Chapter 271

"Inception" started filming on October 14th and was completed on December 12th, taking almost two months.

For a film with such a large investment, it was finished in two months; isn't that incredible?

In fact, this film was approved in March, followed by a long period of preliminary preparation.

Building a hotel corridor that could rotate 360 degrees in all directions, building a roadside cafe in Paris, experimenting with the explosion range of high-pressure nitrogen, modifying trains to build tracks, building a snow mountain fortress...

If calculated according to industry standards, "Inception" actually took more than ten months to film, and this does not include post-production.

Post-production plus CG modeling is conservatively estimated to take another three months or more, which means that this film will take more than a year to complete.

During this period, on the evening of November 12th at 7:30, the 25th Golden Rooster Awards held its awards ceremony at the Sanya Culture and Exhibition Center in Hainan Province.

Interestingly, "Crazy Stone," which was said to only get nominations and no awards, actually pulled off a surprise and was given Best Screenplay.

The screenwriter of "Crazy Stone" is Cao Yang. Could it be because Cao Yang gave too much, exceeding the expectations of the Golden Rooster Awards organizing committee, and this is an extra reward?

Or was it the efforts of the old gentleman Li Qiankuan?

Cao Yang gave Li Qiankuan enough face, which definitely exceeded Li Qiankuan's expectations.

As the deputy director of the judging committee, plus the other six members from the Beijing Film Academy system, and that video that exceeded expectations and his old seniority, it was very easy for him to exert effort to get another award.

Choosing "Crazy Stone" is also justifiable. The director of this film, Ning Hao, is like Li Qiankuan, both graduated from the cinematography department. Although Ning Hao is now studying for a master's degree in the directing department, his "roots" are still in the cinematography department.

Moreover, the choice is also very clever.

If calculated according to nominations, "Crazy Stone" also had Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor. Best Actor definitely had no chance; this had already been reserved.

If "Crazy Stone" were given Best Supporting Actor, it would definitely cause a lot of disputes and inevitably lead to quarrels.

But giving it Best Screenplay is different, because the screenwriter of this film is Cao Yang; it's that simple.

This can both give Cao Yang a surprise and promote Ning Hao, who came out of the cinematography department.

Sure enough, the essence of dividing the cake is still to maximize benefits.

This award was accepted on behalf of Cao Yang by Duan Yihong, who was nominated for Best Actor for "Crazy Stone." However, the recorded video was not played at this time.

Best Actor was given to Cheng Long. He won the Golden Rooster Best Actor award for "New Police Story," and he is also the first Hong Kong filmmaker to win the Golden Rooster Best Actor award.

The announcement of this award will definitely cause great controversy in the industry.

"New Police Story" is a pure commercial film. If it were given an award like Best Cinematography or Best Art Direction, it would be justifiable.

It is estimated that Xiao Gangpao's mentality will be unbalanced again.

"A World Without Thieves" didn't even get a nomination, yet "New Police Story" can win Best Actor. I wonder if Xiao Gangpao will "make a slip of the tongue" in front of the media again.

Cao Yang's "Nine-Tailed Fox" won two awards: Best Director and Best Cinematography.

After announcing that the winner of Best Director was Cao Yang, it was Duan Yihong who went on stage to accept it on his behalf. He also played one of the male leads in "Nine-Tailed Fox" and is also a member of the "Nine-Tailed Fox" crew.

Because Best Director is a major award, the recorded video was played this time.

When the guests off stage saw a group of Hollywood superstars like DiCaprio, Depp, and others, all speaking in somewhat awkward Chinese, saying words of blessing for the Golden Rooster Awards, well, the applause that gave them face lasted for a long time.

Especially Depp, who even added, "... Golden Rooster Awards, China's Oscars..."

Many people had normal expressions and clapped hard, but they must have been thinking in their hearts, how much did Depp drink to be able to say such nonsense?

Well, he definitely didn't know the meaning of this sentence, otherwise how could he have the nerve to say it?

The cinematographer of "Nine-Tailed Fox" is Gu Changwei. He is filming "Inception" abroad with Cao Yang, so it was Duan Yihong who went on stage to accept the award on his behalf again.

Duan Yihong didn't win an award today, but he went on stage three times, performing a hat trick. I wonder what his thoughts are.

Don't look at the fact that "Nine-Tailed Fox" only has two awards; this is already considered the biggest winner of the night.

"Zhang Side," which had eight nominations, only won two awards.

"Kekexili," which had seven nominations, well, zero.

It is said that after the awards ceremony, Lu Chuan's face was very ugly. When interviewed by the media, he... cried, constantly repeating how difficult it was for him, how much suffering he went through to film "Kekexili" well...

Then a very tactless reporter asked: "In the 9th Shanghai International Television Festival in 2002, I saw the documentary 'Me and the Tibetan Antelope - The Glacier Flows Here,' created by director Liu Yujun over ten years.

May I ask, why are the plot, conception, creativity, scenes, on-site atmosphere, visual background, camera composition, and other aspects of 'Kekexili,' and even some of the dialogue in it, exactly the same as the dialogue in that documentary?

Almost everyone who has seen the movie 'Kekexili' will think that this is not like a movie, but more like a documentary. Director Lu Chuan, what do you think about this?"

"Nonsense! Absurd, how could I possibly plagiarize?

Both are stories about filming Tibetan antelopes; it's normal for ideas to clash... Well, the poaching of Tibetan antelopes is a real event. Documentaries can film it, why can't I? Why did it become plagiarism after I filmed it?"

Then, he cried again, and continued to talk about the hardships of filming...

Fine, this is a director who likes to cry, often weeping bitterly in front of the public and the media.

After filming "Inception," Cao Yang returned to the country first, planning to rest for ten days or so before throwing himself into post-production work.

Chen Kaige heard that Cao Yang had returned to the country and called him personally, inviting Cao Yang to attend the premiere ceremony of "The Promise."

Different from Cao Yang's memory, perhaps because Cao Yang used the CPPCC Auditorium to hold the premiere first, Old Chen's "The Promise" premiere was not held at the CPPCC.

Like Old Mouzi's "House of Flying Daggers," he built a Gate of the Promise at the Workers' Stadium and held a global premiere ceremony.

Cao Yang heard from Tian Zhuangzhuang that Old Chen had built a Gate of the Promise at the Workers' Stadium, and thought it was just a magnificent gate. When he arrived, he realized that this was not a "Gate of the Promise," but a "City of the Promise"!

That scale, no one could associate it with a "gate."

Old Tian was also a bit stunned, smacked his lips, and said without restraint:

"Old Chen's wife told me that night that just holding this premiere cost nearly twenty million. At the time, I thought to myself, you two really know how to play; you even keep fake accounts for a premiere..."

Cao Yang was next to Old Tian, wanting to complain for a moment, but there were too many points to complain about, and he didn't know which one to say first.

Old Tian, according to your literal meaning, it's not that the couple knows how to play, it's that you know how to play, right?

Why would Old Chen's wife tell you these things at night?

Cao Yang hurriedly shook his head, stopped his wild thoughts, and pretended not to hear Old Tian's words. Perhaps Old Chen was having dinner or discussing things with his wife and Old Tian at night.

"Are you envious?"

Cao Yang smiled and teased Old Tian, "Old Chen can take twenty million from the investment to hold a premiere, but you can't even pull in an investment of a few million."

"Can that be the same?"

Old Tian retorted: "Old Chen won the first Cannes Palme d'Or, and it's his first time filming a big commercial blockbuster. Many people are optimistic... Can I be the same as him? I am a person with artistic persistence and will not degenerate into filming commercial movies."

"Fine, as long as you are happy."

Cao Yang and Old Tian did not get off the car. Old Chen's premiere was like a film festival, with a red carpet, a red carpet walking ceremony, and it was broadcast live on CCTV. With the status of Cao Yang and Old Tian, they would definitely not enter so early.

After waiting for about twenty minutes, the staff came to notify them that they could enter.

Cao Yang and Old Tian got out of the car, turned a corner, and stepped onto the red carpet.

Good heavens, at the end of the red carpet was a "Gate of the Promise" with a golden roof and red walls, three meters high and ten meters wide, with the theme written in gilded characters: "Open the Gate of the Promise, Ignite the Light of the Promise."

A white balloon light symbolizing the full moon rose above the red carpet, huge posters of the six leads were erected in the square, and the decorated trees were full of pink "begonia flowers."

Dozens of "Red Army" soldiers wearing red helmets and armor, holding shields with red edges and black bottoms with pink begonias, and crescent shovels and long knives, stood on the outside of the "Gate of the Promise."

The guards on the inside of the "Gate of the Promise" were the Black Army, wearing black and silver armor, with white top flowers and thin gauze covering their faces.

In the flashes of the media, under the "escort" of the soldiers on both sides, and in the announcement of the host Jing Wei.

"Now stepping into the Gate of the Promise is the famous director Tian Zhuangzhuang and the famous international director Cao Yang. Let us welcome them."

Cao Yang and Old Tian stepped into the "Gate of the Promise."

The "Gate of the Promise" is not a gate, but a gate tower, with a depth of ten meters or so. The platform above the gate tower is used for performing programs.

Old Chen and his wife stood by the gate tower, waiting for Cao Yang and Old Tian to come over. Old Chen first shook hands with Old Tian, while Old Chen's wife hugged Cao Yang and said with a smile: "Cao Yang, it's been a while since you came to sit at your sister-in-law's house."

This is...

"I also want to go see my senior brother and sister-in-law, but everyone has been too busy in the past year. I am busy, and my senior brother and sister-in-law are also busy. After a while, when everyone is free, we will get together properly."

Cao Yang replied with a smile.

"That's fine, it's settled."

Sister-in-law Hong let go of Cao Yang, and Old Chen held Cao Yang's hand, patting the back of Cao Yang's hand with his other hand, "Not bad, you didn't lose face for the teacher."

Cao Yang was a bit confused for a moment. Where did this come from?

It's your premiere now, okay? Why do you like to put on the posture of an older brother in front of me so much?

"Cao Yang, you and Old Tian go in with the staff first. Old Chen and I need to meet up with the actors to walk the red carpet now."

Sister-in-law Hong said with a smile on the side.

"Okay, you guys go ahead."

Cao Yang nodded. Sure enough, it is a unique premiere; the crew actually has to walk the red carpet last.

(End of chapter)