The film “Lane of Sauces”, directed by Peter Chan and starring Zhang Ziyi, recently unveiled a new poster, announcing that the film will be the opening movie at the “Shanghai International Film Festival”. Of particular interest is the fact that the movie will be split into two parts, with the first part named “Lane of Sauces: The Case”, sparking concerns among netizens about potential box office issues.
Adapted from one of the four major mysteries of the Republic of China era, the “Lane of Sauces Murder Case”, the film revolves around the personal fate of the legendary woman “Mrs. Zhan Zhou”. Since its official announcement, the film has garnered widespread attention due to its cast and subject matter, generating continuous buzz during the production period.
After making a non-competitive appearance at the Cannes Film Festival last year, there had been no further news about the film until it was finally announced as the opening movie for the “27th Shanghai International Film Festival”. It was revealed that the movie will be divided into two parts, with the first part titled “Lane of Sauces: The Case”. Director Peter Chan explained in a released video, “This work has a complex plot, numerous characters, and covers a turning point in history, so a single film cannot contain it. After careful consideration and revisions by our team, we decided to present it in two parts.”
Peter Chan admitted that this was a bold attempt and acknowledged it as a “big risk”, hoping that the audience will not be disappointed, while expressing gratitude for the dedication of all the actors involved.
The film boasts a strong cast, including not only Zhang Ziyi but also top stars such as Jackson Yee, Ray Lei, Li Xian, Zhao Liying, and Yang Mi, making it one of the most anticipated Chinese domestic films of the year. However, the announcement of it being split into two parts has raised concerns among a large number of netizens.
On one hand, the market is already fatigued with “two-part” movies, especially if the first part fails to leave enough suspense, resulting in a loss of audience for the second part. On the other hand, many netizens joked about the actors “shooting once, earning twice”, while others are worried that the film may follow a similar fate to Zhang Ziyi’s past collaboration with director John Woo in “The Crossing”. “The Crossing” was also released in two parts and only made a total box office revenue of 246 million yuan, with the second part earning only 50 million.
Currently, “Lane of Sauces: The Case” is scheduled to have its first screening at the Shanghai Film Festival, but the official release date is still undisclosed. As for this “re-edited + two-part” film, whether it can dispel doubts and whether Peter Chan’s “risk” is worthwhile, perhaps the answers will only be revealed after the audience enters the theaters.
According to Chinese media reports, Zhang Ziyi seemed to be looking forward to the film’s reintegration. Last year, during Cannes, she publicly complained that many of the carefully shot scenes were deleted, leading to the trending topic “Zhang Ziyi seems dissatisfied with her role in ‘Lane of Sauces'”. This breakup and reorganization of the film are seen as an opportunity for her scenes to “come alive” once again. Recently, Zhang Ziyi’s studio also reposted the news of the film being selected as the opening movie on Weibo.
At 45 years old, Zhang Ziyi, who has won multiple international film awards and is known as the “International Zhang”, is also a winner of major Chinese film awards such as the Hong Kong Film Awards and the Taiwan Golden Horse Awards. After marrying singer Wang Feng and having a child, although she has appeared in some works, her frequency of joining film sets is far less than during her youth. After her divorce, Zhang Ziyi devoted herself wholeheartedly to the filming of “Lane of Sauces”. Fans are looking forward to seeing how the split “Lane of Sauces” will elevate Zhang Ziyi’s acting career to a new level.