Chapter 59: Just praise her for being beautiful and having temperament

In this Venice Film Festival, besides Cao Yang, only Chen Guo from Xiangjiang was selected for the main competition unit with "Hollywood Hong Kong."

Coincidentally, the female lead of "Hollywood Hong Kong" is Xun Ge'er.

This is the second time they have met in Europe this year.

Under the intentional connection of Xun Ge'er, the people of the two crews gathered privately, and Cao Yang also met Chen Guo, an alternative in the Xiangjiang film industry, a director who has always insisted on shooting art films.

Chen Guo's films are very similar to the domestic Fifth Generation directors, all aiming their lenses at the small people at the bottom. Each of his films has a strong realistic color.

He focuses on realistic style, rich social criticism, and concern for the fate of small people at the bottom and on the edge of society.

Chen Guo likes to use mainland actresses these years. The female lead of "Durian Durian" released last year was Qin Hailu, and this year's film used Xun Ge'er again.

It is worth mentioning that the female leads of both films are prostitutes at the bottom, and both went to Xiangjiang from the mainland.

This is a unique mark of this era.

It may be that many Xiangjiang people subconsciously believed at that time that these "Northern girls" who either smuggled or went to Xiangjiang for various reasons, besides engaging in prostitution at the bottom, what else could they do?

Xun Ge'er's role in "Hollywood Hong Kong" is very heavy. Many people think she has hope to covet the Venice Best Actress.

Cao Yang does not deny Xun Ge'er's acting, but wanting to win the Venice Best Actress is a bit difficult.

It's not that Xun Ge'er didn't act well.

If it were replaced by a director from the Beijing Film Academy, shooting a film about marginal small people at the bottom who are helpless and helpless, and has rich criticism, it would really be possible for Xun Ge'er to impact the Venice Best Actress.

But Xiangjiang directors don't have the resources and connections of the Beijing Film Academy, and it is difficult to impact big awards at the European Big Three.

Even Wong Kar-wai, who has been mixing in the European Big Three for so many years, only won a Cannes Best Director.

From the last parting at the Berlin Film Festival to now, in just over half a year, Xun Ge'er didn't expect Cao Yang to shoot another film, and it was shortlisted for the main competition unit of the Venice Film Festival.

Xun Ge'er was really shocked.

However, thinking of following Wang Xiaoshuai to Berlin last time, and coming to Venice with Chen Guo this time, Xun Ge'er felt that she was also very great.

And she felt that she still had some possibility of winning the Venice Best Actress. Isn't this kind of subject matter always very popular with the European Big Three?

On September 2, Chen Guo's "Hollywood Hong Kong" premiered in Venice, Italy. Cao Yang brought Yu Feihong and Liu Ye to support.

Chen Guo was very happy to see Cao Yang come, holding Cao Yang's hand and thanking him incessantly.

No way, as a director who is "unknown" in Europe, the film premiere ceremony is said to be, but in fact, not many people came to support, and most of them were Chinese.

Cao Yang looked at it, such a small theater, the attendance rate of the audience was not even half full.

Not to mention the media, except for the reporters from the Venice official, only the domestic reporters came to support. Cao Yang didn't even see the Xiangjiang reporters. I don't know if they didn't come to Venice.

In fact, Chen Guo's fame is quite big in Xiangjiang and Taiwan.

With "Made in Hong Kong," he won the Best Director and Best Original Screenplay at the Taiwan Golden Horse in '97, and won the Best Director and Best Film at the Xiangjiang Golden Statue in '98.

This film, which won countless awards, had a box office of less than two million.

Is it because his film box office is too poor, so that Xiangjiang reporters are too lazy to report?

The film started screening soon. As the plot unfolded, Cao Yang couldn't evaluate it for a while.

On the surface, a prostitute from the mainland has an American backer, cheats the money of Xiangjiang people, and goes to America to have fun, while the cheated Xiangjiang people can only rely on mainland quacks to treat illnesses.

But as long as you understand the metaphors of the film, you will find that the political meaning of this film is too strong.

That broken right hand was grafted with a left hand by a doctor from the mainland. "He" wanted to cut off this grafted left hand, but didn't succeed, and this left hand was unexpectedly easy to use...

Alas, left and right... Xiangjiang people in this period, many of them hold pessimistic and skeptical attitudes, right?

If it were shot by any commercial film director in Xiangjiang, it would be a pure comedy film.

But it is difficult not to let people interpret it in terms of system when an art film director shoots this.

In this film, the director's personal emotional vent is too intense, and some places are slightly out of control. Coupled with many symbolic and imagery-heavy elements, the presentation and thinking are insufficient, and the film as a whole is a bit extreme and fragmented. After the film ended, in the gap between Cao Yang and Chen Guo talking, Xun Ge'er and Yu Feihong chatted.

"Your acting is too natural, too good, this role is simply brought to life. Unlike me, I was scolded by Cao Yang until I was almost autistic at the beginning, saying that I had the same expression in everything I acted, and I didn't have any acting skills at all."

Yu Feihong praised Xun Ge'er. She sincerely felt that Xun Ge'er acted well and had spirituality.

"Thank you, Sister Feihong."

Xun Ge'er's eyes picked up, and she was in a good mood. She also felt that her performance was not bad.

"I think you have a good chance this year. Films that dig deep into marginal small people at the bottom are easily recognized by the jury. Come on, I am very optimistic about you."

Yu Feihong smiled and cheered her on.

Xun Ge'er knew that Yu Feihong was also the female lead in Cao Yang's film.

She had watched quite a few TV dramas Yu Feihong acted in and knew very well what Yu Feihong's acting was like.

Plus Yu Feihong exposed that she was scolded by Cao Yang for poor acting, so she was embarrassed to say that your acting is also very good, and you also have the possibility of winning the Venice Best Actress.

!

Xun Ge'er was afraid that Yu Feihong would think she was mocking her.

She could only thank her incessantly, and then kept praising Yu Feihong for being beautiful and having temperament.

Um, can't praise acting, so praise beauty and temperament, correct.

When Cao Yang left, he also incidentally praised Xun Ge'er's performance. Xun Ge'er smiled until her eyes were almost invisible.

"Hope to have the opportunity to cooperate."

Cao Yang was polite.

"Good, hope to cooperate with Cao Dao."

Zhou Xun was even happier. For a moment, she felt that the Venice Best Actress was not so unreachable.

On the way back, Liu Ye, who had already recovered, asked Cao Yang, "Cao Dao, what do you think of this film? Why do I always feel that this film is a bit evil."

"Oh, why is it evil?"

"I can't say it, I always feel that the taste is a bit wrong." Liu Ye shook his head and said.

Cao Yang thought for a moment and said with a smile: "Maybe the director himself is confused."

"Then is there a possibility of winning an award?"

Liu Ye asked in a low voice: "Will it have an impact on our film? Isn't this kind of critical film reflecting marginal small people at the bottom very popular at the film festival here?"

"He criticized it but didn't criticize it. He himself is confused, can't let go of his hands and feet, this wavering attitude will not be recognized here."

Cao Yang shook his head, "Don't worry about this. If you have time to think about this, you might as well memorize your acceptance speech, don't be like Li Xiaoran, who was so nervous that she 'i'd' for a long time and forgot everything."

"Heh, why should I memorize that thing? Could I win an award? Even if I say it in Italian, could they give me another language award? If I win an award, I will learn from Li Xiaoran and say the acceptance speech in Chinese."

Liu Ye was excited when he mentioned this, and turned on the chatterbox mode, "Besides, last time in Berlin, didn't you also say the acceptance speech in Chinese, Cao Dao? And I didn't see them snatch the Silver Bear back."

Cao Yang was a bit dumbfounded, "What I said was to let you memorize the Chinese acceptance speech."

Liu Ye suddenly leaned close to Cao Yang and asked mysteriously in a low voice: "Cao Dao, did you get internal news? Don't fool me. Do we really have hope of winning an award in Venice? To be honest, before coming to Venice, I didn't even dare to think about it."

"Then you can give full play to your imagination now."

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 60 =====