I noticed the black humor in portraying law and religion.

It's not black humor. It's the darkness of human nature.

The landlord and his hired hand turn into equals in famine, which runs counter to the theory of class struggle we grew up with.

They are interdependent. It is against the reality of life to fix such relationships in a predetermined pattern.

This movie is about the conflict between the survival instinct and political decision-making. Did I get it right? Was the system or our national character the root cause for this cataclysm?

Both. Our national character — the contentment with status quo and the tolerance for inaction and corruption — enabled the system. But when people are given life-and-death choices, they will make their decision. Chinese people may remain silent as long as they are not deprived of the chance for mere survival. I dare not say it's the best nation, but it's certainly the easiest to govern.

Do you think a successful filmmaker has a responsibility to tell stories that may not entertain but will force the people to look at something true yet cruel?

I decided on the story of Back to 1942 before I made my first movie. You can say everything I've been doing was to help turn that dream into reality. I believe the risk is beyond the audience and the market, something neither I nor the producing company can control. But it's worth the risk.

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