Chapter 251: Is He That Lu Kuan?

"Cheers!"

Today, the Ice Cellar Wang Mansion was bustling.

In addition to the actors of "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," Sister Xun, Huang Xiaoming, Feng Yuanzheng, and other old friends, he also called over the heads of the subsidiaries controlled by the Inquiry Realm.

They were too busy on weekdays; although they were superiors and subordinates, they still needed to communicate their feelings.

How to communicate?

Drink!

Alcohol is harmful to the body in a hundred ways, but it often has miraculous effects in human relations.

For example, Dongzi, who was already clearly high, frequently came over to toast the old actors like Li Xuejian at this table, and even talked about the interesting things when Liu Yifei and Lu Kuan went to his shop at that time.

"Oh my! I was so embarrassed that time."

"Miss Liu stood in front of me, and I didn't recognize her, and even pointed at her own poster to promote it to her!"

The crowd hadn't heard this joke and laughed straight away.

Among all the general managers of the subsidiaries, Gao Jun was undoubtedly the most valued by the artists at this table; after all, he would be the big housekeeper for the distribution of Wenjie Jiahe and the Inquiry Realm in the future.

Which star doesn't have a big screen dream?

If this relationship is handled well, even a little more screen time in the future will be incredible.

Only little Liu was focused on delicious food, clinking glasses with everyone politely, and then gorging herself.

After the banquet, Boss Lu sent everyone away and paced back to his room comfortably.

"Yo, the big star hasn't left yet?"

"Didn't you say you didn't want to deal with me? Why did you come to sponge a meal today?"

Liu Yifei said righteously: "What does not dealing with you have to do with eating?"

"I didn't leave because I was waiting for the driver. You thought I was waiting for you? What are you being sentimental about!"

Boss Lu smiled and didn't speak. You can't reason with women.

Especially the current little Liu, who seemed to have developed a violent tendency after "Otherworld," and her little fists hurt when she hammered people.

"Here, for you."

Liu Yifei took out a pack of Chinese medicine from her Dior saddle, making Boss Lu stare blankly.

This was the iconic design created by Galliano for Dior in 2000. Carrie in "Sex and the City" carried this bag, and little Liu just bought it in Paris.

It's just that a bag worth fifty or sixty thousand containing dirty-looking Chinese medicine was a bit too mixed and matched.

"What is this?"

"Pear syrup candy, made by that old man Xia in the hutong."

"The raw materials are pear juice, honey, and fritillaria. You smoke too much, and your lungs are easily invaded by the evil of dryness and heat. Pear syrup candy can play a certain role in moistening the lungs."

"Honey is also a good thing, which can reduce the heat poison of tobacco."

Boss Lu curiously opened the medicine bag, took out a small candy-like thing, and threw it into his mouth: "Is that so? Let me try."

"Hmm! The taste is good, it can replace chewing gum."

Liu Yifei walked over with a smile: "Sweet, right? It's the last pack. He originally kept it for himself to eat, but I snatched it."

"Hey, you were looking at me with eyes that weren't eyes and a nose that wasn't a nose in the United States, what kind of play is this?"

"I want to borrow someone from the Inquiry Realm."

When Boss Lu heard this, he thought this wasn't my routine with Han Shanping, so he immediately waved his hand and wanted to spit out the little candy. Little Liu quickly covered his mouth with quick eyes and hands.

Brother, just eat it with peace of mind!

"Don't be nervous. I just want to borrow a lawyer, your chief lawyer for entertainment law."

Liu Yifei let go, and Boss Lu was puzzled: "What do you want him for?"

"I have a little sister, I want to help her terminate the contract."

"Your little sister, you aren't talking about Su Chang, are you?"

Liu Yifei giggled: "Of course not. She is doing well in the Inquiry Realm, why terminate the contract."

She still has to be a spy for me!

Boss Lu looked her up and down. She was taller, and had more tricks, hard to deal with.

"Okay, go find Sun Wenwen yourself, I will tell her."

In fact, this pear syrup candy was originally for him, but today it happened to encounter a matter, so it was treated as remuneration.

Equivalent exchange, which you, Lu Kuan, like the most.

The little girl put on her trench coat and proudly carried her small bag: "Send me home."

"Your house is less than a 5-minute walk from here, and you still need someone to send you?"

"Of course! It's so unsafe outside now. Have you forgotten that Ma Jiajue last year? How terrible!"

Boss Lu sneered: "Then I can't send you even more. You are so good at fighting now. If you meet Ma Jiajue, maybe you have to protect me!"

"You ask A Fei to send you back."

Liu Yifei looked at him with a smile: "It's okay, at worst I'll save you again, and you'll owe me another life."

Uh.

Boss Lu was actually "speechless," and he really couldn't deny this account.

But little Liu hadn't used this excuse for a long time, so why did she think of taking it out to brush her presence now.

"Forget it if you don't send me!"

Liu Yifei glared at him fiercely, turned around, grabbed the pear syrup candy on the table, and was about to leave.

"Eh eh eh, I'll send you, I'll send you."

Boss Lu helplessly put on his clothes. It was the middle of winter outside, and he really didn't want to go out.

"You people, your purpose in doing things is too strong! Send me a few pieces of candy, and you have to make all kinds of demands!"

"Sigh! The world is going downhill."

The shameless words went in the left ear and out the right ear of Liu Yifei. The figures of the two were elongated by the dim streetlights in the hutong and walked away.

February 9, 2005. Except for Zhang Manyu and Hui Yinghong flying directly from Hong Kong, the mainland cast and crew of "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" arrived in Berlin.

Compared to the strikes everywhere when attending film festivals in Cannes and Venice in the previous two years, at least the orderly Berlin made film festival audiences and guests feel more at ease.

Li Xuejian, Zhang Songwen, Hui Yinghong, and Bingbing accompanied.

Li Xuejian played Lu Kuan's father in the film;

Zhang Songwen played a rich second-generation pilot who received training with Lu Kuan. His death brought great shock to the protagonist;

Hui Yinghong was his foster mother in the orphanage;

Bingbing was the wife of a Japanese spy he met during his travels, and the two had a bed scene.

It was the scene that Boss Lu used to stimulate little Liu in the "Return of the Condor Heroes" crew.

At 8:00 PM, the crews of "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" and "Peacock" had dinner at the Taidong Hotel in Berlin at the invitation of Dong Shuangqiang to talk about their hometown feelings.

Dong Shuangqiang was the investor of "Peacock," but in his previous life, he used Poly Huayi, which was invested in by Poly, to invest. This life, he used his own independent film company.

Including Xu Jinglei's "Letter from an Unknown Woman" in 2004, which won the Best Director Award at the San Sebastian Film Festival, it was also his handiwork.

It was precisely because of the complexity of his background and the Beijing circle relationship that he would be difficult to choose between Boss Lu and the relationship behind him.

Of course, after this Wenjie Jiahe incident, the wise old Dong should be touched.

"Director Lu, this is Director Gu. This should be your first time meeting, right?"

Gu Zhangwei was not good-looking, but he was a first-generation photography master in China, and later changed his career to director, belonging to the type of "photographer who excels and then directs."

"It is the first time meeting, but I have learned a lot about Director Lu Kuan's style under the stage many times!"

Smiling at everyone, Boss Lu also shook hands cordially.

"Teacher Gu is a pioneer of Chinese cinema in the same era as Teacher Tian and Director Yimou. This time, I am here to learn well."

"Hey, old Gu, you are compared to Director Lu when you stand together. This is young and promising!"

The speaker was Jiang Wenli, Gu Zhangwei's wife. Speaking of which, she had nothing to do with this "Peacock."

But last year, during the filming of the movie in Henan province, there were some "small situations":

Gu's wife received a report that her husband was being seduced, so she went straight to Zhang Jingchu's hometown in Fujian and slapped Zhang Jingchu without saying a word.

Including this trip to Berlin, Zhang Jingchu stood expressionlessly behind the crowd, without the courage to come up at all.

"Teacher Jiang, don't say that. Men are like flowers at forty. Teacher Gu is a perfect match for a fresh flower like you, isn't he?"

Everyone laughed out loud. Dong Shuangqiang invited everyone to take their seats: "Wenli, our Director Lu is very humorous, don't mind, okay."

How could Teacher Jiang mind? She liked fresh meat the most: "No, no, directors all have a pair of eyes to discover beauty. I should be proud!"

Taking the opportunity to say this, she glanced at Zhang Jingchu, who looked like a little white flower, with eyes that were not angry but powerful.

The latter didn't dare to have any eye contact with her, just lowered her head quietly, walked up, and greeted Lu Kuan: "Hello Director Lu, I am Jingchu, please give me more advice."

"Hello, hello, please sit."

The atmosphere was a bit awkward.

Gu Zhangwei's not-so-good-looking face was slightly twisted, and Jiang Wenli was suppressing Zhang Jingchu with full aura.

Anyone at the table who wasn't a fool could see some clues.

Li Xuejian was unwell. Today, only Zhang Songwen and Bingbing accompanied Boss Lu to the banquet.

"Teacher Gu, Teacher Jiang, let me introduce you."

"Our company's actor Zhang Songwen, Bingbing, you should all be familiar with, haha."

Jiang Wenli smiled and sat over to hold Fan Bingbing: "I've known Bingbing for a long time. Bingbing is very good. She is a person who walks straight among actresses!"

Zhang Jingchu's head hung even lower.

Lu Kuan and Dong Shuangqiang looked at each other, feeling that this meal today might not go smoothly.

Jiang Wenli and Gu Zhangwei met at "Farewell My Concubine." At that time, she had just graduated from university, played a supporting role in the movie, and quickly fell in love and married the first photographer in the country who was 12 years older than her.

It stands to reason that in front of her husband, she shouldn't be so unforgiving.

It was really because this resentment had accumulated for a long time.

"Peacock" was Gu Zhangwei's debut work that he had been planning since the beginning of 2000. For 5 years, Jiang Wenli had been making money to subsidize the family.

At this time, the income of domestic actors, except for top-tier ones, had not reached an exaggerated level.

Another thing, after the slapping incident, old Gu was caught car-shaking again. This time, it was the first paparazzi Zhuo Wei who made a move.

It's just that Gu Zhangwei begged an old leader to let Zhuo Wei keep his mouth shut, so Jiang Wenli only knew about it, and no one knew who it was until now.

These were all classic battles in the process of Zhuo Wei's fame in later generations.

Bingbing was naturally smiling like a flower: "What are you talking about, Sister Wenli? You are a senior, I have to learn from you."

In fact, she didn't feel very comfortable either.

Although Zhang Jingchu hadn't reached the point of crying, the bitterness of being suppressed and beaten by the "mistress" between the lines made even her, a bystander, unable to breathe.

If it were her, she definitely wouldn't be able to bear it.

The big actress didn't want to have a day like this.

And everything she didn't want to happen, except for her own efforts, only depended on the choice of the man beside her.

She wasn't sure what Lu Kuan thought of Liu Yifei now, and she didn't seem to have no hope at all.

Dong Shuangqiang was sophisticated and spicy, and quickly changed the subject: "This Berlin Film Festival, I think the films of you two directors are very promising!"

How could Gu Zhangwei not want to skip these awkwardnesses, so he took the initiative to be polite to Boss Lu: "I regret not having seen Director Lu's masterpiece in advance, but I heard Director Yimou, President Han, and others talk about it, and they all praised it."

The movie had already started promotion in the mainland, and China Film, one of the distributors, had already organized a screening.

Dong Shuangqiang smiled: "Director Yimou said so."

"This is the first time since I've known little Lu that I've been completely conquered by his imagination, especially the reversal and application of overexposure and dead black in the film. This is a creativity that can only be seen in masters."

"Oh? Great, I'm looking forward to it!"

Gu Zhangwei said politely. He didn't expect Director Yimou to really rate this "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" so highly.

This was not a good thing for him.

Jiang Wenli was also worried, turning to Dong Shuangqiang: "Old Dong, how is the talk with Guangdong Zhongkai Culture about the DVD?"

"They want to bundle my 'Peacock,' 'Lovers Knot,' and Xu Jinglei's 'Letter from an Unknown Woman,' and the price is less than 3 million."

"Hmm, actually it's about the same. Piracy is so rampant these days. I feel like if we drag it on, will it have to drop again?"

Jiang Wenli kept probing. She wanted to put it in her pocket earlier. She had indeed been a bit tight in the past few years.

Dong Shuangqiang pondered for a few seconds. He wasn't sure what the situation was now.

In Hollywood, DVD is a hen that lays eggs, but in China, it is indeed a chicken rib, but it is a pity to let it go at such a low price.

Bingbing smiled: "Why don't you let Director Lu give you some ideas? Isn't it said that he is the best at doing business among directors?"

Jiang Wenli's eyes lit up: "Yes! Isn't the God of Wealth in front of us? Director Lu, give us an analysis."

Dong Shuangqiang actually wanted to ask, but because of the friction between Zhou Jun and Boss Lu before, he couldn't open his mouth.

"What date is the premiere?"

Gu Zhangwei clinked a glass with him: "The 18th."

"Ho! Very confident, Old Dong. Premiere on the 18th, awards on the 19th. This seamless connection is equivalent to!"

Dong Shuangqiang smiled awkwardly. This was learned from the Inquiry Realm, using international awards to raise the profile of the film.

Even if there is no award, just hype or find print media to write some topics about overseas explosions, singing a good play of "blooming outside the wall and fragrant inside."

It's very simple.

"3 million is definitely less. I suggest you talk to them on the 20th."

Boss Lu smiled and raised his glass with Gu Zhangwei: "I am very optimistic about Teacher Gu's debut!"

"Haha! Thank you, thank you!"

Good words don't cost money, just blow them.

In later generations, "Peacock" won the Silver Bear. Talking about it after the 20th will definitely have room for bargaining, which can be considered a small benefit for Old Dong.

A meal was eaten neither salty nor light, neither cloudy nor sunny.

But it was not an unhappy breakup. Both sides wished each other well, looking forward to meeting at the top at the awards ceremony on the 20th!

It was still early, so Boss Lu took Bingbing for a walk on the streets of Berlin.

Bingbing cherished every opportunity to attend film festivals with him.

Not only can the red carpet increase exposure, but they can also be more intimate in a foreign land where no one knows them.

Due to the increasingly tense situation between the Inquiry Realm and Huayi on the surface, in China, Lu Kuan now doesn't even let her attend activities like film premieres.

Berlin has a temperate maritime climate, and Berlin in February is more humid and mild than Beijing.

The two walked toward Berlin Cathedral.

"How do you know the way? Have you been here?"

"The hotel has a map. In the center of Berlin, except for the Brandenburg Gate, it is the cathedral. They are all easy to find."

Boss Lu touched his stomach: "Such a good restaurant, unfortunately I didn't eat enough. I just took care of smoothing things over for them."

The Taidong Hotel, where they dined in the evening, is one of the few authentic Chinese restaurants in Berlin, opened in 1920.

In 1935, the movie queen of the Republic of China, Butterfly, visited Europe and praised it to the extreme.

Bingbing stuck out her tongue and stood up the collar of his coat for him: "Yes, Zhang Jingchu didn't say a word from beginning to end."

"She spoke, greeted me, and reached out to say goodbye before leaving."

"So miserable."

Bingbing was a bit puzzled: "Why is Gu Zhangwei so afraid of his wife? Isn't he a core figure in the old Northwest circle?"

"Have worked with so many fifth-generation directors, and have works like 'Farewell My Concubine'."

She had heard about Jiang Wenli slapping Zhang Jingchu, but in front of investors and other crews, there were not many who kept hitting her husband and the mistress.

Regardless of face, the combination of general actresses and directors, the latter is the stronger side, right?

Just like herself.

"Northwest circle? Gu Zhangwei's basic disk is not in the Northwest circle."

Berlin in 2005 did not ban smoking. Lu Kuan lit one, hugged Bingbing, and walked while talking.

"Gu Zhangwei worked at Xi'an Film Studio in his early years, but he has been hanging out with people in the Beijing circle for a long time. His famous work is Chen Kaige's 'Farewell My Concubine'."

"This time, the debut work he directed himself, the investor Old Dong, also came from the Beijing circle background."

Boss Lu flicked the ash: "As for why he can't do anything about his wife, economic strength determines family status."

"He hasn't brought a penny home for 5 years of filming. Jiang Wenli has been working hard to take plays and advertisements, and her husband is still messing around outside. She must have resentment in her heart."

"But this is not the main reason. The main reason is that Jiang Wenli's discourse power in the Beijing circle is much higher than her husband's."

Bingbing raised her head in confusion.

"Do you know Jiang Wenli's agent, Chang Jihong?"

Chang Jihong is a top agent in the country. Sun Li, Liu Ye, Wang Luodan, and Yu Nan were all discovered and cultivated by her.

"Chang Jihong is Jiang Wenli's agent, but this pair is very strange, because Chang Jihong's skills were taught by Jiang Wenli."

"The one who really accompanied Jiang Wenli when she started was her own sister, named Jiang Wenjuan."

"When casting for 'Thief,' she also brought her niece Ma Sichun to audition."

Bingbing smiled: "This kind of strong woman and weak man is not a good thing."

"Maybe Sister Wenli can give her husband a surprise, hehe."

Boss Lu glanced at the big actress in surprise, her eyes were very poisonous.

Jiang met her younger brother-in-law in "Women's Gang" in later generations.

Huang's screen debut "Baixiang" was also arranged by Jiang, and the two were still playing lovers.

In the second half of 2013, the TV version of "Red Sorghum" started filming, directed by the old veteran of the Beijing circle, Zheng Xiaolong. Huang was brushed off in his first audition.

A few calls from his good sister finally created his breakout from this TV series.

Until "The Legend of Mi Yue," it was still directed by Zheng Xiaolong of the Beijing circle. Jiang Wenli let Huang and her niece join the group.

Ma Sichun's persona was the number one beauty in the State of Wei, which was a bit explosive.

If you say that everyone in the entertainment industry must find a circle to stay in, this is not a question of taking fewer detours for decades, but meeting a good sister is a step to the sky.

The two walked to the cathedral and the sky was already dark. Berlin Cathedral closes before 6 PM, so they could only feast their eyes outside.

Boss Lu prefers to visit these humanistic landscapes.

Just as Galliano wants to be inspired by looking at Chinese paintings, the inspiration of artists comes from the accumulation of aesthetics in daily life.

The cathedral has a magnificent appearance, with a copper-green dome and black walls that are unique.

It's a pity that you can't climb the dome corridor, otherwise you can overlook the charming scenery of Berlin and take the city scenery into your eyes.

Lu Kuan took out his phone and took a few photos. The Baroque style under the dim light was even more gloomy.

"Come here, let me take one for you."

Boss Lu called Bingbing over: "Turn sideways and look back, right hand hanging on the left elbow."

Bingbing probed: "I want to take a photo with you, is that okay?"

"Sure."

Lu Kuan called a passerby. He didn't speak German, but after a few gestures, the big actress was very satisfied with the harvest on her phone.

She felt very sweet in her heart. She had seen photos with Boss Lu many times on Liu Yifei's blog, and Bingbing was jealous.

Every time this happened, she always felt that she was once again replicating Jin Suo's life.

If she wasn't afraid of making a mess, she would have wanted to secretly take a picture every time she finished...

Bingbing stood on tiptoe and whispered seductively in Boss Lu's ear: "Can I... that... tonight..."

"Oh? Really? Go, go, go back quickly."

Bingbing couldn't laugh or cry: "Didn't you say you wanted to observe Baroque architectural art and find inspiration?"

"Find your mother's inspiration, you are the inspiration!"

The crew stayed at the Kempinski on the edge of Potsdamer Platz, very close to the main venue of the Berlin Film Festival.

The big actress in the luxury suite was hysterical and stopped after a long time.

Bingbing, who couldn't bear the beating, fell into a deep sleep. Boss Lu was exceptionally crazy today, torturing her until she was a bit tired.

In fact, Lu Kuan didn't lie to her. He really wanted to go to Berlin Cathedral to collect wind.

From starring in "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" himself and editing it himself, watching the subversion of traditional photography technology and lens grammar in the whole film, he was a bit trance-like.

Sitting on the balcony smoking, Lu Kuan was depressed.

"Whiplash" and "Thief" were his explorations and familiarity with basic film language, narrative techniques, and commercial adaptation.

Two films allowed a high-achiever from USC in his previous life to truly enter the director's hall through practical operation.

When it came to "Otherworld," it was an out-and-out crazy implantation of commercial techniques, giving a sci-fi blockbuster that was 100% fit for the market.

In this film, except for the improvement of color and the citation of impressionist paintings, there was only the integration of special effects technology.

Lu Kuan felt it was time, so he began to try boldly in "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," attempting to move from a film craftsman to a master who entered the hall.

He wanted to have his own style, his own film language, and top-level artistic qualities that could be identified by the audience at a glance.

In the eyes of top domestic filmmakers Zhao Fei and Zhang Yimou, this young director undoubtedly possessed such potential and had already begun to knock on that door ahead of many people.

But he had been confused since he went to Jiuzhaigou for vacation, as if he had lost his direction, and even lost interest in the next movie.

A bit like...

It's like the sage mode after he had a hat trick on Bingbing now. He always felt something was wrong, but he couldn't say where it was wrong.

Perhaps it was the confusion brought about by lack of background, just like Liu Yifei, who couldn't support her performance emotions without experience.

He stepped out the cigarette butt fiercely, stood on the balcony gazing at the starry sky, and sighed heavily.

February 10, 2005. The 55th Berlin Film Festival opened, and the red carpet ceremony began.

The Berlin Film Festival is called a political reformatory, and even the red carpet can't avoid vulgarity.

The so-called politics in the eyes of the Western artist group are: first, environmental protection, and second, anti-war.

So, on the red carpet today, many stars from various countries are draped in Iraqi flags.

In 2005, the West West Lake War had ended, but anti-American armed forces were extremely active, and the American military frequently reported atrocities of slaughtering civilians.

In November 2005, the Haditha massacre that shocked the world would occur, attracting world attention.

The "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" crew was ranked after "Peacock." If it weren't for Taro being "ambushed" by Boss Lu, "Kekexili" would have had a chance to appear.

There was also a film "The Wayward Cloud" by Taiwanese director Tsai Ming-liang from the two sides of the strait this time.

This is simply a pornographic film, or more exaggerated than a pornographic film.

The main content is to explore the pornographic industry in Taiwan. Except for the background sound, the male and female leads only have one line of dialogue.

The rest is various forms of meat fighting.

Boss Lu was quite interested and chatted with Tsai Ming-liang before the red carpet.

"Is the scale in Taiwan so big now?"

Tsai Ming-liang adjusted his glasses. He had heard of this mainland director whom Hou Hsiao-hsien highly admired.

"In fact, there is only one standard, which is not to show hair. Except for the hair on the head, face, and armpits, don't show other places with hair."

Boss Lu was puzzled: "But I see yours are all exposed?"

"Because the version I sent for censorship is not this version. I guess I will be criticized when I go back. Who cares!"

Censorship is the film review in Taiwan. Tsai Ming-liang's "I don't care" look made Boss Lu laugh.

He suddenly felt that he was too serious, and he should be more dissolute, and learn well from this Taiwanese director Tsai.

"But having said that, your chances of winning this session are quite high."

Boss Lu said so.

He didn't remember the results of this "The Wayward Cloud" in later generations, but the theme of this Berlin session was "Sex and Politics."

"Let's go, it's our turn."

"Director Tsai, see you again!"

"See you again!"

Tsai Ming-liang looked enviously at Boss Lu with Zhang Manyu on the left and Fan Bingbing on the right.

Although he was not very familiar with Fan Bingbing, from the perspective of a porn director...

Top-level.

"Mr. Lu, why don't you walk with Bingbing?"

Zhang Manyu could see the look in Bingbing's eyes when she looked at Boss Lu, and was willing to fulfill others.

To be honest, if it weren't for the crew needing her, a big star who had just won the Cannes Best Actress, to boost the momentum, she would be too lazy to walk the red carpet.

This is the real "indifferent as a chrysanthemum."

"Sister Manyu, together."

Zhang Manyu didn't hesitate: "Okay."

She wore a white off-shoulder long dress, her skin was soft and beautiful, and she displayed an oriental sexiness that did not match her age in an atmospheric and gentle way.

Bingbing was ten years younger after all, and her brilliance on the red carpet was even better.

Her black hair was simply coiled up, a few strands of broken hair hung down naturally, the gold embroidery on the dress shone in the light, and her high heels knocked on the red carpet like drumbeats.

It looked like a lazy queen who got up in the morning.

This outfit was Dior's 2004 autumn and winter haute couture. The bright red and wide-shoulder dress design by Galliano was perfectly interpreted by Bingbing.

Top-level clothes hanger, top-level cannon hanger.

Chinese and foreign reporters' cameras clicked non-stop. The Inquiry Realm video was broadcast live throughout, and the number of people had soared to over 2 million, but it was much worse than the popularity of the Golden Globe Awards.

Relatively speaking, the heat of the European three major film festivals, the Golden Globe Awards, and the Oscars at the current stage cannot be compared.

The latter two were played out by Americans, whether it was hype or program flow, it was very entertaining.

The European three major film festivals are red carpet, watching movies, watching movies, watching movies, and awarding prizes.

There is no singing and dancing performance at the awards ceremony. Some hosts are too lazy to set up suspense, and read out the winners without pause.

"Wow, Bingbing's figure is too top!"

"Man Shen is the real god, okay? A person who is almost forty looks like twenty-seven or twenty-eight!"

"Do you have such a feeling that the washing machine is clearly very young, but seems very old?"

"Didn't you find that he and Zhang Manyu look very compatible, and not particularly coordinated with Fan Bingbing?"

Little Liu had just stepped on all the barrage that Bingbing's figure was very good, and fell into deep thought looking at these last two lines being submerged.

Actually...

She also had this feeling.

Clearly a young man in his twenties, why does he feel like an old cadre when they get along.

That kind of temperament she couldn't describe, but looking at the coordination of Boss Lu and Zhang Manyu standing together, she realized that she wasn't the only one who had this feeling.

How strange...

The crew walked to the signature wall.

According to convention, members of the jury who have a good relationship and the chairman of the conference will greet important main competition unit crews here, or chat with the crews they selected.

Boss Lu's reputation is well-known, and he just won the Golden Globe Award at the beginning of the year, so the treatment from the conference is sufficient.

"Lu, see you again. I can't wait to see the audience go crazy for your movie."

The speaker was jury chairman Roland Emmerich, and the entry of "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" was the result of his strong recommendation.

"Lu, this is Kosslick."

"Mr. Chairman, good morning. Thank you for hosting an orderly film festival for us."

Boss Lu's words were half flattery and half sincere.

Compared to the strikes and terrorist attacks everywhere in Cannes last year and Venice the year before, Berlin is indeed much more reassuring for filmmakers participating in the exhibition.

"Welcome, artist friends from China!"

Kosslick was also very polite. Compared to other film festival chairmen, he attached great importance to film cultural exchanges with third countries.

The Jin Xiong of this session in later generations was won by African films, which is extremely rare in the history of the three major film festivals.

Of course, the competitiveness and excellent performance of Chinese films in Berlin have always been one of the reasons.

1988 Zhang Yimou's "Red Sorghum" Jin Xiong;

1993 Xie Fei's "Woman Sesame Oil Maker" and Ang Lee's "The Wedding Banquet" won the Jin Xiong at the same time.

Siqin Gaowa's performance in "Woman Sesame Oil Maker" became a classic, and Gui Yalei in "The Wedding Banquet" is still considered the best actress in Taiwan.

As well as several Silver Bears from Li Shaohong, Zhang Yimou, and Wang Xiaoshuai, Chinese films have performed extremely well.

Reporters were keen to interview this young director who won both the Golden Globe and the Golden Lion, but instead "cold-shouldered" the Cannes Best Actress Zhang Manyu last year.

"Lu, we all know that Roland brought your movie to Berlin. What do you think of his movie?"

Boss Lu gave a rainbow fart: "Director Roland's 'The Day After Tomorrow' was released in China in the middle of last year, and I went to the cinema to watch it."

"It can be said that in the disaster film category, Director Roland is top-notch in both the application of special effects technology and humanistic thinking under disaster. I like it very much."

Roland smiled: "The tsunami in Indonesia last December has just passed for two or three months. I think it will be a good subject."

"Lu's action creativity and special effects editing in 'Otherworld' amazed me. I look forward to seeing the disaster film he directed one day."

The two looked at each other and smiled, and hugged each other again.

There is no love for no reason in the world.

Except that "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" is indeed amazing in terms of story and artistic innovation, why is Roland so eager to flatter Boss Lu?

At this time, even Lu Kuan himself didn't know that the Cannes Film Festival in May this year had prepared to invite him to serve as the jury chairman!

As mentioned earlier, Cannes is the first film festival among the European three major film festivals to "surrender" to Hollywood.

It uses Hollywood's methods and influence to drive traffic, and then awards prizes as it should.

Boss Lu, who just won the Golden Globe Award and previously won the Venice Golden Lion and Cannes Jury Prize, has entered the vision of the conference.

They hope to have a director who understands art and does not reject commerce, and preferably a director who has box office persuasiveness worldwide to hold this position.

Obviously, this Lu from the East is a good choice.

Comrade Roland is releasing goodwill first.

That's fine, at least the fairness of the awards is guaranteed.

The barrage volume of the Inquiry Realm video soared. Seeing the young domestic director with full status at the Golden Globe Awards and surrounded by top figures in Berlin, they all felt honored!

"'The Day After Tomorrow' is good, but I want to see Chinese disaster films!"

"Our country has so many earthquakes and floods, the washing machine can consider a subject, he is best at special effects technology!"

"That's it! I don't want to see Noah's Ark in the West, I want to see Dayu controlling the water in China!"

The barrage was chaotic. With the end of the red carpet ceremony, the number of people in the Inquiry Realm video fell back from the peak and gradually withered.

The speaker has no intention, the listener has intention.

Tangshan, Hebei Province.

Inside the municipal government building, the first secretary walked into the leader's office with a TV reporter, looking excited.

"Leader!"

Secretary Zhao freed his head from the sea of documents: "Little Li, yo, Jianguo is here too!"

He stood up with a smile, giving enough face to this senior reporter from Tangshan TV.

Similarly, there is no good reason for the world. He is asking this reporter Yao Jianguo for something important.

Next year is the 30th anniversary of the Tangshan earthquake. The municipal party committee and the municipal government decided to invest in a blockbuster that promotes mainstream values, promotes the main melody, and expresses great love in the world and the humanistic spirit of Tangshan.

Yao Jianguo is a senior reporter and director of the external department of the municipal station, and he is also the screenwriter and producer of a main melody theme promotional film "May We Last Forever" in the city.

Secretary Zhao found him mainly to see if well-known directors like Zhang Yimou, Feng Xiaogang, and Chen Kaige could take on this job through his relationship with CCTV.

It's just that the feedback was very negative.

The three big directors all have projects in hand, and they have little interest in a disaster film that obviously won't be too popular with the audience.

"Jianguo, is there good news?"

"Secretary Zhao, look at this paragraph first."

He took out his laptop and opened the live broadcast clip of "2005 Berlin Film Festival" from the Inquiry Realm video just downloaded on the desktop.

It was exactly the paragraph where Lu Kuan and Roland were flattering each other commercially.

"This...?"

Secretary Zhao was a bit hesitant. Such a young domestic director?

He probably wasn't born when the earthquake happened, right? Can this work...

Yao Jianguo smiled: "Leader, are you not familiar with this person?"

"Sigh, I don't have time to watch movies. At most, I go home and listen to my daughter nagging about stars."

Secretary Li smiled: "Leader, then you are wrong. You often use his famous quotes!"

"Ah?"

Secretary Li knew that his leader was easy-going, so he cleared his throat.

"'All departments! Don't tell me not bad, not bad. There is nothing more harmful in this world than the two words not bad!'"

"'All cheer up, do your best, not not bad!'"

Secretary Zhao smiled: "Oh! You are talking about 'Whiplash,' is it his work?"

"Yes!"

"Oh! So it's him, his name is Lu Kuan, right?"

He pointed to the name on the subtitles and watched the video clip just now again.

"Jianguo, what is your opinion?"

Yao Jianguo pondered for two seconds: "I am half an insider."

"In terms of honor, this Director Lu just won the American Golden Globe Award, and previously had the Golden Lion and Cannes Jury Prize. In China, he is only under Zhang Yimou, Ang Lee, and others."

"In terms of special effects technology, Lu Kuan is second to none in China. This earthquake movie of ours must have a large number of special effects shots."

Yao Jianguo paused and said to the key point: "The most important point is that this Director Lu's movie raked in over 4 billion yuan at the box office worldwide last year!"

"Leader, isn't what we want to promote Tangshan's deeds and Tangshan spirit to the whole country and even the world!"

"Good box office, and having distribution channels overseas, this is the factor we should focus on!"

Secretary Zhao was taken aback.

Last year, Tangshan's total GDP was only over 160 billion. This was because Tangshan had mineral resources and heavy industry, so it was second to none in Hebei Province.

This movie alone was 4 billion?

The tourism city of Chengde in the north only had a GDP of 28 billion last year. This is even more exaggerated!

However, a leader is a leader, and he pointed out the key point directly.

"Their film company is for profit, which is different from our demands."

"I suggest that we can contact them first, but our municipal party committee and municipal government must control the investment amount of this movie, so that we have the right to speak and avoid excessive entertainment."

"What do you think?"

Yao Jianguo smiled: "Leader's words are the words of an old man planning for the country, but I have another suggestion."

"Go ahead."

"After this contact, I found that big directors are not very interested in such subjects."

"I suggest that the government come forward to contact this Director Lu Kuan through the General Administration, the Film Bureau, and China Film. Will the resistance be smaller?"

He pointed to the computer screen: "Not to mention anything else, people are still abroad. If they just use this excuse not to come back, we can't do anything, right?"

Secretary Zhao smiled and pointed at him with his finger: "Little Li, come up with a plan for me to sign, and then take it to Mayor Chen and ask him to review it."

"If Mayor Chen agrees, organize a standing committee meeting to discuss it."

"Yes!"

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 252 =====