Chapter 69: Bellman's Invitation

Cao Yang's unexpected winning of the Golden Lion not only shocked the teachers and students of Beijing Film Academy and caused a sensation, but even the Central Academy of Drama next door had many people's jaws dropped.

The Central Academy of Drama also has a Directing Department, that's right, it has one.

Hmm, in the entertainment circle, the Central Academy of Drama is not known for directing, but famous for actors.

Therefore, the biggest shock at the Central Academy of Drama was still the students of the Acting Department.

Producing two international Best Actresses in one year, what is this?

This is... a resource package fallen from the sky.

This is the big daddy of actresses!

Beijing Film Academy truly has an unbroken inheritance. One generation grows old, and another generation rises, and they are all willing to come to the Central Academy of Drama to pick actors. Cao Dao, tradition cannot be lost.

What? Liu Ye, who won the Venice Best Newcomer Actor Award, is from the Central Academy of Drama? Then it's fine, Cao Dao must be a pure Beijing Film Academy director.

When can Cao Dao also visit the Central Academy of Drama? "Cao Girl" sounds pretty good.

At the same time, traditional media also began to exert force.

"Last night, the 58th Venice International Film Festival came to an end. 'Empty Room', directed by our country's famous young director Cao Yang, won the Best Film Golden Lion Award, Best Actress Silver Lion Award, and Best Newcomer Actor Silver Lion Award in one fell swoop, becoming the biggest winner."

"Following Hou Hsiao-hsien, Zhang Yimou, and Tsai Ming-liang, our country's famous young director Cao Yang has once again won the Venice Film Festival Golden Lion Award, becoming the fourth person in the country to achieve this."

"At the 58th Venice Film Festival, which ended early yesterday morning, 'Empty Room', directed by famous director Cao Yang, won a complete victory, not only winning the top prize, the Golden Lion Award, but also helping Yu Feihong win the Venice Film Festival Best Actress award and helping Liu Ye win the Best Newcomer Actor award."

"One gold and two silvers, the Chinese-language film 'Empty Room' bravely won the crown. At the Venice Film Festival awards gala held last night, the famous Cao Yang became the biggest winner."

"Following Gong Li, Yu Feihong became the second Venice Best Actress in the country, last night..."

This is the first wave, mainly reporting the news. In subsequent reports, personal resumes will definitely be excavated; this is the convention.

Compared to the internet, traditional media already has a lag.

With traditional media plus a large amount of reports on the internet, even people who don't pay much attention to the entertainment circle knew that there was a director named Cao Yang who won the Venice Golden Lion.

Is the Venice Golden Lion very powerful?

Oh, only Zhang Yimou in the mainland has won it, so it is indeed very awesome.

Nowadays, there are two and a half big directors recognized in the mainland who often appear in media reports: Zhang Yimou counts as one, Chen Kaige counts as one, and Xiao Gangpao counts as half.

People who didn't know the truth learned a little bit. The reason why Chen Kaige and Zhang Yimou are big directors is because they won the same level of big awards, that is, the Golden Lion and the Palme d'Or.

Even if Xiao Gangpao's box office is high, he only counts as half because he has no big awards.

Then they suddenly realized, is that guy named Cao Yang also a big director? Does that mean there is one more big director in the country?

Wouldn't that be three and a half?

Xiao Gangpao expressed that he was very hurt. It's like who doesn't want to win an award? I also have an artist's heart.

Indeed, when Xiao Gangpao heard that Cao Yang won the Golden Lion, he sat there speechless for a long time.

Golden Lion award, that is the fucking Golden Lion. Since when was the Golden Lion so easy to win? A young man in his twenties brought back the Venice Golden Lion casually!

It's fucking bullshit!

Beijing Film Academy directors are all mentally ill. Isn't it good to shoot movies properly and develop the domestic market? Going abroad to win awards, as if the three major European festivals are so great.

The three major European festivals, if I could also win one, even if it cost ten years... no, five... three years, hmm, even if it cost two years of life, it would be worth it.

Regardless of the heated discussion in the country, Cao Yang didn't know for the time being. He was attending a private cocktail party hosted by Sony Classics.

Generally, large-scale European cocktail parties are very cumbersome and troublesome. You need to understand etiquette, understand the order of meals at the party, understand the rules of taking food, and various taboos.

Private cocktail parties are much more casual. There are fewer people, mostly friends or acquaintances, similar to a dinner party between friends in the country.

The only difference might be a few more "desserts." "Mr. Cao, congratulations on winning the Golden Lion."

Bellman, one of the heads of Sony Classics' marketing department, brought a wine glass and sat down next to Cao Yang.

A European actress who wanted to get to know Cao Yang just now left very sensibly. Before leaving, she stuffed a note with a phone number and room number written on it into Cao Yang's pocket.

Don't, I'm not that kind of person.

Cao Yang wanted to throw it away casually, but Bellman was right next to him. How impolite that would be, so he could only put it in his pocket for the time being, preparing to throw it away later.

"Thank you."

Cao Yang clinked glasses with Bellman and took a sip.

"The Golden Lion is the result of our joint efforts. My success is inseparable from the help of Sony Classics and the support of Mr. Bellman."

"This is what I should do, and it is also in line with our common interests."

Bellman said very politely, and then tentatively asked: "Cao Dao, you have won the Golden Lion award now, what are your plans next?"

!

Cao Yang hesitated for a moment, but still said: "I have an idea, and I might shoot another movie before the end of the year."

The reason for some hesitation was that Cao Yang was very afraid that Bellman would open his mouth to invest in the name of Sony Classics.

He shoots low-budget art films, and he is not short of funds, and he doesn't need to control risks. It's a must-win business, and he doesn't need outside funds at all.

If Bellman is not sensible, everyone is cooperating quite well, right? Do you say yes or no?

If you agree, it feels a bit cheap for this son of a bitch.

If you don't agree, maybe you will need help to attack the three major European festivals next time. Moreover, Cao Yang is also interested in brushing up on the Oscars.

When he shoots commercial films in the future, big investments will have big risks. In order to share risks, maybe he will look for some outside funds.

The reason Cao Yang said it was because he made up his mind that if Sony Classics wanted to invest, he would politely refuse, and then it would be like "Empty Room." In fact, this form of cooperation is also quite good. Anyway, he is a Golden Lion director now, and he can sell at a price.

Bellman didn't mention investment at all, but asked directly: "Cao Dao, have you ever thought that our cooperation can go further? You come to Hollywood, and we will work together to produce a movie that can both aim for the Oscars and go to the three major European festivals."

"Go to Hollywood?"

To be honest, Cao Yang was a bit tempted. Developing in Hollywood in recent years is very sought after. Going there to brush up on the Oscars is also very high-end, a good thing that gains both fame and fortune.

The only concern is that if he goes to Hollywood now, unless he organizes a team to shoot independent films, it is difficult to grasp the initiative. A major feature of Hollywood is the producer-centered system.

Unless it is a big director like Spielberg or Cameron, they don't even have basic editing rights, and directors are not even allowed to enter the editing room afterwards.

No editing rights means that what you shoot and what you want might be very different when edited.

Uncontrollable means there is a risk of failure.

This is something Cao Yang cannot accept. He cannot do things that smash his own brand.

"Mr. Bellman, we are our own people, so I will tell the truth."

"I generally need to truly control the crew when shooting movies, edit the movies myself, and do post-production. I have the final say on what the finished film looks like, and no one can intervene."

"You can think of this as a director's confidence, at least before I fail."

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 70 =====