Huayu: Hard fight against Zhang Weiping at the beginning

Chapter 295 It’s really expensive

On August 8, Zhang Chen and his party set off for Venice.

The Venice Film Festival is one of the three major festivals in Europe, but it has actually declined.

In fact, it's not just Venice, Cannes and Berlin are similar. The whole world is now being conquered by Hollywood, the market for art films is being divided up, and everyone is having a hard time.

After more than ten hours of flight, everyone arrived at Venice Marco Polo Airport.

This was the first time Zhang Chen had come here in both of his lifetimes. It was indeed a water city in its truest sense. There was not a single car to be seen in the entire city. The main means of transportation was the boat. The pier could be seen as soon as one walked out of the airport.

It's really full of exotic atmosphere.

"Let's go to the pier to take a boat..."

Just as he finished speaking, he saw a familiar figure at the dock. The other person was also searching among the crowd. When he saw them, he immediately ran over with a smile.

"Jingtian?"

"Hehe, it's me. Director Zhang, why are you guys here so late?"

In the crowd, Jing Tian came forward excitedly and greeted everyone one by one, and next to him was Lu Zheng who was smiling like an auntie.

"Uncle Liang, Sister Qing, Brother Jin, Sister Chen Xi..."

Jing Tian gave them hugs one by one, but Zhang Chen was still confused: "Wait a minute, what's wrong with you? I mean, why are you here?"

"I heard that Taken was coming to Venice, so I came here ahead of time to wait for you. Don't worry, I will pay for my own expenses. I am very familiar with this place and can be your guide for free..."

Looking at Jing Tian's expression, Zhang Chen could only shrug his shoulders. He couldn't control this young lady.

"I didn't expect your family to be reunited in Venice."

Zhang Jin joked on the side, and the others laughed. Isn’t it true that Liang Jiahui, Xu Qing, and Jing Tian are a family in the movie?
"How do you know this place so well?" Chen Xi and Jing Tian had a very good relationship, and at this moment, the two of them were hugging each other.

"I've been here a few times before, especially last year when I watched Italian Stuff, so I came again. But in fact, the real Venice is completely different from what is shown in the movie."

"Of course it's not the same. In Hong Kong movies, every day there's either a robbery of a money transporter or a shootout between police and criminals. In reality, in this city known as the safest in Asia, there are very few shootings."

Zhang Chen ridiculed Jing Tian, ​​but he was the same. All his impressions of Venice came from movies, such as "The Italian Job", "007", "Mission Impossible" and so on...

Because of its special geographical environment, this city can easily give people a refreshing feeling and is indeed very suitable for appearing in movies.

"Mr. Lu~"

"Hello Director Zhang~"

Only then did Zhang Chen shake hands with Lu Zheng, and Lu Zheng smiled and nodded to everyone.

"Have you arranged your accommodation?"

"Not yet. I came here early just to settle down as soon as possible. No one has ever been to the Venice Film Festival, so we can only take it one step at a time."

Liang Jiahui couldn't help but complain: "Speaking of this, I have to complain about the organizers of the Venice Film Festival, they are really stingy.

For the crew of the nominated films, they only cover the director’s air tickets and accommodation, and everyone else has to take care of themselves. Cannes and Berlin at least cover the cost of the male and female lead actors…”

This is what Liang Jiahui is most unhappy about, because he is not only the male lead of "Taken", but also the male lead of "Everlasting Regret".

"Everlasting Regret" is a film by Stanley Kwan. It was shortlisted for the main competition unit, but the organizers didn't even provide accommodation for the guests. They were totally like Grandet.

"Okay, don't be upset. I can take care of myself, too. Taken is just a screening, not a finalist in the main competition."

When everyone had finished speaking, Lu Zheng, who had been silent, said, "If you don't have any plans, follow me. The film festival is about to begin, and it's hard to book a hotel here. Fortunately, I reserved three rooms for you in advance..."

"That's great."

Everyone came to the pier to take a boat. The Venice Film Festival was not held on the main island of Venice, but on the Lido Island in the southeast.

Lido Island is not far from the main island. It is a long and narrow island. The entire island is 18 kilometers long and has only one main road.

There are usually not many people here, but every September it becomes crowded with big names.

As soon as the ship docked at the pier, it was surrounded by dense crowds of reporters.

The film festival is just a few days away and various celebrities are arriving one after another.

Especially in the past two years, Venice has also begun to learn from Cannes and invite Hollywood films to participate in the exhibition. Gradually, Hollywood stars will also come here, and they are the targets of reporters' interviews.

Zhang Chen also saw many Asian faces there, and he didn’t know if there were any domestic reporters among them.

If you have never been to Venice, you will be immediately conquered by its unique charm after entering the island.

There are various stone roads and crisscrossing waterways all around, but the scenery is just not very good.

It’s normal to think about it. With tens of thousands of people eating, drinking, defecating and urinating here, it would be strange if the water quality could be good.

When everyone arrived at the accommodation, it was so damn expensive, 2000 US dollars per night for a room, and it was not a high-end hotel, just slightly better than an economy hotel.

All film festivals around the world are like this, they take advantage of your weakness to kill you.

During these days of the film festival, accommodation costs can be dozens of times higher than usual, and it is still difficult to find a room. If Lu Zheng hadn't reserved a room for them, it would be very difficult for them to find a suitable one now. They would probably have to stay in a hotel that costs 7 or 8000 per night.

"Just stay here. Let's put it on for a few days to see the effect. If it doesn't work, we'll leave..."

Zhang Chen's purpose of coming this time was to sell films, but he actually didn't have high hopes for the Venice Film Festival.

Unlike Cannes, the Venice Film Festival does not have an official trade market.

why?
Because this place is too small.

Later in life, he watched the construction process of Venice on TikTok. Venice is a city built on a swamp.

Hard pine wood was driven into the mud to make the foundation, and then wooden boards and slabs of stone were laid on top to build the house.

Actually, the living environment is quite bad. Later Douyin showed that some places have been submerged due to ground subsidence and rising sea levels.

Pedestrians were walking on the street, the sea water was up to their ankles.

I guess Venice will be gone in a few decades.

As a northerner, Zhang Chen felt that these people lived on the water every day, so they must have a lot of moisture. If they were cupped, they would probably all be dark.

According to the information he collected, the number of film sales at each Venice Film Festival was actually not that large, so Zhang Chen did not hold out much hope.

The highlight of his trip was actually the Toronto Film Festival in the United States.

The Toronto Film Festival opens a week later than Venice, and is backed by the American film market. Many film businessmen who want to buy films may not come to Venice, but will definitely go to Toronto.

The reason why Zhang Chen came to Venice was just to take advantage of the screening opportunity, maybe he could gain some popularity.

With the popularity, even if it doesn’t sell in Venice, it will do better in Toronto.

During dinner, everyone chatted: "Who are the judges this year?"

"The chairman of the jury is Dante Ferretti..."

"Do you know each other?"

Everyone shook their heads. Anyone who could be the chairman of the jury must be an awesome person. However, Zhang Chen had never worked on art films and had almost no common sense in this area.

"It is said that there is a Chinese judge among the judges this time..."

"Who?"

"His name is Ah Cheng, and he seems to be a writer..."

"Well, I still don't know him."

In the past two years, more and more Chinese-language films have participated in the Venice Film Festival. Take today for example, there are more than ten films, setting a record high.

Chinese-language films have become an important part of Venice.

"Shall we go visit?"

Hearing Chen Xi's suggestion, Zhang Chen shook his head: "Forget it, we haven't entered the main competition unit, we are just here to sell the film, so there is no need to waste that effort."

"What about 'Song of Everlasting Regret'?"

"Well, this is Brother Hui's work, we have to support it, but forget about other people's works..."

Generally at foreign film festivals, domestic filmmakers will support each other. When your film is released, other domestic crews will come.

But Zhang Chen didn't want to have much contact with them, as they were all making art films.

"Well, there's something I think you should know..."

"what?"

“Seven Swords is the opening film of this film festival.”

"Don't worry about it. We are competitors in China, but it's not the same here. He sells his products, I sell mine, and we don't interfere with each other."

……

The next day, Zhang Chen started to arrange for the screening.

Screening is not just about showing the film, it also requires promotion.

There are so many movies showing at the same time at a film festival. Without any publicity, there would be no attention at all.

Ning Hao once said that when he was attending film festivals, he found himself flying thousands of kilometers just to show a Chinese film to a dozen foreign audiences, without knowing whether they could understand it.

At that moment he suddenly realized, and then he gave up art films and turned to commercial films.

At this moment, Zhang Chen was getting anxious and angry.

Venice Film Festival, damn, it’s so dark.

I don’t know if I don’t come, but I will be shocked when I come.

They are really trying every means to make you spend money.

I spent several hundred euros on a meal yesterday. Today, I asked about the promotion again. The price for advertising on the cover and back cover of the magazine is 20,000 euros per issue.

Other posters, water taxis and other promotional methods are not cheap.

In short, just pay the money.
They are very confident, do you want to buy it?
Otherwise, why would so many countries and regions in later generations be so keen on holding film festivals? It really makes money.

If you don’t open for a year, you can make enough food for a year after you open.

The annual GDP depends on this half month.

Of course, the most direct and effective way is to hold a party, but the price of the party is even more staggering!

Starting from USD 30!

It's simply robbery.

As a result, Zhang Chen lost all mood to appreciate the beautiful scenery.

What gondolas, what Bridge of Sighs? I originally wanted to come here and have a good sightseeing, but after seeing the prices, I dared not move at all.

If we follow Venice's law of robbing the rich to help the poor, I don't know if "Taken" will be able to sell, and even the little profit of "Wulin Wai Zhuan" will have to be lost.

(End of this chapter)