Chapter 271: Speak Your Fear

The time is early spring, the season of the new year; the frozen rivers are beginning to thaw, and the willow buds are slightly opening.

April in Beiping has entered early spring, but April in the domestic entertainment industry is turbulent.

Regarding the literary and art circles, there is the issue of the development of digital literary and artistic works raised by Professor Tian Jiang Qinqin, who would later become the president of the National Theatre of China;

There is the issue of entry standards for Northeast rural folk performances like Errenzhuan, raised by the King of Sketches, Master Zhao Benshan;

And there is a society-wide debate that has already been heatedly discussed on major forums and websites regarding the "excessive entertainment of domestic entertainment talent shows."

This debate is very strange; the initiator and the target of the criticism are the same person—it is all the washing machine!

Last year's rampant "Super Girl" attracted the attention of the whole society.

Compared to the first "Super Girl" of later generations, it had the support of the domestic primary opinion hub, Blog Network, and the support of Focus Media.

Coupled with the addition of the first top-traffic starlet Liu Liu Yifei and grand finale judges like Zhou Zhou Jielun and Mei Mei Yanfang, the impact caused is completely incomparable.

Just like the data researched by the Wangda Army and the Xiangtai through commercial consulting agencies, the multiplier effect brought about across the industrial chain resulted in billions in GDP growth.

However, for Wenjie, the behind-the-scenes initiator of this great debate, this was just a tool program whose potential had been overdrawn and squeezed dry.

The 2004 version of "Super Girl" on Tourism Satellite TV unearthed the most classic cast in history, including Li Li Yuchun, Zhang Zhang Jingying, and Zhou Zhou Bichang, in advance, bringing the atmosphere of SMS voting and Blog Network ranking to the extreme.

While crazily raking in money, it naturally also caused certain negative effects.

Namely, at the meeting a few days ago, Lu Kuan finished his own meal and began to smash others' bowls.

The initiator of the debate was Liu Zhongde. (Note 1)

Following him in response was the famous rock singer Zheng Jun, who bombarded the talent show contestants as musical parasites who knew nothing about music, calling it an insult.

However, Zheng Jun served as a judge for the Jinan division of "Fast Boy" in 2007 in later generations, which counts as a boomerang.

The harshest criticism came from the designated literati of Blog Network, Han Han.

He had been deeply cultivating the internet territory of Blog Network since 2002, becoming a literary genius after the publication of "Triple Gate."

In 2002, "Like a Flying Youth" topped the bestseller list, followed by "Chang'an Chaos" last September, which sold over 3 million copies and accumulated over 400 million clicks online, becoming beloved by the 80s and 90s generations.

Han Han did not need to be mobilized at all; he had repeatedly written articles in later generations to fiercely criticize domestic entertainment talent shows.

He published an article on his blog titled "Superman's Child," teasing the combination of "Super Girl" and "Come On! Good Boy," claiming that if the champions selected by the two events were combined, they would become "Superman's Child."

This time, he went to the extreme of criticism, trashing the programs from Xiangtai, Dragon TV, and others that followed the trend this year as worthless.

He claimed that Xiangtai's attitude of knowingly committing a mistake was poisoning teenagers and planting the banner of ugliness-ism on the mountaintop without restraint.

Xiangtai was anxious, but their voice on Sina had too little public attention, and if they tried to clear their name on Blog Network, there was an invisible hand in control...

It was truly frustrating!

In view of the complaints made by parents, schools, and youth protection organizations across the country via phone, letters, and other means.

On April 1st, April Fool's Day, the relevant departments posted on Blog Network, stating that they had paid attention to the matter and would reply as soon as possible to regulate market behavior.

It must be said that Tourism Satellite TV's combination of moves—not hesitating to abandon its money-making tool, the "Super Girl" brand, to create public opinion heat—brought tremendous pressure to its competitor, Xiangtai.

The incident showed signs of intensifying, and Ouyang Ouyang Changqing, keenly observing the change in attitude on the surface, had to travel to the capital again by night to seek mediation and help from all parties.

Xinyuan South Road, Zhang Chaoyang District, Beiping, Yanda Huayi Headquarters Building.

Ouyang Ouyang Changqing and Yao Jia stepped into the office, and face-to-face was Wang Wang Xiaolei's furious demeanor.

"Has this Wu Dun had his brain beaten to mush at the Pig Federation?"

"He doesn't even like the investment in 'Red Cliff'? Why is he still hesitating on the finalized casting? Stupid pig!"

Wangda Army laughed: "He just wants to raise more conditions. I will go talk to him."

"Old Station Master, Director Yao, please come in." Zhou Jun looked up, saw the guests enter, and nodded at Wang Wang Xiaolei, reminding him to restrain his temper.

His ability to cultivate his temperament had always been good; he knew that venting was of no help.

It was just that the tearful appearance of Han Xing on the bed yesterday also left him feeling unwilling, his chauvinistic self-esteem wounded.

It wasn't that Zhang Zhang Baizhi's teary-eyed sorrow had stirred much pity in him, but rather that he had never been able to gain much advantage in his confrontation with Lu Kuan.

Except for the few days he enjoyed relying on the foul-mouthed Song Song Zude, he was ultimately countered and defeated.

Now, if he wanted to repeat the same awkward smear tactics, firstly, he would be controlled on the surface, and secondly, she already had "drug resistance."

Such low-level rumors would no longer form a wave of dissemination.

It was better to see how to work together with Xiangtai to get through the crisis facing "Fast Girl" first.

Zhang Zhang Baizhi was still counting on replicating Liu Liu Yifei's operation from last year, achieving mutual success with this program to increase her national popularity.

Ouyang Ouyang Changqing clearly expressed his demands.

"Old Station Master, you go ahead and act; I will coordinate from the center."

In fact, Zhou Jun had no confidence in his heart; his base was not on this line after all, and some things were quite constrained when done.

The last time both sides ceased hostilities, the two Yanda Huayi brothers brought out the big Buddha behind them to do the coordination work.

His home-field advantage was at the policy level; the duck knows when the spring river water warms. For example, the last joint venture between Warner and a mainland film company.

It was he who had the advantage of being close to the water and pulled Yanda Huayi to take this quota.

Of course, the rent-seeking and exchanges formed based on this were also important reasons why investigations could be launched into Blog Network and Tourism Satellite TV over tax issues.

"In addition, we must use the Sina platform. After the last confrontation between the two sides, there was some improvement, but the follow-up was weak."

"Old Station Master, my meaning is that our three parties should form a closer alliance."

Wangda Army laughed: "That should be the case, Station Master Ouyang."

"Xiangtai's Tianyu, Yanda Huayi, and Sina can form a closer cooperative relationship."

"Tianyu's artists and Yanda Huayi's artists can break out through Yanda Huayi's film and television works, and then feed back popularity to Xiangtai and Sina, which provide the publicity."

Yao Jia sighed inwardly: No matter how much you talk, aren't you still playing Lu Kuan's game?

Besides coveting the publicity resources of Xiangtai, which were currently a cut above Tourism Satellite TV, Zhou Jun and the others also wanted to offset the crisis that might be brought about by Wang Wang Jinhua's departure to a certain extent.

Currently, only Fan Fan Bingbing had clearly stated she would stay; Huang Huang Xiaoming and Zhou Xun were still being contacted.

It was true that they wanted to shake off the burden of Wang Wang Jinhua, the nanny-like matriarch, but that did not mean they hoped for established artists like Li Fan Bingbing and Chen Daoming to leave as well.

If they could pull Xiangtai into their camp with a closer stance, it would obviously be more favorable for the power struggle between Yanda Huayi and the artists after the split with Wang Wang Jinhua.

After all, the base camp was currently the primary window for celebrity variety shows and film/television promotion among domestic satellite TV programs.

The two sides reached a preliminary agreement to look for opportunities to break the deadlock within their respective networks.

After meeting with Ouyang Ouyang Changqing and returning to Morgan to handle some investment banking affairs, President Zhou returned home after a busy day.

"You're back?"

Zhou Jun's wife was five years older than him, but her background was not ordinary; their union was considered "marrying down."

The couple was a rare model in the circle; Zhou Jun did his surface work very well and had almost no scandals.

"Wife, I want to ask Father-in-law for a favor."

"Hmm?"

"Like this, there is a colleague at CICC who previously had dealings with Morgan."

"His predecessor, an investment banking manager named Zhuang Xu, should have had dirty hands; some accounts were wrong when he was doing listing guidance for Baosteel in 2000."

Zhou's wife asked suspiciously: "Just investigate as you should; it shouldn't reach the level of asking my dad, right?"

"No, this Zhuang Xu is now the chairman of Blog Network and has deep relationships with all sides, so..."

"He went to Europe for an inspection; wait for him to come back. I'll say a word and let the economic investigation department think of a way."

Zhou Jun was satisfied; he diligently fulfilled his marital duties at night, and a round of intimacy made his old wife beam with joy.

"I'm warning you, although you hold shares in Yanda Huayi, those female stars are not clean people; don't you make a mistake."

"Pah! What are you saying? I don't smoke or drink, I come home on time every day; after so many years, have I ever made a mistake?"

"Hmph, just warning you... ah!"

Late at night, the sore-backed Zhou Jun came to the study to read materials.

Previously, the tax audits against Blog Network and Wenjie were sometimes urgent and sometimes slow; doing bad things required a balance of tension and relaxation. If one kept staring at them, the other side wouldn't show any flaws even if they didn't doze off.

Moreover, to prove that Lu Kuan was the actual controller of both companies, he found a new breakthrough: Zhuang Xu.

He would have his former colleague at CICC forge materials, then ask his father-in-law to come forward and give instructions to pry the truth out of his mouth.

Boss Lu took the initiative this time, directly targeting Xiangtai, Zhou Jun, and his Korean mistress;

While Zhou Jun, unable to overcome the dense defenses of Blog Network and Wenjie for the time being, chose to find another way.

Undercurrents surged beneath the water, while the surface remained calm; in early April, it was soon time for Lu Kuan to set off for Cannes.

As the jury president, he had to read films in advance and attend various events;

He also had to spare about a week to finish filming the short segment for "Paris, je t'aime."

Of course, because of the setbacks in the "Tangshan Earthquake" crew, he asked Martin Scorsese to get in touch with Bergman of Fårö.

The latter would decide whether to accept the meeting request after watching his "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button."

At the Capital International Airport, in the Air China business class lounge, Lu Kuan was processing the OA workflow for Wenjie Holdings.

At the end of March, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" was officially pulled from theaters.

The domestic box office closed at 228 million RMB, and the box office in other Asian regions, including Hong Kong, Taiwan, Southeast Asia, Japan, and South Korea, was 230 million RMB;

The North American total box office was 85 million USD; except for the first week, which soared relying on the bonus of just winning the Berlin Jin Xiong, the later trend slowed down.

What was more surprising was that, riding the east wind of the Jin Xiong Award, it sang all the way in the European box office, mainly in countries like France, Germany, and the UK, finally closing at 34 million USD.

However, this figure still had a significant gap compared to the 90 million-plus USD of the "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" in later generations, mainly due to cultural barriers.

Excluding peripheral and DVD copyrights, the net profit of the film in Asia and Europe was nearly 220 million RMB, far higher than the return on investment of other film investors.

This was mainly because the distribution and advertising marketing were all affiliated companies under Wenjie Holdings, and the costs of intermediate links were greatly reduced.

The 85 million USD in North America looked like a lot, but after deducting the commissions of exhibitors and distributors and marketing expenses, the actual net profit obtained was less than 20 million USD.

The bulk would have to wait for the DVD release 6 months later.

Big awards, big films, and big marketing created Boss Lu's annual money-making blockbuster, but with the current market capacity, this was as high as it could go.

After landing in Paris and transferring to Cannes, the conference organizing committee had already prepared a pickup, taking him to the hotel to check in.

The film festival's Bosnian chairman, Kusturica, knocked and entered, giving Boss Lu a warm hug.

"Lu, I heard you had some accidents a while ago?"

"A small car accident, it's nothing."

Kusturica took a list out of his bag: "This is the jury list we are about to announce; take a look and see if there is anything inappropriate."

The jury president of the Cannes Film Festival is usually determined about three months in advance, but the jury members are only announced about a month before the festival begins.

Because the members are basically directors, actors, writers, photographers, etc., their schedules are not easy to confirm in advance.

Boss Lu saw John Woo at the end of the list.

Isn't this Wu Wu Yusen?

Thinking of the *Red Cliff* project that Yanda Huayi had just launched recently, if this old guy came to be a judge, there would inevitably be a lot of grand publicity; he couldn't give him this opportunity.

"Isn't Wu Wu Yusen inappropriate?"

"Jury members should be composed of experts from different countries, regions, cultural backgrounds, and professions."

"Wu Wu Yusen and I are both Chinese-language filmmakers; this would be unfair to films from other regions."

Kusturica was filled with awe at Boss Lu's high moral character!

Generally speaking, in an odd-numbered jury, those from the same country and language family always stick together; he didn't expect the young director before him to have such noble conduct!

However, he was also in a difficult position: "The choice of Wu Wu Yusen was decided by another vice-chairman; I will go and communicate with them again."

Kusturica changed the subject: "Tonight, shall I take you to meet some local French artists and film companies? Perhaps your films will have use for them in the future."

Just as Lu Kuan was about to agree, his cell phone began to buzz.

"Lu, get ready to come to Fårö Island."

"Bergman agreed?"

Boss Lu was pleasantly surprised; he had been worried that a "vulgar" subject like *The Curious Case of Benjamin Button* wouldn't catch his eye.

Martin Scorsese laughed on the other end of the phone: "He called you the next generation of Kurosawa in Asia, and even asked me for your previous few films."

"The route to Fårö Island is quite complicated; you fly from Paris to Stockholm, and Bergman's butler will wait for you at Arlanda Airport."

Cannes is located on the Mediterranean coast in southeastern France, while Fårö Island belongs to the Baltic Sea and is Swedish territory; the straight-line distance between the two is a full 1,800 kilometers.

Hanging up the phone, the film festival chairman opposite him was already stunned.

"Ju... just now, did you say Bergman?"

"Bergman wants to see you!?"

Kusturica gripped Boss Lu's sleeve tightly: "Please, you must send him my regards, I..."

He stomped his foot: "It's a pity I didn't bring a disc with me; I can't ask you to help me get him to watch my film!"

The film festival chairman's expression was fanatical, and in an instant, he muttered with some disappointment: "Sigh, even if you brought it, he might not necessarily watch my *Underground*."

Boss Lu looked at Kusturica, unable to laugh or cry, as if he were looking at a second Li An.

If he made a phone call to Li An right now to tell him this news, he would probably be mad with envy, jealousy, and hatred, right?

The next day, Kusturica personally drove Lu Kuan to the Cannes airport, as there happened to be a direct flight to Stockholm today.

"Lu, I really hate that I am not you."

Watching Boss Lu's back as he walked up the boarding stairs, the 50-year-old Bosnian director rambled like the countless Liu Liu Yifei fans on the internet.

Kusturica thought again of what Martin Scorsese had mentioned on the phone yesterday: Bergman called this Eastern director the new generation of Asian Kurosawa.

He took out his phone: "Evan, I don't think Wu Wu Yusen from Xiangjiang is a good choice for a judge..."

At the exit of Arlanda International Airport, Lu Kuan saw an old man holding a sign that read "chinalu," with a blonde beauty standing beside him.

"Lu, hello, I am Marini, a director at Swedish Television."

She gestured to the butler, Fenwei, beside her: "He doesn't speak English; Bergman asked me to come and help."

Boss Lu smiled and shook hands with them; the old butler Fenwei curiously sized up this Eastern director—he was really too young.

Bergman was 87 years old this year; he had accompanied Bergman on the island for 40 years and was nearly 70 himself. This handsome, uninhibited young man in front of him couldn't even be 30, right?

Lu Kuan had learned about this Marini from news reports in the future.

She became obsessed with Bergman at 17, and after winning his trust, she was invited to the island, spending a year filming *Bergman's Island*, allowing the audience to see a more real Bergman.

The blonde beauty was highly trusted by Bergman.

In the future, Li An came here to make a pilgrimage to his idol because of her introduction, as did Tang Wei, who was extremely worshipful of Bergman due to Li An's influence.

In 2014, she came here to a farm with Korean director Kim Tae-yong to hold a private wedding.

Marini was aware of this Eastern director; from *Exotic* to *The Curious Case of Benjamin Button*, both were hits in Europe.

But given Lu Kuan's commercial film style, it still surprised her that he could gain Bergman's favor; perhaps she was the person in the world who understood Bergman best right now.

"Let's go, the weather is bad today; we need to fly to Gotland Island first, then take a boat to Fårö Island."

Lu Kuan gladly complied and followed the two onto a small helicopter.

Sitting in the slightly cramped cabin and looking down, the unique red wooden houses of Gotland Island not far away were brightly colored, standing out without being obtrusive against the high-contrast blue sky and white clouds.

Surrounded by the vast world, Boss Lu's mood gradually calmed down.

As the boat heading to Fårö Island gradually left the pier, watching the ethereal grandeur where the sea and sky merged and the sparkling, tranquil reflections, the young director closed his eyes, quietly feeling the vastness of heaven and earth.

"Careful."

As the deck reached the shore, Boss Lu stepped cautiously onto this hot land that countless directors and artists yearned for.

The vast grasslands that met the eye, the nameless colorful wildflowers, the low farmhouses in the distance—everything was so simple and unadorned.

Fårö Island became very famous because of Bergman, and every June, Bergman Week is held on the island to pay tribute to him.

Bergman's former residence later became a museum, allowing all film industry practitioners, researchers, and journalists from home and abroad to come here to write scripts, write novels, and create.

"Another one here to see that lecherous old man, an old man who can't even fire a pistol; I don't know what there is to see."

A farmer leading a horse walked past the three of them; unfortunately, this was an anti-Bergmanist who could speak English.

Boss Lu was stunned: "They..."

Marini said helplessly: "Bergman is a master in film, but his reputation is indeed not very good; these believers despise him."

Bergman's private life style, when spoken of, had a certain similarity to Boss Lu's...

In 2013, there was a documentary filmed by Swedish Television called *Trespassing Bergman*.

The list of stars in the film included dozens of world-renowned directors, including Zhang Zhang Yimou and Li An.

These masters in the eyes of ordinary audiences expressed their recognition and evaluation of this master in the documentary.

But one person, Von Trier, who filmed *Dogville*, said this:

Bergman once told me that when he was young, he used to masturbate in the highest temple of Swedish culture—the Royal Swedish Opera.

This bad habit didn't stop until he was 70; sometimes he had to wait for the shriveled water bag to rest for a few days before it could fill up again.

Bergman had 5 wives, 9 children, and an epic number of lovers in his life.

Every heroine and supporting actress in his films, and every woman he came into contact with who could catch his artistic eye, would become a target.

They say artists are a mixture of genius and madman; perhaps for this world-recognized film master, there was another attribute:

Pervert.

Fårö Island has a permanent population of only about 500; there are no banks, post offices, medical facilities, or police stations on the island, and few roads.

The old butler drove Lu Kuan and Marini over a gravel road and a dirt road before arriving at Bergman's residence, which looked like a small farmhouse courtyard from the outside.

With two "beep" sounds of the horn, an old man with a hunched figure walked out leaning on a cane, his expression indifferent.

"Fenwei, shovel away the cow dung behind the courtyard."

The film master still couldn't open his eyes fully in the faint sunlight; this was a problem common to directors who had been editing for a long time.

"You are Lu?"

"I really don't like looking up at you; I was about as tall as you when I was young."

Before Boss Lu could answer, Bergman waved his hand at them: "Come in."

Marini was extremely surprised—

Today was perhaps the most Bergman had spoken in the last ten years, and it was to an Eastern young director he had just met.

Bergman's residence had no place for receiving guests; he basically had no guests and did not see guests.

Marini supported him, and the three sat down in a small cinema converted from a barn.

He had collected more than 4,000 videotapes here, and every day after his nap, he would sit and watch movies without fail, a practice that had lasted for forty years.

The cinema was dark, and *The Curious Case of Benjamin Button* was playing on the screen, muted.

Boss Lu's mood was somewhat agitated.

He had actually watched it more than once! This was Bergman!

Although he didn't have the crazy obsession with Bergman that Li An had, from failing in film art in his past life to growing to the point where he could now talk face-to-face with the world's top master.

This was a supreme spiritual encouragement.

"I heard from Martin that you wanted to see me; you can say whatever you have to say."

Lu Kuan pondered for a few seconds, weighing his words before revealing his heart: "I... suddenly feel like I don't know how to make movies anymore."

"In the past, the lights, cameras, and actors on set seemed like paint I could squander at will; I could use them to paint to my heart's content."

"But since *The Curious Case of Benjamin Button*, I seem to have developed a sense of anxiety about gains and losses; I even feel like I've returned to the past..."

"Returned to when I first started learning film, not even knowing how to use a camera."

Bergman seemed to find even lifting his eyelids an effort; he leaned back on the sofa, and Marini draped a thin blanket over him.

He pondered for a long time, appearing as if he had fallen asleep, then suddenly said in a hoarse voice: "It's not that you don't know how to make movies; it's that you have a psychological problem."

"Let me tell you a story of my own."

"In 1955, I had just broken up with my previous wife, Anderson, and two films in a row had lost money; my directing career was on the verge of a dead end."

"I met a new girl named Ullmann, and she said to me, 'Why do you always film such dark things? Why not make a comedy?'"

"You know, at the time, there were only two paths before me: suicide or making a comedy. Making a comedy is actually about the same as suicide."

Lu Kuan understood in his heart.

Many of Bergman's films were perverse and dark, easily causing discomfort for the audience, which was related to his family of origin.

His father was a pastor, but he only spoke grandly of God's love to his congregants, while offering only violence to his family members, including his mother, older brother, and younger sister.

During his university years, he broke with his family; later, his brother committed suicide, his mother had an affair, and his sister had an abortion. He had never enjoyed the warmth of a family.

So much so that later, in *The Bergman Island* filmed in Fårö, he said directly to the camera:

"I have always remained in the evil waves of my childhood. In this life of mine, love is a luxury, it has always been absent, and I cannot even feel love for myself."

Facing his self-mockery, Lu Kuan smiled somewhat reluctantly: "I watched your *Wild Strawberries* in college, and the lines spoken by Isak in it made me shudder."

He was referring to a monologue Bergman used the protagonist to deliver in *Wild Strawberries*:

"I was born in a cold womb."

Bergman smiled silently: "With Ullmann's company, I made *Smiles of a Summer Night*."

"Hell, just hearing the title, it doesn't sound like my film."

"Ullmann and I returned to Fårö, lived together for five years, and joined hands to create 12 films, one play, and a daughter."

"In 1962, I had an affair on set, and Ullmann left me."

Bergman's tone was calm, as if he were recounting another person's life; he had never hidden his own arguably deviant sexual impulses.

Even when facing the camera.

"That year, I became just like you! Exactly the same!"

As if remembering something worth getting excited about, Bergman suddenly sat up straight, his face slightly flushed.

"I started having dreams. In my dreams, I didn't even know what montage was—and that was a Soviet theory from the 1920s!"

Lu Kuan looked at him with a grave expression: "Then how did you..."

"I started frantically sleeping with actresses; I was practically trying to drown myself in that infidelity and depravity!"

"Did you succeed?"

Bergman's excitement stopped abruptly, and he shook his head despondently: "I succeeded, but I could only make Bergman's films; I could never make *Smiles of a Summer Night* again."

Lu Kuan was left speechless, but soon realized the implication of his words.

Bergman made nearly 50 films in his life, but not a single romance; even when there was love between men and women, it was all tragedy.

Isak in *Wild Strawberries* yells at his wife: "Abort the child, don't let him become a product of a hellish marriage like me."

The two sisters in *Cries and Whispers*: one, repressed and deviant, cuts her genitals with glass to refuse sex with her husband; the other, indulging her desires, leads her husband to suicide.

Eva in *Autumn Sonata*, before her husband proposes to her, says: "I don't love you, and I have never loved anyone."

David, the writer in *Through a Glass Darkly* who buries himself in his work, also clearly bears his own shadow—not knowing how to face his children or be a good father.

David's attempted suicide was also a transplant of Bergman's own experience.

This is what he called "Bergman" films.

He lost Ullmann, and perhaps he also lost the ability to love that he had briefly attained.

Bergman suddenly used the remote to continue the final chapter of *The Curious Case of Benjamin Button* on the small screen, the scene where Zhang Man holds the infant-turned Li Ming in the nursing home.

"Do you know why I agreed to see you?"

Boss Lu shook his head in silence.

"The technique in this film of yours is only passable, but you captured something I could never capture."

The 87-year-old man grinned, his voice hoarse: "Love."

"But from your current state, I see another emotion."

Bergman softly uttered a word that made Lu Kuan's skin crawl.

"Fear. I see fear in your eyes!"

"The fear that trapped me and forced me to make only dark, desperate, and gloomy films came from my family, and even from my own films."

"Lu! Tell me, what is your fear?!"

Lu Kuan looked into his murky yet sharp eyes, feeling the hair on his body stand on end, his whole person trembling slightly.

Bergman seemed to have a pair of eyes from hell, pouring out all the anxiety, malice, resentment, and remorse from his films in one go!

"I... I also had a dream."

Lu Kuan swallowed hard: "I dreamed of another me, at a dinner table, who might die in the next second."

"In that dream, everything I currently possess turned into bubbles."

"My artistic talent, my wealth, my reputation, my fans, and also..."

"Also a girl."

Lu Kuan felt as if he had undergone high-intensity mental electrotherapy, feeling the trembling from the depths of his soul during this heart-wrenching conversation with Bergman.

"She is my leading lady, but in the dream, we are strangers; I can only stare at her poster and meet her gaze."

He tried to explain his fear to Bergman: "There was a philosopher in ancient China named Zhuangzi, who dreamed he became a butterfly."

"When he woke up, he couldn't help but wonder: was it he who dreamed he became a butterfly, or was it the butterfly dreaming it became him?"

"That is how I feel now; I feel I could lose everything at any moment. That is my fear."

When one has nothing, one only sets out with head held high.

Only when one has achieved success does one look down and realize, 'Oh, I have already gained so much.'

When one looks up again, the pace of one's steps has slowed significantly.

People are all like this, especially a transmigrator who has experienced life and death.

The more one possesses, the more one fears in their heart.

While in a coma, Liu Liu Yifei had guarded his bedside and heard three names.

Ceng Ceng Wenxiu was his biological mother in his previous life; to mourn her, he wrote his mother into the film.

Liu Liu Yifei represented everything he possessed in this life, while Huang Huang Yimei was the past life he feared returning to.

Bergman laughed in spite of himself; what an interesting philosophical proposition.

"The best weapon to combat your fear is the love in your films."

"I have never had the ability or opportunity in this life to love others, or even myself, but you do. You are not even 30 years old; you have countless opportunities to choose."

Bergman lamented: "When I was young, I used indulgence to cover up my fear."

"It wasn't until my last wife, Ingrid, died of cancer and left me that I realized I had never escaped this fear in my entire life."

He stood up shakily and pointed out the window at the setting sun: "I just pace back and forth every day, not speaking to anyone all day long."

"Every night I think of her, and of all the women I have ever loved."

"I don't watch any 'Bergman works' on the island, because watching them makes me feel even more pathetic and helpless, as if I'm about to cry at any moment."

Bergman reached out and, as if using all his strength, patted Lu Kuan on the shoulder.

"Child, my fear came from the womb, but from your *The Curious Case of Benjamin Button*, from that role of the foster mother, I can see that you have enjoyed love from a family."

"But in your Li Ming, I saw an aged, riddled-with-holes soul. You are not even thirty yet?"

"Why would you give me such a sense of vicissitudes?"

"Believe me, you must face your fear; don't be like me, using indulgence and avoidance to numb yourself."

"The reason you feel everything you film is wrong is because fear has closed off your heart; you are afraid that any misstep will destroy your present."

Bergman smiled at him: "Open your eyes, Mr. Butterfly."

Lu Kuan's throat moved; he looked at this old man in the twilight of his life, speechless and choked with emotion.

No wonder Li An would weep on his shoulder.

From such a soul that had suffered for over eighty years, from his murky yet sharp eyes, everyone could see the misery, pain, helplessness, and wasted time of their own first half of life.

Bergman was like a cold machine filled with all extreme negative emotions; when you, carrying fear, cautiously reached out to touch him,

you would suddenly discover that he was actually warm.

Perhaps only someone whose emotions and feelings were complex to the extreme could become a master in the eyes of all masters.

Bergman collected his emotions a bit and patted the sofa: "Sit down, join me in watching your *The Curious Case of Benjamin Button* again."

The theater suddenly darkened, and a clock running in reverse appeared in the center of the screen.

"Your film let me see the shadow of Kurosawa."

"You are both directors who know how to root yourselves in your own national culture—your *The Curious Case of Benjamin Button*, his *Seven Samurai* and *Throne of Blood*."

Lu Kuan nodded: "I believe that if art leaves the matrix of national culture, it will wither rapidly; that is something passed down and inherited in the blood."

"There are some shots in your film that are very peculiar; they have the shadows of Van Gogh and Renoir, but it doesn't seem to be entirely them."

Bergman pressed the remote, freezing the frame: "For example, here, Li Ming stands on the stairs looking at the 40-year-old female lead."

"This composition and color of yours aren't 100% Van Gogh; you left too much space in the lower part of the frame and the light's dead zones. It looks strange, but it seems to have a unique artistic conception."

Boss Lu smiled: "This is an attempt of mine. I don't know if you have ever learned about Chinese painting."

"There is a concept in Chinese painting called 'leaving blank space'."

"By not applying ink or color in key areas, using the blank space as a carrier, one creates an ethereal, distant, and subtle artistic conception, allowing the viewer's imagination to run wild."

He pressed the button to continue playing: "This is the third act where the two meet. Life is moving in opposite directions; as souls both 40 years old, there is no need for many words between them, only lingering tenderness remains."

"Therefore, I used the 'leaving blank space' technique in the composition of these segments. The fewer elements on the screen, the more room I can leave for their reverie. I wanted to see if I could resonate with the audience."

Bergman listened, stunned; this nearly 90-year-old Swedish old man had never heard of such a long-lasting and profound painting technique.

Western painting often focuses on the faithful depiction of the objective world, pursuing realism and a three-dimensional sense.

The frame is often filled with various concrete objects and details, striving to restore a real scene.

In contrast, the "leaving blank" in Chinese painting emphasizes using the void to set off the solid, winning with less, and focuses more on conveying spiritual connotations and artistic conception through concise brushwork and empty space, pursuing an aesthetic experience that transcends realistic appearances.

He played the footage he had just watched four or five times, then shook his head with a bitter smile: "Lu Kuan, I underestimated you."

"You come from a great nation; you are a lucky artist."

"That is why I participated in the bidding for the Beijing Olympics opening ceremony proposal. If I am shortlisted, I plan to take a year off from filming to focus on doing this well."

Lu Kuan said longingly: "I have a premonition that through such high-intensity, high-pressure brainstorming, I can fuse national art with modern means of expression."

"Even through large-scale galas, learning to handle mise-en-scène more skillfully will be more inspiring for my future films."

"No wonder Ma Ding told me he had met a young man who might one day become a master like Akira Kurosawa."

Bergman looked at Lu Kuan with appreciation: "You have lived up to his assessment."

"Bergman, a master like Akira Kurosawa... what kind of realm is that exactly?" Boss Lu was very curious.

The old man pondered for a few seconds: "Young people who have just started learning to direct like to use all kinds of fancy techniques: push and pull shots, over-the-shoulder shots, long takes, and various montages."

"Entry-level directors begin to feel and create films from the inside out, using the most natural narrative to contain as many highlights created by technique as possible."

"So-called masters, like Akira Kurosawa, Luis Buñuel, and Federico Fellini, you cannot find the shadow of technique in their films."

Bergman looked at him and smiled: "Even if you can find it, you will discover it has already completely merged into the film, becoming one, impossible to distinguish."

"A master does not narrate."

"Once the characters in the film are established, they are the ones performing on the screen, and you will feel that it has nothing to do with the director anymore."

Lu Kuan felt his hair stand on end, his mind clear, as if he could reach out and touch the door to mastery.

But when he opened his eyes and looked carefully again, he found he was still very far away.

Traditional Chinese culture speaks of three realms of life, which happen to correspond to Bergman's three levels of film.

Seeing mountains as mountains, seeing water as water;

Seeing mountains as not mountains, seeing water as not water;

Seeing mountains as mountains again, seeing water as water again.

Bergman watched the young man's dazed expression and nodded silently: "Do you understand?"

Boss Lu came back to his senses and said calmly: "I understand, but I have also forgotten."

Bergman was stunned for a moment, then immediately clapped his hands: "Good! Good! Forgetting is good!"

The two directors, with an age gap of sixty years, looked at each other and smiled, leaving the old butler and Marini completely confused.

Also, continuing to ask for votes! After only 5 days, I've dropped out of the top 500 on the monthly ticket rankings... It seems I'm ranked over 560 now, kneeling and begging!

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(End of this chapter)