Chapter 63: Award Ceremony

The procedures for the three major European film festivals are actually quite similar; besides the main competition section, there are various awards under different names, which generally do not attract much attention.

The main competition section has those fixed awards, and the film festival award ceremony has no song and dance performances; if it weren't for these various other awards propping it up, the entire ceremony would probably be over in half an hour.

There is a seven-hour time difference between Venice and the domestic time; when the award ceremony began, it was already two in the morning back home.

However, ever since the internet gradually became popular and emerged, more and more young people have started staying up all night online, either playing games, watching movies and TV shows, or becoming obsessed with a new type of chat software, QQ.

All three major web portals have editors working the night shift, just waiting for the results from Venice to come out so they can update the news immediately.

Last time, Sina Entertainment snatched up a huge wave of traffic, making the other two companies incredibly envious; this time, they wouldn't let Sina Entertainment take the lead again no matter what.

Today, there are also many people on the Tianya Community discussing and waiting; as the only remaining hope for Chinese-language film, many people want to know what award Cao Yang can win this time.

Moreover, the most active threads below are all predicting what awards Cao Yang might win.

"Predicting: without Li Xiaoran, the most likely outcome is that Cao Yang wins the Best Screenplay award. Venice has specially set up a Best Screenplay award this year, and I reckon it's prepared specifically for Cao Yang."

Below this post, there are many replies, and many people, after thinking about it carefully, feel it makes a lot of sense.

From the movie "Night by the Seaside," one couldn't see how strong Cao Yang's directing ability was; many professionals online have said that the filming technique of this movie is too simple, and any professional student could do it, or even do it better.

But no one denies that the script for this movie is indeed well-written, so excluding the possibility of winning Best Director, the specially set Best Screenplay award this year is the most likely outcome.

"Is the gold content of this kind of special award very low?"

Someone asked below the post.

"The ones with low gold content are the special awards in other sections; in the main competition section, even if it is a special award, there is no such thing as low gold content."

"What about Best Newcomer Actor? This award isn't permanent, is its gold content not low?"

Someone named "Circle Insider No. 1" replied to argue.

For a moment, no one answered this question.

"Do you think it's possible that Cao Yang can only help Liu Ye win a Best Newcomer award? I feel this is the most likely possibility."

Circle Insider No. 1 posted again.

This time, someone answered very quickly.

"It's actually possible; the news released by Venice says that besides the special Best Screenplay, there is also a Best Newcomer award this year."

"I hope he doesn't win the Best Newcomer award; even Best Screenplay would be better than this."

"Why can't he win the Best Newcomer award? How awesome do you think Cao Yang is? He's just a student; if he hadn't met Li Xiaoran, he'd be nothing." Circle Insider No. 1 replied again.

"Hey, someone is feeling unbalanced again. People who usually say things like this are either students who don't know the immensity of heaven and earth, or they are peers."

"Don't worry about what I do; his winning those awards lacks persuasiveness." Circle Insider No. 1 wrote.

"Lacks persuasiveness? His movie had over 20 million in box office just in the mainland; if you have the ability, you should go shoot a movie that can make 20 million before you talk big."

"That's because of the bonus from Li Xiaoran being a Berlin Best Actress winner; without Li Xiaoran, who would go watch the movie." Circle Insider No. 1's tone was quite disdainful.

"Heh, why don't you mention that the movie was directed by Tian Zhuangzhuang? Some people are just like that, damn it—they can't stand others being better than them, but when they meet people from Xiangjiang, Taiwan, or abroad, they just know how to kneel and lick. I don't know what kind of psychology these people have."

"You don't know a damn thing; Director Tian wouldn't deign to shoot that kind of movie without any artistic value." Circle Insider No. 1 got anxious, as if his sore spot had been poked.

"The main competition section is awarding prizes. The Best Newcomer award went to Gael García Bernal and Diego Luna from 'Y Tu Mamá También,' and damn, there's also Liu Ye!"

"No way, Liu Ye is really there?"

"Circle Insider No. 1 was actually right; the Best Newcomer award went to the three of them: Gael García Bernal, Diego Luna, and Liu Ye."

Circle Insider No. 1 replied: "Was I right or what? You don't understand the inside story here; it's a bit complicated to explain. It's normal that you don't know since you aren't in the circle.

Cao Yang is just a student; he doesn't have a damn bit of directing skill. It's just because of certain reasons that they gave him a Best Newcomer consolation prize. Forget it, it's not convenient for me to reveal too much; it's easy to offend people. You just need to know that he's lucky."

"Circle Insider No. 1, tell us the inside story, we want to hear it."

"Tell us the inside story, we want to hear it." "Tell us the inside story, we want to hear it."

"Tell us the inside story, we want to hear it."

For a time, many people replied.

Circle Insider No. 1 posted: "Aren't you guys making things difficult for me? I really can't say this. You can ask about other things; I'll tell you what I can."

"No. 1, can Cao Yang still win Best Screenplay?"

Circle Insider No. 1's vanity was greatly satisfied, and he replied: "Impossible, the organizing committee wouldn't specially set up two awards for him."

"Cao Yang's script is actually okay, why can't he win Best Screenplay?"

"Just like you said, what he wrote is 'okay,' but where is Venice? It's one of the halls of art-house films. So many top people in the circle from all over the world are gathered together, with so many great directors and top screenwriters; Cao Yang is nothing in there. There are people everywhere who write better than him."

"The Best Screenplay award is out; it went to Alfonso Cuarón, the director and screenwriter of 'Y Tu Mamá También.' No Cao Yang."

"Haha, I told you so. Cao Yang is just lucky to have met Li Xiaoran. Give me a Li Xiaoran, and I could also go to Berlin and Venice and bring back a few awards." Circle Insider No. 1 wrote smugly.

!

"Awesome, he really is an insider."

"Circle Insider No. 1 predicted it accurately. Can you tell us about the inside story you mentioned earlier? We want to hear it."

"Want to hear it."

"Want to hear it."

"Don't make things difficult for me; I still have to make a living in the circle."

"It's almost time for Best Actress. Does no one here think highly of Yu Feihong? No. 1, do you think Yu Feihong has a chance?" Someone asked in a reply.

"Haha, stop joking. Do you really think Yu Feihong can win Best Actress? Her acting is only okay for the TV circle; she's not suitable for acting in movies." Circle Insider No. 1 replied.

"Isn't there news saying that Cao Yang is very good at coaching actors?"

"Hahaha, you're really funny. Do you believe that? Anyway, I don't."

"Do you believe it? Anyway, I don't."

"Do you believe it? Anyway, I don't."

"Do you believe it? Anyway, I don't."

"Haha, you guys are really interesting, although I don't believe it either."

"What if Yu Feihong wins Best Actress?" Someone replied.

"Impossible. First, let me state that I really like Yu Feihong; she's beautiful and has temperament. Like I said, she's okay for TV dramas, but acting in movies is really a struggle. Win Best Actress? If she can win Best Actress, I'll take Cao Yang's surname."

Circle Insider No. 1 posted his reply with great certainty.

"No. 1 is right. Her acting isn't that it can't reach the level of Best Actress, it's that it's still several big... oh damn, damn, damn, damn, damn..."

The presenter responsible for awarding Best Actress first read out Sandra Ceccarelli for "Luce dei miei occhi," and then, before the audience could applaud, dragged out a long tone and added an "and..."

Cao Yang glanced at Yu Feihong and suddenly had a strong premonition. A double-yolk egg? Another one is Yu Feihong?

"Faye Yu, 'Empty House'."

Yu Feihong covered her mouth in disbelief, her face full of surprise.

At this moment, everyone back home who received the news was even more shocked than Yu Feihong!

Below this hot post on the Tianya Community, there was complete silence.

There is one more update at twelve noon.

(End of chapter)