Renny Harlin says his six years working in China gave him valuable insights into Chinese filmmaking and audiences, experiences that continue to shape his work today.
Speaking during the Mediterrane Film Festival in Malta, the Finnish director said he learned how strongly Chinese audiences value emotional storytelling during his time in the country.
Harlin moved to China after directing Skiptrace, starring Jackie Chan. What began as a single project turned into a six-year stay, during which he also directed Legend of the Ancient Sword and Bodies at Rest.
He described the period before the COVID-19 pandemic as a boom time for China’s film industry, when Hollywood productions and Chinese co-productions attracted large audiences.
Harlin said that changed after the pandemic, as fewer Hollywood films reached Chinese cinemas and international co-productions declined.
His latest thriller, Deep Water, reflects his experience in China. The film features several Chinese characters and follows a passenger flight from Los Angeles to Shanghai that crashes into the Pacific Ocean.
The Finnish director also voiced support for artificial intelligence in filmmaking. He said AI should be used as a tool to reduce production costs and simplify complex shoots, but not to replace actors or storytelling.
Harlin said AI will reshape the film industry, and encouraged young filmmakers to learn how to work with the technology rather than resist it.
