who terrified the enemy with her reputation’. The Zhuang people showed no fear in bravely confronting and fighting back against the Japanese invasion, leaving a precious spiritual treasure for subsequent generations.
Christy: This story involves many characters and groups, and shows many perspectives, yet the storytelling is clear. What techniques did you use to tell this story to keep it from being confusing?
Yong: It’s true that this story involves various characters and groups with different perspectives. To make such a complicated story clear and attractive to the audience, I made great efforts in the way of telling the story and setting the plot. The main storyline is focused on the conflict among different groups vying to obtain Wenshan notoginseng, a magic and priceless Chinese medicine that can heal bullet wounds, cuts and many other kinds of injuries. Despite the various characters and groups with different perspectives, they all have a singular goal: to get the notoginseng. However, their reasons for wanting it are different. The Kuomintang Army wants to keep it to use as medicine and help to defeat the Japanese invaders, while the Japanese Army wants to control it so they can defeat the anti-invasion forces. The troops under the leadership of both the Communist Party and the Kuomintang are commonly anti-invasion forces that safeguard the nation and people, and fight for world peace. Thus, the Communist Party does not hesitate to help the Kuomintang Army to keep the notoginseng, as both parties share a common mission. In the beginning, the bandits want it just for survival, but then they finally realize that it is the duty of every Chinese person to fight the Japanese invaders and save the country. As long as the story always focuses on this core theme, the activities of any party can’t derail the film and the storyline won’t get lost, which can help to keep the development of the storytelling and plot clear, and the narration smooth.
Second, when I was developing the characters, I made people of different groups characteristically different. Their appearances are clear and outstanding. Their manners of thinking, ways of feeling and standards of kindness are reflected in their behavior, which shows their clear perspectives, positions and visions, and never confuses the audience.
Christy: The story delineates the roles for each group: the Chinese army and the Communists are the “good guys” , the Wolf Troops are the “heroes”, and the Japanese fighters are the “bad guys”. Do you think there is still a lot of anti-Japanese sentiment in China that remains to this day?
Yong: In the Anti-Invasion War, the Communist Army and the Kuomintang Army were really the troops of just cause. We have only abided by real history and never described them for any other purpose. The Wolf Troops fighting against the Japanese invaders were heroes indeed, which is also true history. As for the Japanese invaders, they definitely committed inhuman and horrible crimes against the Chinese people, and this is a universal fact in history.
Whether in the past, present or future, Chinese people condemn the Japanese invaders who trampled on world peace, committed inhuman crimes against innocent Chinese people and promoted the evil of fascism.
Christy: The Wolf Troops take it upon themselves to defeat their Japanese enemy using the means learned from their ancestors and are shown to be brave and skillful. But there is so much loss of life, so much suffering. Some would say the movie relishes its violence, and others would say that the movie is anti-war. What would you say?
Yong: War is war. The Japanese fascist invaders slaughtered innocent Chinese people, which was a real and bloody crime. The bloody scenes and brutal crimes committed against the Chinese people that are shown in the film are no more than the tip of the iceberg. For the Chinese people and Chinese Army, standing up to fight was the only means to safeguard their loved ones, families, way of life and country. Showing bloody and violent scenes in the film was not our purpose. By means of brutal and horrible war scenes, we only intended to advocate patriotism and demonstrate the righteous spirit of our army in maintaining world peace, and the courage of the Chinese people in fighting the enemy. The theme of this film is positive. The depiction of bloody and violent war scenes is intended to expose and condemn the crimes committed by the Japanese invaders, while also praising the just spirit of the Chinese people revealed in the Anti-Invasion War.
Christy: Given the violent nature of the story, how did you come to include the story of Xiaomei’s awakening love in the midst of the warfare?
Yong: The Japanese invasion caused countless Chinese people to lose their homes, family members and loved ones. In such a critical situation, women also rose up to shoulder their duty and defend the country. Numerous pairs of lovers marched to the front line hand in hand to fight the enemy, regardless of sacrificing life and love; in war, they demonstrated true love in the face of life and death. In our film, at the life-and-death point of country and nation, and as her wedding day has been postponed, Xiaomei follows her lover to fight on the front line. The purpose of including her love story in the film was on the one hand to show the great love demonstrated on the battlefield by countless young Chinese lovers at that time, and on the other to praise such touching human love.
Christy: What do you want viewers to take away from your film?
Yong: We just want the viewers to remember history and cherish and preserve peace. It will likely influence people of different ages and different walks of life. It has been screened as a patriotic film in schools, army bases, companies, government departments and other organizations. It’s also favored by many veteran soldiers of World War II and their descendants. I believe that lovers of peace and people with anti-invasion values throughout the world will watch and like this film.
Christy Addis
Christy Addis is a writer, curator, designer, and educator. Among other things, she studied filmmaking at New York University and worked for a decade in the art departments of feature films in New York and Los Angeles. She is an associate member of the Set Decorators Society of America (SDSA).
About Winter Film Awards
New York City’s 7th Annual Winter Film Awards International Film Festival runs February 22-March 3 2018. Check out our jam-packed lineup of 93 fantastic films in all genres from 31 countries, including Animation, Drama, Comedy, Thriller, Horror, Documentary and Music Video. Hollywood might ignore women and people of color, but Winter Film Awards celebrates everyone!
Winter Film Awards is an all volunteer, minority- and women-owned registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization founded in 2011 in New York City by a group of filmmakers and enthusiasts. The program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council and the NY State Council on the Arts.
