Chapter 777: Film Festival

This time coming to Locarno, the fresh faces Lu Yan He saw exceeded his imagination.

In addition to the three films in the main competition unit, there were several other Chinese films shortlisted for other units of the Locarno Film Festival. Not only that, but many stars and artists were also invited to participate in activities because of brand endorsements.

This year's Locarno Film Festival had an unusually large number of Chinese faces.

This time, Lu Yan He did not stay in a hotel, but lived in a local house.

This house was rented by an editor of a local film magazine in Locarno.

This magazine editor's name was Anna White.

In fact, she was also a very famous film critic, with great fame in the international film circle, and her film review articles were highly rated in the industry.

Lu Yan He would stay there because Anna White knew he would come to participate in the Locarno Film Festival this time, and his itinerary was not urgent, so she contacted Lin Yu, telling Lin Yu that she wanted to use this as an opportunity to write a book about Lu Yan He, hoping to have a chance to live with Lu Yan He for a period of time, so she could understand Lu Yan He better.

When Lin Yu heard this, she felt it was a good thing and immediately contacted Chen Siqi and Chen Ziyan.

Lin Yu said: "Anna White is not writing a biography for the first time with a filmmaker as the protagonist. In fact, her book is not a so-called biography, but to focus on telling the story of a filmmaker. The year before last, she wrote about that famous British actress Kate Russell, and the response was great. If Anna White can really write this book, it will have a huge impact on Yan He's status in the review circle and the film industry."

Lin Yu added: "Moreover, I think this is also a good opportunity for Anna White to further understand Chinese films. The filmmakers she has written about before, whether articles or a book, are all European and American filmmakers. She loves European and American films, and has never had much interest in films from various Asian countries. The first Asian film she publicly praised was *Sanshan*. At that time, her evaluation of Yan He was very high. In fact, if it weren't for her evaluation, Yan He's performance in *Sanshan* at that time might not have immediately made the European and American review circle focus on it, because everyone knows how strict Anna White is, and how 'cold' she is to films she doesn't understand. Later, she would occasionally have reviews of some of Yan He's films, but apart from Yan He, she almost had no evaluation of Chinese films. I also communicated with her privately, and she said she didn't not watch Chinese films, but because she didn't understand Chinese culture and the background of the films, so, with her style, she didn't dare to easily open her mouth and write."

With Lin Yu saying this, Lu Yan He felt that this was indeed a good opportunity.

Anna White's status and influence in the film criticism circle can be ranked in the first tier internationally. Even if it is not very big in mass culture, there is no doubt that Lu Yan He knows very clearly that in the field of artistic creation, sometimes, one person's opinion is the "authoritative" opinion of a field.

Therefore, Lu Yan He agreed to this request.

There was no remuneration, no promise of any kind, and not even a so-called cooperation agreement was signed.

Lu Yan He's car sent him directly to the address given by Anna White.

In the car, Wang Biao confirmed with Lu Yan He: "Little Brother Lu, do you really not need us to live with you these days? In case—"

"She is Anna White, not a stranger." Lu Yan He said, "And she is already fifty years old, and her husband and son are there."

Wang Biao nodded: "Okay, I'm not worried about anything else; after all, this is Locarno, not China."

Lu Yan He nodded, "That's true. I'm also afraid it's not safe, especially worried that the news of me living here will be known by some media and fans, making it inconvenient for me to go out. I still have to ask Brother Dong and the others to take the bodyguards and pay attention."

Zou Dong nodded and said: "No problem. We have already had people come over to figure out the situation here in advance. In the coffee shop next to this apartment building, as well as the small hotel across the street, we have our people stationed 24 hours a day. Once there is any situation in this vicinity, we will receive news. We also rented a room in this apartment building. Wang Biao and I will live inside. When you go out, we will also follow up immediately, but it requires you to try to tell us in advance when you go out."

Lu Yan He nodded and said: "That's fine."

Lu Yan He carried a suitcase himself and pressed the doorbell of Anna White's house.

"Hi!" Anna White was clearly waiting for him, and after the doorbell rang, she came over to open the door for him quickly.

She was a woman who looked very kind and enthusiastic, a bit plump, and her light green eyes shone with the color of gems in the sun.

"Lu, are you alone?" Anna White looked at Lu Yan He with some surprise; the scene of no one behind him was different from what she had expected.

"They just sent me over and have already left first." Lu Yan He explained, "They rented another house in this building, and they will live there during this period."

Anna White showed a look of sudden realization, "Please come in."

As soon as she stepped aside, it revealed the two men standing behind her.

A young man with blonde hair and blue eyes, who looked very handsome, and a man who was a bit bald and pot-bellied.

They should be her husband and son.

"Hi!"

Lu Yan He greeted them one by one and got to know each other.

"Wow, my mom told me you were coming to stay at our house for a few days, I didn't believe it, I didn't expect it to really be you, you really came!" Anna's son was named Tuck Ortiz, estimated to be 1.9 meters tall, thin, very cheerful, and seeing Lu Yan He, his expression was very excited.

"I'm going to disturb you for this period of time." Lu Yan He said with a smile.

Anna's husband was named Edwin.

He seemed to be the only shy person in the family, a bit embarrassed to talk to Lu Yan He, although he looked... very rugged.

Tuck asked curiously again: "Lu, did you only bring one suitcase? You came to participate in the film festival, won't you have many sets of clothes?"

"Oh, those are all with my assistant." Lu Yan He explained, "This suitcase only has some daily things of mine."

"So that's how it is." Tuck nodded, he reached out his hand, "Give me the suitcase, I'll help you take it to your room."

Lu Yan He was not polite either, and handed the suitcase over, "Trouble, thank you."

"What's the trouble with this." Tuck took the suitcase happily, carried it with one hand, and slipped away.

Anna White and Edwin took Lu Yan He to visit the house first.

"This apartment is only over 130 square meters, and we bought it ten years ago." Anna White said, "Because I like this balcony very much."

Anna White pushed open a glass door leading to the balcony.

This was a large balcony of about 20 square meters, with bookshelves on both sides of the wall, a set of tables and chairs, and a swing sofa.

The balcony was framed by floor-to-ceiling windows, but the entire floor-to-ceiling window had no cutting lines in the middle, allowing the scenery outside to be seen at a glance.

It was actually a view that could overlook half of Locarno.

"Wow!" Lu Yan He's eyes lit up, looking outside, "I understand why you wanted to buy this apartment, this is too beautiful!"

Anna White said: "I like this scenery very much, especially when writing articles."

"This is a view that will give writers infinite reverie." Lu Yan He said, "Can I use this place?"

Anna White: "Of course, whenever you want to use it, but will you use it these few days?"

Lu Yan He nodded, "I will write a script for a while every day."

Anna White: "I thought you came to participate in the film festival and wouldn't write a script during this period."

"I must grasp every moment I want to write." Lu Yan He said, "Otherwise, there are too many stories to write, and if I miss a moment I want to write, I will write less."

Anna White: "I am very much looking forward to seeing you write a script."

"Hmm?" Lu Yan He was a bit surprised, "What is there to look forward to? Isn't it just sitting in front of a laptop and typing on the keyboard?"

Anna White smiled.

"Maybe this is my quirk; I like to watch every writer write, although it might look a bit boring in the eyes of others."

Lu Yan He: "Okay, then I hope the way I write things won't be too ugly and disappoint you."

They walked around the house together.

Overall, Lu Yan He felt that this was a house that made people feel very comfortable.

This house was not clean and tidy like a model room that could be filmed for an advertisement at any time, but it was not crowded and particularly "trivial."

The guest room Lu Yan He lived in was about 15 square meters, not big, with a bed and a small single table.

When Tuck took him to the room, he also asked: "Have you never lived in such a small room?"

Lu Yan He: "Of course not. Have you gone to college? Anyone who has lived in a college dormitory will not feel that an independent room is small."

Tuck smiled.

"I was worried that you would think this room was too small."

Lu Yan He shrugged and shook his head.

Anna White asked: "Lu, your assistant told me that you have a gathering with many Chinese filmmakers tonight. You just came from the airport, do you want to rest for a while?"

Lu Yan He glanced at the time; it was already 3:30 PM local time.

"Okay." Lu Yan He nodded, "I'll tidy up first, Anna, thank you for your invitation."

Anna White said: "Originally I wanted to rent a larger house with a yard, but Lin Yu told me that compared to such a temporarily renovated house, you would definitely prefer to live in such a house that is truly lived in. I am very moved, Lu, you are still willing to embrace such a real life."

Lu Yan He hugged Anna White and said: "This is an invitation I have never received before. Being able to be invited to live in your house, as a friend from afar, this really moved me. Although I still have a lot of work this time and cannot truly live for a period of time, but... this is already an experience I cannot replicate."

Anna White patted Lu Yan He's face.

"Let our work belong to work, I hope this period of living together will let us understand each other."

"Okay."

Lu Yan He washed up, took a few photos, and sent them to Chen Siqi.

Chen Siqi's phone call came immediately, asking: "How is it?"

Lu Yan He said: "I am more relaxed than I imagined, not so restrained. Anna is a very enthusiastic person. Although I didn't know her before, her whole family makes me feel comfortable."

"That's fine." Chen Siqi said, "I really didn't expect that you would really be willing to live in someone else's house, you who don't like to add trouble to others."

Lu Yan He said: "This is quite good. I don't know if you have ever had this feeling—that is, when watching movies and TV shows, seeing someone go to other places and stay in someone else's house for a few days, usually not staying together all the time, just when eating, everyone sits at the dining table, chatting, with acquaintances, and also strangers, and some interesting stories will happen, because everyone knows that such interaction is short-lived and will end, so the mentality is different from usual, and they will cherish the time more, cherish every opportunity to sit together..."

Chen Siqi: "Okay, okay, I know, you just really want to experience that moment of 'life is a meeting'."

Lu Yan He: "There is also such a meaning, but it is not the point."

"The point is, that is a time that can let you pull away from your usual life, like a vacation, it is a different state of life." Chen Siqi added.

Lu Yan He: "Yes." Chen Siqi smiled.

Lu Yan He took a nap on the bed.

It was about five o'clock in the afternoon when Anna White came to knock on the door.

Lu Yan He opened his sleepy eyes, responded, changed his clothes, and walked out of the room yawning.

"Are you about to leave?"

"Yes." Lu Yan He nodded, "Thank you for waking me up."

Anna White said with a smile: "Your assistant told me that you are a person who sets an alarm clock but won't be woken up by the alarm clock unless there is something important."

Lu Yan He smiled helplessly.

"This is the key to our house." Anna White handed a key to Lu Yan He.

"Okay." Lu Yan He nodded.

"What time will you be back tonight?" Anna White asked.

"About ten o'clock." Lu Yan He said, "Anna, is this okay? Will it affect your rest?"

"No problem, both of them go to sleep at twelve o'clock at night, I am used to it." Anna said, "Of course, I sleep even later."

Lu Yan He smiled, "That's good, I'm relieved."

He asked: "Anna, can you go out now?"

"Me?" Anna was stunned, "I don't need to go out."

Lu Yan He was stunned, "Ah? Aren't you going with me?"

Anna was stunned again, "Am I going with you? Oh, isn't tonight a gathering of some Chinese filmmakers? A private gathering?"

"Yes, but this is a private gathering. Everyone has good friends, and they will also bring them." Lu Yan He said, "I thought that during these days I am in Locarno, you would be with me the whole time."

Anna immediately said: "I certainly hope I can do this, but is it convenient?"

"There is nothing inconvenient." Lu Yan He said.

Anna immediately turned to Tuck and said: "Your father has something to do tonight and can't come back, you order a pizza to eat by yourself."

Tuck: "Can't I go with you?"

Anna: "This is work."

Lu Yan He heard this and said: "It's okay, Tuck, you come with us."

Anna: "Really? Lu, it doesn't matter, usually when he and his father are busy, he also orders pizza by himself."

Lu Yan He: "It's okay, Anna, tonight is just a private gathering, as long as you don't feel that they are all strangers, it doesn't matter, it's completely fine for Tuck to participate, but just pay attention to one thing, Tuck is very handsome, maybe he will be spotted by someone and invited to be an actor."

Tuck was excited and said: "Mom, look, I told you I could be an actor."

Lu Yan He was a bit surprised.

Anna said: "He has always felt that he is handsome and can be an actor. I told him he doesn't have the talent for acting. I have seen him perform on the school drama stage; it was simply a disaster."

Anna had an expression of unbearable to look at.

"That's because your requirements for me are too high." Tuck said to Lu Yan He, "Don't listen to her, she always uses those top geniuses to measure me, saying I act badly. I must say, I act okay, don't listen to her."

Lu Yan He asked with a smile: "If you want to be an actor, are you learning acting?"

Tuck: "I just joined the school drama club."

"Are you in high school... or college now?" Lu Yan He asked.

Tuck: "High school, I have already received the admission notice from Harvard University, and I will go to the United States for college next year."

Lu Yan He let out a surprised cry.

"Harvard? Awesome."

Tuck raised his chin very proudly.

Anna: "Be humble."

Lu Yan He said: "In the United States, there are many performance opportunities. If you really want to be an actor, you can work hard. What are you preparing to study at Harvard?"

Tuck said: "Economics."

"Oh!" Lu Yan He said, "Your grades must be very good."

"Yes." Tuck was not humble at all.

Lu Yan He saw Anna White's expression "wanting to say but stopping" again.

He said with a smile: "Can you go out with us now?"

Tuck nodded immediately.

Lu Yan He said to Anna, "Anna, let Tuck go with us, it really doesn't matter."

Anna White then sighed and said: "Lu, thank you."

Tuck suddenly remembered something, his eyes widened, "Do I need to change into a formal suit?"

His gaze fell on Lu Yan He again.

"Why are you dressed so casually?"

Lu Yan He smiled helplessly, "Because tonight is really just a private gathering between a group of friends, no media, no paparazzi—maybe there are some at the door, but it is not a public occasion, just be relaxed."

"Wow! You are the thief in *Home Alone*!"

As soon as he went in, Tuck saw Liu Teli, and then his eyes lit up as if they were shining, and he immediately rushed up.

Others looked at this suddenly appearing handsome blonde boy with confusion and unfamiliarity.

Liu Teli also looked at him with a confused face.

Lu Yan He hurried up, introduced that he was the son of his friend Anna, and then hugged Liu Teli, saying: "Liu Laoshi, long time no see."

Liu Teli saw Lu Yan He and immediately smiled with relief.

"Really long time no see."

"Tuck." Lu Yan He introduced them, and then turned back, introducing Anna again, "Anna White, you may not necessarily know her, but you must have seen the magazine she edited and the review articles she wrote."

In fact, there may not necessarily be many people who have really read the review articles she wrote.

However, who wouldn't give face to someone brought by Lu Yan He?

Tuck was really not an outsider at all, his attribute was very "social bandit"—what surprised Lu Yan He the most was that he actually knew quite a few Chinese faces.

For example, when seeing Jiang Yuqian, Tuck called out her character name in *Squid Game* and wanted to take a photo. When seeing Li Zhibai, he shouted "You are the man in *Buried*!".

However, an enthusiastic, cheerful young boy is definitely truly liked by people wherever he goes.

Compared to a person with excessive social anxiety, in a social occasion, an overly enthusiastic person is more popular.

Anna observed for a while and found that apart from being "noisy" and "too much movement," her son didn't cause any trouble, so she didn't pay attention anymore and put all her attention on Lu Yan He.

Her job is to observe Lu Yan He and understand Lu Yan He.

However, she encountered a problem.

When Lu Yan He communicated with these people, they all spoke Chinese.

She couldn't understand.

"..."

Fortunately, it is not only by listening to what a person says that one can observe a person.

She found that Lu Yan He is different from the kind of artist she imagined, especially an artist who became famous at a young age. In this kind of social occasion, he has an ease that is more than enough.

But his ease is enthusiastic and sincere.

"*Home Alone* is really popular overseas." Liu Teli's agent Wei Yutang was also there today, and he said to Lu Yan He, "After Liu Laoshi came to Locarno, because it was his first time here, we prepared to stroll around, but as a result, we were recognized by many people, and in the end, we couldn't stroll normally at all, and hurriedly returned to the hotel."

Lu Yan He said with a smile: "Liu Laoshi Teli is now an international superstar! When *On the Xunyang River* premieres, you will find out how crazy the media is about Liu Laoshi Teli."

Just kidding, there are only three proper leads in *Home Alone*, and the thief starred in by Liu Laoshi Teli is still the leading thief. A film that has taken the box office globally, has explosive topics, and has had a great response in subsequent streaming and TV broadcasts is a film that can make an actor "soar" no matter when it is placed.

Wei Yutang said helplessly again: "Actually, several Hollywood films also came to us this year, but Liu Laoshi pushed them all away."

"Why did Liu Laoshi push them away?"

"Because they are all villains." Wei Yutang said, "Another thing, Liu Laoshi's English is not very good, and he doesn't have much interest in filming movies in Hollywood. President Lu, if there is a chance, I hope you can help me persuade Liu Laoshi."

Lu Yan He: "It's not easy for me to persuade this. Moreover, if Liu Laoshi really doesn't want to film in Hollywood, it's fine. He is already our Chinese performing artist, why force himself."

Wei Yutang: "I am looking at Liu Laoshi's good acting skills; if there is a chance to be seen by more people but he gives it up, it's a pity."

"That's not the case." Lu Yan He shook his head, "I think, Liu Laoshi's good acting skills should be used to film more art films like *On the Xunyang River*. It is too difficult for a foreign actor to make a big impact in Hollywood, but international film festivals are different. This is a stage and window facing the whole world. Only with acting skills like Liu Laoshi can they get real attention." (End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 778 =====