Chapter 62: The Closing Ceremony Is Here

The web portals that had previously reported that Xun-ge might win the Venice Best Actress award had promptly removed the news, replacing it with articles stating that Cao Yang would win a major Venice award.

Chen Guo’s *Hollywood Hong Kong* did not receive a closing ceremony invitation, which meant they would walk away empty-handed.

Under that representative hot post on the Tianya Community, a flood of comments poured in instantly.

"Latest news: *Hollywood Hong Kong* did not receive a closing ceremony invitation."

"No need to wait for September 8th; there are no miracles."

"If they didn't receive a closing ceremony invitation, and Venice suddenly went crazy and awarded Xun-ge Best Actress, I would call that a miracle."

"Still want to debate? Debate what? She didn't even get a closing ceremony invitation."

"Director Chen Guo is already very impressive, breaking into the Venice main competition for two consecutive years. Even if he doesn't win, he is still a well-deserved major director in the country. Don't forget he also has Best Director awards from the Hong Kong Film Awards and the Golden Horse Awards. How many directors in the country can achieve that?"

"I've heard of these awards, but I don't really understand their influence. I’ll just ask: can Cao Yang’s Berlin Jury Grand Prix compare to the Best Director awards from the Hong Kong Film Awards and the Golden Horse Awards?"

Once this question was posted, the replies thinned out instantly. After a while, one post replied:

"Let me put it this way: the Hong Kong Film Awards and the Golden Horse Awards are film awards for the Chinese-speaking world, and they can influence some neighboring small countries. The three major European film festivals are world-class awards; their influence covers the entire globe, and even Hollywood recognizes them."

Another post replied:

"Cao Yang’s Jury Grand Prix is the second-highest award at the Berlin Film Festival, right after the Golden Bear. It ranks second among all awards and carries more weight than the Silver Bear for Best Director."

"Cao Yang won the Berlin Jury Grand Prix and also produced a Berlin Best Actress winner. He is also so young—I heard he’s still a junior in college—so doesn't that make him extremely impressive?"

Another reply wrote: "If Chen Guo is already a well-deserved major director in the country, then what does that make Cao Yang, who has won two Silver Bears and is about to win a major Venice Film Festival award?"

Then someone replied: "Give me a Li Xiaoran, and I could do it too."

"Heh, I’m just puzzled. Is it really that hard to admit someone else is excellent? You say it was because of Li Xiaoran last time, but what about this time? This time he received a Venice closing ceremony invitation, so he will definitely win an award. There is no Li Xiaoran this time."

"I heard the leads this time are Yu Feihong and a student who just graduated from the Central Academy of Drama named Liu Ye."

"Then is it possible that this time Liu Ye will win a Best Newcomer award? As long as someone from the crew wins an award, they will get an invitation."

"Heh, do you think I don't know what you people are thinking? If Cao Yang were from Xiangjiang or Wanwan, you would have already praised him to the heavens.

What international awards has the 'Sunglasses King' you guys desperately worship ever won? He only won Best Director at Cannes in that special year of '97, and you guys blew it up to make him sound better than the National Master and Chen Kaige.

Just look into what awards the National Master has won; you can't count the number of major awards he has won on one hand. And Chen Kaige won the Palme d'Or at Cannes, which is the highest award at the Cannes Film Festival.

Besides, use your brains and think about why the 'Sunglasses King' happened to win Best Director at Cannes in '97."

The original poster probably saw that the thread had gone completely off the rails and quickly posted:

"I’ll say it again: after Li Xiaoran, Xun-ge will definitely be the first to win a Best Actress award at the three major European festivals. If not this year, then next year. Let’s wait and see!"

……

Xun-ge was very sad. The greater the hope had been before, the greater the disappointment was now.

Especially when she heard that Cao Yang had received a Venice closing ceremony invitation, this feeling of loss was simply impossible to express in words.

She still couldn't understand it.

At the beginning of the year in Berlin, she could follow the then-unknown Wang Xiaoshuai and win a Best Director award. Now, with a subject matter most likely to win and a director who was a famous Xiangjiang director with Golden Horse and Hong Kong Film Awards under his belt, why couldn't they even attend the closing ceremony? Xun-ge’s heart, which had longed to win the Venice Best Actress award, was shattered.

She couldn't help but think of Cao Yang. If he could produce a Berlin Best Actress winner at the beginning of the year, could he really produce a Venice Best Actress winner half a year later?

Xun-ge felt a bit annoyed whenever she thought of Yu Feihong’s face. If this woman won Best Actress, she felt that she... no matter the cost, she must cooperate with Cao Yang once.

That annoying woman, her acting was clearly so poor, how did she suddenly seem like a different person?

She couldn't help but think of Li Xiaoran again. She had watched a few TV dramas Li Xiaoran acted in, and compared to the film that won the Berlin Best Actress, other than the person looking the same, the acting was like heaven and earth.

Could Cao Yang really "turn stones into gold"?

On the 8th, the Venice Film Festival awards ceremony began at seven in the evening. The judges walked the red carpet one by one, the female judges posed for the cameras, and then all the judges took a group photo together.

Yu Feihong was wearing a custom-made off-white slit long dress today. She was doing much better than Li Xiaoran had been in Berlin; the temperature in Venice was just right.

Cao Yang, Yu Feihong, Liu Ye, and Wu Qihua walked the red carpet together. This time, there were quite a few reporters from the country in the photo area.

"Director Cao, may I ask which award you think you can win?"

A reporter, fearing Cao Yang wouldn't accept interviews, shouted loudly.

!

"Receiving an invitation is the greatest affirmation for our entire crew. As for which award we win, that depends on the jury's decision. Of course, I hope to win the biggest one; every crew that stays behind must have that thought."

Cao Yang leaned in a bit, facing the microphones thrust toward him, and responded with a smile.

"Alright, this isn't the interview area. Let's talk after the press conference following the closing ceremony."

"Okay, Director Cao, you must win a big one."

"Director Cao, good luck."

"Director Cao, I hope you can win another Jury Grand Prix."

"Yes, yes, Director Cao, win the Jury Grand Prix and bring glory to the country."

"Haha... Good luck, Director Cao."

Those reporters offered their blessings one after another. They felt that at Cao Yang’s age, if he could win another Jury Grand Prix, it would certainly be a remarkable achievement.

They didn't dare to dream of the Golden Lion. Since they were offering blessings, they naturally aimed high. The Jury Grand Prix was good; it was the second-ranked award and could echo his Berlin Jury Grand Prix—how perfect.

After walking the red carpet, in the hall where the awards were held, Lao Tian and Cheng Jianye, who had arrived early, had already found their seats.

Not long after, Venice Film Festival President Alberto Barbera took the stage to give a speech, which was nothing more than reviewing history, looking to the future, establishing new sections for better development, and hoping the Venice Film Festival would become better and better.

Finally, he said: "I now declare the 58th Venice International Film Festival closing ceremony and awards gala officially begun."

Amidst the thunderous applause and a gradually tense and solemn atmosphere, the awards ceremony began.

Two more updates to come!

(End of chapter)