Chapter 252: Jury Members

Speaking of Li Dao Yu, many people may not know her, but when mentioning the films she directed later, perhaps many people have heard of them.

*Lost in Beijing*, *Buddha Mountain*, *Ever Since We Love*, *Double Xposure*, etc.

These films she directed later have a characteristic, that is, Fan Bingbing almost contracted all the passionate scenes.

Li Yu hasn't met her "true love" Fan Bingbing yet, but even if she did, Fan Bingbing couldn't take her kind of films anymore.

"Cao Dao, hello, I am Li Yu, very happy to see you here. Our destination should be the same, right? Are you also going to Venice?"

Li Yu stood up, walked to Cao Yang, and said with a smile on her face.

"Li Dao, hello, it seems our destination is the same."

Cao Yang shook hands with Li Yu, and then introduced Boss Han and several others to her.

Li Yu's group only had three people, a female lead and an assistant.

"Cao Dao, my film will have a screening on September 1st, do you have time?"

If you don't say it, it has to be a female director. If it were other male directors, they would certainly be embarrassed to invite Cao Yang directly like this. After all, it's just a rotation.

But when a female director says it, it doesn't seem abrupt.

Like Li Yu's kind of film that didn't enter the main competition unit, the organizing committee won't arrange a special screening. You either wait for the rotation arranged by the organizing committee, everyone shares a small hall, takes turns screening, or you spend money to rent a screening hall to screen it.

"Okay, when the time comes, you tell me a time and place, and I will definitely be there."

This year, the only mainland film that entered the Venice main competition unit is Cao Yang's *Black Swan*. It is estimated that there won't be many entering other messy units. Currently, only Li Yu is known.

After transferring once in the middle, the plane everyone took landed at Venice's Marco Polo Airport.

"Li Dao, how are you going?"

Cao Yang and the others waited for a while before Li Yu and the three got off the plane. When going out, everyone is their own people, so help if you can.

"Isn't there a bus to the city at the airport?" Li Yu was stunned for a moment and replied.

During the Venice Film Festival, taking the airport bus is relatively convenient. Most filmmakers who come to exhibit or compete take the bus.

The reason Cao Yang asked this was to see if Li Yu and the three had any arrangements and if anyone they knew would come to pick them up.

"Then let's go with us. The organizing committee sent two commercial vehicles over, and it just so happens that we can all fit."

The organizing committee will also send a car to pick up? Why didn't I receive a notice?

Li Yu really wanted to say this sentence, but she stopped herself abruptly.

Then she reacted: what is her status, and what is Cao Yang's status and influence?

To put it bluntly, whichever film festival Cao Yang participates in now can bring very great influence and attention to this film festival. The organizing committee must treat him as a VIP, send a car to pick him up, and arrange food and accommodation.

"Then thank you, Cao Dao. Today we will also enjoy the treatment of an international great director."

Li Yu gathered her hair and said with a smile.

The commercial vehicle drove directly to the Excelsior Venice Hotel on the Lido Island. This is the official partner hotel of the Venice Film Festival and the only five-star hotel on the Lido Island where the Venice Film Festival is held, very close to the main venue of the film festival.

The organizing committee arranged Cao Yang's group to this hotel.

As soon as they got off the car, Marco Müller was already waiting.

He came over and hugged Cao Yang, and asked with a smile: "Is the journey smooth? Let's go, are you going to eat first, or eat after resting?"

As he said, Old Ma walked into the hotel.

Foreigners are sometimes quite interesting; Old Ma doesn't know how to avoid suspicion at all.

If it were in China, if a film festival chairman personally came to welcome a director, and then this director won an award, it would definitely be called a huge dark curtain.

If they wanted to meet, they would definitely meet in private.

"Old Ma, wait a moment."

Cao Yang called out to Marco Müller; he treated Li Yu and the three as part of the *Black Swan* crew.

"Li Dao, have you booked a hotel?" Li Yu was shocked again just now; she still recognized the Venice Film Festival chairman, and she really couldn't believe that he actually came to welcome Cao Yang in person.

Hearing Cao Yang's question at this time, she hurriedly said with a smile: "Booked, already booked the hotel in advance."

"Okay, I'll have the driver send you off."

"Thank you, Cao Dao, thank you so much."

After Li Yu left, Old Ma blinked at Cao Yang, "Confidante?"

Hey, don't talk nonsense, you old guy.

"Go, go, where are there so many confidantes."

After Cao Yang finished speaking, he couldn't help but look at Dong Xuan, and then explained to Old Ma: "Her name is Li Yu, she is a director, we met on the plane, she is also here to participate in the film festival, but didn't enter the main competition unit."

"Oh."

Old Ma suddenly realized: "Now that you mention it, I remember. I specifically paid attention to the situation in China. There is indeed a director named Li Yu who shot a film that is a bit... hmm, a bit special."

!

Is it a bit special?

Damn!

Worthy of being the Queen of Banned Films.

Female directors are really fierce.

Even Old Ma, who has seen a lot and watched countless films, said it was a bit special, so Li Yu's film is really a bit special.

You know, in European art films, exposure is just a small matter, and there are many films that let you appreciate the whole fighting process without any obstruction.

For supporting Li Yu's film, Cao Yang was mentally prepared.

Old Ma didn't stay long; after all, as the film festival chairman, he is the busiest now.

After resting for a day, Cao Yang received a call, which was from A Cheng.

A Cheng is a writer and screenwriter in the mainland, and a good friend of Old Tian.

After Old Tian was unbanned, the screenwriters for the films he directed, *Springtime in a Small Town* and the biographical film *Wu Qingyuan* which started shooting last year, were all A Cheng.

A Cheng is also one of the jury members for the main competition unit of this Venice Film Festival.

Old Ma certainly cannot let the major awards of the main competition unit be out of his control, so he must insert a few of his own people into the jury.

Old Ma originally wanted Old Tian to come, but Old Tian thought a little more.

He thought, if he became one of the jury members, would Cao Yang winning an award be criticized?

Just like when Cao Yang first debuted, he was Cao Yang's photographer, and was mistaken for being the one who shot the film behind the scenes... public opinion is fearful.

Old Tian learned this lesson and tried to avoid suspicion as much as possible.

Just like when Ning Hao shot *Crazy Stone*, except for telling the actors a lot of scenes before shooting, he never entered the crew after shooting started.

So, Old Tian pushed A Cheng out.

Cao Yang chatted with A Cheng and learned that the jury president for the main competition unit this time is the Italian Dante Ferretti, a very famous art director.

Cao Yang knows this person; Dante Ferretti is mixed in Hollywood.

He also met this guy at the Oscar awards ceremony this year. This guy won the Oscar for Best Art Direction with Martin Scorsese's *The Aviator*, and they chatted for a while at the Oscar banquet afterward.

Dante Ferretti can also be considered a veteran art director and has collaborated with many famous Hollywood directors.

Like *Hamlet*, *Interview with the Vampire*, *Casino*, *Kundun*, *Gangs of New York*, *Cold Mountain*, *The Aviator*, etc., he is the art director.

According to A Cheng, besides Dante Ferretti, there are seven people in the jury, and two other female jury members are Americans.

In addition, there is a young female singer with Italian descent.

There are quite a lot of female judges this year.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 253 =====