Chapter 379: Sideways glance

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Because they returned early, by the day of the Venice International Film Festival closing ceremony, neither Lu Yan He nor Chen Ziyan were on site, but they were watching the live stream together.

As all the films in the main competition section were screened, which films were in the first tier and which were in the second tier were basically out.

*Late Spring* had a good reputation, and the media response was also good, but basically no one thought it could win a major award.

It was mainly because the depth and thickness of the film itself were lower compared to other films.

The reason *Late Spring* could get such high praise was also because all its creators were newcomers. Everywhere, newcomers are more tolerant and encouraged.

And until the awards ceremony started, Lu Yan He didn't receive any news, so he knew that Best Actor indeed had nothing to do with him.

It is the custom of international film festivals that if you have an award, you will receive a call asking you to go back to attend the awards ceremony.

Knowing that he really couldn't win an award, Lu Yan He didn't hold any thoughts anymore and focused on watching the awards ceremony.

The Venice International Film Festival awards ceremony didn't have so many fancy things; it was really just an awards ceremony.

Some speeches, some acceptance speeches.

Many winners were very excited.

This is also a moment Lu Yan He likes to watch.

Often in such moments, one can see things that reveal true feelings.

However, none of the previous awards had a share for *Late Spring*.

This made the expectation in Lu Yan He's heart higher and higher.

This means that *Late Spring*'s award must be later.

When he heard that the winner of the Jury Grand Prize was *Late Spring*, Lu Yan He instantly let out a cheer.

Chen Ziyan beamed with joy.

"Won a big award, good!"

Silver Lion Award, the big award second only to the Golden Lion Award.

In the live broadcast, Liu Bige and his actors hugged excitedly.

There were many people applauding on the scene.

After Liu Bige went on stage, holding the trophy, he was so excited that he didn't know what to say for a long time.

Lu Yan He had seen his gentlemanly side many times before, but rarely saw him lose control like this.

Sure enough, there is no one in this world who is truly calm and lighthearted. All decency is just because you haven't encountered the arrow that truly hits your destiny.

Now, this arrow shot at Liu Bige.

The news that *Late Spring* won the Venice International Film Festival Jury Grand Prize hit the headlines of various media outlets for the first time.

At the same time, Chen Bige also missed Best Actor with regret.

Highly acclaimed this year, he still didn't compete with that British male actor who was also highly acclaimed.

*Late Spring* became the only Chinese-language film to win an award.

Entertainment critic Guan Su Chen joked on Weibo: Lu Yan He's momentum is unstoppable. Starring, supporting, as long as he participates in a project, none of them don't explode. This luck, I'm afraid it will be a long time before we see a second actor replicate Lu Yan He's achievements this year. It's only September, two big-hit TV series with local station ratings breaking 2 (both are preparing for the second season, very likely to create a rare hit series), two films winning awards at the four major international film festivals, one Best Director Award, one Jury Grand Prize. I can't help but want to know what kind of surprises Lu Yan He can bring us in the fourth quarter.

Another entertainment critic, Chen Luo, forwarded this Weibo and said: Lu Yan He's luck this year is truly rare for an actor in these years. With the award of *Late Spring* at the Venice International Film Festival, I think all acting companies and agents who make twenty-year-old male actors have to face a fact: whether it is awards or the ability to carry the box office (the film *Three Mountains* with a cost of only 17 million sold more than 80 million), Lu Yan He will become a big mountain they cannot bypass.

Several entertainment critics with millions of fans made these remarks, as if scrambling, suddenly pushing Lu Yan He to a very high status.

Lu Yan He saw it and was a bit confused.

Huh?

*Late Spring* won an award, not him, is it necessary to push him to such a high position?

Lu Yan He watched with fear and trepidation.

Well, he must admit that he is a coward, especially afraid of being "praised to death" by others. Especially, his path to fame after transmigration was almost walking on a path he was most afraid of overturning—a path that is both high-end and upright.

This made him unwilling, but he had to walk on a path of "perfect image".

Lu Yan He thought for a moment and quickly posted a Weibo, congratulating *Late Spring* on winning the award, and then reviewed the filming of this film.

"Knowing Director Liu Bige was completely an accident. My ability to star in *Late Spring* is also thanks to my classmate Miao Yue. She is the original author of this story and also the screenwriter of this film. Because of her, I had the opportunity to know Director Liu Bige and was chosen by the director to enter the creation of *Late Spring*."

"Hmm, I am a big star—before joining this crew, everyone said so. But after filming started, so-called stars or other things were all left outside the set. This is the filming atmosphere that the *Late Spring* crew brought me."

"Director Liu Bige is a director who can give actors confidence. Although he is very young, he makes people feel at ease. I was worried that I wouldn't play this role well, worried that my so-called fame would affect the audience's perception of this film. Other actors were acting for the first time, everything was unknown, even more uneasy and at a loss. He was like an umbrella held over each of our heads, allowing us to build confidence in performance under a care that was protected and encouraged."

"Performance requires strong belief. This belief is not only that you believe you are this character, but also that you believe you can act well. Liu Bige is such a director who can help you do all this."

Lu Yan He's review focused entirely on Liu Bige.

Some fans joked: Are you writing a love letter to the director?

Lu Yan He's remarks had no other purpose, just one idea: let more people know that this film is Liu Bige's film, not Lu Yan He's film.

"Look, Xiao Lu is just such an actor," Luo Yuzhong put down his phone, smiled at the person sitting opposite him, and said, "I've worked with him. He is really a very good kid, not the kind of person who dares to market anything just to be popular."

Luo Yuzhong was chatting with Xie Dao.

Xie Dao is also a director, and a big director with more seniority than Luo Yuzhong. He is seventy years old this year and is the president of the TV Drama Directors Association.

Xie Dao smiled and pointed at Luo Yuzhong with his finger, saying: "Everyone says you praise Lu Yan He to everyone you meet. I thought others were exaggerating, but I didn't expect you to be the one exaggerating."

"Teacher Xie, after you know Lu Yan He, you will have such feelings too," Luo Yuzhong said. "A genius with a personality that is not eccentric, his acting path is not limited, he can act in any play, has high understanding, is not arrogant. For us directors, he is the kind of actor we dream of."

Xie Dao asked with a smile: "Then why haven't I seen you find him to film *Golden Age* and not film other plays?"

Luo Yuzhong said: "If I find him to film again, I have to give him a leading role, right? But none of the scripts I have on hand have a male lead at his age. If I find him for a supporting role, he will definitely come to act, but that's boring. Am I going to take advantage of a kid?"

Xie Dao: "What does a good role divide into lead and supporting?"

Luo Yuzhong said: "A good role doesn't divide into lead and supporting, you are right. Actually, it's just that I haven't encountered a suitable good role that can bring out his acting skills. Sigh, unlike film, TV drama has such a large volume. If a twenty-year-old boy is the lead, unless it's a relaxed comedy or genre drama like *Friends* or *Seventeen Layers*, generally a slightly serious drama, the male lead is at least thirty years old or older. It's a pity. Director, if you film later, if there are any difficult roles that need a male actor of his age to act, find him, you won't be wrong. Although I only filmed one play with him, not for long, but he is someone I watched grow up step by step, and I've seen almost every one of his plays."

Xie Dao: "Hey, I really haven't seen you appreciate a young person so much."

"The kid remembers me after filming, respects me, calls me on holidays, and asks people to send things. Things are small, but this concern is precious," Luo Yuzhong said. "Especially in the past two years, you watch him rise, getting more popular month by month, winning awards, breaking ratings records, media praise him in various ways, everything. His humble attitude hasn't decreased at all. He doesn't just think of me; Chen Lingling, Wang Zhong, and the others are the same. Two days ago, I met that kid Liu Zeliang, and he mentioned it. Lu Yan He hasn't broken contact with him after filming *Golden Age*. It's not just me; he's a kind-hearted kid."

Xie Dao: "Thinking of you is a kind-hearted kid, ha!"

Luo Yuzhong: "Then is it not thinking of us that is kind-hearted?"

Xie Dao sneered and glared at Luo Yuzhong.

Luo Yuzhong laughed again. "So, you have to come forward and say something, you can't let those people deliberately exclude him from the awards anymore, whether it is *?"

Xie Dao said: "*Friends* and *Seventeen Layers* are indeed very popular, and their influence is also very large. However, the artistic height of these two plays is not high. If he really didn't get a nomination, it might not be as you said, someone is deliberately excluding him."

"If I hadn't really heard some rumors, how would I come to find you?" Luo Yuzhong said. "I really treat Xiao Lu as my student. Putting this aside, it's not easy for our film and television circle to have such a young person. If you say the artistic height of these two plays is not high, then why is Li Yuefeng in the preliminary list? Don't ask me how I saw the preliminary list. Anyway, that's how it is. When we made such an award, it was to avoid all influence and simply give the best list in our minds from the perspective of our directors. I didn't expect it to become an award with private interests now."

What Luo Yuzhong said is the nomination list for this year's TV Drama Directors Association Award. *Friends* and *Seventeen Layers* are both major nominees.

The TV Drama Directors Association Award is not one of the three major mainstream awards, but because it is an award voted by directors, it has a high gold content in the industry.

The TV Drama Directors Association Award does not require registration. As long as it meets the requirements, they will automatically be included in the scope of the award.

This year's TV Drama Directors Association Award ceremony will be broadcast on CCTV, and the influence will be very large. Luo Yuzhong heard that some voices that shouldn't have appeared in the decision-making of the nomination list, so he appeared here at Xie Dao's today.

As the chairman of the TV Drama Directors Association, his influence on this award is extraordinary.

Xie Dao: "A young person who is publicly praised by you and that girl Lingling, whose voice is so useful that it can block his way?"

"People are standing on the moral high ground, saying that these two plays have low artistic achievements and the characters are not three-dimensional," Luo Yuzhong sneered. "To put it bluntly, it's just clearing the way for their own people, especially Best Supporting Actor. Yan He also acted in *Phoenix Terrace*, but he didn't enter the preliminary list, but Lang Kequn's son went up. What is the reason for this? Are they all blind?"

Xie Dao's expression became solemn.

"Teacher Xie, the most critical point of this matter is that a young person who is obviously very excellent and will become a leading generation in the future cannot get a nomination at our Directors Association Award. This is a joke," Luo Yuzhong said earnestly.

Lu Yan He didn't know that Luo Dao Yuzhong was silently exerting force for his affairs.

He was dealing with an uninvited guest, thinking about how to deal with her.

Zhang Lan came to find him again.

When receiving Zhang Lan's call, Lu Yan He originally wanted to decline, but she said she had already arrived at the school gate and was waiting to see him.

Lu Yan He couldn't push it away.

Zhang Lan came for the role of Tong Xiangyu in *My Own Swordsman*.

"Beijiguang's attitude is unclear. I really haven't encountered a play I wanted to fight for myself being ignored for a long time," Zhang Lan looked at Lu Yan He and said. "Yan He, tell me the truth, is it because you don't want me to act?"

Lu Yan He was stunned. "Ah?"

At this moment, his acting skills were like entering a state of perfection. "How could that be, Sister Lan."

Zhang Lan looked at Lu Yan He's expression and said: "Is it because of Jiang Yuqian that you don't want to cooperate with me?"

Lu Yan He showed a helpless expression and said: "Sister Lan, you are also an actor. Others say we can control many things, but you understand. Do you think the casting of a drama can really be 100% decided by me?"

Zhang Lan's expression was suspicious, saying: "But I heard that two roles in this drama were decided by you."

"It wasn't decided by me, I recommended them. Beijiguang decided them. How could I have such great ability?" Lu Yan He said directly. "Actually, Beijiguang also communicated with me about you acting."

"Then what did you say?"

Lu Yan He shook his head. "Sister Lan, actually what I say is not important. Sister Ziyan said a sentence that day, I think it makes a lot of sense, and it also made me enlightened in an instant."

Zhang Lan frowned and asked: "What did she say?"

Lu Yan He said: "You and I are both from Star Entertainment. Any video platform will not allow me to serve as producer and screenwriter at the same time, and then find a super first-line female actor like you to be the female lead. Such a main creative structure will greatly constrain the video platform's control over this drama."

Zhang Lan is not a fool. She has been in the entertainment industry for so many years, and she understands these things more or less.

She fell silent, and Lu Yan He didn't know if she was convinced.

Zhang Lan asked: "Okay, I won't talk about *My Own Swordsman*. I ask you, if I am interested in your later plays, are you willing to cooperate with me?"

Lu Yan He nodded. "Of course I am willing. However, Sister Lan, the scripts I write are never big heroine-focused, but group-focused. Actually, you can see it from *Friends* and *My Own Swordsman*. Are you willing to act?"

Zhang Lan said: "Didn't I take the initiative to fight for the role of Tong Xiangyu?"

Lu Yan He was stunned.

Zhang Lan: "Yan He, don't underestimate me, thinking I am an arrogant, superficial female actor who only acts as the number one big heroine. Being able to fight with your good sister Jiang Yuqian for so many years, I would have been stepped on by her long ago if I didn't have some skills."

Zhang Lan's mouth curled slightly, seemingly mocking.

Lu Yan He didn't know how to answer such words for a while.

"Okay, *My Own Swordsman* really can't cooperate, so let's see the opportunity next time," Zhang Lan said, her tone suddenly softening a bit, and asked: "How is your body? I just saw you walk out, and your walking posture was a bit strange."

"I'm recovering, hoping to rest well as soon as possible," Lu Yan He smiled helplessly.

Zhang Lan: "There is one more thing, I also heard rumors, so I'll tell you, I don't guarantee the truth."

Lu Yan He looked at Zhang Lan suspiciously.

"TV Drama Directors Association Award?"

Chen Ziyan paused on the phone and said: "I know this award. This award was established more than ten years ago. To say how influential it is, it certainly can't compare with the three major mainstream awards, but it still has a high gold content in the industry. After all, it is a big award voted by all directors in the association."

Lu Yan He said: "Zhang Lan told me that the preliminary nomination list for this award has come out, and it has not been officially publicized, but my three plays are not on it."

The three plays here refer to *Phoenix Terrace*, *Friends*, and *Seventeen Layers*.

Chen Ziyan: "The TV Drama Directors Association Award does not require the producer to register. As long as it is a drama officially broadcast on TV stations or video platforms, it is automatically included in the scope of the award, and then the committee selects the nomination list, and then all members vote."

"Committee?"

"The committee of the Directors Association is an organization responsible for all big and small things in the association, changing every five years," Chen Ziyan said. "I haven't heard the news about this matter yet, I have to inquire about it. If it is true, then the impact of this matter on you is not big, but not small."

Before the Golden Tripod Award nomination came out, Lu Yan He's *Phoenix Terrace* didn't get a nomination for Best Supporting Actor. There was also a saying that because he had won this award the year before, he would not be nominated without a big breakthrough. Although many people couldn't accept this saying, it was still a reason, not a nomination dropped for no reason.

But this time, none of the three plays got a performance award nomination. If such a result really came out, it would definitely cause a lot of discussion.

Not to mention anything else, just the attitude of the Directors Association toward Lu Yan He reflected behind this award would become a point for Lu Yan He's black fans to attack him—no matter how much he is praised by the media, directors do not recognize Lu Yan He.

Sometimes, as long as there is a reason, various smears and questions will follow.

Lu Yan He has the Golden Tripod Award in hand, and a Silver Lion trophy like *Late Spring*, so he won't be truly shaken by this kind of saying.

But flies are still annoying, even disgusting.

Lu Yan He thought Chen Ziyan would need some time to find out the relevant news, but he didn't expect that after only two hours, Chen Ziyan found out the news.

As soon as the phone was connected, Chen Ziyan said: "Yan He, we really have to remember what Luo Dao Yuzhong did for you."

Lu Yan He was confused when he heard this sentence, not knowing what Chen Ziyan was talking about.

"Ah?"

What does this have to do with Luo Dao Yuzhong?

Chen Ziyan said: "I have already found out the matter. What Zhang Lan told you should be true. In the past two days, Luo Dao Yuzhong specifically communicated with the committee members several times because you were not on this preliminary nomination list, and moved the association president Xie Dao. Finally, it was decided that from this session, the nomination list will also be voted by all association members, which means the previous preliminary list is invalid and needs to be redone."

Lu Yan He was surprised.

"Did Luo Dao do so many things?"

"Yes," Chen Ziyan said. "The key is that he did so many things, and didn't mention anything to you or me."

Luo Yuzhong did so many things, really out of care for Lu Yan He, and couldn't stand some people's practices, without other private interests, and not for Lu Yan He to remember this favor.

But now that Lu Yan He knows about this, he has to remember this favor.

Chen Ziyan sneered again, "If Luo Dao hadn't pushed for this change, according to the initial list, Lang Xia was nominated for Best Supporting Actor, but you weren't. That would really be a joke."

Lang Xia's role was indeed popular when the drama was broadcast, but if you really talk about acting skills and reputation, from broadcast to end, it was far inferior to the guard played by Lu Yan He.

Especially the scene where Lu Yan He's character went offline, it was one of the fragments with the highest attention and heat in the whole drama.

Lu Yan He was embarrassed to praise himself for acting better than Lang Xia, so he didn't answer.

After listening to Chen Ziyan's complaints, Lu Yan He was about to hang up the phone, and Chen Ziyan said: "There is another good news. Jiang Zixin from Beijiguang Video contacted me just now. Probably because *Late Spring* won an award, your vision is gilded again. Beijiguang agreed to build Tongfu Inn in Jiangzhi."

Lu Yan He felt a burst of excitement from the bottom of his heart at this moment.

"Really? That's great!"

Chen Ziyan said: "Go report this good news to your Brother He."

Chen Ziyan's voice also revealed joy.

She didn't just want to help Jiangzhi be known by more people like Lu Yan He.

Chen Ziyan felt that if it could really promote the economic growth of Jiangzhi, turning it from a poor small place into a popular tourist attraction, then Lu Yan He's golden body would be more stable.

Even, this is linked to helping local poverty alleviation.

From *City Travel Notes* to *My Own Swordsman*, if Jiangzhi really becomes popular, didn't Lu Yan He use his own strength to do such a great thing?

Chen Ziyan's thinking is very utilitarian. Of course, she never thinks there is anything wrong with utilitarian thinking.

She didn't harm anyone's interests, she just hoped that everything would be profitable.

That's fine.

On September 12, *Late Spring* suddenly announced that it would be scheduled for the 11th, the National Day holiday.

A youth art film going to such a schedule to fight against a group of blockbusters, looking like an extremely irrational move, but still choosing this schedule, for no other reason, just to ride the east wind of the Venice International Film Festival, when everyone still remembers that this film won an award, choose a recent good schedule, and let it wait for everyone in the cinema.

And at this time, the distribution and publicity ability of a big company like Long Yan Films stood out.

Although it was scheduled for the 11th, *Late Spring* has been conducting small-scale screenings since September 20.

During this period before the 11th, there were no new films entering the market, only old films and low-cost new films entering the market. Relying on the screening sessions, *Late Spring* could get about 5%-7% of the screenings on the day.

Liu Bige took a group of actors to run roadshows.

Long Yan Films took out a publicity budget of up to 10 million for this film with a cost of only a few million—because it won an award, its box office target also jumped to the position of tens of millions.

On the one hand, it is roadshows, on the other hand, it is investment in sinking channels.

Long Yan Films edited some materials of *Late Spring* into short video materials of about ten seconds, pushed them to the short video market, and did large-scale investment marketing.

Finally, it is to play Lu Yan He's star role.

Because of his physical condition, he only participated in one roadshow in Yuming, and the rest of the publicity tasks were all interview-style.

Moreover, Long Yan also went directly to Chen Siqi, asking *Jump Up* to tailor a set of publicity for *Late Spring*.

A total of 2 million publicity funds were handed over to Chen Siqi's *Jump Up*.

Lu Yan He was shocked when he heard the news, not expecting Long Yan to be so generous.

And Chen Siqi lived up to expectations and didn't just take money and do nothing.

She did a publicity that made the industry look sideways. ===== CHAPTER 380 =====