Chapter 67: The Best New Year's Gift

The "Big Seven" of Hollywood themselves don't have much interest in film festivals, but their subsidiaries are a different story.

In fact, Hollywood has many independent film companies that are subsidiaries of the Big Seven, such as Harvey Weinstein's Miramax, which belongs to Disney; Focus Features is under Universal; and New Line Cinema's parent company is Warner Bros.

After Sony acquired Columbia, it also specifically established Sony Pictures Classics, which is responsible for art films and independent films. *Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon* a few years later was fully promoted by Sony Pictures Classics, including distribution strategy and Oscar PR.

Wu Yuchen hadn't lied to Havitz before; the one interested in his *Bus 44* was Sony Pictures Classics.

"Mr. George, films with a wild Western style have always had a fixed group of enthusiasts in America. If *Bus 44*'s background were changed to that, the style became more absurd and savage, and more blood and violence were added, I think you would have quite good returns."

George, the person in charge from Sony Pictures Classics who came to negotiate, didn't speak, looking Wu Yuchen up and down while thinking.

Wu Yuchen wasn't panicked and added another sentence:

"Actually, Miramax has also contacted me and is willing to offer a higher price. But to be honest, I trust Sony Pictures Classics' reputation more."

George raised an eyebrow and then revealed a smile: "Choosing Sony Pictures Classics is a correct decision. 300,000 US dollars for the adaptation rights, deal!"

In the past two years, Harvey Weinstein of Miramax has been very famous in the independent film circle, and George didn't want to drag it out any longer. 300,000 US dollars is not a high price for Sony Pictures Classics, so there was no need to hesitate over a few tens of thousands.

Just as this young Chinese director said, after buying it, finding a few screenwriters to adapt it, making the male and female lead characters more fleshed out, and filling in some more stories to have the robbers create more conflicts on the bus, there is still a quite high probability of making a profit.

Wu Yuchen also smiled and shook hands with George. He was already satisfied with the 300,000 US dollar price. Let alone that Miramax hadn't come to look for him, even if they had come and offered 500,000, he wouldn't have believed it.

Because that guy Harvey Weinstein has fooled many people: first shouting a high price to attract you, giving you a deposit of a few tens of thousands of dollars, and then when other film merchants leave, he directly reneges, cutting the price to one-third or even lower, leaving you truly helpless. Feng Xiaogang had fallen for this and cursed Harvey as a liar.

Two days later, Wu Yuchen received all the money, with a total of 420,000 US dollars lying in his account.

To be honest, if he didn't take this money back to the country and dodged the taxes, he estimated no one would know. He naturally didn't intend to dodge the debt; paying taxes legally is a citizen's duty!

However, he also had his own plans. This money was currently counted as his personal income. Anyone who has paid taxes knows that the money earned this year is only in the tax season from April to June of the following year.

So he planned to keep 300,000 in a foreign bank account and wait until Yahoo went public this year to invest it, bringing 120,000 US dollars back to the country. The main thing is that if he brought it all back, it's easy to exchange US dollars for Chinese currency, but it would be troublesome if he wanted to exchange it back later; at the very least, he would have to lose more than 10% in the middle, so he simply wouldn't bother.

The taxes for this 420,000 US dollar income would be paid next year. By then, relying on stocks, it would have already doubled several times, so paying more than 80,000 US dollars in taxes wouldn't be so heartbreaking. Income from film copyrights is taxed at 20% according to copyright tax.

It's a pity that *Bus 44*'s subject matter isn't quite right. By the time of *Two of Us*, films that meet the scope of policy support can apply for cultural industry development special fund rewards or tax preference policies after winning major awards, which can basically offset a large part of the taxes.

Jiang Qinqin touched the fashionable coat Wu Yuchen had just bought for her and felt that these past few days were simply like a dream. Following Wu Yuchen abroad, the two first toured Berlin's attractions, then the short film was sought after at the film festival, and at the closing ceremony, they even won the Jin Xiong for Best Short Film!

Her impression of Berlin was truly excellent—a dreamlike experience. However, now as the plane took off and the city on the ground gradually became smaller, it was time to say goodbye to this place.

At this moment, it wasn't just Jiang Qinqin and Wu Yuchen who were in a good mood, but also the *Sun Has Ears* crew flying back to the country with them. The lead actress and producer, Zhang Yu, was in high spirits at this moment.

This sister was quite generous; a few days ago, she specifically invited Wu Yuchen and the others to dinner, arranging to go back together. And she didn't avoid the fact that her film's copyright had been sold for 850,000 US dollars, speaking about it openly.

But Wu Yuchen felt that even so, this film would probably still lose money. In his impression, *Sun Has Ears*'s domestic box office was a mess.

Sister Zhang Yu was very bold back then, investing 10 million yuan by herself, specifically buying the brand from the Changchun Film Studio, inviting a director from Hong Kong, a soundtrack from Japan, plus a group of domestic experts, and using the production experience she learned from America to shoot this film.

Although it won a director award, this director was a Hong Konger, eh! Which domestic media would go to promote it!

It only relied on this copyright to recoup some costs, but in the end, it still lost several million.

However, he didn't worry about this rich sister. Also going to America to struggle for a few years, her business talent was far beyond Tu Honggang's. One company in America, one fertilizer factory in Shandong, one mine in Vietnam—this is simply supporting drama with business.

Staying in Berlin for more than half a month, by the time Wu Yuchen and the others returned to Beijing, they had just caught up with the Lantern Festival.

After getting off the plane, he first sent Jiang Qinqin back. Wu Yuchen didn't rush home but first made a phone call to Hou Keming.

"Teacher Hou, Happy Lantern Festival!"

"Happy, happy. You're back? What's the result?" As soon as Hou Keming heard Wu Yuchen's voice, he immediately asked.

"Jin Xiong for Best Short Film."

"You really won it?!"

"Really. I happen to be near the school; how about I bring it for you to see now?"

"Hahaha, good, good, good! Come over quickly!" It was obvious from Hou Keming's voice that he was incredibly happy.

Arriving at Hou Keming's home, Wu Yuchen also saw Xie Xiaojing, who had rushed over.

Seeing the gift Wu Yuchen brought, Hou Keming didn't stand on ceremony: "Put it aside, put it aside. Where's the medal?"

Seeing both of them looking at him expectantly, Wu Yuchen smiled and took out the medal.

After holding the medal and looking at it carefully for a while, Hou Keming returned it to Wu Yuchen and then said with a smile:

"This Jin Xiong for Best Short Film you won counts as the best New Year's gift I've received!"

Then Hou Keming thought of something and gave an instruction: "Wait a moment, I'm going to make a phone call."

A moment later, Hou Keming returned with a smile:

"I just checked with Old He. Go over to the 'Big Scissors' tomorrow after they start work; they won't make things difficult for you."

"Thank you, Teacher Hou!"

After Wu Yuchen came out, he found a phone and called several people who were concerned about his situation, taking the opportunity to wish them a Happy New Year. Since the Lantern Festival hadn't passed yet, it still counted as the New Year period.

After hanging up the phone, Wu Yuchen touched the pager on his body, sighing that it was time to change to a mobile phone. ===== CHAPTER 68 =====