Chapter 974: In His Position, Plan His Affairs; Another Jury President!

After 40 days, on the morning of the fifth day of the Lunar New Year, the art exam re-examination finally began.

On the side of the Beijing Film Academy, naturally, child stars like Wu Lei and Song Zuer are the most watched by the entire internet and the industry, supporting enough topics and traffic.

And the Central Academy of Drama also rarely had a year where it didn't fall behind. Young people who became famous early, such as Yi Yangqianxi, Hu Xianxu, and Li Landi, even had more traffic and gimmicks than the Beijing Film Academy.

As for the Shanghai Theatre Academy? Sigh, this year it is still mediocre, without any news, without any waves...

To be realistic, the Shanghai Theatre Academy has not produced any art exam freshmen, students, or graduates who can attract attention in the industry for several consecutive years.

After sending Liu Yifei to the Sports University, Lin Nan didn't go home, but went straight to the company.

Although the news of the art exam outside is very eye-catching and attracts attention, he is more concerned about another problem at this moment.

"Why did the daily box office of *Operation Red Sea* and *Detective Chinatown 2* fall yesterday, but that *Monster Hunt 2* went against the trend and skyrocketed by 40 million?"

Facing Lin Nan's questioning, Yue Jun could only return a helpless smile:

"When I saw this data early in the morning, I also felt very strange and surprised. It was only 2 million box office away from returning to the 200 million daily income!"

"Reasonably speaking, a film should not forcefully stop falling and skyrocket on the fourth day of its theatrical release, because there is no strong objective factor intervention from the outside world... I am preparing to send people to check."

"Lin Dao, I am afraid we have to be mentally prepared. For example, the things that happened when *Monster Hunt 1* was released in July the year before last... this time it might be the same."

"If this is really the case, hehe, the Hong Kong group's ability to play with words will really open the eyes of the industry!"

"Check? Is it necessary to send people to check? Still like two and a half years ago, letting people squat at the theater chain in the middle of the night to take evidence?"

Sitting on the sofa in Yue Jun's office, Lin Nan sneered and took out his phone, calling Liu Xiaobin.

"Lin Dao, Happy New Year. I was chatting about you with President Wang of Enlight yesterday, saying that if we have time recently, our families can get together, haha..."

"President Liu, the gathering can be talked about slowly later. I need you to help me privately inquire about other theater chains to see if the box office of the two films has been moved?"

Lin Nan changed his tone and joked with Liu Xiaobin.

He didn't explicitly mention the three words "theft of box office," but he thought the other party definitely understood what he meant. After all, some producers have a criminal record, and Lin Nan Film has also had the experience of being stolen!

Sure enough, Liu Xiaobin's laughter stopped abruptly.

"Lin Dao, I understand what you mean. But this time I can tell you clearly, that side didn't reach out."

"Unless they are brain-damaged, they absolutely dare not touch *Operation Red Sea*; as for *Detective Chinatown 2*, they also dare not move."

"Because once caught again, anyone can guess your reaction, Lin Dao. I am afraid it will really make the official side unable to step down."

"And this time is different from the last *Monkey King: Hero is Back*. This time, several of our giants are jointly producing, they won't be stupid enough to seek death!"

"Then why is yesterday's box office so strange?" Yue Jun asked subconsciously. However, at the same time the words landed, he had already vaguely guessed some in his heart.

"Like last time, there are many full houses in the early morning. They are brushing the box office in the off-peak time slots."

"Of course, Wanda is also involved. After all, Lin Dao, you know, this kind of thing doesn't affect the revenue of other films in the same slot, and the theater chain also gets money."

"This is the unspoken rule of the theater chain industry, no one will take the initiative to destroy it. And according to our estimates, there will only be more and more such things in the industry in the future..."

"Lin Dao, although you have conflicts with that side, I still want to solemnly advise you at this moment, in the absence of a direct conflict of interest, it is best not to ignore their actions."

"Because once it thoroughly blows up and becomes a major issue, it would be equivalent to cutting off a source of revenue for the cinema chains, and no film company can afford the consequences of being backlashed by the entire cinema chain circle..."

Liu Xiaobin's sincere warning, doesn't Lin Nan understand? He not only understands, but has understood from the beginning.

It's just that this is the first time someone has said these words to his face, and said them so clearly and straightforwardly, which really made him stunned for a moment.

Sure enough, even if you have more influence and status in the industry, when you reveal even a trace of intention to "harm" the interest chain of the industry's unspoken rules... your allies will definitely jump out at the first time to strongly dissuade you!

"Lin Dao, then forget it. Didn't you say before that we also have plans to do theater chains? If we really do theater chains one day, let me manage it... I will definitely take the profitability of the theater chain as the primary goal." After the phone hung up, Yue Jun spoke.

Lin Nan looked at Yue Jun opposite him speechless. He understood the meaning of the latter—In his position, plan his affairs.

If Yue Jun manages the theater chain, he will accept and default to the cooperation intention and behavior of the producers brushing the box office in the off-peak time slots, as long as the theater chain is profitable!

At noon, another blockbuster air-dropped into the summer slot.

"The oriental magic special effects blockbuster *Asura*, controlled and produced by Ning Film, gathering many powerful big shots and young actors from both sides of the strait, officially set the date for July 8th this morning."

"Ning Film's official Weibo shows that the total investment of the film *Asura* is as high as 750 million RMB, which is the first part of the magic series film of the same name;"

"The film is performed by Wu Lei, Tony Leung, Carina Lau, Zhang Yishang, Feng Jiayi, Dong Qi, Ming Dao, and many other powerful big shots and young actors from both sides of the strait..."

"It is reported that *Asura* has confirmed to participate in the Shanghai International Film Festival exhibition and promotion;"

"It will be in the summer slot, competing with Lin Dao Nan's *Dying to Survive*, Director Jiang Wen's *Hidden Man*, Director Tsui Hark's *Detective Dee: The Four Heavenly Kings*, and several other big director blockbusters!"

"This Pyeongchang Winter Olympics reappears the notoriety of South Korean competitive sports spirit, with a large number of black whistles and black curtains emerging one after another;"

"In the women's short track speed skating 3000-meter relay final held today, the Chinese team and the Canadian team were maliciously penalized and lost the award... According to the live surveillance video, the culprit was a South Korean foul athlete, but was not penalized..."

"When the two teams appealed, they were turned away by the organizing committee on the grounds of holding a meeting. After the meeting, they rejected the appeal on the grounds that no appeal letter was submitted within half an hour, and would not deal with it..."

"Look, I guessed before the year that Ning Film's film would go to the summer slot, and today it really issued an announcement, right?"

"Now let alone what the summer slot will look like, just say this year's Shanghai International Film Festival, it will definitely be lively to death, after all, so many big director blockbusters will go to exhibit..."

Lin Nan was rubbing Liu Yifei's nutritional meal while answering Wang Changtian's phone call.

It must be admitted that the setting of a film with a production cost of 750 million has indeed made the entire industry a bit frightened.

"Didn't I say last time, just do it. Furthermore, Ning Film's aggressive setting of the date in July is not for the purpose of sweeping us to dominate the summer slot? People are a solid 750 million blockbuster."

"Comparing like this, in their eyes, aren't our films just sheep in the sheepfold? *Asura* can completely do one bite, one bite, and another..."

Lin Nan's joke made Liu Yifei, who was sitting opposite, choke, and she immediately gave him a white look with a smile.

The sound of the text message popping up was particularly obvious in the state of a phone call. Lin Nan glanced at it, it was sent by Xue Xiaolu.

"President Wang, if there is no other serious business, let's hang up, I am having lunch with Yifei!"

"Who said there is no serious business? Just now, Wang Baoqiang told me that the group of idiots at the Golden Broom Awards notified him that they are going to nominate *Buddies in India* this year! You tell me, are those people deliberately looking for trouble?"

"The quality of *Buddies in India* is not very good, I don't deny this, but is it one of the worst films among all films released last year?"

"What a joke, hundreds of new films are released a year, even if *Buddies in India* is bad, it can't be in the top 50 of the bad film list, right?!"

"But why do those dogs still want to mess with *Buddies in India*? The answer is obvious, isn't it for traffic, for business!"

"First, *Detective Chinatown 2* box office is hot, and second, his divorce lawsuit was only judged 10 days ago. It is certain that there is absolutely no filmmaker in the entire circle with more traffic than Wang Baoqiang in these two months!"

"And in recent years, this Golden Broom Award has obviously deteriorated, specifically targeting high-popularity, high-traffic filmmakers, and has completely abandoned their original intention..."

"Those people anyway, whatever has topics, whatever has traffic, whatever has heat, they do it."

"Look, they are receiving more and more ads... Now it is completely business, using the disgusting Golden Broom to rub the traffic of popular and top filmmakers..."

The tableware in Lin Nan and Liu Yifei's hands stopped, and the two listened to Wang Changtian's righteous indignation and scolding with stunned and complex expressions.

It was really half an hour later that he was tired of scolding, and Wang Changtian stopped unwillingly. Even then, he didn't forget to remind Lin Nan that he must beat the founders and film critics of the Golden Broom Awards!

After reluctantly agreeing, Lin Nan finally dealt with Wang Changtian.

"President Wang is really angry, right?" Liu Yifei bit her chopsticks, her smile playful, quite a bit suspicious of watching the fun.

"Enlight is the controlling investor, can he not be angry? But his scolding is indeed reasonable, because the Golden Broom Award is indeed that kind of thing." Lin Nan smiled and nodded, affirming.

"By the way, your eyes when you just saw the text message seemed a bit surprised, who is it?" Miss Liu nodded and changed the subject.

"Sister Xue couldn't get through the phone, so she sent me a text message, saying that the script of *The Whistleblower* has been finalized. I think she also didn't have much rest this Spring Festival."

Lin Nan smiled and shook his head. The two professors in the literature department didn't have a good New Year, one was busy rushing the post-production of *She Kills*, and the other was busy rushing the script of *The Whistleblower*.

"That means, there is another famous director's film to cast?! Then the early stage must be kept secret, so as not to be harassed by all kinds of things."

Liu Yifei pouted, talking about experience. Don't look at it as Xue Xiaolu's film, but people who find relationships can still find her here by turning corners, it's really annoying!

"Actually, I am not optimistic about this film."

"Even if the script can pass the review, I estimate that the finished film is very likely to be required to be deleted... And once the anti-corruption film is required to be deleted, it is specified that the core plot must be cut."

"And the anti-corruption theme after castration, the audience is also likely not to be satisfied, and there will be no shortage of bad reviews. Because the plot everyone sees is definitely the kind that is inconsistent and loses the sense of power and rhythm!"

"But the human relationship is there, even if you are not optimistic, you have to invest, right? And Teacher Xue has made a lot of money for Lin Nan Film."

Looking at Liu Yifei's teasing look, Lin Nan also smiled and nodded, mainly because of the human relationship. "Go there again tomorrow, and there is also the casting..."

In the afternoon, an email was sent from Venice.

The specific time of the large-scale press conference and launch ceremony of the 75th Venice International Film Festival was notified to Lin Nan, the chairman of the main competition jury.

At the same time, Shanghai also began the nomination screening work for all films registered for the international film festival.

The preliminary review team of more than 100 people must determine the nomination list for each unit module from more than 3,000 participating films within three months, by late May at the latest!

However, the most important work at the moment is not the preliminary review, but the determination of the final review judges, especially the determination of the members of the main competition jury.

And according to the practice of the Shanghai International Film Festival, the main competition jury is almost set during the Spring Festival every year. This year, naturally, is no exception.

"Oh my, Lin Nan, this guy has finally fallen into my hands! After the official announcement in two days, I must make him treat me to dinner. Otherwise, he might come back empty-handed this time? Hahaha..." Jiang Wen's laughter was a bit magical, with a happy kind of evil taste.

To the side, Zhou Yun was looking through the appointment letter for the Jury President of the Main Competition Section sent by the Shanghai International Film Festival organizing committee, her face also full of smiles.

"Then I estimate Lin Dao will retort you, saying that your awards are not as many as his, why are you pointing fingers at him." Zhou Yun turned back and couldn't help but tease.

Looking at Jiang Wen, he really thought about it and nodded, speechless, and couldn't help but scold:

"You don't have to say, he might really say this to me now."

"Damn, thinking about it makes me angry, all honors are ahead of me by a large margin, and the most important thing is that he is twenty years younger than me. Sigh, I have been mixing in vain for so many years."

"No, it's all to blame for the above delaying my most prime 5 years, otherwise... maybe I would have collected the three golds by now!"

Every director who has been banned, the resentment is actually hidden deep in his heart, and it will never dissipate.

Jiang Wen is naturally no exception, after all, he was banned when his creativity was at its peak and his passion was most full. For a talented film director, this is undoubtedly a killing blow.

"You don't have to think about those things in the past anymore, how many years have passed. Let's talk about the jury, why do you refuse to build your own team?" Zhou Yun changed the subject.

"There is no other reason, it is purely lazy to do it."

"I am the chairman of the main competition jury, I can just make it a one-man show; whoever comes to match me, it doesn't matter. So, let the organizing committee spend the effort to find people!"

Jiang Wen replied with disdain, not hiding his domineering.