Chapter 64

Web portals like Sina, NetEase, and Sohu all updated the news on their sites at the first opportunity.

"Yu Feihong crowned Best Actress in Venice!"

"Following Gong Li, Yu Feihong becomes the second Venice Best Actress."

"Director Cao Yang helps Yu Feihong win Best Actress in Venice."

"58th Venice International Film Festival: Yu Feihong wins Best Actress with 'The Empty Room'."

"Yu Feihong wins Best Actress at the 58th Venice Film Festival, becoming the second domestic Venice Best Actress."

"Yu Feihong's road to Venice International Best Actress."

"Good news: Yu Feihong takes home Venice Best Actress."

"Following Liu Ye winning Best Newcomer, 'The Empty Room' lets Yu Feihong be crowned Venice Best Actress."

For a time, the three major web portals updated many articles in a row, all about Yu Feihong winning the Venice Best Actress award; it seems they were well-prepared.

On the Tianya Community, under the post "Who will be the next Best Actress at the three major European film festivals," people started replying.

"No need to argue, you can close the thread. The result is out; it's neither Xun Ge'er nor International Zhang. Yu Feihong just won the Venice Best Actress."

Some people still didn't quite believe it and asked in replies: "Really? Yu Feihong? With her acting skills, she can win Venice Best Actress?"

"Absolutely true. I reckon there should be news on Sina and Sohu by now. Yu Feihong really gave everyone a surprise."

"This... I still can't quite accept it. Her acting skills... Venice Best Actress?!"

"Haven't you noticed? Before Li Xiaoran won the Berlin Best Actress award, her acting in TV dramas wasn't that great either; it was about the same level as Yu Feihong's acting in TV dramas."

"I posted about this before, and a whole group of people said that TV dramas and movies have different requirements, saying Li Xiaoran wasn't trying her best. So what about Yu Feihong now? Are you going to make excuses for her and say she wasn't trying her best in TV dramas too?"

"I understand what the person above means: Li Xiaoran and Yu Feihong both met a key person, Director Cao Yang."

"Once you say that, I understand. Damn, I even followed along in a thread and cursed Cao Yang, the one that said he just had dumb luck and met Li Xiaoran, who had god-like acting skills, which is why he won two Silver Bears."

"There were even posts earlier saying it was absolutely impossible for Yu Feihong to win Venice Best Actress, and a whole group of people supported it with certainty."

"I suddenly remembered that in the past six months, some directors have stated in public that if you give them a Li Xiaoran, they could also win a Silver Bear. I wonder how they feel now?"

"How else could they feel? They'll definitely continue to say, 'Give me a Yu Feihong, and I could also win a Venice Silver Lion,' hahaha..."

"Hey, don't say that, you really shouldn't say that, haha..."

"To the person above, hurry up and delete your words. Do you believe they would really dare to use that?"

"Haha... I believe it."

Industry Insider Number One looked at these posts, his face ashen. He really couldn't understand how Yu Feihong, with her lousy acting skills, could possibly win Venice Best Actress.

Watching the constantly appearing new posts and the sarcasm and ridicule, it felt like slaps to the face one after another. The more he looked, the angrier he got, especially one that wrote:

"Industry Insider Number One, hurry and write it down. Next time you can tell others that Cao Yang just had dumb luck and met Yu Feihong. 'Give me a Yu Feihong, and I could also win a Venice major award,' haha..."

"To the person above, he shouldn't be that shameless, right? After all, he just said that if Yu Feihong could win Best Actress, he would take Cao Yang's surname, haha..."

"Industry Insider Number One, congratulations, you have to change your surname."

People watching the fun are never afraid of things getting too big, so many more replies were added.

"Industry Insider Number One, congratulations, you have to change your surname."

"Industry Insider Number One, congratulations, you have to change your surname."

"Industry Insider Number One, congratulations, you have to change your surname."...

Industry Insider Number One was so angry his face and neck turned red, and he swore, "Let you bunch of grandsons be smug for a while. My movie is also finished, and it stars that grandson Jiang Wen. I'm going to Venice next year.

I don't believe it; with the connections of that grandson Jiang Wen, I can't win a few major awards!

I'm a graduate student; if Cao Yang, an undergraduate, can get it done, how could I be worse than him?"

Yu Feihong went on stage. It could be clearly seen that the "Fairy Feihong," who always presented herself as calm as water, was a bit excited this time.

She even gave her acceptance speech in a stuttering manner, thanking many people in succession, and only thanked Cao Yang at the very end.

She said: "During the initial filming period, I remember clearly that the director scolded me sixty-two times that day. I thought he definitely wouldn't give me a good look, but I didn't expect that he called Liu Ye and me over that same day and lectured us on the acting for another two hours...

Thank you. Meeting you is my luck; I 'came alive.' Also, thank you to the jury for giving me this award. Thank you, Venice Film Festival."

Yu Feihong returned after stepping off the stage amidst applause. As soon as she sat down, Liu Ye couldn't help but borrow her Silver Lion to compare it with his own, and even weighed it in his hand.

"Don't say, the two are exactly the same."

!

Afterwards, he said with a grin: "I really envy Sister Feihong. Yours is the Venice Best Actress Silver Lion; mine is Best Newcomer. There's no comparison."

Even so, Liu Ye was already very satisfied. Best Newcomer is also a Silver Lion, which is much better than winning nothing at all.

From now on, he is no longer an unknown newcomer actor. Although he can't compare to Xia Yu, who reached his peak at his debut and won Venice Best Actor with "In the Heat of the Sun," this starting point is already considered very high.

At the very least, when you say it out loud, everyone is a Silver Lion, haha!

Cao Yang couldn't help but ponder that, in fact, given Liu Ye's performance and role in the movie, the probability of him winning Venice Best Actor should have been slightly higher than Yu Feihong's probability of winning Best Actress.

But the jury only gave Liu Ye Best Newcomer and didn't give him Best Actor.

Could it be because there were too many female jurors this year, and the bias was too great?

Or was it caused by the content and influence of the movie?

Thinking about how all kinds of monsters and demons in Europe are standing up now, speaking out for women, protesting and marching, lively as if it were the Lunar New Year, the jury giving Yu Feihong a Best Actress award can also be considered following the trend.

Damn, won't this be hyped up by the media as "independent women" when we go back?

Whatever.

Best Newcomer is a special award, so it's normal to give it to multiple people. The value of this award is just average; compared to other major awards, it has more of a consolation nature.

But Yu Feihong's Best Actress award is also a tie, shared with someone else, which is a bit abnormal.

Having gathered such great strength, it shouldn't be the case that we only get a tied Best Actress award.

Will there be more?

Cao Yang started to become a bit anxious about gains and losses.

Next, Best Actor went to Luigi Lo Cascio for the Italian film "Light of My Eyes."

The presenter went on stage to reveal Best Director.

Cao Yang was nervous; he was both unwilling to not get Best Director and worried about ending up with nothing at all.

When the presenter announced the winner of Best Director was the director of the Iranian film "Secret Ballot," Babak Payami, Cao Yang didn't even know what mood he should be in.

The Grand Jury Prize and Best Film remain.

But Old Tian told Cao Yang another piece of news that was somewhat discouraging: there are still two movies on the scene that haven't won any awards.

Could it be that "The Empty Room" is done?

Three updates today, that's it for now. I've been a bit anxious about gains and losses these past two days. Thank you all for the comfort and support, and also thank you brothers for your sincere opinions and banter. In short, thank you all for your support and love; heartfelt thanks.

(End of chapter)