TALK about bonding through cross-cultural collaboration. After working on their Asian omnibus film “Distance,” Taiwanese heart-throb Chen Bolin and multi award-winning Singaporean filmmaker Anthony Chen emerged with more than a tri-country film and surname in common.

According to both Chens, one the star and the other, the executive producer of the film, they also share a love for movies, seafood, and a mutual dislike for “animal innards.”

“We dined together (during production) every day,” said Bolin who was in town to promote the Singapore premiere of “Distance.”

“When we first met, we thought we were quite suited to work together, because our wavelengths were quite similar. Filmmaking is all about teamwork and when you have to work with someone for months, you need to have good chemistry with each other. Anthony is someone I can chat with, work with and even dine with!”

“Bolin and I don’t like to eat innards. We love seafood like prawns and crabs. It’s our way of rewarding ourselves,” revealed Anthony with a laugh. “For him, it’s to feel the pain and heartache he gets from his characters. And for me, it’s a reward after very, very long shoots.”

Anthony also said that they were also “very similar” in one specific way.

“I think that while there’s a certain maturity about life in the two of us, there’s also a certain innocence and childlike-ness as well. And I think we feel a certain bond, because we are very similar in that way,” said Anthony. “I can talk to him about very serious stuff, but when it comes to work, I can see the child inside of him.”

He continued: “I feel very strongly that in order to continue working as a director or an actor, there needs to be that child in you. That is how you continue to question. But the moment you feel like you know everything, then it’s worrying because you take everything for granted.”

Bolin agreed in Mandarin: “You can’t pretend you know everything. You have to keep your curiosity about the world. I think it’s scariest when you think you know everything.”

“Distance” features three stories helmed by three young and upcoming Asian directors: Xin Yukun from China, Tan Shijie from Singapore and Sivaroj Kongsakul from Thailand. Bolin stars as the lead in all three segments of the triptych, embodying a generation of Asian millennials in search for connection and belonging. The movie’s theme song is sung by Singapore’s Stefanie Sun.

(SD-Agencies)