Tight-lipped Olympic opening ceremony director reveals concerns, few details

BEIJING, March 12 (Xinhua) -- "I really cannot tell," Zhang Yimou repeated once again. The famed Chinese film director and Olympic Games opening and closing ceremonies general director remained tight-lipped on Wednesday, 149 days before the start of the sporting spectacular.

However, domestic and overseas journalists managed to squeeze out some information from him on the sidelines of the annual session of the 11th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the top political advisory body.

"What I worry most about is rain on the opening day," said Zhang, a CPPCC National Committee member. He disclosed the art performances at the ceremony would last about 50 minutes.

About 10,000 people were taking part in the rehearsals for the opening ceremony in hopes of "giving a surprise to the world and satisfying all the Chinese people", he said.

He confirmed the use of photographic images featuring smiling children solicited from around the world for use at a "special moment" in the opening ceremony.

"I wish human beings and the world have a smiling future," he said, adding the performance needed to be impressive and of human interest "which adapts to the whole world" so that people worldwide will understand.

"We want to express two things. The first is who we are, and the other is that you and me are in the same family. It will be a vivid expression of the Olympic theme slogan, 'One World, One Dream,'" he said.

When asked whether he will apply his favorite color red to the opening, Zhang said "yes", adding the ceremony would be colorful. "Our goal is to do better than the Athens Games opening."

Many foreign artists have been invited to perform at the opening and closing ceremonies of the Olympics and Paralympics. The pullout of famed Hollywood director Steven Spielberg would not affect the opening ceremony, Zhang said.

None of the staff and performers for the Olympic opening had leaked out confidential information so far, said Zhang, who himself signed a confidential agreement with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) two years ago. He denied reports people could be jailed for leaking such information.

He also declined to reveal such details as who would sing at the ceremony and how the torch would be lit.

"It is like a film. The film will be boring if I tell you the story in advance," said Zhang, one of country's most renowned film directors. His best known work includes "Raise the Red Lantern," "Hero" and "House of Flying Daggers". He has previously been honored with the Jury Grand Prize at the Cannes Film Festival and has twice taken the Golden Lion award at the Venice Film Festival.

The 2008 Olympic Games will run from Aug. 8 to 24 when 500,000 to 550,000 overseas visitors are estimated to visit Beijing during the period.

It was estimated that more than 4 billion people worldwide would watch the opening ceremony on TV, while about 90,000 would be at the National Stadium, the main venue for the Beijing Olympics known as the "Bird's Nest", where the ceremony will be staged.