"Every Piece is Creative" – Beijing Personality Ai Wan
To say the Shanghai-born, American-raised Beijing personality Ai Wan has had an eclectic career would be an understatement. Once named “world most exotic beauty” by American Playboy magazine, Ai Wan opened one of Beijing’s best-known nightclubs, ChinaDoll, back in 2006, and writes a regular column on the capital’s clubbing culture for Modern Weekly. She has also appeared in a raft of films, including Rush Hour and Zhang Ziyi's comedy Sophie’s Revenge, and produced the controversial Chinese documentary Yasukuni, which screened at the Berlin Film Festival in 2008. On the eve of her hosting of the Beijinger's 2010 Reader Restaurant Awards, we caught up with Ai Wan to find out what she has been up to recently.
I hear you’re working on a new event called Mardi up at 798. Can you tell us what it’s about?
Mardi is the new creative event brand which I founded after selling ChinaDoll Club in January last year – it’s a division of my company Epic Entertainment China（万氏美娅影视文化公司）. Mardi specializes in artistic and trend setting events planning. Mardi comes from Mardi Gras – I believe life needs celebrations.
In the past year, Mardi has shared recognition and honors with Culinary Capers Beijing by our industry peers with two international “best event” awards from Special Events Magazine in New Orleans and the International Caterers Association Awards in Las Vegas in 2009.
Now, we are ready to take on new challenges. We are planning to create an Art Mardi Gras Festival for the 798 art district from June to August this year. The festival includes a group show, a large outdoor installation project, an artist float parade, modern dance, musical and outdoor theater performances, variety shows, jazz bands, electro music dance parties, and an art product flea market.
You’ve had an eclectic career, running nightclubs, writing a newspaper column, appearing in a broad range of movies, and producing the documentary Yasukuni. How do you manage to become involved in such a broad range of activities?
My company’s name is EPIC, which stands for Every Piece Is Creative. I came from a fashion, design, performing arts, film major background. I didn’t plan for all of these things to happen when I first came back to China from Los Angeles – I only desired to continue my acting career. China has allowed me to rediscover my other talents and potential. I have been asked to do these activities, so I did them with 200 percent effort.
How did you become involved specifically in the Yasukuni (靖国神社) project? It seems quite different to other things you have done?
When I first met the director Li Ying, it was in the parking lot of the old location of Yugong Yishan in Sanlitun. He told me he was in the eighth year of making this film and it still wasn’t finished. I decided to assist him to finish the film after I heard his point of view on the subject matter. It is an extraordinarily controversial, fascinating and sophisticated documentary. Rave reviews and a passionate response from the audience turned it into the highest grossing documentary ever released in Japan and probably the most influential. It also had two nominations – from Sundance and the Berlin Film Festival – and won the best documentary award from the Hong Kong International Film Festival in 2008. I am very proud of this film, which was my producing debut. It took me two years to finish.
What upcoming projects do you have planned?
I would like to discover like-minded people to create entertaining, original, character-driven stories for feature films. I have a few in the works right now, and I hope to produce and act in a sophisticated black comedy in China this year. Also I have an opportunity to co-star in a big budget feature film back in U.S. this summer.
I want to continue to work with my team to build Mardi. We will confirm and let everyone know about 798 art Mardi Gras in the next a few weeks. We welcome all the talent and sponsors.
What are your personal picks for “Restaurant of the Year 2010” in both the Western and Chinese categories?
Chinese: Da Dong Roast Duck, South Beauty, Haidilao Hot Pot, and Duck de chin.
Western: Grange, the Westin Beijing Chaoyang, Mosto, Maison Boulud, and Capital M.