BONNIE CHEN
Supermodel, actress and former rhythmic gymnast Chinese national champion BONNIE CHEN recently added director to her running list of impressive titles with her critically acclaimed debut short Clover, 2019.
INTERVIEWER KELLY LIM
Wisps of flowing black hair blow gently in the breeze as teary eyes open up to the golden glare of the early morning sun. The shot cuts to flowering ferns on a rooftop before soft humming echoes in, the sound of a lilting lullaby that first arrived in a dream to then permeate throughout the rest of the film with tenderness and bittersweet longing. This is the opening sequence of Bonnie Chen’s critically acclaimed short film Clover, the artistic culmination of a strained relationship between mother and daughter, and the beginning of many other stories she’s to tell as a director.
“I was always a storyteller because I was trained by my mother to always write things down quickly,” the multi-hyphenate explains over WeChat earlier this year on her decision to pursue filmmaking. “I love writing. And due to my work as a model, I was able to travel, meet interesting people and listen to different stories. Whenever I got bored, I started trying different ways to stay creative by writing for magazines, hosting fun events and creating art. One day I realised all of these made me visually and mentally ready to be a director. I have many stories I want to tell. I want my stories to serve as healing to others.”
Most recently, Chen was one of the four female winners out of five inaugural honorees selected to join the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA)’s Breakthrough China, a talent cultivation program aiming to bridge the gap between the East and the West through film. Touching upon the universal power of love and forgiveness, Clover was originally conceived as a mother’s day gift but ended up resonating strongly with audiences and film critics alike, gaining the attention of international film festivals where it was shortlisted by Around International Film Festival (ARFF) Amsterdam. Despite always having had passions in the field, her foray into film as a career is more recent.
Clover, 2019 filmed by Bonnie Chen
The Nanjing-native’s first aspiration was to become a rhythmic gymnast. Following in the footsteps of athlete parents, she trained for ten years from a young age, winning several national championships which then led to an opportunity to join the national team and compete in the 2000 Olympics in Sydney. However, just as her dreams came within arms reach, Chen was forced to let it go due to her height and further complications that arose. A new door opened when her mother caught sight of a poster for the Elite Model Look International competition. After three days of training and at the mere age of sixteen, Chen subsequently placed first in the Hong Kong division. Though the twist of fate propelled her into the spotlight, garnering excitement from various media publications and agencies, she decided to focus on her education first, going on to complete a degree in psychology at the University of Pennsylvania before returning to modelling by signing with Next Model Management in New York.
As one of the first Asian faces to grace American Vogue, Chen went on to work with leading luxury brands from Louis Vuitton to Bulgari and Clarins, before trying out acting by starring in numerous Chinese television series such as Yolk Man, Dear One and Youth Fight. Later on, she decided to return to school and enrolled at New York University, New York Film Academy and School of Visual Arts to study Filmmaking which put her on her current path today. Below, we caught up with her on her aspirations as a director, staying true to yourself and finding strength through creative expression.
Portrait by Dongyu Chen
You got your start in entertainment and film through modelling. What does beauty mean to you? Has that changed over the years?
To me, beauty means staying true to myself. When I started modelling ten years ago in Hong Kong, people appreciated the pure porcelain babydoll look and leaned towards heavy makeup to appeal to a more westernised ideal of beauty. After moving to New York, I was told never to wear any makeup. I felt naked at first, and it took a long time for me to get used to the natural look. At the time, it also felt like people perceived Asians as all the same. However, thanks to the growth of the Asian market, more Asian models were able to make it into the international market, and now the representation is more diverse.
Could you tell us more about your film Clover and how it felt to have it so well-received?
My initial inspiration came from a dream when I was part of an acting workshop in Berlin. The Clover, my mother and the melody were all a part of that dream, and I recorded it with my phone the second I woke up. After some imagination, I came up with a story and even put it on stage before shooting it. I initially did it as a gift for my mom last year on Mother’s Day. Though it’s a sad story, Clover has an uplifting power as it encourages women to stay true to themselves. What made me really happy was not just that it was selected by a film festival, but that it made people cry and start calling their mothers. I guess that’s the power of film – it can change people’s lives.
What was one of the first moments that inspired you to go into filmmaking as a director?
The first opportunity came from last year’s exhibition in Beijing where I wrote 40 letters to my mother in response to hundreds of her emails from 15 years ago. I had the inspiration and space to showcase my work so I decided to tell the story through film. With only two cameras, I hired my agent’s assistant and daughter to be the main cast. Though I had no craft, I had passion. Surprisingly, Clover then inspired a lot of people to mend their relationships with their family and caught the attention of international film festivals.
How have your past experiences influenced the way you think and work as a director?
I’m an observer. When I’m with a lot of people, I sit and watch. Through my work experience, I’ve also gotten to know people from the film industry, so I guess I have the privilege of starting through that too. When people see you going from a fashion model into a filmmaker, they’re impressed and respect you [differently]. Most importantly, I let my work speak for me--that’s what I call empowering.
From your experience, what are some of the struggles currently facing female Chinese directors, and women in the industry?
There are always struggles as a director--that’s why I’d consider myself more of an artist. It takes a team to create the story that you see on the screen. As the group and budget get bigger, the story may not turn out to be the way that you originally wanted. It’s hard to remember where you’re coming from. As a female director, I think I’m working in a good moment in time where many other female directors have made it and are showing different perspectives and creative talent. I’m well supported and have nothing to complain about. Coming from China, I’m also lucky that the market is in demand and with my bilingual ability, I am able to get help from both sides.
When do you feel most empowered?
I feel most powerful when I’m creative. I’m creating a world I want and expressing the feelings inside me artistically. It’s also therapeutic. You need to make decisions all the time as a director because everyone depends on you, so the responsibility lies in your hands – that makes me strong. I used to be this sheepish little girl obeying my parents and teachers and always doing the things that they thought were right. But being a director is like getting a new life – a total opposite to what I had before.
What do you hope to create moving forward and what sort of stories do you want to tell?
I am working on polishing my first feature and getting help from many people. I’m also working on a short of reflecting on what is happening right now in the world. I tend to work with many fashion platforms, not just as a model but a filmmaker to create content. I want my stories to heal people.
You’re one of the winners of BAFTA’s Breakthrough China program, what do you want to learn from the program, and what do you hope to bring to the West?
In a way, the pandemic has brought us closer. I had plans to go to London in April for mentor meetings, but because we can’t travel right now, they set up online meetings instead, which was surprisingly very efficient and meaningful. All amazing filmmaker mentors have the time to talk to me and read my scripts and giving ideas. I am blessed and learning from the best – no doubt!
This interview was originally published in The WOW N° 3, 2020.