Chapter 491: Exceptionally Handsome

"Did you really just dump him there?"

"What about it? Are you feeling sorry for him?"

"It's not about feeling sorry... He's such a big star, is he safe?"

"What's not safe about it? He's wearing a mask and sunglasses, and he even dyed his hair; no ghost would recognize him."

"Then how is he going to get back? You didn't actually tell him to walk, did you?"

"He's a grown man, he has a phone and money, why worry about him?"

"Sigh, I still feel..."

"Stop nagging. Do you want to go down there and keep him company then?"

"............ Hey, by the way, what are we two eating for lunch?"

……

……

When Chen Nuo called, Gao Yuanyuan was sitting by her mother's bedside, reading a film magazine.

The woman in the hospital bed had just drifted off to sleep, and Gao Yuanyuan’s movements as she flipped through the magazine were exceptionally gentle. She had already read to the second paragraph of an article titled "2012, The Era of Art-House Cinema," published in "Film Review," the magazine with the largest circulation in China.

Gao Yuanyuan was lost in thought, her eyes focused, reading every single word with extreme care.

"...When we see Hollywood's theatrical schedule this year filled with blockbusters like 'The Avengers,' 'Skyfall,' 'The Amazing Spider-Man,' and 'Men in Black 3,' in China, over the past few months, what we have heard is news like this—

Zhang Ziyi and Jia Zhangke, Zhou Xun and Lou Ye, Guo Fucheng and Guan Hu, Huang Bo and Wang Jia, Li Bingbing and Gu Changwei, Chen Kun and Zhang Yi—many A-list stars are rumored to be collaborating with one art-house director after another.

Except for Fan Bingbing, who has kept a low profile since her comeback last year, almost every other A-list superstar has shed their former disdain for art-house films and is now embracing cinematic art.

It is not just Jia Zhangke, Lou Ye, Wang Jia, and Zhang Yi who have become highly sought after; many second and third-tier art-house directors have also begun to enter the mainstream spotlight.

Let's take the simplest example.

Five years ago, could you have imagined that Liu Yifei, who went to Japan to release records and wanted to be a crossover superstar, would collaborate with Wu Qi to film a low-budget historical biographical movie called 'Liu Rushi'?

Could you have imagined that the handsome A-list heartthrob Hu Ge would be willing to dress in drag to play a funny, ugly Errenzhuan performer in Hao Jie's new film?

Or, when news broke that Guan Hu was casting for a new film, why would the Four Heavenly Kings, including Liu Dehua and Guo Fucheng, all stir at the news? If it were five years ago, the author suspects that if Guan Hu's script had been delivered to the agencies of these Hong Kong superstars, it would more likely have ended up gathering dust in an archive.

Although the crossover of these superstars will take up spots from the likes of Hao Lei, Gao Yuanyuan, and Qin Hao, from a macro perspective, many years from now, future generations should see a clear dividing line in the annals of Chinese cinema—

After experiencing the era of super-blockbusters at the turn of the century, Chinese cinema, ten years later in 2012, has arrived at a crossroads with a 90-degree turn.

Investment, commercial prospects, box office, and paychecks are certainly important, but as time reaches this year, more and more top-tier stars have begun to place a director's ability to compete for awards—especially whether they can challenge for the three major European awards or win at an international film festival—on equal footing with salary and commercial value when choosing roles.

Last year, Deanie Ip winning Best Actress at the Venice Film Festival for 'A Simple Life' was an even greater shot in the arm, solidifying their confidence in challenging for international awards.

Thus, the golden age of art-house cinema seems to be slowly drawing back its curtain.

Still the same saying—

If it were five years ago, or to be precise, seven years ago, who could have imagined it?

What were we seeing on the stage of Chinese cinema back then?

It was 'Hero' becoming the hero of cinema; Feng Xiaogang and Huayi, Chen Kaige and China Film Group, and every other capable director and company were all imitating the successful commercial case of Zhang Yimou and New Pictures, which is:

Use money to pull top stars together, and naturally, it will yield satisfactory returns. No matter what you film, or how you film it.

Everyone went crazy for it.

Money from Shanxi, money from Zhejiang, money from Guangdong—China, having just joined the WTO, had too much hot money needing a way to vent and fission, and at this time, film became the best channel for capital.

Star + Capital = Success, it seemed as simple as 1+1=2.

Under this rising tide,

The artistic value of the film itself became the neglected child in the family of cinema.

Audiences also gradually became accustomed to seeing one star after another in theaters; that superficial audiovisual stimulation and glossy packaging seemed to be the only reason they went to the cinema.

Such a trend seemed irreversible.

Because it was a joint force between resources and capital.

Blocking this tide was almost no different from blocking money itself.

But if this trend were allowed to continue, then the author believes that today, seven years later, or in the future ten years from now, Chinese filmmakers will surely taste the bitter fruit they planted with their own hands.

Because film was carried high into the sky by the tide of capital, appearing to be high above, yet it had detached from its roots on the ground. When the day finally comes for this tide to recede, the only ending will be falling from the sky and being smashed to pieces.

All of this, it seems, was already a foregone conclusion at the beginning of the 21st century.

Even though many filmmakers like the author foresaw the tragic consequences of all this, they were helpless.

Yes, what else could be done.

This seemingly could not be stopped by human effort.

However.

No one expected that in 2005, an art-house film with a production cost of only a few hundred thousand would conquer Berlin, quietly winning the first Best Actor trophy for a Chinese filmmaker at the Berlin Film Festival, shocking the whole country. Later, it even stood toe-to-toe with 'The Promise' in theaters.

Years later, when art-house film lovers like the author look back on this past event, they feel that no words can describe the greatness and magnificence of that moment.

A film with a cost of 400,000 (some say 200,000) and a super-blockbuster with a production cost of over 100 million went back and forth in the battle for theater screenings.

This instantly punctured the beautiful bubble that capital plus stars could always succeed.

What is even more unimaginable is.

That young man who conquered Berlin as soon as he appeared did not lose himself between fame and fortune.

On the contrary, beyond everyone's imagination, in the following few years, he broke through thorns and thistles at major international film festivals, achieving remarkable results, from Berlin to Cannes, and from Cannes to Hollywood, breaking countless records.

It is precisely these feats of his that have doubled the confidence of Chinese filmmakers today, and allowed many Chinese directors to see hope, broadening their horizons.

Cannes, Berlin, Venice, and even the Golden Globes and Oscars, for many, are no longer unreachable fantasies, but dreams that can be pursued.

Regardless of the final result, as long as more and more Chinese films and Chinese filmmakers are willing to launch a challenge for international awards and are willing to let the voice of Chinese cinema be heard in the world, then this is an exciting thing.

The prosperous age of Chinese cinema, where a hundred flowers bloom, will surely follow in this era of art-house cinema!

Who could have imagined,

That this glorious future within reach for Chinese cinema,

Was merely because of the appearance of one person?

When time returns to the end of 2004, when Zhang Yi was smoking at the gate of the Film Academy that evening, struggling with his second film, he surely could not have imagined that he would soon meet someone.

The kick he landed on the other person would be a kick recorded in the history of Chinese cinema in the future.

It was precisely this kick of his that kicked open the door to the glorious future chapter of Chinese cinema!

To this, the author can only say: How fortunate for Chinese cinema, how fortunate for China..."

As she read, Gao Yuanyuan didn't know why, but her emotions were unusually stirred, and her throat felt like it was blocked by something.

She looked at the old woman on the bed and wiped the tear stains on her face with her hand.

Just as she calmed her mood and prepared to continue reading, her phone vibrated.

……

……

Gao Yuanyuan drove the car, circling the service area for half a lap before finally recognizing Chen Nuo.

Looking at that bright red hair, she first rubbed her eyes in disbelief, but seeing that familiar figure and confirming she hadn't mistaken him, the corners of her mouth immediately curled up involuntarily, and she laughed.

Because on the drive over, her mind was still replaying the article she had just read.

She didn't know what kind of expression the person who wrote the article in "Filmmaker" would have if he saw the savior he spoke of had dyed his hair in such a non-mainstream style.

Chen Nuo, however, did not notice Gao Yuanyuan's Toyota Highlander; he was sitting on a bench in a rather secluded, shaded area of the supermarket, talking to a seven or eight-year-old girl in front of him.

"...No, really, it's not."

"It is."

"It's not."

"It is."

"Hey, why are you running around alone? Where are your parents?"

"I don't know."

"You don't know?"

"Mm."

Chen Nuo was speechless.

This little girl had suddenly run over while he was sitting there waiting for someone. As soon as she arrived, she asked him if he was Korean, and of course, he said no. After pestering him for a while, he realized something was wrong.

Where were her parents?

He looked carefully at the little girl in front of him: small nose, small eyes, wearing a pair of braided pigtails, a plaid little skirt, white leggings under the skirt, and a pair of Nike children's shoes; she looked quite fashionable.

"Are you sure you don't know where your mom and dad are?" he asked again.

The little girl replied this time: "Mom went to the bathroom."

At this moment, Chen Nuo saw Gao Yuanyuan; she had driven up in front of him, the passenger window rolled down, and the woman was wearing large sunglasses, flashing him a smile.

Why did he ask Gao Yuanyuan to pick him up?

Because there were no other candidates.

Qi Yuntian was still in Hong Kong, Gulinazha and Linghu had stayed in Hong Kong with him for a few months, and they were on vacation now that they were back. As for the people in the company, he didn't want to make a big fuss.

And Liu Yifei had gone to Changshu, Jiangsu, to film a historical biographical movie called 'Liu Rushi'.

Although Tong Liya was in Jingcheng, she was with a film crew. "Beijing Love Story" aired in January, and this woman suddenly became a huge hit.

What Chen Nuo originally thought was a toxic point—that he didn't let Tong Liya have intimate contact with Chen Sicheng—unexpectedly, for some reason, sparked heated discussions on Weibo and was liked by many people; Tong Liya was hailed as some kind of "asexual goddess."

Now the Xibe girl had also become a fairly popular figure in the mainland film and television circle, receiving so many scripts that her hands were soft, and her schedule was booked until the end of this year.

The key was that the woman was very smart; after receiving her first huge sum of money in life—a signing bonus of several million—she didn't spend it recklessly, but called him directly to ask what she should do, and if she could learn from him to buy US stocks?

You tell me, such a woman, besides having long legs, a big chest, a flexible waist, and being gentle and virtuous enough to help you bathe, actually has a brain!

After so long, she still remembered his past investment in US stocks and sought his advice on investments.

How many men in this world are worthy of her?

After listening, Chen Nuo thought for a moment and advised her to buy a house first, spending all those millions to buy a large, comfortable home to live in, replacing the old, dilapidated, and small one she currently occupied, and to improve her living environment first.

As for whether she should follow his lead and invest in FAANG... if she had confidence in him, she could take a portion of her salary from a film and buy some Netflix stock before "Eagle Catches Chick" went online in September. However, he wouldn't guarantee whether it would be a loss or a gain.

In the end, Tong Liya sounded quite confident in him over the phone, but Chen Nuo didn't know what she would actually do or if she would buy it. After all, when faced with real money, human nature cannot withstand the test.

In short, in Jingcheng, the only one who was free was Gao Yuanyuan, that reclusive, artsy young woman who hadn't been filming recently.

He shouted toward Gao Yuanyuan, "Wait a moment, I'm going to find this little brat's mother."

"I'm not a little brat," the little brat protested, "My name is Deng Enxi."

"Heh, Deng Enxi. No wonder you said I was Korean; I think you're the one who's Korean."

"I'm not Korean, I'm from Chongqing."

"Is that so? Then why aren't you in school and instead ran all the way to Jingcheng?"

"To play."

"Then what have you been playing?"

"I don't know."

He held the little girl's hand and walked to the front of the service area; there was no need to search with much effort, as a quick glance revealed two women and one man acting like madmen, running back and forth between the vehicles and pedestrians.

"Is that your mother?"

"Yes."