“There is a cinematic language that I really like about Zhao Liang’s work, which is very observational, but also very poetic, and at same time, I would say compassionate,” explains Jia Zhao of the Chinese filmmaker, citing his previous films Behemoth (2015) and Petition (2009). “He has an artistic view on things which is burning. I do not really chase after films to co-produce, but when a project like this comes to me, then I react to it – it is all about encounter.”

The I Am So Sorry logline reads how, in the context of contemporary highly-advanced technology and totalitarianism, this film presents the predicament of global warming in terms of humanity’s choices about nuclear power. In his notes for the film, Zhao Liang ups the ante even more. “Nuclear technology is the culmination of human reasoning; symbolizing human advancement at its highest level. And yet, just like Pandora’s box, it may be the most severe threat to humanity that science has ever created,” he writes.

“I am not against technology, but I am against the way technology is taken advantage of by capitalism. I am not against capitalism in general either, it has many aspects, but I am against the excessive consumerism, the unlimited expansion of capital and profit, blind consumption, waste and destruction fuelled by capitalism.”

After she was sent a “fragment” of Zhao Liang’s footage from the film, she knew that she would like to be involved and the deal was sealed, together with Les Film d’Ici and CNEX, during IDFA 2019 when Liang pitched the project at IDFA Forum. “I wanted to help through my involvement in the project,” Jia adds. “Given, I guess, that Zhao Liang is a Chinese filmmaker, I hope he would feel perhaps a little more acquainted with somebody who is from his cultural background and based in Europe.”

In terms of Dutch and European input into the film, things did not go as planned after Covid reared its malicious head in 2020. “The entire post-production and offline editing was intended to be done in Europe, but that did not quite happen as it otherwise could have,” says Jia. “So the very specific Dutch creative input was in the sound design and mixing, and that was done by Jeroen Goeijers, whom I worked with on Kabul, City in the Wind(Aboozar Amini, 2018) and Smog Town (Meng Han, 2019), which were also supported by the Netherlands Film Fund,” says Jia, adding how, “I invited him for this project because, first of all, he listens very well, not only to the sound, but also to the needs of the filmmaker.”

Post-production hubs were set up in Europe and Beijing. “So we matched the facilities and we made sure the communication could work from three different spots, and after three rounds of fine tuning, it worked out very well,” says Jia.

As delighted as she was by the film’s selection at Cannes, Jia had initial reservations. “Of course I was thrilled, but at the same time, you know, Cannes is obviously full of red carpet and also fiction. So I was, like, I hope this film will not be lost in all this red carpet stuff. But when I found out it was selected for a new section (Cinema for Climate) alongside other prominent films dedicated to climate change, I was very happy.”

I Am So Sorry is produced by Zhao’s Image Production Limited (Hong Kong) in co-production with Muyi Film (The Netherlands), Les Film d’Ici and Arte France (Both France). Sales are handled by Rediance (China).

For more information on Cannes' Cinema for Climate, click here.
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I Am So Sorry is supported by the Netherlands Film Fund.