DCD-owned West Park Pictures Launches The Emperor's Secret Garden

The Palace Museum, The World Monuments Fund, The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation and The Prince's Charities Foundation (China) have teamed up with production company West Park Pictures (a division of DCD Media) to produce a film about the restoration of the Private Lodge of Retirement in the 18th-century Qianlong Garden complex in Beijing's Forbidden City, set to air on Sky Arts in June.

Following a Royal world premiere at the British Museum attended by His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales on May 10th, the film will have its UK premiere on Sky Arts 2 HD and Sky Arts 2 on 23rd May, 2010, at 7pm.

The one-hour documentary traces the epic and painstaking restoration over 5 years of this forgotten masterpiece - a groundbreaking international collaboration between Chinese artisans and conservation experts from East and West.

Created in Emperor’s Qianlong’s later years, the Lodge of Retirement ("Juan Qin Zhai") was the culmination of his exceptional life and the crowning artistic achievement of what was then one of the most powerful men in the world. Arguably the most beautiful and historically significant building within the complex, the monument was left untouched for over 200 years after Qianlong’s death.

The film opens with the discovery of the Lodge in 2000 by a small group of experts from the World Monuments Fund – guided by curators from the Palace Museum – who realise immediately that they have stumbled across a world-class treasure.

Shot in High Definition the film spans almost three centuries, following the extraordinary story of Qianlong’s Garden as China journeys from its Imperial past to the fast-paced modernising nation of today. From the Garden’s 18th century inception to its final awe-inspiring restoration, this is a story of passion, dedication and revival.

Interwoven with the story of the Qianlong Emperor and the creation of The Lodge is the astonishing tale of the restoration, told through the individual voices of a world-class team of experts, curators and the craftspeople whose skills and dedication have been so crucial to the project.

The film follows the relentless quest to source the vital raw materials and to seek out the last vestiges of ancient craft skills across the southern provinces of China. Underpinning the film is a portrait of modern China, created by the living characters in the story. Connecting the past to the present are craftsmen whose traditions and roots go back to Qianlong’s time.

This part of the Forbidden City has never been open to the public. Few have been privileged even to cross the threshold of this masterpiece. But now, the Qianlong Emperor’s Secret Garden will at last be available for

this and future generations to enjoy.

Andre Singer, Executive Producer, West Park Pictures commented: “One of the revelations in this film is that although supreme skills and materials may be rare, they do still exist, if there is a will to seek them out. The search in China ends in triumph - and watching this remarkable and intricate treasure come back to life is an unforgettable experience.”

Robert Y. C. Ho, Chairman, The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation said: “We are proud to be associated with this fascinating film. We hope it brings global audiences a wider appreciation of the close and important connections between preserving and maintaining one’s cultural history.”

John Cassy, director of Sky Arts added: ‘We’re delighted to be premiering this fantastic film on Sky Arts. The sheer scale and magnitude of the subject make it a visual delight – which is underlined by the stunning high definition quality.”

The film is executive produced by Dr. Andre Singer of West Park Pictures (a DCD Media Company), whose numerous credits notably include The Wild Blue Yonder (Critics Prize at the Venice Film Festival) and Stephen Fry In America (UK National TV Award winner), and is co-directed by Mandy Chang, winner of Grierson Documentary and Emmy Awards for her films, and director Zhou Bing, Secretary-General of the Commission of Documentary Film in China.

The Emperor’s Secret Garden (HD/1x60’) is a collaboration between The Palace Museum, The World Monuments Fund, The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation and The Prince's Charities Foundation (China).

Credits:

PATRONS: HRH The Prince of Wales & The World Monuments Fund

Major Sponsor: The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation

Produced by The Prince’s Charities & West Park Pictures (a DCD Media Company) in association with Oriental Companion Media
Broadcaster: Sky Arts
Executive Producers: Dr Andre Singer & Sir Tom Shebbeare
Director: Zhou Bing
Director: Mandy Chang
With kind support from Sir David Tang