Lee and British actor Joe Alwyn at another Beijing event. FENG YONGBIN/CHINA DAILY

Feng Xiaogang, one of China's most commercially successful directors, admires Lee, 62, for having the courage to venture into unknown territory.

In a conversation with Lee at Tsinghua University on Monday night, Feng said Lee is always trying to surprise the audience.

"All that a director wants to do is to express himself ... and for filmmakers, the happiest thing is that every day is a new journey. We're learning, but not repeating during filming," says Feng.

Although it is tough to predict how Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk will influence the movie industry, the film will definitely spark change, whether it's a flop or a hit, film movie critics agree.

Contact the writer at xufan@chinadaily.com.cn