Chapter 305: The New Year's Film War

Beep, beep, beep...

Beep, beep, beep...

Beep, beep, beep...

After three consecutive attempts, the line was still busy; the office was deathly silent, save for the heavy, ragged breathing of Director Chen.

It was clear his anger was about to boil over, but this wasn't his territory, so he couldn't throw any cups.

Han Shanping dialed a different number, and it was answered immediately.

"Hello, Mr. Han!"

"Little Chen? Where is your Mr. Lu? Why can't I get through to his phone?"

Chen Zhixi laughed: "Have you forgotten? He just finished the roadshow in South Korea with the *Tangshan* crew."

"He's currently at Kuangou attending the second round of bid presentations; the security level is very high, so his phone must be turned off."

Han Shanping slapped his thigh: "Oh! That's right!"

"By the way, Little Chen, I have a question for you. You've seen that *Steamed Bun* video online, right?"

The flat-topped man turned on the speakerphone, signaling his impartiality and fairness to the couple, Chen Kaige and Chen Hong.

Chen Hong was speechless; who judges a case by handing the evidence over to the other party first? Isn't this just giving them time to cover their tracks?

How could this female assistant possibly admit to it?

"I've seen it."

Chen Kaige and Chen Hong exchanged a glance, then looked at Han Shanping together, the meaning in their eyes perfectly clear:

See that? See that?

She admitted it herself! She had seen it long ago!

However, Chen Zhixi's subsequent explanation left them feeling confused: "The video came out on the 24th, which was the second day of our *Tangshan* premiere."

"Director Lu told me to immediately ban that user's account, so Mr. Han, you can check—it's not on the Wenjie video platform."

"We still have the operation logs and the company's internal OA workflow evidence here; we can provide them if needed."

Han Shanping and the couple stared at each other, not knowing what to say for a moment.

"Alright, Little Chen, let's leave it at that for now."

"By the way, give me a call back once you've reached your Mr. Lu."

"Received, Mr. Han. Let's leave it at that for now."

Han Shanping hung up the phone, and before he could even explain, Chen Kaige was already furiously patting the sofa and analyzing the situation.

"Mr. Han, this is what you call a guilty conscience!"

"They discovered it immediately, so why didn't they tell us? We're all colleagues in the industry; I won't even talk about seniority, but we're all alumni of the Beijing Film Academy, aren't we?"

"And all that talk about operation logs and workflow evidence—isn't that just trying to cover up their tracks, waiting to clear their names when things come to light!?"

Chen Hong chimed in: "Mr. Han, this Director Lu has always been someone who doesn't follow the beaten path, and he's extremely clever. You heard what that young woman said just now."

"Since he's made up his mind to frame our Old Chen, with his methods, he's surely made it seamless. Even if we wanted to find fault, we couldn't."

"But you are the leader; you have to keep your eyes peeled and stand up for us, don't you?"

The couple sang in harmony, leaving Old Han feeling a bit dazed—how had they managed to pass judgment on the other party in just a few words?

The truth of the matter hadn't even been clarified yet, had it?

But after their analysis, Old Han did indeed start to feel suspicious.

If nothing else, the way Huayi had been brought to heel over the past two years—such ruthless and sharp methods—hardly seemed like the work of a twenty-three or twenty-four-year-old.

To be honest, Old Han was somewhat biased toward Mr. Lu.

Not to mention the fact that every film he had invested in or participated in distributing over the past two years had made a fortune.

A film like *Foreign Land* had taken the domestic all-time box office crown, exported national culture, and even won an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film, directly removing the "deputy" title from his own position.

But *The Promise* was indeed a project heavily invested in by China Film Group, and Old Han had only been promoted for less than a year; naturally, he had to protect it.

"How about this: I'll contact Lu Kuan as soon as his bid presentation ends, and I'll definitely get to the bottom of the truth."

"For now, let's take measures to suppress the heat of this video; it's still in theaters for another half month!"

Chen Kaige stood up abruptly: "My dear Mr. Han! This is no time to be wishy-washy!"

"I'll put it this way! If China Film Group doesn't give us an explanation, I'll go to Director Tong, and if that doesn't work, I'll go to the General Administration!"

"I don't believe it—is the film industry just one person's private fiefdom, or someone's personal backyard? Is there no reason to be found at all?"

Chen Hong saw Han Shanping's expression darken rapidly and thought to herself that this was bad; if he were truly angered, things would become even more complicated.

Now was the time to unite comrades, not push Han Shanping toward Lu Kuan!

"Mr. Han, Kaige is just speaking out of anger; please don't take it to heart."

"When we received the news and confirmed the truth, you were the first person we came to bother at China Film Group; that is truly a sign of 100% trust."

The still-charming Chang'e smiled: "We'll listen to you; let's handle the problem first and wait for Lu Kuan's reply."

The flat-topped man's expression finally softened; if he hadn't known that this old boy Chen Kaige just had that kind of temper, he would have given anyone else a good scolding.

Who does he think he's talking to?

"Alright, you two go back first; I still have some official business to attend to."

Even though Chen Hong had used soft words, he didn't react much, calmly returning to his desk to pick up his teacup and take a light sip.

This was a signal for them to leave.

Chen Hong followed her furious husband downstairs, sighing secretly as she looked at his still-straight spine.

Fortunately, she had come along this time; otherwise, if the scene had become too awkward, they might have ended up making an enemy.

The grudges between adults are often like undercurrents in the water; by the time you feel them, you've already been pulled into the vortex.

You might not even know when the friction began.

Chen Hong sat in the driver's seat, but just as she started the vehicle, she was stopped by Chen Kaige.

"Drive a circle and go around to Building No. 2."

"Hmm?"

Chen Hong looked at the passenger seat, puzzled: "Aren't we going back?"

Chen Kaige silently glanced at his phone, adjusted his seat, and lay back comfortably: "Director Tong will be back from his meeting in half an hour; we wait."

"This?"

Director Chen looked at his naive wife; her oval-shaped face was still charming, her red lips slightly pouted, and a stray lock of hair by her ear added a flair that a young girl couldn't possess.

The romantic poet felt the urge to be a mentor, just as he had two days ago, especially when facing such a luscious beauty.

"Just now, I was intentionally provoking Old Han; his loyalties have already shifted, so we can't count on him."

"The impact of this incident has already been caused; there's no use in saying more."

"The impact of the video must be eliminated, but as the victim, we cannot give up on the compensation we deserve!"

Chen Hong looked at Chen Kaige, stunned; she truly hadn't expected her husband to have reached this level of thinking: "You mean? Director Tong?"

Her mind raced, and suddenly, she had a flash of inspiration: "The Oscars?"

"Exactly!"

Chen Kaige wore an expression of certainty: "I've already spoken to several uncles and elders; we must secure the submission spot for the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film this time."

As mentioned earlier, the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film is primarily based on submissions from each country's film regulatory authority.

Domestically, the decision-making power lies with the International Exchange Division of the Film Bureau.

It's just that in recent years, almost all the works qualified for submission were co-invested by Han Shanping's China Film Group, which gave him more say.

The 2006 Oscar ceremony will be held on March 5th, and in the future, there is no doubt that *The Promise* would have been the submission.

But in this life, with the sudden emergence of Mr. Lu, there was some suspense.

At the very least, from Han Shanping's perspective, he had to wait until both films were out of theaters before making a final decision.

Whoever was better would be chosen; either way, both were co-invested by China Film Group, and both counted as political achievements.

If neither was good, that was simple too: *The Curious Case of Benjamin Button* would go!

According to the Oscar rules requiring a preview screening before submission, *The Curious Case of Benjamin Button* was fully qualified.

And for Chen Kaige, the Oscars were a chance to defy fate.

A nomination for Best Picture meant a $30 million increase in box office, and winning would double that.

Even if he only participated in the competition for Best Foreign Language Film, if it were properly packaged and he could pull off a "blooming outside the wall, fragrant inside" performance, it would be a brilliant move!

In this era, domestic audiences and film fans have a blind worship and adoration for the Oscars.

If I'm nominated for a heavyweight award like Best Foreign Language Film, can those blind, incompetent domestic film critics finally give it a rest?

The Oscars are the best public relations for the current crumbling reputation.

Director Chen's maneuver today was to first write the word "victim" on his forehead, then provoke Old Han into washing his hands of the matter and handling it coldly.

He would then "aggrievedly" find Director Tong and, with the help of his uncles, secure the nomination for Best Foreign Language Film.

Chen Hong looked at the man before her with adoration; in her impression, the always aloof and proud genius actually possessed such unparalleled strategy.

She let out a long sigh and took her husband's right hand into her palm: "Kaige, I still have so much to learn from you."

"Hehe, take your time."

This sentence instantly hit the poet's G-spot, giving him an immediate cerebral orgasm.

Looking at his beautiful and ethereal wife in the dimly lit car, there was quite a bit of poetic elegance to the moment.

The car was quiet for a while before Chen Hong asked, puzzled: "Then Lu Kuan... what about him?"

Chen Kaige pondered for a few seconds; the letter was indeed suspicious, and there was a possibility of a frame-up, but he absolutely could not admit to it.

Things had reached this point; if he wanted to get the nomination for Best Foreign Language Film, he had to splash this dirty water onto Lu Kuan no matter what.

He looked solemn: "Whatever needs to be done, let it be done; I’m not going to be afraid of some young upstart."

Forty minutes later, the Film Bureau office in Building No. 2.

This time, Chen Kaige and his wife did not have the nerve to interrupt the Bureau Chief’s contemplation and "film viewing."

After he finished watching, the leader pondered for two seconds before carefully saying: "Kaige, I suggest you handle this matter through judicial channels."

Chen Hong looked troubled: "Bureau Chief Tong, this..."

Han might still have some of the rough-and-tumble spirit of the underworld in him, but Bureau Chief Tong was a standard bureaucrat who avoided getting involved in these aimless disputes unless necessary.

It was possible that Lu Kuan had done it, or that Chen Kaige and his wife were playing tricks; he had no way of telling.

If they wanted the Bureau to take a stance, then they should rely on the conclusions of the judicial authorities; that way, no one could say anything out of line.

Chen Kaige said in a deep voice: "Bureau Chief Tong, Lu Kuan is also a Vice Chairman of the Film Association and holds various other official titles."

"If it weren't for the fact that this matter has gone too far, we wouldn't want to make a scene and air such dirty laundry of the mainland film industry."

Bureau Chief Tong laughed: "I understand! Of course, I understand!"

"Both *Aftershock* and *The Promise* are blockbusters invested in by China Film, and we have high hopes for them, including the Best Foreign Language Film nomination you just mentioned."

"The Bureau has also communicated and discussed it; it should be finalized in the next few days. After all, we need to give you time to go to North America for promotion and public relations."

"Kaige, Chen Hong, the Bureau will pay attention to this matter. I have received your request, so just handle it as it should be handled!"

Although Bureau Chief Tong did not pick up his teacup to see his guests out like the flat-topped man, the pen cap he unscrewed was dancing across the documents, and Chen Kaige and his wife no longer had any room to interject.

Chen Hong drove toward the company: "Kaige, what should we do?"

"Find a lawyer where we need to, and speak out where we need to."

The poet’s expression was uncertain; he hadn't expected Lu Kuan to carry so much weight with Bureau Chief Tong.

At the very least, despite his own outburst of anger and grievances, the leader’s tone regarding the Best Foreign Language Film nomination hadn't softened in the slightest.

He sat in the back right seat, took out his phone, and began contacting his uncles and elders.

If others don't offend me, I won't offend them; since there was no way to coordinate privately through official channels, then let’s be open and aboveboard. After all, he wasn't the one in the wrong.

Let the whole country and the entire industry see what kind of sordid things you, this sixth-richest man, genius director, and Olympic bidder, have done!

Recalling the young director’s past illustrious track record, Chen Hong glanced at her husband’s expression through the rearview mirror, and a strong sense of unease welled up in her heart.

But the pressure from *The Promise* was right there, and at this rate, losses were inevitable; she had to consider her husband’s professional honor and reputation.

——

The second round of bidding for the Olympic opening and closing ceremony proposals was certainly of a much higher standard than the first.

Judging solely by the leaders in attendance, besides Leader Liu from the Organizing Committee, there was Leader Deng from the Disabled Persons' Federation, and the two top leaders from the General Administration of Sport and the Ministry of Culture.

The reporting pressure faced by the five teams today was immense.

With the opportunity to supplement their materials and explanations, the Wenjie team’s second-round report was even more proficient.

It still used the harmony of heaven, earth, and humanity as the core logical thread, but the effects display meticulously produced by Butian Pictures left the leaders unable to look away.

From tracing the origins of the Chinese nation, the harmonious coexistence of various cultural imagery—the Four Great Inventions, Taiji, bronzeware, and neon clothing—combined with grand, sweeping, and majestic technological means, truly achieved a fusion of classical culture and modern technology.

Of course, before the second round of bidding, the Organizing Committee had already notified them of the specific regulations.

There would be eight judges on-site scoring the five teams, with the content broken down into 22 items; the team with the highest score would be the winner.

The final Olympic plan would be based primarily on the winner among these five proposals, with the best elements from other bidding proposals selected, adapted, and integrated.

This was no different from later generations.

Previously, DJI had already established a connection with the National Science and Technology Commission through Leader Liu’s connections. During the final farewell handshakes, Leader Liu again emphatically introduced Lu Kuan to Leader Deng and the others.

All the leaders were very curious about this young director.

By the time the bidding teams walked out of the conference room, the sky in Beiping at 7:30 was already pitch black. Lu Kuan and Zhang Yimou walked toward the car while smoking.

"The box office trend for *Aftershock* isn't optimistic." Clearly, the old master was also concerned about the situation of this film.

Boss Lu remained calm: "Yeah, let's wait and see."

It mainly depends on when the competition’s reputation takes a nosedive!

It had been showing for four or five days; although the word-of-mouth was as good as ever, there hadn't been much improvement in screen allocation. It was gradually starting to take over the audience base from *The Promise*, but the growth rate of the numbers was too slow.

In his expectations, if there wasn't a strong upward trend after a week, he would have to offer rebates to the cinema chains.

This was a standard commercial method.

Zhang Yimou’s phone rang: "Hello, President Han?"

"Ah?"

He turned his head to look at the junior brother from the Beijing Film Academy beside him: "Looking for you, said your phone has been off."

Boss Lu took the phone, puzzled: "Hello?"

The flat-topped man was already impatient: "Director Lu! Do you know that the whole Jinxibei is in a complete mess?"

*Drawing Sword* was a hit on the Travel Channel last year, and many of its lines and characters had become popular memes.

"What do you mean?"

"I can't explain it over the phone. Are you coming to Xiaoxitian, or should I go to Wenjie?"

Boss Lu checked his watch: "I'm with Director Zhang. Let's have a meal together and talk while we eat."

"Fine, I'll send you the address." Han Shanping hung up the phone and arranged for Gao Chengsheng to organize the meal.

While still on the road, Chen Zhixi’s call came in: "President Lu, the *Mantou* video is a hit; it's everywhere on the internet."

"President Han called me, and from the tone of his voice, he might suspect we did it."

Boss Lu didn't take it to heart: "Got it, I'll talk to him."

"Don't worry about what others think, just keep an eye on Wenjie Video." "Yes!"

At 8:30 in the evening, in a private restaurant near Xiaoxitian, Boss Lu calmly heard everything.

"I've heard about it. So, how did this dirty water end up splashing on me?"

Han Shanping laid out the "evidence chain" and motive predictions that Chen Hong and Chen Kaige were so certain about, leaving the young director dumbfounded.

This is a disaster from the blue!

"Wenjie’s letterhead, wrapped around money and sent to someone."

"Anyone with a brain wouldn't do this, and anyone with a brain wouldn't believe it either."

"President Han, just tell Chen Kaige that the innocent remain innocent; I don't need to prove myself at all."

Han spoke to him a bit more casually, lowering his voice: "It really wasn't you?"

"Damn! *The Promise* has China Film’s investment too; why would I sabotage anyone, let alone you, President Han?"

"Haha, that’s true. I don't believe it either; this job was too sloppy."

The flat-topped man sneered: "But the person who framed you seems to have determined that Chen Kaige would make a big fuss; the goal is to muddy the waters."

"Think carefully about who you've offended recently."

There was no need for a reminder; the vengeful Boss Lu had already mentally reviewed his enemies in that instant.

The Japanese guy Gexi Xiong and Huayi were the most likely candidates, although he didn't know how they had so accurately captured this *Mantou* as an entry point.

Huayi: First of all, I didn't provoke you this time!

"Knock knock!"

A burst of urgent knocking, and Han Shanping’s secretary, Gao Chengsheng, pushed the door open, holding a laptop.

Boss Lu teased: "Director Gao, working overtime while accompanying the leader for dinner?"

"No! Something happened!" Gao Chengsheng’s face was as wrinkled as a bitter melon as he hurriedly placed the computer on the table.

"Chen Kaige and his wife have issued a notice; they're going to sue you!"

The three people in the room were shocked and immediately looked at the statement on Chen Kaige’s official blog.

To the fans:

Recently, we were shocked to hear that a parody video targeting *The Promise* is going viral, maliciously altering, editing, and uglifying our work, into which we poured our hearts and souls for three years.

This has exceeded the scope of normal commentary and opinion; it not only hurt me but also everyone who contributed to *The Promise*.

Even more tragically, with the assistance of the police, based on existing clues, it is highly likely that this was instigated by our competitors.

To think I kept in mind our shared roots and let your company do the special effects for *The Promise*; how can people be this shameless?!

The *The Promise* crew will take all measures, including legal channels, to protect our legitimate rights and interests. We also ask the whole society and the entire industry to supervise, distinguish right from wrong, and stop spreading this maliciously! Thank you!

Only ten minutes after the statement was issued, Blog, Sina, NetEase, Tencent, and Sohu had all fallen.

Wherever internet trolls could run wild, they had directly or indirectly reposted this manifesto by Chen Kaige and Chen Hong.

Since his debut, many people had scolded Boss Lu online.

Besides ordinary netizens joking around, literary figures like Zhu Dake were frequent visitors.

But apart from his first film, *Whiplash*, where he was considered a nobody and publicly criticized by Zhang Jianting’s Xiangjiang crew, this was truly the first time someone in the mainland had publicly denounced him online.

Zhang Yimou watched for a long time and finally understood what was going on: "This is a misunderstanding. Let me tell Kaige; don't make it too big."

He was about to get up to make a call when Boss Lu grabbed him.

"Director Zhang, this really isn't a misunderstanding."

"Ah?"

Han Shanping and Zhang Yimou both looked at him in disbelief. Is it really you?

Boss Lu waved his hand to indicate they had misunderstood: "I have no past grievances or recent grudges with Chen Kaige. Over a video, it seems he doesn't need to fight me to the death, right?"

He pointed to the words in Chen Kaige’s statement on the computer: "‘Based on existing clues,’ ‘highly likely’—these are all disclaimer words, showing they aren't 100% sure it was me."

"It’s not like there’s no way to contact me. Is it that hard for him to call me and ask clearly?"

"Why did he come straight to China Film to pressure you, President Han, and then occupy the moral high ground on the internet first?"

Zhang Yimou smiled bitterly: "To be honest, Kaige’s reaction is a bit like Weiping’s."

Even Zhang Yimou could see that this move was heavily laden with hype, much like old Zhang from New Picture, who would use any means necessary to hype things up once he got his hands on them.

Han Shanping’s expression was displeased; he was thinking about much more.

For instance, the way Chen Kaige had acted in his office that afternoon, with an attitude that even the Heavenly King himself couldn't stop him, didn't that seem unlike him?

Although this old fellow was somewhat headstrong, he was certainly not an unreasonable person; why was he so impulsive and uncomposed this time?

Late at night, the banquet ended and everyone dispersed; today’s meal had been consumed with a sense of insipidity.

The poet Chen was indeed not a high-profile person in the past; this risky move left Lu Kuan and old Han unable to grasp his true intentions for a moment.

Perhaps it was only a matter of letting the bullets fly for a while longer.

A-Fei drove the boss back to the Ideal International Building; Chen Zhixi was still communicating with the public opinion department and had not left.

Lu Kuan asked her about some of the details in the office: "Has the police come to investigate?"

"No."

"Didn't Chen Kaige post pictures on the internet with great certainty, something about Wenjie’s letterhead?"

Chen Zhixi spread her hands: "It’s too simple to get hold of such things; the company has so much official correspondence with the outside world every day, and employees even take some home to use as ordinary paper."

"Hmm, go draft a statement and send it out as soon as possible."

"Alright."

The poet Chen had taken the initiative to seize the moral high ground on the internet, soliciting sympathy in the guise of a victim; naturally, Wenjie had to have a routine response as public relations.

It wasn't so easy to splash dirty water on someone.

In fact, with things having reached this point, it was less that Lu Kuan was worried and more that he was feeling puzzled.

In the past, he had always been the one to personally enter the game to set it up or break it; this time, it seemed he had suddenly been dragged in for no reason.

He couldn't help but think of Ge Xi Xiong, who had contacted him by phone many times and had even paid an uninvited visit during his roadshow in Japan.

There were many private or semi-private foundations and associations with such backgrounds in countries like the US and Japan, playing many hidden and private roles, so it was not surprising.

Was this a killing formation they had set up?

But to use an accidental event so precisely to provoke a dispute between the two sides—he certainly didn't believe Chen Kaige had been bought off.

The poet’s personality and style were indeed sometimes unlikable, but he was, after all, a great director who had won the Palme d’Or, with a clean family background; he shouldn't be so lacking in stance.

Then it could only be that an insider familiar with all aspects of the domestic entertainment industry had participated in the instigation and arrangement.

Having lived two lives, strictly speaking, Boss Lu was indeed not a "good person" in the traditional sense.

But he did have times when he was wronged.

For example, many romantic entanglements he hadn't touched in this life were firmly linked to him in Liu Yifei’s eyes, leaving him no room to argue.

Or like this "Steamed Bun" incident; even though he had avoided it as if it were a plague and didn't want to get involved in this karma, he still ended up being the scapegoat for no reason.

Of course, it wasn't necessarily true that he was all that wronged.

After all, if his relationship with Chen Kaige had been good, he could have completely informed him about the video matter and resolved the loose ends before it fermented, so it wouldn't have caused such a huge impact.

Boss Lu had held the mindset of watching a show, never expecting to be passively drawn into the play.

Since he was in the play, he had to perform it well.

Late at night, just hours after the husband-and-wife team of Chen Kaige and Chen Hong had proclaimed their manifesto to the domestic entertainment industry, Wenjie used its superior influence on internet public opinion to release a clarification statement.

I, Lu Kuan, make the following statement regarding the "Steamed Bun" matter mentioned by Director Chen Kaige in his statement.

First, I am honored to serve as the Vice President of the Film Association, and I also graduated from the Beijing Film Academy like Director Chen; although we cannot be said to be very close, we have always respected and recognized each other, and it has not reached the point of the behind-the-scenes instigation, kicking someone when they are down, or even hiring people to create black material for competing films as described by others.

Second, the special effects for "The Promise" were a collaboration that Director Chen personally came to Bu Tian Film to finalize in 2003. I believe everyone has seen the level of the special effects with their own eyes; compared to "Aftershock," it could be said they are evenly matched, right? If I were to engage in such underhanded industry infighting, why would I put in such painstaking effort? Or to put it another way, if I were really determined to cause trouble for "The Promise," I could have let Wenjie Golden Harvest not schedule a single screening of "The Promise," wouldn't that have been more convenient?

Third, I have mentioned a viewpoint countless times in previous industry meetings, interviews, and official or semi-official seminars, including the original intention of the Pan-Asia Film Academy announced at the Cannes Film Festival: the whole world is currently a dumping ground for Hollywood films; our enemies are outside, not inside. The domestic film market is only as big as a palm; we should take a long-term view.

Fourth, regarding the police investigation evidence and conclusions mentioned by Director Chen Kaige, I fully respect and recognize the official investigation results and am willing to provide all necessary support to bring the truth to light. Before the truth of the matter is determined, I demand that Director Chen Kaige and his wife, Ms. Chen Hong, immediately cease all false statements to avoid misleading the public and causing harm to my reputation and personal dignity. If necessary, I will take legal measures to protect my legitimate rights and interests.

Finally, the innocent remain innocent. I ask all film fans and media colleagues to base their actions on law and facts and stop spreading related rumors. Thank you!

Since becoming famous, Lu Kuan had rarely posted on blogs or interacted with fans on the internet.

Yet, starting from May of this year, countless topics such as the car accident, Liu Yifei’s confession, the Olympics, the earthquake film, and the sixth richest person were all related to him.

The blog posted at 10:00 PM had already brought a carnival to the entertainment circle and the internet world before 11:00 PM!

"Trash Washing Machine, so you are this kind of person; I will never watch your movies again!"

"Washing Machine says he didn't mess with women, I don't believe it. Washing Machine says he didn't mess with Director Chen, I believe it!"

"To be honest, if Washing Machine just sent a few DVDs abroad, it would earn more than tearing off the Emperor’s New Clothes of your crappy 'The Promise'; stop with the persecution complex."

"Asking because I don't know, is the 'The Promise' you are talking about 'The Bloody Case That Started from a Steamed Bun'? I feel it’s quite good, why is everyone scolding Director Chen? Excessive!"

"To become a master, one still needs to be purer. Director Lu’s business is too big; this kind of life-and-death struggle is completely unnecessary."

"I support Washing Machine on this wave! Washing Machine only deceives women, his movies are all top-notch and good to watch; Chen Kaige, damn him, only deceives the audience, his women are all top-notch and good to look at!"

From the perspective of a passerby, Lu Kuan, whose status in both the international and domestic film circles had already faintly surpassed Chen Kaige’s—and perhaps only Zhang Yimou could be mentioned in the same breath regarding honors—had absolutely no motive to do evil.

Whether it was his fans or his haters (Liu Yifei’s fans), most were just joking around.

However, the voice of ordinary people was, after all, small and powerless; the Southern Media Group and many loyal dogs kept like Xiao Ying were already barking frequently.

Using the titles of intellectuals, industry celebrities, art celebrities, and senior reporters, they would often spout grand principles or cite some fictional data and facts, leaving netizens stunned.

The debate on the internet reached a climax for two days. During these two days, due to the total collapse of the reputation of "The Promise" and this wave of passive hype for Boss Lu, the box office trend of "Aftershock" hit a turning point.

On the morning of the 30th, the seven-day box office for "Aftershock" in the mainland was released; the figure of nearly 130 million made everyone at Wenjie breathe a sigh of relief.

The sluggishness of the first three days had made Gao Jun, Zhong Lifang, and others feel anxious, but fortunately, the later trend was completely in line with Boss Lu’s expectations.

The traffic that "The Promise" couldn't hold onto still ended up in the mouth of "Aftershock."

18.33, 22.40, 21.99, 19.00, 19.87, 28.11, 33.00...

The first day was Friday, followed by the box office accelerating over the weekend and then falling back.

It was obvious that the box office turning point arrived in the last two days when "Steamed Bun" became popular and Chen Kaige opened fire on Wenjie and Boss Lu.

If, like in later generations, there was only one blockbuster like "The Promise" in the market, then the "rottenness" confirmed by public opinion wouldn't destroy it, but instead arouse the curiosity of the audience.

I’m damn well going to see just how rotten it is!

But now there was "Aftershock," which, apart from a few serious critics still finding fault, had excellent word-of-mouth and overwhelming publicity, making it very easy to attract more viewers.

This kind of box office counter-trend had a terrifying snowball effect; the audience, word-of-mouth, and screen scheduling would promote each other, accelerating the magnification of various positive effects.

At the same time, in the overseas market, apart from the upcoming North American release, the frequent good news from South Korea and Japan was also heartening, effectively achieving the effect of "blooming outside the wall but smelling inside."

In the Japanese market, the first-week box office of "Aftershock" was 28.22 million yuan, surpassing local hits like "Wolf Girl" and "Tokyo Zombie."

Among foreign films, it was second only to the 60 million yuan of the Hollywood blockbuster "Memoirs of a Geisha," which premiered on the 10th; the latter eventually took nearly 90 million yuan at the Japanese box office.

Due to Li Meijing’s CJ Entertainment’s dominance in the Korean market, "Aftershock" also had a brilliant record, surpassing local films like "Typhoon" and "The Art of Seduction," with a total six-day box office of 24.31 million.

However, it was a pity that on December 29th, a phenomenal film was to be released in South Korea—"The King and the Clown," which made Lee Joon-gi famous.

There wasn't much time left for "Aftershock."

For "Aftershock," which had a total production and marketing cost of over 300 million, this was also a critical period for its box office trend.

Not to mention the European rights sold to EuropaCorp for 4 million USD, the remaining big markets were Greater China, South Korea, Japan, and the US.

With the turning point appearing in the domestic and Hong Kong/Macau box office, keeping a steady pace meant a clean sweep.

With the North American premiere imminent, they would definitely have to go promote it and appear on shows; now, the same problem was placed before Chen Kaige and Lu Kuan:

The Oscar nominations in March.

Director Chen needed to get a nomination to vindicate himself, offset and break the "broken car" effect brought by "Steamed Bun," and avoid falling completely into the abyss of the box office.

Boss Lu also needed this nomination to give a shot in the arm to the box office in South Korea, Japan, and the US, and successfully complete this project, which had been destined to be arduous from the start.

However, this guaranteed spot for Best Foreign Language Film had been debated for a long time within the bureau, and a decision had been slow to be made between "The Promise" and "Aftershock."

There were many reasons to choose "The Promise."

It was the first domestic fantasy epic romance film, and the all-star cast had greater influence internationally.

The key was that the investment from China Film Group was huge, and no one wanted to see this loss.

For "Aftershock," putting aside the box office figures for a moment, there was nothing to complain about in terms of word-of-mouth or the director himself.

But the only point was that, although the Chinese people were happy to see the positive interpretation of the unity between the military and the people and the national spirit in the film, this plot was seen by North American audiences and perspectives as having the suspicion of overly glorifying a certain army.

If it were deliberately guided by public opinion and defined as a government propaganda film, then there would be even less hope for a nomination.

Rather than that, it would be better to give the spot to "The Promise."

Of course, these arguments mainly came from the uncles and elders the poet had sought help from.

Online, the disputes and verbal wars on the internet were endless.

Offline, the investigation into whether Hu Ge had been bought off and instigated by Wenjie was still ongoing; such headless and tailless matters were too difficult to investigate.

And the power struggle between Lu and Chen within the General Administration was also constant; the situation was somewhat deadlocked for a time.

The person in the game had not yet broken the game, but the next move of the game-setter had already been played.

US West Coast time, noon on January 1, 2006, the "Aftershock" crew arrived in Los Angeles after a long flight, preparing to attend the North American premiere.

At the same time, at the Sakura Restaurant in the Zhangfugong on Liangmaqiao East Street, Taro, wearing glasses, looked at Wu Kebo and Ge Xi Xiong opposite him with an excited face.

A Japanese businessman had actually taken the initiative to get to know him; could it be that he wanted to invest in his movie!

"Director Lu, let me introduce you; this is Mr. Ge Xi Xiong, one of the shareholders of the Japanese NEC Group."

"Ge Xi-san, this is the famous young domestic director and rising star, Mr. Lu Chuan."

The two shook hands enthusiastically, both having the feeling of meeting too late.

Not many people knew Ge Xi Xiong’s true identity.

His previous contact with Lu Kuan was just to express his willingness to invest, but it was keenly perceived as abnormal by the cheater.

And for Lu Chuan, whether it was the prominent businessman before him or Wu Kebo, who was already faintly on par with Huayi, they were all very high-quality investors.

He was truly lacking opportunities!

In this life, Taro’s fate line had also been "tampered with," though "The Missing Gun" had brought him considerable reputation as always.

But in later generations, "Kekexili" could directly elevate him to the status of a quasi-first-tier director of the Sixth Generation!

One can see a glimpse of this by looking at the honors he received for "Kekexili" in later generations:

The Jury Prize at the 17th Tokyo International Film Festival;

Best Feature Film at the 41st Golden Horse Awards in Taiwan;

Best Asian Film at the 25th Hong Kong Film Awards.

And a series of domestic awards such as the Huabiao Award for Outstanding Feature Film and the Golden Rooster Award for Best Feature Film.

In this life, he is out of luck; because he acted as a lackey for Huayi Society and the Zhou Army, he was implicated in retaliation, and "Kekexili" was miserably reported for plagiarism, leaving him with only some scraps.

The three of them drank and chatted, discussing quite a few common topics, such as the recent minor disturbances in the domestic entertainment industry.

Gexi Xiong sighed and said, "To be honest, I originally admired this director Lu Kuan very much, but his personal character is truly somewhat disappointing..."

Wu Kebo laughed and said, "Mr. Gexi, do not be discouraged; every industry is bound to have its share of vermin, but the majority of domestic directors are still upright."

He gestured toward Lu Kuan in front of them: "Director Lu comes from a scholarly family; his father is a great writer and critic in the domestic Writers Association."

"I heard that while filming 'Kekexili,' Director Lu personally crawled on ice and slept in the snow, which is how this feature film with a unique documentary style was achieved; it is truly rare."

"Haha, you flatter me, you flatter me! It's all just work, hehe." Taro could not hide his smugness, practically treating the two people before him as his soulmates.

The feeling of having talent but no opportunity—who understands it?

Gexi Xiong and Wu Kebo exchanged a look, both feeling the time was ripe, and the latter began to coax him.

"Director Lu, do you have any film plans recently?"

(End of this chapter)