Chapter 177: Absurd and Outstanding!

With the Jin Xiong and the Berlin Best Actress award, *Don't Fool Around* was undoubtedly the big winner of this Berlin Film Festival. At the banquet after the awards ceremony, Wu Yuchen and Gong Li were the center of the entire event. Whether they were familiar with them or not, everyone came up to congratulate and chat with them.

Whether it was because Wu Yuchen had just won the Jin Xiong or because of his own experience of successive successes in Hollywood, both art-house fans and commercial fans saw what they were chasing in this great director, Wu Yuchen. How could they not want to befriend him?

Tonight, Wu Yuchen was truly happy and drank quite a bit of alcohol with everyone. Although he didn't like to drink usually, under the excitement, alcohol could indeed increase a person's excitement and act as an emotional amplifier.

After a night of revelry, the next day, Wu Yuchen took Gong Li to specifically visit Director Xie Fei, who served as a juror this time. Although they had already interacted with several jurors at the banquet last night, the two felt they still needed to come specifically to thank Xie Fei again.

"Hahaha, no need to be so polite. A film as good as *Don't Fool Around* is something I like very much myself. No matter which angle I stand from, I should support it with all my strength!" Xie Fei said with a smile.

"It still couldn't have been done without Teacher Xie's help during the judging. Otherwise, how could we have won both the Jin Xiong and Best Actress awards?" Wu Yuchen praised.

Upon hearing this, Xie Fei smiled and waved his hand, then said:

"Actually, this time in the judging, I was at most a helper. That Ken Adam, nearly 80 years old, was the one who truly took a stand to help *Don't Fool Around* fight for the Jin Xiong, leaving Paulo, who supported *The Thin Red Line*, speechless!"

After Wu Yuchen heard Xie Fei describe the process of the jury's internal judging, he couldn't help but sigh. This old man Ken Adam was someone you could count on; he really did the job after taking the money!

And he also knew why the final jury president, Angela Molina, chose *Don't Fool Around* for the Jin Xiong. It was simple: feminism.

The other film, *The Thin Red Line*, was about the World War II battlefield. The whole film was a man's play, and you couldn't even see a female supporting role. As for *Don't Fool Around*, Gong Li's character and Ding Jiali's character, the copper craftsman's wife, all reflected feminism.

Angela Molina, who was a woman herself, naturally preferred *Don't Fool Around*!

Wu Yuchen couldn't help but sigh at this moment. His successive trips to Berlin and winning awards seemed to have really benefited quite a bit from feminism.

In his first short film, *Car 44*, the female driver played by Jiang Qinqin, after being violated, issued a fatal "accusation" to the whole bus.

The second one, *Run Luo La Run*, goes without saying; it was a representative work of feminist awakening. The red-haired Luo La played by Li Xiaoran had already become a classic feminist film image.

And this *Don't Fool Around* was because it reflected the oppression and harm suffered by women when they pursued independence and autonomy, which led the jury president's attitude to lean toward them.

Wu Yuchen even suspected that he might be called a friend of feminism in Europe now?

The *Don't Fool Around* crew was delayed in Berlin for a few more days, mainly because Wu Yuchen was talking to distributors about the copyright of *Don't Fool Around*. In the end, the European copyright was sold for 12 million, the US copyright for 10 million, the Japanese copyright for 3 million, and the Korean copyright for 1.5 million. These were the main markets, and the company's people would slowly negotiate for other scattered regions.

Don't look at the price of *Don't Fool Around* this time as if it wasn't as high as the previous *Run Luo La Run*, but in fact, it was already considered a high price. This was still because of the Jin Xiong and Best Actress award, and it also benefited from Wu Yuchen's reputation. After all, not every film was as widely welcomed by foreigners as *Run Luo La Run*.

Like in the US region, more than 80% of the audience never watches subtitles; they don't have this viewing habit, so the box office performance of foreign language films in the US is generally average. The fact that Fox could give a price of 10 million this time was still out of face for Wu Yuchen. On one hand, they could recover costs through discs, and on the other hand, it was also to befriend this great director who had succeeded in North America one after another, hoping to participate in the investment of his next work.

At the end of February, the branches of trees on the streets of Beijing had begun to turn green, but the bitter cold of winter had not yet faded. The Beijing airport now was even less crowded than it would be later. However, at this moment, a large group of reporters carrying long guns and short cannons were all waiting at the international passenger exit, which also attracted many curious people to come and ask.

"Hey, hey, reporter comrade, who are you interviewing? Making such a big scene!"

Some reporters didn't want to bother, but some enthusiastic ones explained:

"Wu Yuchen and Gong Li! *Don't Fool Around* won an award, do you know? The crew is flying back today!"

Another passenger took out a newspaper he had just brought off the plane and pointed to it, asking: "Is it this? I just saw it on the plane."

Only to see him holding a copy of *Civil Aviation News of China*, which read:

"*Don't Fool Around* shines in Berlin, Wu Yuchen wins the Jin Xiong! Gong Li crowned Berlin Best Actress!"

Below the headline, there was also a photo of Wu Yuchen kissing the Jin Xiong trophy.

Another person next to him said: "Brother, you just returned to the country, right? You don't know, the newspapers and TV stations have been broadcasting it every day for the past few days. The movie channel wants to say it three times a day, morning, noon, and night."

The reporter said with pride in his voice:

"That's right, Jin Xiong plus Berlin Best Actress, it's said that they conquered the entire film festival with an overwhelming advantage! This time it really brought face to our China!"

"Then I have to take a look too, it's not easy to run into this!"

Some passersby stopped immediately upon hearing this, just wanting to join in the fun. As a result, other parts of the airport were deserted, while the international passage exit was almost surrounded by people, and the airport had to send security guards to maintain order.

"Why haven't they come out yet?"

"Didn't the plane just land?"

"They didn't go this way, did they?"

Just when some people were getting impatient, a team of people walked out, talking and laughing. Wu Yuchen, who was in the lead, wore a thick black trench coat, his figure straight, quite graceful. Immediately, the quick-handed photographers had their flashes clicking non-stop, taking pictures.

In an instant, reporters and passersby surged forward. If it weren't for the security personnel maintaining order, it would have been chaotic in an instant.

When Wu Yuchen brought Gong Li and others out, microphones were constantly poked toward them, and reporters were shouting loudly:

"Wu Dao, how do you feel about winning the Jin Xiong?"

"Wu Dao, when will *Don't Fool Around* be released in China?"

"Gong Li, you are now a double Best Actress winner, what are your thoughts?"

"Zhang Guoli..."

"Zhou Xun..."

Wu Yuchen had long expected such a lively scene from the domestic reporters. Seeing so many people surrounding them, he raised his voice and said to them with a smile:

"Thank you all for your support! This trip to Berlin for *Don't Fool Around* was very successful. If you have anything to say, let's wait until our press conference! Thank you!"

"Wu Dao, say a few more words!"

After Wu Yuchen said a few polite words, he quickly left with the crew under the escort of security guards.

Once in the car, Wu Yuchen said to everyone: "Everyone go back and rest first. There might be a special interview with the movie channel in the next two days that will trouble everyone!"

"Wu Dao, I feel like this period of time has been like a dream~" Zhou Xun said with a smile.

In fact, Zhou Xun was already quite famous in the domestic film scene. Initially, *The Postman in the Mountains* made her win the Tokyo Film Festival Best Actress award, and she didn't lack roles to play after returning to China. But this time *Don't Fool Around* was different; it had won the Berlin Jin Xiong. Being able to play an important role in this film was definitely a precious asset for her.

Sun Honglei was also full of longing for the future at this time. A few months ago, he had just played the role of the son in Zhang Yimou's *The Road Home*, and his billing could be said to be the second male lead. Now *Don't Fool Around* had brought back the Jin Xiong. Think back to when he was an older examinee, still an auditor who couldn't get a graduation certificate, he was developing better than any actor in their class at the Central Academy of Drama!

The others, He Bing and Fu Dalong, were the same, and everyone in the car was happy.

This time Wu Yuchen returned, he first visited Han Sanping, after all, the film *Don't Fool Around* was made in cooperation with the Tao Jingying Studio.

This time Wu Yuchen came to China Film Group, and Han Sanping came out of the gate to meet him in person.

"Brother Wu, congratulations on your triumphant return from Berlin! The Jin Xiong and Berlin Best Actress, this time it really brought glory to our Chinese cinema!" Han Sanping said happily, holding Wu Yuchen's hand.

He had just sat in the position of the second-in-command of the new China Film Group and was in the stage of "three fires for a new official." His position was not yet stable, and Wu Yuchen's *Don't Fool Around* returning with a Berlin Jin Xiong directly helped him. This was something he had strongly advocated for the Tao Jingying Studio to participate in!

"Brother Han, this Jin Xiong award also has a share for you and the Tao Jingying Studio!" Wu Yuchen also held his hand and smiled.

"Hahaha, let's not stand here, let's go up and talk!" Han Sanping also laughed heartily.

After Wu Yuchen followed Han Sanping to his office, Han Sanping first took the Jin Xiong trophy Wu Yuchen brought and touched it well. He would replicate one to put in the Tao Jingying Studio later. Then he pointed to a stack of newspapers on the table and said:

"Brother Wu, this time your *Don't Fool Around* has exploded the domestic public opinion. *China Youth Daily*, *Guangming Daily*, *Global Times*, *China Film News*... newspapers large and small, all are your news! You must tell me about your award-winning process this time."

"Haha, since you are willing to listen, Brother, then I really have to talk about it. The judging process this time made my mood like a roller coaster."

With Wu Yuchen's narration, Han Sanping also learned many inside stories that the outside world had not reported.

"So the trade journal rating has nothing to do with winning the award. We all thought it was a matter of course to win the award later when we saw your high score leading by so much in the newspaper. I didn't expect there were so many tricks in it."

Han Sanping sighed after listening, but then gave a thumbs up and praised: "Then this result of the trade journal and the award being the same proves the excellence of *Don't Fool Around* even more, settling both sides!"

Han Sanping's words hit Wu Yuchen's heart. Being able to get the dual recognition of the trade journal and the grand prize this time was also something he was quite proud of.

Then Wu Yuchen asked with a thought: "Brother Han, the release of *Don't Fool Around*, no problem, right?"

Because *Don't Fool Around* had many political metaphors, Wu Yuchen was still worried that it wouldn't be allowed to be released on a large scale, even though it had brought back the Jin Xiong.

Han Sanping smiled immediately upon hearing this: "Don't worry, it has already been arranged, copies are being produced, and it will be released on a large scale next week!"

Then Han Sanping leaned close to Wu Yuchen and lowered his voice: "After your film won the award, someone from above immediately asked for a copy to watch. I heard they said you filmed it quite interestingly."

Wu Yuchen was enlightened after hearing this, so there was definitely no problem.

Then Han Sanping sighed again: "Brother Wu, it's a pity that your *Don't Fool Around* wasn't sent to participate in this year's Oscars. Otherwise, maybe it could have won an award!"

Han Sanping thought of something and sighed again without continuing.

Wu Yuchen knew what he was thinking when he saw Han Sanping's appearance. Wasn't it about Chen Kaige's *The Emperor and the Assassin*?

The Oscar foreign language film rules state that each region can only send one film to compete each session. Therefore, for the 1999 Oscars, Wu Yuchen didn't compete with Kaige for this quota at all and gave it directly to Chen Kaige's *The Emperor and the Assassin*.

But Kaige was not good enough. He was full of confidence before sending it, but when the nomination list was announced last month, it didn't even get nominated!

Now Wu Yuchen's *Don't Fool Around*, which didn't sign up, had won the Jin Xiong and Best Actress in Berlin, while Kaige didn't even get an Oscar nomination. Comparing the two, didn't the gap show?

Therefore, don't blame Han Sanping for shaking his head and sighing. He was just thinking that sending *Don't Fool Around* would have been better than it is now. There were quite a few people who had the same idea as Han Sanping.

In fact, Chen Kaige also felt the crisis. Therefore, under the dual stimulation of *The Emperor and the Assassin* failing at the Oscars and *Don't Fool Around* winning the Jin Xiong, he made up his mind to drastically re-edit *The Emperor and the Assassin* and then send it to the Cannes Film Festival in May to defend his glory as China's number one director!

In fact, Wu Yuchen didn't want to participate in the competition for the Oscar foreign language film this year at all, because he knew that even if it were nominated, there wouldn't be much chance. Because the competition this year was too fierce.

Among the five films, there was *Central Station*, which won the Berlin Jin Xiong and Best Actress in 1997; there was the classic Iranian film *Children of Heaven*, which had another translation, *The Children of Heaven*; and there was the classic Italian film *Life Is Beautiful*. These three films were all listed in the list of the 100 great films of the 20th century. If they had been in previous years, they would have been steady winners of Best Foreign Language Film, but they all happened to be in the same year!

Therefore, Wu Yuchen really understood Kaige. No wonder *The Emperor and the Assassin* didn't even get nominated. It wasn't that *The Emperor and the Assassin* was bad, but that the competitors this year were too strong. If it had been last year, it wouldn't have been this result.

Among them, *Life Is Beautiful* was filmed well and was politically correct, almost locking in the award quota. Therefore, even if Wu Yuchen sent *Don't Fool Around* to participate, there was no possibility of winning this year, so he simply gave it to Kaige.

Wu Yuchen smiled at Han Sanping: "Brother Han, it doesn't matter, there will be plenty of opportunities in the future. If we miss it this year, then next year."

Han Sanping's eyes flashed when he heard Wu Yuchen's words, and then he leaned forward and asked: "Brother Wu, are you planning to send *Don't Fool Around* over, or are you going to shoot another one?"

The Oscar Best Foreign Language Film rule is that as long as it has been released in the region where it belongs in the previous year, it can be sent by the region to participate in the Oscar evaluation. Therefore, *Don't Fool Around* can also continue to participate in next year's Oscars.

Wu Yuchen thought for a while and said: "The political metaphors in *Don't Fool Around* might not be liked by the Oscars. Maybe it won't even get nominated, so I plan to shoot a new film to impact next year's Oscars."

Han Sanping slapped the table when he heard this: "Good! Brother Wu, I strongly support you this time. As long as you shoot it this year, the quota for participating in the Oscars next year will definitely be yours!"

Kaige had been given a chance but didn't use it well. Zhang Yimou had always been close to the Xi'an Film Studio and the Pearl River Film Studio. According to the relationship of closeness, Han Sanping would also support Wu Yuchen.

Wu Yuchen smiled modestly: "It will still depend on the quality of the film then~"

"Brother Wu, I absolutely trust your film! I'll wait for your masterpiece then!" Han Sanping patted his chest and said.

This time Wu Yuchen won the Jin Xiong, and Jiang Qinqin and other women also contacted him for the first time to congratulate him. This time he returned, naturally, he had to meet with them. However, three of them were still in the *Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon* training camp, and he didn't dare to go directly, otherwise, the scene would be awkward, so he could only make separate appointments to meet them.

At this time, Jiang Qinqin was lying in Wu Yuchen's arms, her fingers drawing circles on Wu Yuchen's chest, muttering: "Jin Xiong, Best Actress, Jin Xiong, Best Actress..."

Wu Yuchen listened to the girl muttering and knew she was sour again. He patted her butt and said:

"Why are you still thinking about it? Didn't you see Gong Li's performance before? Still not convinced?"

"Convinced, how dare I not be convinced. If it were me, I might not have won either of these two awards..." Jiang Qinqin pouted and felt sorry for herself.

"As long as you have self-knowledge, improve your acting skills well, so that next time I want to rush for an award, you won't be worse than others if there is a suitable opportunity."

Jiang Qinqin wrinkled her little nose again: "I want to too, but there are not so many good opportunities for me to practice acting in China now. Even for this Yu Jiaolong, I don't know if I can be selected~"

Wu Yuchen looked at her and didn't speak. Don't say it, she really guessed it herself. He had just communicated with Ang Lee, and Ang Lee was focusing on Li Xiaoran and Zhang Ziyi. Zeng Li and Jiang Qinqin had already been eliminated in his heart.

However, Jiang Qinqin was right. Now the number of films in China is insufficient, and there are actually very few good opportunities for actresses. Therefore, if you want to practice acting, you either participate in more reliable TV dramas or go to act in stage plays. Many actresses in China now, such as Xu Fan and Ning Jing, take both TV dramas and films. There are very few who only shoot films like Gong Li. There are not as many opportunities as her.

Wu Yuchen thought for a while, if there were any good projects coming to him for investment this year, he would find more suitable opportunities from them and stuff these women of his into them.

Tao Jingying Academy, Dean's Office, Hou Keming looked at the Jin Xiong that Wu Yuchen brought over and smiled from ear to ear. He had fought for *Don't Fool Around* to be Wu Yuchen's graduation work, but he didn't expect that he really brought back a Jin Xiong!

Then Hou Keming said to Wu Yuchen with a smile: "This time the school has been arguing because of you. Teachers and students have mentioned it to me many times. This time you must bring *Don't Fool Around* back to school for screening!"

In fact, the students and teachers at the Tao Jingying Academy were no strangers to *Don't Fool Around*. After all, the stage play had been rehearsed here for almost two years, and many people could even recite the plot and lines. But they hadn't seen the film version of *Don't Fool Around*. You have to know that the film and the stage play are completely different things; the lens language and performance methods are very different.

And this time Wu Yuchen had won the Jin Xiong, which added a halo to *Don't Fool Around*, making them want to see what the film version of *Don't Fool Around* was like.

Wu Yuchen couldn't refuse when he heard this. He thought for a while and said: "Dean Hou, I'm going to the Great Hall of the People for the premiere on Friday. How about I bring *Don't Fool Around* back to school for exchange on Saturday?"

"Good, then it's settled!"

The Great Hall of the People has always been a solemn and sacred place in the eyes of the people. It has always been thought that only high-standard meetings or high-level activities can be held here, but in fact, as long as you pay, it can be rented out during free time for meetings, concerts, films, and even weddings.

Last year, during the National Day, the premiere of *The Emperor and the Assassin* here attracted a lot of attention, but at that time *The Emperor and the Assassin* was only a preview and not a large-scale release, so there were no waves after a while.

But this time *Don't Fool Around* returned with the Jin Xiong, and there was Gong Li, the Best Actress. This premiere at the Great Hall of the People directly attracted huge attention, and the public felt that the status was full after seeing the report.

For this premiere, many people in the film circle came, such as Zhang Yimou, who had just finished the post-production of *The Road Home*, and Jiang Wen, who hadn't finished shooting *Devils on the Doorstep*...

What, you ask about Kaige? Kaige is busy now. Chen Hong said he was stuck in the editing room re-editing *The Emperor and the Assassin*!

100 minutes later, after the film ended, a sentence jumped out of Zhang Yimou's heart: "Absurd and Outstanding!"

However, Zhang Yimou has never been a flamboyant person, and most of his thoughts are held in his heart.

Compared to the reticent Zhang Yimou, Jiang Wen had no scruples and expressed his feelings directly with his mouth: "A world that eats people, really fucking shitty!"

However, his cursing had been drowned out by the intense applause. Jiang Wen didn't care. Thinking that *Don't Fool Around* set its hope in that red city at the end, he curled his lips again. As everyone knows, Jiang Wen is a super hardcore Mao fan.

He felt that it was worth it for him to put down *Devils on the Doorstep* and come over to watch it. It was really not in vain! ===== CHAPTER 178 =====