Chapter 247: Screening

The special effects for *Black Swan* were completed on July 19th, meaning the entire film was now finished.

The Venice Film Festival would announce the main competition lineup at the end of July. Since this film was essentially "custom-made" by the festival chairman, Old Situ, there was certainly no need to worry about it failing to enter the main competition.

However, there was a problem: the film had not yet received its public screening permit.

This wasn't because there was anything wrong with the film, nor was it because someone had the audacity to make things difficult for Cao Yang; it was simply that this bureaucratic process required a certain amount of time.

But if *Black Swan* didn't have its "ID card" by the time the Venice Film Festival announced its main competition lineup, an awkward situation would arise—at least on the surface, the film would be considered to be competing in violation of the rules.

Solving this was actually very simple; if Cao Yang just made a phone call to the Film Bureau, the permit would likely be issued by tomorrow.

This was the fastest and most efficient solution.

However, things in this world are very strange; even when you know the best and most convenient way to solve a problem, you simply cannot do it unless absolutely necessary.

This is what is known as the rules.

Didn't the ancestors say, "No square or circle can be formed without a compass and square"?

Perhaps this is a manifestation of human order and civilization.

This was the moment for the school to step in.

Originally, this should have been the job of the newly appointed Youth Film Studio director, Jiang Shixiong, but clearly, Hou Yuan was more proactive, and he took the matter directly upon himself.

Hou Yuan called the members of the review committee one by one, and finally, three days later, he obtained the permit.

With everything ready, it was time to gather people for a screening.

Although this was a film "custom-made" for Marco Müller, if he wasn't allowed to see the quality of the film, he would certainly be whispering to himself and wouldn't be able to put his full effort into it.

This time, Cao Yang not only called Old Situ but also contacted several art-house cinema chains in Europe, as well as Sony Pictures Classics, Miramax, and Fox Searchlight in North America.

It wasn't that Cao Yang insisted on calling so many companies; rather, these companies had taken the initiative to contact Cao Yang after hearing that he had made an art film, wanting to purchase the rights.

They had already made offers before even seeing the film.

This is the treatment a great director receives; many well-known directors who shoot art films actually enjoy this treatment as well.

As long as you make the film, you can earn US dollars.

At this stage, don't think that just because many domestic art-house directors have poor box office numbers, they aren't making money; that would be a huge mistake.

There are several famous art-house directors who earn no less than Feng Dao.

Of course, when it comes to the ability to sell rights abroad, all of them combined couldn't catch up to Cao Yang.

On July 26th, in a small screening room at the Beijing Film Academy, nearly half the seats were filled.

The school's leadership, including the heads of various departments, as well as some veteran professors, and even Old Situ, who hadn't appeared in a long time, were all present.

Not only that, but the foreigners who came were also considered big shots.

Venice Film Festival Chairman Marco Müller, mk2 founder Marin Karmitz, Sony Pictures Classics President Michael Barker, Fox Searchlight President Peter Rice, Miramax's Harvey Weinstein, and so on.

People in China might not yet realize the gold content and importance of the novels Cao Yang published in the US, but how could these people in the Hollywood film circle not know?

Therefore, they were all big shots who brought professional staff from their companies.

While it was called a screening, for the heads of these film companies, it was more about getting closer to Cao Yang; even after entering the screening room, they were still looking for topics to chat with him about.

As for the film, it had become secondary.

Hou Yuan watched all this from the side, smiling happily, not angry that these people were not following the screening room's rules.

Are you kidding? What kind of place is the Beijing Film Academy? It is the temple of film art.

Those surrounding Cao Yang, whether they were European cinema chains or North American film companies, were all focused on art films; these were Cao Yang's connections, which meant they were the Beijing Film Academy's connections!

This was something I, Hou Yuan, had bit by bit... well, accumulated together with Cao Yang.

He knew that some people outside said he had just had a stroke of luck, encountering the once-in-a-century genius Cao Yang, which gave him his current status and everything else.

Hou Yuan did not deny it.

But there was still one point he wanted to emphasize.

When Cao Yang first debuted, when he was still a sophomore, when he didn't have any achievements to show for himself, when he shot a film as a student that everyone initially didn't take to heart...

It was I, Hou Yuan, in the position of director of the Youth Film Studio, who defied all opinions, provided him with equipment, supported him, and ran around for him...

Well, that's a bit of an exaggeration, but all the support I, Hou Yuan, gave him was real, right?

I didn't have a stroke of luck; I have a discerning eye, unique vision, and the courage and insight...

Old Tian looked at Hou Yuan's smug expression and couldn't help but curl his lip; Old Hou was truly unscrupulous.

Whether within the school or in exchanges with brother institutions like the Central Academy of Drama and the Shanghai Theatre Academy, he would always strike a high tone, talking about how one must dare to use people, how one must give young people more opportunities, and so on, and then he would change his tune:

"When Director Cao Yang was still a sophomore, it was I..." Pfft!

Shameless.

If it weren't for me getting money from the coal boss to serve as the shooting funds for that kid Cao Yang, would you, Old Hou, have dared to take the Youth Film Studio's funds to let Cao Yang shoot a film?

Old Tian was deeply disgusted by Old Hou's pretentious behavior; if you're going to be pretentious, at least include me...

Before Old Tian could continue to despise Old Hou, he suddenly felt someone slap the back of his head.

Suddenly, Old Tian's temper flared. "How can I say I'm the Director Department head now? Who dares to slap me on the back of the head?"

Consequently, Old Tian glared angrily at the person who had struck him from behind.

"What are you glaring at? Not convinced? I'm asking you a question, and you haven't made a sound for ages. Have your wings hardened just because you're the head of this crappy department, to the point where you won't even answer me?"

After Old Situ finished speaking, he slapped Old Tian on the head again.

In any other setting, Old Situ certainly wouldn't have laid a hand on him. Old Tian was already quite old and was a department head, so he would surely have given Old Tian some face.

However, here, aside from a few foreigners, everyone knew each other's roots. If he took the initiative to beat his inferior disciple, they would only gloat.

As for the few foreigners, they were all revolving around his beloved little disciple, and no one would pay attention to this.

!

Actually, there was another reason why Old Situ hit Old Tian.

According to Jiang Shixiong, Cao Yang was graduating from his master's program this year, and as the head of the Directing Department, this guy Tian Zhuangzhuang had actually forgotten to assign Cao Yang a graduation project and had also forgotten to remind Cao Yang to shoot a graduation work; this department head was not qualified at all!

Old Situ thought about it; he seemed to be Cao Yang's master's supervisor, and Cao Yang was graduating? How did I not know...

Forget it, I'm old, it's normal to forget.

However, just as Jiang Shixiong said, as the head of the Directing Department, why didn't Tian Zhuangzhuang remind him during the time he was... not at school? Why didn't he assign Cao Yang a project?

Fortunately, Cao Yang happened to shoot this art film *Black Swan*, which could serve as his graduation work; otherwise, would they have to let Cao Yang delay his graduation?

The more Old Situ thought about it, the angrier he got. When he wanted to use his hands again, Old Tian was already prepared and ran quickly to Cao Yang's side. Before he even arrived, he laughed twice and said to the foreigners, "Time is up, shall we watch the film?"

The foreigners then found seats and sat down. Old Tian then pulled Cao Yang, let Cao Yang sit next to Old Situ, and sat down next to Cao Yang himself.

When Old Situ saw Cao Yang, his face wrinkled with smiles, and he said gently, "It's been a while since I've seen you shoot a pure art film; I'm looking forward to it."

"I hope you won't be disappointed later," Cao Yang replied with a smile.

"When you shoot an art film, I'm at ease," Old Situ said without hesitation.

Old Tian curled his lip again.

The lights went out, and the film began to play.

Before this film was submitted for review, Old Tian and Hou Yuan had already watched it once. Watching it again, he had different feelings.

Not to mention anything else, this opening dance was very interesting.

The female lead appeared dancing as the pure White Swan, and as she danced, her male partner turned into a demon.

Old Tian remembered that when he watched the film at the time, Cao Yang explained that the ending of the film was the female lead dancing as the Black Swan, and as she danced, black feathers began to grow on her body, and her hands also turned into the wings of a black swan.

At that time, the special effects hadn't been added yet; Old Tian was now looking forward to seeing what it would be like with the special effects added.

The male demon and the fallen Black Swan; the first part was the female lead dreaming, and the latter part was the hallucination produced by her dancing after her personality changed drastically.

The echo between the beginning and the end of the film had a sense of destiny.

This film was truly amazing.

From the perspective of the concept, Old Tian felt that *Black Swan* was a cut above all of Cao Yang's previous films; human nature has always been the most difficult to grasp and the most worthy of exploration.

Setting aside other political factors, films that explore human nature are always the most high-end.

As the plot progressed, the foreigners present began to whisper to each other while staring at the film.

Hou Yuan, who was sitting next to Marco Müller, heard Old Ma say to the Venice Asia region selection person in charge:

"The large number of mirrors and glass used in the film is good; distorted and split images often appear in the reflections. I bet the female lead will either turn dark or awaken another personality."

The other person replied, "You're right, and there are a large number of high-angle shots and close-ups, which can imply the character's suppressed living space and mental shackles; this is catalyzing it."

The corners of Hou Yuan's mouth turned up.

Don't think that staying silent at such a screening is respect for the film; discussing it while watching is the greatest recognition of the film.

Not only the foreigners, but even the school's Xie Fei and Zheng Dongtian were whispering to each other.

When the film was almost over, Old Situ couldn't help but pat Cao Yang's hand and sighed,

"I can feel that your film has made progress again; the film excellently uses color, music, montage techniques, lens language, etc., to well display the character's spiritual world, and it also creates a thrilling atmosphere... Very good!"

Old Tian curled his lip once more.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 248 =====