Chapter 105: Pioneer Tea Party

Coincidentally, with the demonstration of the white woman just now, soon another bamboo-like white man came over to show his press card.

Seeing Lu Kuan patted Liu Yifei's forearm, signaling her to translate for Gong Li.

Bringing her out was to socialize and mix with familiar faces, and Liu Yifei's English was fine, so it was just right to play a role at this time.

Gong Li was the jury president of this session, and although she had ten thousand grass-mud horses in her heart, she could only maintain a smile to deal with it.

After sending away the last reporter, the shadow queen grabbed a wine glass and gulped it down, a good way to kill thirst.

"Yifei, your English is so good, you look so small?"

The little girl said coquettishly: "Sister Gong Li, I have lived in the United States for a few years, and I can speak some English."

Seeing Lu Kuan added: "She just got into the acting department of Beidian this year and is still in the learning stage."

His own cultural course score also came out in late July. With the strength Bingbing gave him, it was considered a thrilling pass.

The two are now alumni of the same session.

Gong Li was suspicious in her heart but didn't ask any more questions, and everyone turned to talk about the Chinese films participating in this Venice Film Festival.

There are 7 Chinese films shortlisted in Venice this year, but only *Whiplash* from the mainland entered the main competition unit.

Tian Zhuangzhuang's *Springtime in a Small Town* and Lu Chuan's *Devils on the Doorstep* both entered the "Upstream" unit.

The other four films all came from Hong Kong and Macau. This session of Chinese films can be said to be relatively declining.

"Lu Tianmin contacted me, his son Lu Chuan will arrive tomorrow, and Wang Xiaolei from Yanda Huayi."

Yanda Huayi is the investor of *Devils on the Doorstep*, and this is following to market and sell the film.

Tian Zhuangzhuang smiled: "I had a big drink with Jiang Wen a few days ago, and as a result, he had a bad cold and couldn't come."

Seeing Lu Kuan's heart moved. Enemies are on a narrow road.

Wang Xiaolei had previously given the little Yanei a poisonous plan to intercept *Chinese Paladin* and covet Liu Yifei.

Plus the incident of Lü Changchun, the heart-hearted Boss Lu had begun to suspect whether it was instigated by the dirty Liu Zeyu.

Dirty sees dirty, one look is accurate.

If you offend the abbot, you can't leave; if you offend Boss Lu, you can't be well!

Tian Zhuangzhuang nodded silently. He came here naturally to add more points to *Whiplash* in front of Gong Li, the jury president.

Gong Li mentioned Lu Tianmin and Yanda Huayi, and although the next sentence was not spoken.

But this meaning is self-evident.

They are all compatriots, and she must do her best to help Chinese films go to the world.

But first of all, you have to be competitive yourself. She, the jury president, can't just mess around with one word, especially now that she is facing such great public opinion pressure.

Tian Zhuangzhuang, as a producer, could help come forward and hook up with Gong Li, which was already contrary to his indifferent personality, so he just smiled and didn't mention it.

Among smart people, there is no need to break every sentence clearly, which instead makes everyone unable to come down from the stage.

Boss Lu didn't care. It would be best to win an award. Even if he didn't win an award, he wouldn't lose money based on the quality of the film and the popularity of Zhou Jielun.

This doesn't count the advertising revenue and the liquidated damages of Xie Tingfeng and others!

The film festival will open tomorrow evening, and Gong Li has a lot of work to do, so the few said goodbye politely.

The sea breeze blew coolly over the three people walking back to the hotel. Seeing Lu Kuan put his suit on Liu Yifei and chatted with Tian Zhuangzhuang.

"Little Lu, actually, you can wait for next year's Cannes."

Seeing Lu Kuan understood his meaning. This is worrying that the tone of *Whiplash* does not fit the film festival.

The three major European festivals have their own styles.

Berlin is biased toward politics and sociality, called a political reformatory.

Venice is biased toward art and pioneering, called a pioneer tea party.

Cannes is biased toward the combination of commerce and art, called a gimmick auction house.

Literary themes like *Whiplash* that are also biased toward commercial films are undoubtedly the most suitable for Cannes.

Not to mention from the perspective of selling films, Cannes has the world's largest film trading market. Even if Venice is the first film festival in the world, it is incomparable in this regard.

But obviously Boss Lu had also considered it.

He didn't think that this version of *Whiplash*, which had been transformed by his hands and had a certain balance in literature and commerce, would have no achievements.

"Teacher Tian, don't you find that there is a big difference in this Venice session."

"The posters hanging at the entrance of the Star Hotel we just passed, and the red carpet preview tomorrow, all convey a lot of information."

Tian Zhuangzhuang was stunned: "You mean?"

"Little Liu, test you, which stars did you see on the poster just now?"

Liu Yifei hugged Seeing Lu Kuan's large suit tightly, still playfully stepping on his shadow under the street lamp, and made a thoughtful look when asked.

"Tang Mu Hanks, Julia Roberts, Harrison Ford, Gwyneth, and... I don't know the others very well."

Tian Zhuangzhuang suddenly realized: "Hollywood?"

"That's right!"

Tang Mu Hanks and Julia Roberts don't need to say much.

Harrison Ford is the lead actor of *Star Wars*, *Blade Runner*, and *Indiana Jones*.

Gwyneth is the lead actor of *Emma*, *Shakespeare in Love*, *Iron Man*, and *The Avengers*.

"Actually, there is one Little Liu didn't recognize, the oldest Italian actress, Sophia Loren."

Liu Yifei was surprised: "Is it her? Italy's eternal goddess?"

"Yes, she is also the first foreign actress in Oscar history. In other words, she also has a Hollywood label."

"Teacher Tian, don't you find it strange?"

Tian Zhuangzhuang smiled: "It's quite strange to be said by you. When has Venice ever been so welcoming to people in Hollywood!"

Friends who are familiar with movies know that Venice is the most anti-Hollywood of the three major festivals.

The slogan of Venice in 2001 was "Down with Hollywood Imperialism".

The slogan of Venice in 2003 was "60th Anniversary of Declaring War on Hollywood".

Then what about 2002?

It's called "Accepting Diversity".

The reason lies in the fact that the Venice Film Festival chairman changed to Harden in 2002.

Not the Harden who was squeezed dry by Kardashian, but the former Berlin Film Festival chairman De Harden.

He is the first foreigner to serve as chairman in the history of the Venice Film Festival, and has pushed forward a series of bold reform plans.

This includes inviting Gong Li to preside over the jury of this session, and also inviting a group of Oscar actors and actresses.

This is of course also in Boss Lu's calculations, after all, the chairman and jury are announced months in advance.

Therefore, this film, which was originally literary in nature, has been changed by Seeing Lu Kuan in narrative art and lens language.

The reason why he looked for Xie Tingfeng before, and later looked for "traffic" stars like Zhou Jielun and Liu Yifei to star, was to balance commerce and art.

Not to mention that the original film was originally a favorite of the American Sundance and Golden Globe Awards.

This can be considered a small push along the way.

Walking all the way to the hotel where they were staying, Seeing Lu Kuan wanted to send Liu Yifei upstairs first.

Unexpectedly, the little girl insisted on staying, and very obediently asked for lemon water for the two, sitting on the side with her hands supporting her chin, listening to Seeing Lu Kuan talk with a pair of big eyes open.

Boss Lu didn't care about her, it was good to let her see the world.

"I think the variables in this Venice session are very large. Pure literary pioneer films are not necessarily popular, so I still caught the last train."

Tian Zhuangzhuang habitually wanted to touch his beard, but forgot that it had been shaved off by himself.

Liu Yifei interrupted: "Then with Sister Gong Li there, aren't we very likely?"

Seeing Lu Kuan shook his head with a smile: "The jury president has the right to speak, but it is definitely not as big as you think."

"The competition rules for Cannes and Venice, although it is one vote per person for the jury to vote, it is somewhat similar to the domestic system."

"What do you mean?"

"Democratic centralism!"

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 106 =====