Director Cao Baoping, known for his gritty crime thrillers, premiered his latest film “One Wacky Summer” at the 27th Shanghai International Film Festival, marking a departure into black comedy territory while showcasing the rarely heard Tianjin dialect on the big screen.
“This film is different from my previous works,” Cao said during the festival’s press conference. “It’s a black comedy with crime elements. I hadn’t made a film for two or three years before this, and I wanted to make something lighter and more fun.”
The film stars Guo Qilin, marking his second collaboration with Cao after working together on the series “Escape from the Trilateral Slopes.” Also featured are Qi Xi, Sun Anke, and child actor Hu Langquan in what the director describes as a distinctly Tianjin-flavored production.
“I’ve always been fascinated by Tianjin dialect and Tianjin kuaiban (rapid storytelling),” Cao explained. “It’s strange that no one has really filmed stories from this region before. Tianjin people have this humor where they can find joy even in hardship.”
For Guo Qilin, a Tianjin native, the project offered a chance to showcase his hometown’s culture. “I really hope more people can see Tianjin’s local customs and culture,” he said. The actor revealed that filming took him to parts of Tianjin he’d never visited, including the Dagang oil fields and salt factories in the Lutai area.
“When the director asked me about good local restaurants during our first group dinner, I had to admit I’d never been to that area of Tianjin,” Guo said. “Even my mother, who’s lived in Tianjin for over 60 years, had never been there.”
The film presented language challenges for non-Tianjin cast members. Sun Anke, from Northeast China, found Tianjin dialect particularly difficult. “It’s the hardest regional dialect I’ve encountered,” she admitted. “You can easily slip into Hebei, Northeast, Henan, or Shandong accents if you’re not careful.”
Qi Xi praised the director’s collaborative approach. “Working with director Cao is both fortunate and comfortable,” she said. “He’s like a big kid on set, and I can completely be myself around him.”
Child actor Hu Langquan, making his film debut, described the story as “very funny” and noted how the Tianjin characters in the film capture the authentic personality and speech patterns of local people.
Cao emphasized that the film’s style leans toward exaggerated performance, slightly more theatrical than typical realism. “We wanted it to be a bit more over-the-top to make it more fun and interesting,” he said.
The director noted that Tianjin’s reputation as having one of China’s lowest depression rates among cities makes it an ideal setting for comedy. “Tianjin people are naturally good at finding humor in difficult situations,” he observed.
“One Wacky Summer” represents Cao’s continued exploration of regional Chinese stories, following his previous works set in Southwest China. It is one of 12 titles competing in Shanghai’s main competition, with 11 of them world premieres. It is one of 12 titles competing in Shanghai’s main competition, with 11 of them world premieres.