Chapter 104: Pride and Prejudice

On the afternoon of August 28, 2002, local time in Italy, the main creative and logistics team of the *Whiplash* crew arrived in Venice.

After getting off the plane, the group took a speedboat to Lido Island. This highly private small island used to be a military fortress, and now it is a resort for European old money.

As evening approached, the scenery of Lido Island in autumn was beautiful. Speedboats shuttled on the water, and the pointed roofs and colorful window lintels on the shore were unique. Liu Yifei took a camera and took pictures "click, click".

"Little Lu, Brother Jielun, look here!"

"Teacher Feng, smile, don't be so serious!"

"Teacher Tian, you look so young after shaving your beard!"

Liu Xiaoli smiled and blocked her lively daughter, but the corners of her mouth couldn't stop rising. She was looking forward to tomorrow's red carpet trip.

Boss Lu and others smiled and cooperated, looking at the beautiful scenery where the autumn water and the sky are the same color, and the sunset clouds and seagulls fly together, which is indeed refreshing.

Tian Zhuangzhuang touched the cigarette in his pocket and suppressed the impulse, greeting Seeing Lu Kuan to go to the side to talk.

"Eat something in advance when you arrive later, and go to a cocktail party with me in the evening."

Thinking of Gong Li, the jury president of this film festival, Seeing Lu Kuan nodded clearly, and everything was in silence.

Tian Zhuangzhuang didn't come as the producer of *Whiplash* this time, but as the director of *Springtime in a Small Town*.

His remake film was also shortlisted for the film festival, but it was a non-competition project, which was the "Upstream" unit newly set up this year.

The group checked into the hotel. Because the producer of *Whiplash*, Wenjie Culture, was short of manpower, Seeing Lu Kuan asked the *Springtime in a Small Town* crew to help arrange food and accommodation, and only brought a few staff members to run publicity this time.

"Little Lu, I might not be able to go."

Zhou Jielun sat painfully in the hotel lobby with the help of Da Ni. His ankylosing spondylitis had flared up.

The little heavenly king promoted his new album *Eight Dimensions Space* in Beiping in August, and then set off with the crew. The long 13-hour flight destroyed him.

Boss Lu looked at the sweat beads as big as beans on his face, so he had to arrange for someone to take good care of him first, and entrusted hotel staff to help contact a doctor in case of emergency.

At 7 pm, Tian Zhuangzhuang took Seeing Lu Kuan, who was dressed in a suit, and Liu Yifei, who was in an evening dress, to the only five-star hotel on the island, the Star Hotel.

"Little Liu, don't eat too much later, restrain yourself."

Seeing Lu Kuan saw the little girl rubbing her hands nervously, and deliberately teased him to relax the atmosphere.

Liu Yifei was embarrassed to fight with him in front of Tian Zhuangzhuang, just rolled her eyes and experienced it herself.

Gong Li was the jury president of this Venice Film Festival, and she didn't have much intersection with Tian Zhuangzhuang.

It's just that there weren't many directors and actors of that generation, so they were considered familiar with each other.

If one were to really trace it back, Old Tian actually has to shoulder a fair share of the blame for the ill-fated entanglement between Gong Li and Zhang Yimou.

In 1988, 37-year-old Zhang Yimou wanted to shoot *Red Sorghum*, and 36-year-old Tian Zhuangzhuang wanted to shoot *Rock Youth*.

And domestic directors from Beidian always went to the Central Academy of Drama to pick actors, so the brothers went together.

At that time, Gong Li, Shi Ke, and three other girls from the Central Academy of Drama were collectively known as the Five Golden Flowers of the Central Academy of Drama. Zhang Yimou took a fancy to Shi Ke to play Jiu'er, and Tian Zhuangzhuang took a fancy to Gong Li.

Originally, the two of them missed each other.

As a result, Tian Zhuangzhuang later looked for Shi Ke again, and Old Zhang felt that Gong Li was also suitable, so they each led their sisters to shoot films.

Everyone knows what happened later; call it fate or call it a doomed connection, a story unfolded between the first-generation 'Mou Girl' and the director.

"Old Tian, you look young after shaving your beard!"

Gong Li finished socializing and came over to greet with a smile, and teased Liu Yifei with the same words.

Tian Zhuangzhuang smiled honestly: "I haven't been out much for ten years, how can I not get ready."

"Come, I'll introduce you."

"Director Lu of *Whiplash*, heroine Liu Yifei."

The few shook hands and expressed their respect, and Boss Lu took the lead in flattering.

"Sister Gong Li, your aura is too strong. I see that the reporters who interviewed you are in a long queue."

"Hey, this half a day took half a life."

Gong Li complained lightly, and then smiled at Seeing Lu Kuan: "Director Lu, your film is very exciting. At first, Marco Müller said that a film had to be delayed, and the jury didn't quite agree."

"Until I saw the sample you submitted, everyone accepted this proposal!"

Seeing Lu Kuan put his hands together to show humility: "This has to thank Sister Gong Li and Teacher Tian for their help!"

Gong Li greeted the few to sit at the dining table to chat, and suddenly a French reporter blocked the way.

"President Gong Li! I am a reporter for *Film Set* magazine, can I interview you with a few questions?"

The female reporter used English, and Gong Li looked up blankly to find her translator, but couldn't see anyone.

This Venice Film Festival has many points criticized by European media, and Gong Li serving as the jury president is one of them.

She served as the jury president of the Berlin Film Festival in 2000, plus her previous brilliant acting resume, of course, she is qualified.

The point of media attack is that she cannot speak English.

As a result, not only the double-standard Western media, but even domestic media and nitpicking film critics and public intellectuals attacked her for not being able to speak English and still being a judge, losing the face of the Chinese people.

In this era, Chinese people are generally not so confident, and the most marketable argument is that we need to reflect, we need to learn, and we need to work hard to connect with the world.

In today's public opinion environment, Gong Li not being able to speak English and still becoming the jury president of the three major European film festivals should be praised far more than criticized.

Boss Lu was naturally agile. He quickly translated the reporter's questions and acted as a temporary translator. Only then did Gong Li calm down.

From the moment she was announced as president, she had been enduring the verbal and written criticism of the media.

The French reporter looked unkindly at Seeing Lu Kuan, interviewed a few words simply, and left dejectedly. Gong Li's face was very ugly.

"Sister Gong Li, is this reporter intentional?"

"Yes, they are all waiting to pick my mistakes, hehe."

Liu Yifei was ignorant: "Director Lu, what do you mean?"

"Film festival interviews all need to be reserved. This female reporter is obviously trying to create topics, taking advantage of the translator not being there, and giving Gong Li a surprise attack."

Gong Li greeted the few to sit down: "That's right, this group of Westerners is very proud. They think it's ridiculous for a Chinese woman to be the jury president."

"I received a request for help from a reporter from *Southern Metropolis Daily* yesterday. His reserved interview was ignored by the staff. The latter pretended not to understand his English accent, and didn't handle the interview documents from morning to night."

"Later, I asked someone to inquire and handled the documents for them. Do you know what that white staff member said?"

"He said, do you Chinese also understand movies? Giving you an interview certificate is a waste."

Liu Yifei was the first to be unable to sit still: "This group of people is too hateful."

Tian Zhuangzhuang and Seeing Lu Kuan both shook their heads helplessly with a smile.

Pride and prejudice, nothing more than this.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 105 =====