(L-R) Cast members Ge You, director Feng Xiaogang, Bai Baihe, Li Xiaolu and Zheng Kai attend a press conference in Beijing on December 17, 2013. Feng's latest film 'Personal Tailor' is scheduled to open on December 19. Photo provided to China Daily

For many years the 55-year-old's dream was making Back to 1942, a film about the famine of 1942 that killed 3 million people in China. He had been obsessed with making the film for decades because he believes it is a story that can help people reflect on the dark side of humanity and better cherish what they have.

Having fulfilled that dream, he says he wants to share more laughter than tears.

"Personal Tailor is like a New Year gift for the audience, who also need some time away from their ordinary lives, just like the characters do."

Feng even manages to poke fun at himself in Personal Tailor.

One of the characters who is seeking escape is a film director, who enjoys great success at the box office but is desperate to become a respected art-house filmmaker. Among the numerous trophies the fictional director has won is the Academy Award for the Most Vulgar Foreign Language Film.