Chapter 590: The Association, Have They Gone Soft?

After the Golden Globe Awards ceremony concluded, Hollywood had already plunged into the deep of night.

Aside from the production crew's party continuing to rage, most people, like Lin Nan and Liu Liu Yifei, were fully relaxed, enjoying their slumber.

But over in the domestic sphere, it was different; it was daytime. The entire film industry, the entertainment circle, major media outlets, and even the whole internet were still in a state of agitation.

The results of the Golden Globe Awards undoubtedly carried immense impact for the Chinese-language film circle!

"Best Director Golden Globe! Lin Dao and Director Chen are currently the only two top-tier directors on the mainland to have won a major Golden Globe! There's a 32-year age gap between them!"

"Four major awards for one film; this is Lin Dao's most peak moment. Every key member of the production crew got something: Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor! Even Liu Yifei received a Golden Globe gift. I'm enrolling my name in envy; it's so sour..."

"Once Lin Dao and Liu Yifei return in these next couple of days, we must make them treat us and really hit the jackpot!"

"Golden Globe, Berlin, Oscar; this counts as a great start! What's next? Tsk tsk, dare not think, dare not think..."

"I passed by the Beijing Film Academy today; it made me laugh to death, hahaha..."

"What? Have the banners already been hung up?"

"Not just that; a full-body photo of Lin Dao holding the Golden Globe and certificate is already up on the official website, and large-scale posters have been released too! A living billboard..."

Hollywood media were frantically reporting news from last night's awards ceremony. After one night, Lin Nan and the cast and crew of "Manchester by the Sea" had already become the talk of the town and the center of attention.

When the sun rose at eight in the morning, Hollywood did not become desolate because last night's Golden Globe Awards had concluded.

Over in the domestic sphere, there was no need to say more; after turning on his phone, the continuous vibration lasting two or three minutes was enough to prove the point; it was all message notifications.

"Let me sleep a bit longer; call me for lunch at noon..."

More than an hour later, Lin Nan met Zhang Zhang Yimou and others at Crystal Pictures; they had come to congratulate Lin Nan on his award and to tour the company.

"I wonder when Lin Dao's next film will start production? Who knows, it might be the new film for the Oscar Best Director..."

"I bought Crystal Pictures in April of 2006; it's been almost nine years now."

Lin Nan smiled speechlessly, put on his clothes, and washed up.

Liu Liu Yifei, without even opening her eyes, replied to Lin Nan; her soft, sticky nasal tone was very pleasant. Immediately, she tightened her grip on the quilt, covering her delicate collarbone and smooth, fragrant shoulders.

"Uh... I need to find Liu Yifei to chat, let her blow some wind on my pillow for me!"

"No, don't disturb me..."

"Sister Xun reacted quite quickly! I'm going too..."

Lin Nan took Zhang Zhang Yimou, Andy Lau, Miss Jing Tian, and Zhang Zhang Hanyu, toured the first and second floors for a long time, and only then went up to the third floor and entered the office.

"Alright, then you just keep sleeping."

"Liu Qianqian, do you want to get up and go out for a stroll with me?"

"Is the director circle very quiet?"

On the contrary, the atmosphere of the awards season climbed another level, becoming even more fervent.

Because, barring unexpected events, the Oscar nomination list would be announced within these next two days.

Looking at the golden Golden Globe trophy on the bedside table and the certificate pressed beneath its base, Lin Nan felt an indescribable sense of satisfaction.

"Only two hours have passed; of course it's quiet. But how could the media possibly miss the opportunity to stir up 'hatred' against Lin Dao? Absolutely impossible!"

The group was quite shocked by the scale of Crystal Pictures. This was completely not ordinary small-scale tinkering; it absolutely qualified as a medium-to-large production company.

"The circle basically acknowledges you as the boss of this company, but when you accepted media interviews, you said you only held 55% of the shares. Why are you so honest today, opening up about it?"

Zhang Zhang Yimou took the tea handed over by the assistant and joked with a smile. Andy Lau, Miss Jing Tian, and the other three also wore expressions of surprise followed by delight.

"Because now I am confident in my strength and have the backbone to defend this company. Director Zhang, what do you say?" Lin Nan smiled with implied meaning.

"Hmm, back then, you indeed were not suitable for going public. A young filmmaker from the mainland owning a well-developing Hollywood film company..."

Everyone in the office understood this remark. Wasn't it just a child carrying gold through the market? The Lin Nan of that time was not the Lin Nan of now.

As they chatted, Zhang Zhang Yimou revealed his return flight to China; what a coincidence, it was actually the same flight as Lin Nan and Liu Liu Yifei, namely tomorrow morning.

He was returning to prepare for the location shooting, while the lead actors would not return to the country until the end of February.

Another hour and a bit later, Lin Nan saw the group off downstairs. Seeing acquaintances in a foreign land is always inevitably affectionate.

"Lin Dao, I wish for 'Manchester by the Sea' to receive as many Oscar nominations as the Golden Globes, the more the better, and finally lift the cup."

Andy Lau always maintained super high emotional intelligence, his face full of smiles.

"Big Brother Lin, I wish you to conquer another city." Miss Jing Tian followed behind, her eyebrows and eyes carrying a smile, calling out crisply.

"Thank you; when 'The Great Wall' starts filming, I'll come visit your set."

After seeing the group off, Lin Nan finally looked at Tang Mu, who had always wanted to say something.

"What's wrong?"

"Lin, on the 5th of next month, 'Manchester by the Sea' will have its global premiere as the opening film of the Berlin International Film Festival.

After that, do we sell the rights or release it publicly? Or, like 'The Invisible Guest', sell the rights excluding North America and China?"

Hearing this, Lin Nan actually felt a bit worried.

Bringing it back to the domestic market for release as a licensed film is definitely something to be done; after all, it is a film that won awards. But what about the European and American markets?

"Tang Mu, what do you think of 'Manchester by the Sea'?"

"It's great, but, will it be too depressing? The box office is hard to judge."

These words were truly an enlightening revelation. Lin Nan muttered to himself.

"Then let's sell the rights, excluding the rights for the Chinese-language film market."

"Hmm? Good! I will take people to Berlin ahead of time at the end of this month."

Starting from the morning, there were constant invitations to banquets and parties on the Hollywood side, sent to Lin Nan and Liu Liu Yifei, but both of them politely declined them all.

Because there was only one afternoon left, they did not want to be busy with such social engagements. It was better to stay at home, pack their luggage, spend some time as a couple, and prepare to return to the country.

When coming to Hollywood, Lin Nan and Liu Liu Yifei's entourage was not small; assistants plus bodyguards totaled 10 people.

Now that the award is in hand, returning with a group will appear even more impressive, rather than the "miserable return" after getting nothing.

"They really went overboard, flooding my Weibo feed. But, Lin Nan, do you want to see the domestic news?"

In the evening, Liu Liu Yifei sat in the living room, holding a tablet, admiring the fireworks show outside the floor-to-ceiling windows while chatting with Lin Nan.

Lin Dao Da was packing up his most important harvest from this trip—the Golden Globe Best Director trophy and certificate.

"What's wrong?"

"Many domestic directors have accepted interviews about you winning the Golden Globe. And quite a few... quite a few people you, Ning Hao, and Director Jiang Wen often disparage..."

"Hmm? Those, those old guys?"

Lin Nan stopped his work, walked over to Liu Liu Yifei with a teasing expression, and took the tablet.

"Come, let me see what nonsense this group is spouting now?"

"No swearing!"

Liu Liu Yifei frowned at Lin Nan, her little expression quite fierce.

"Fine, I just couldn't help myself."

Lin Nan smiled and squeezed in beside Miss Liu, flipping through the news. "Oh ho, this time, it really is different from before?"

If there are any awards the mainland film industry is most obsessed with, it is undoubtedly the Golden Globes and the Oscars, with the latter surpassing the former.

"Don't ask me about Lin Nan, my heart is tired. I can't be friends with him anymore; the gap is getting wider and wider, more and more unequal. This beast, truly a beast..."

"Won the Golden Globe for Best Director? Damn it, I said to dare to fight and struggle while young, but I didn't mean for him to actually do it! How will I save face when we meet? I don't have those awards! Cut this part, let's start over, hahaha..."

"Hmm, congratulate him. I need to prepare for the next scene, so I won't say much more."

"I saw the news, it's okay, not bad. I have some matters to attend to regarding 'The Daoist Descends the Mountain,' so let's leave it at that."

"Following Lin Dao is pretty great. He is the thigh, I am just a small director working for him, very happy, very happy. Because the thigh is getting thicker and thicker... Guo Fan? He is busy with 'Get Out, Tumor King,' so it's normal you can't find him..."

"As the youngest and internationally renowned Chinese-language grand director currently in the country, we sincerely congratulate him on winning the Golden Globe for Best Director, and wish him success in overcoming obstacles at the Berlin Film Festival and the Oscars as well.

The Film Association is the big family of the film industry; we sincerely hope he can come home. Additionally, the Directors Guild, the Screenwriters Guild, the Producers Guild, and other major associations also hope he will join their ranks..."

Looking at the trending news on Weibo, Lin Nan sneered, "Showing goodwill? Their brains are broken? Daydreaming... it doesn't matter anymore."

"It seems, since the beginning of last year, Teacher Li has been serving as chairman..."

Liu Liu Yifei looked at Lin Nan and said softly.

Lin Nan shook his head. "Liu Qianqian, it's not that simple. The people in the circle who get promoted are just placed on the surface to make a show for outsiders; where would they get the energy to worry about these things? It's all just a facade.

The ones who truly hold the power are those unassuming, unknown old guys. They are slightly connected to the industry, but they never 'engage in production'; they have long been accustomed to making others follow their rules. The chairmen, vice-chairmen, and mascots on the surface are about the same, with very little say..."

"Oh, then I understand." Liu Liu Yifei nodded, leaning on Lin Nan's shoulder, and fell silent.

And Lin Dao Da was now feeling a bit doubtful in his heart: "When did this bunch of old stubborn ones turn into soft bones? It's too unreasonable, too abnormal!"

The next day, the Crystal Pictures convoy departed from Beverly Hills.

After five days, Lin Nan, Liu Liu Yifei, and the rest of the group embarked on their return journey to the country; however, compared to their arrival, they returned fully loaded!

"Director Zhang."

"Director Zhang."

"Lin Nan, Liu Yifei."

Zhang Zhang Yimou arrived a bit earlier; after greeting each other, they chatted and laughed for quite a while.

At 10:30 in the morning, a group of nearly twenty people boarded on time, and the flight from Los Angeles to the domestic capital took off smoothly.

And just a little over an hour later, Hollywood's awards season welcomed another climax following the end of the Golden Globes.

The nomination list for the 87th Academy Awards was officially released, spreading from Hollywood to the globe immediately.

"The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences released an announcement; the nomination list for each award of the 87th Academy Awards is as follows..."