Chapter 402

American media and newspapers, especially those with entertainment sections, rarely report on the European Big Three film festivals under normal circumstances.

Unless a well-known American director or big star wins a major award, this situation might be reported.

After all, the European Big Three have now implicitly become the outposts of the Oscars; anyway, the American media thinks so.

Although the European Big Three don't admit it, it is true that one by one they compromise with Hollywood films in action.

Just like this Berlin Film Festival, a total of 26 films were shortlisted for the main competition unit, and Hollywood alone occupied 8, including the opening and closing films which were also Hollywood films.

The fixed awards of the European Big Three are very few, most of the time only about 8 awards.

And this time in Berlin, Hollywood films won two fixed awards: the Jury Grand Prix and the Silver Bear for Outstanding Artistic Contribution.

Cannes and Venice are not much better; anyway, among the films entering the main competition unit every year, Hollywood films are generally the most among all countries.

That is to say, the European Big Three deny it in their mouths, but in fact, they compromise very thoroughly.

According to convention, if a film produced by the United States wins an award at the Berlin Film Festival, like the more famous *The Hollywood Reporter*, *Los Angeles Times*, *New York Times*, *Washington Post*, etc., they will all mention it.

Hmm, and it's only in an unimportant and inconspicuous place in the entertainment section; after all, other conspicuous and important places still need to report on the Oscars that are about to be held and the lace and itineraries of many stars.

However, this time some newspapers mentioned it in the most inconspicuous corner, and some newspapers didn't even mention it.

Like the above several mainstream newspapers, all reported the news of Cao Yang winning the European Big Three Best Director Grand Slam in important and conspicuous positions.

It's just that they played some tricks in the form of reporting.

For example, the *Los Angeles Times* wrote: Director Cao Yang, after achieving the most important Oscar Best Director and Golden Globe Best Director, seems to have remembered that he still lacks a Berlin Film Festival Best Director.

Therefore, after Director Cao Yang finished producing *The New Pirates of the Caribbean*, before this globally explosive film was released, he used his spare time to shoot a Chinese film on the fly, and then won the Berlin Best Director.

Up to this point, Director Cao Yang from Hollywood possesses the Oscar Best Director, American Golden Globe Best Director, Cannes Best Director, Venice Best Director, and Berlin Film Festival Best Director.

He achieved the Best Director Grand Slam of the world's most important film festivals; this is the first time in history that someone has achieved such an achievement...

Other newspapers have similar content, putting the Oscar Best Director at the very front.

*The New Pirates of the Caribbean* exploded globally, the heat hasn't gone down yet, many countries that released it late are still hot in theaters, and although the mainstream theaters in the US have already been taken down, the rural theaters are still showing it.

The heat brought by the film that hasn't dissipated, plus the "Best Director Grand Slam of the world's most mainstream and important film festivals" reported by the US side, made Cao Yang a hot figure again before the Oscars were held.

The attention is rising linearly.

The US has been repeatedly mentioning topics such as equality for all and no racial discrimination.

But the real situation is that racial discrimination is everywhere.

For example, film companies and agencies know the value of a director like Cao Yang who has very high influence and status in Hollywood; otherwise, they wouldn't give Cao Yang the highest-level share agreement.

In the internal division of major film studios, Cao Yang's level is at the same level as Spielberg and James Cameron who are still active, absolutely super first-line.

But many American media in previous reports mostly called Cao Yang "a great director from China"...

Of course, this is not considered discrimination, but the high-and-mighty and exclusionary nature between the lines is real.

However, after Cao Yang achieved the first Best Director Grand Slam of the European Big Three this time, some funny things are that many media actually used the title "a great director from Hollywood" when mentioning Cao Yang.

It seems as if Cao Yang finally got their recognition.

Damn ironic.

After Cao Yang came to Los Angeles, he successively received calls from Tang Mu Rothman, Robert Iger, Barry Meyer, and Sid Ganis.

Tang Mu Rothman has now been transferred to the global vice president of Sony Pictures; *The Fault in Our Stars*, which won four major award nominations at the Oscars for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Original Score, was the one he led while still at Columbia Pictures.

He excitedly told Cao Yang on the phone that Amy Pascal, another global vice president of Sony Pictures and president of Columbia Pictures, was eyeing the position of co-chairman of Sony Pictures, and in order to seek his support, the two had already reached some consensus.

As for what the consensus was, Tang Mu Rothman didn't say, but Cao Yang could hear that for Tang Mu Rothman, it should be a good thing.

As for the awards for *The Fault in Our Stars*, Tang Mu Rothman told Cao Yang not to worry; he has everything.

Cao Yang knows the relationship between Tang Mu Rothman and Oscar chairman Sid Ganis, plus the big scene created by this film at the beginning, it would be unreasonable for the Oscars not to give an award.

Because this film was too politically correct under the original operations.

Barry Meyer is the CEO of Warner Bros.; he called Cao Yang, one to congratulate Cao Yang on becoming the first Best Director Grand Slam winner of the European Big Three in history, and two to ask Cao Yang when he would have time to go to Warner Bros.

Cao Yang didn't need to think to know that it must be about the release of *Batman* he collaborated with Nolan, and the shooting of the series spin-off film *Joker*.

He told Barry Meyer that he would go to Warner Bros. after the Oscars ended.

Sid Ganis is the chairman of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and also the chairman of the Oscars; his business with Cao Yang is a bit unexpected; he wants Cao Yang to present the Oscar for Best Director this year together with Martin Scorsese.

Originally, the Best Director of this year is generally presented by the director who won Best Director last year; last year Martin Scorsese won Best Director, and this year it was also set for him to present it.

Old Martin also agreed; he would rush back from Berlin to serve as an awards presenter.

But Cao Yang has been in the limelight recently; being the first person in history to win the European Big Three Best Director Grand Slam is still very gimmicky.

Added to this, the writers' strike just ended, and the influence in all aspects is there, and they are all negative; in order to improve the attention and ratings of the Oscars, Sid Ganis must think of some ways.

It just so happens that Cao Yang's gimmick is not bad.

Presenting Best Director together with Old Martin can not only bring attention but also improve the gold content of the Oscar for Best Director.

Cao Yang considered it and agreed.

He has a good relationship with Sid Ganis; the other party was an executive at Columbia before he was elected as the Academy chairman, and he also served as the executive producer when he directed *District 9*.

Cao Yang thought that while Hollywood and the Oscars still have style in these few years, it's not bad to build a good relationship with Sid Ganis and win a few more awards.

As the CEO of Disney, Robert Iger not only called Cao Yang but also came to find Cao Yang in person the next day.

"Congratulations on becoming the first person in history, my Best Director."

Robert Iger said to Cao Yang with a smile.