Chinese Entertainment: Academic Director

Chapter 179 The grand occasion is unprecedented
"Mean Milk" is a Hollywood movie, but the director is Cao Yang, which means that the treatment of this movie in China is almost the same as Cao Yang's other movies.

In fact, because it won the Oscars for Best Picture and Best Actor, its screening scale and the level of attention it received have caught up with the big ships of the time.

Of course we have to have a premiere.

Mr. Han from China Film Corporation was initially planning to place it in the Great Hall, but was stopped by Cao Yang.

It would not be appropriate to put a foreign film in the Great Hall of the People, even if the director was the filmmaker, so it was better to choose the old place, the Beijing Theater.

To show his importance, President Han sent out many "invitations for heroes".

Of course, this movie was introduced by China Film Corporation, so to some extent, it can be considered a China Film Corporation movie.

President Han even stood at the end of the red carpet and did reception work with Cao Yang.

This made Cao Yang a little depressed.

In Cao Yang's mind, this movie has actually completed its mission. He has taken what he should have taken, and he doesn't really want to get involved in the rest.

Unfortunately, President Han was too enthusiastic and Cao Yang couldn't be lazy. He had to force Cao Yang to stand here.

"In the past, domestic films were eager to compete for the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film, as there was only one spot available. However, after so many years, no domestic film has won the award."

Mr. Han may have thought of Wanwan's Li An, whose Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon won the Best Foreign Language Film, and quickly smiled and said, "The mainland is mainly the mainland, and Hong Kong Wanwan has its own path, which is different.

I sometimes wonder why you have never competed for this award, even though you have won numerous awards for your previous Chinese-language films. I didn’t understand it before, but now it seems that you don’t care about the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar.”

"Well, there's nothing wrong with that. I just don't think it's a big award. It doesn't matter to me whether I have it or not. It won't help me much in going to Hollywood, so I don't bother to apply for it."

Well, Mr. Han heard it, but he still looked down on it.

Yes, for a film of Cao Yang’s status and fame, the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film is really a waste of time.

That's not right. As one of the top three directors in China, Kai Ge and Yi Mou often compete for this position...

All I can say is that Cao Yang is different from the other two. His first film won an Oscar for Best Picture, so it's normal that he doesn't like the Best Foreign Language Film.

"That place looks like a glittering place, but it's actually just like that. It's very difficult for us Chinese to have a fair environment when we develop there."

Cao Yang looked at Mr. Han and said sincerely: "We still need to vigorously develop the domestic film market, formulate entry qualifications, and restrict the invasion of Hollywood. Hong Kong Wanwan is the best lesson."

President Han sighed, as if lamenting the difficulty of the rise of Chinese-language films.

“That’s right. It’s not like there are no Chinese directors who have ventured into Hollywood. Director Kai went there once but came back empty-handed.

Many directors have been to Hong Kong. Director Wu Yusen can't get any roles there, so he will definitely come back. Li An...his situation is not very good either. It is said that he wants to take on commercial films, but no one dares to use him.

However, he is still lucky, he started out in art films, he has a good reputation, and he can return to the art film field..."

As he spoke, he sighed again, looked at Cao Yang, and said in confusion: "I understand what you said, but... it's difficult.

When China joined the WTO, it established a clause on opening up the film industry, importing 10 Hollywood blockbusters each year, which gradually increased to 40. China and the United States also signed a memorandum of understanding to screen 20+17 films...

Why do I want to make a big production? Want to make a co-production? If we don't confront them this way, the Hollywood blockbusters imported every year will suck up the domestic box office, and the domestic film industry will have no way out. "Old Han, you only want to confront them head-on, why don't you think of a roundabout way?
Cao Yang knew that a roundabout tactic was indeed used later, but it was obvious that Old Han did not have this idea yet.

So I clicked on him.

"We are family, so I call you Senior Brother. What I said today was purely private, and I will not acknowledge it later."

President Han looked around and moved closer. "Okay, Junior Brother, you go ahead."

Cao Yang smiled and thought there was no need to be so sneaky.

"We can set up a domestic film protection month, for example, in June, July and August, and only show domestic films during these three months, but we won't implement the document, just hold a meeting with the top management of the theaters and give a verbal notice.

You are in control of China Film Group, so you don't need to arrange any batches of films for these few months.

In addition, for imported films, try not to have simultaneous global releases. Once they are released in the U.S., if the box office is average, we can just show them normally. For blockbusters that do particularly well at the box office, we can schedule them in a certain month and let them compete among themselves.

Or you can choose two months to show batches of films together.”

President Han thought about it for a while and said, Wow, this is actually a good idea... No, this is a great idea!
I couldn't help but look at Cao Yang. No wonder this kid refused to admit it after he said it. If those people in Hollywood knew about this, he would forget about making it in Hollywood for the rest of his life.

……

The scale of this premiere was unprecedented, with countless celebrities coming. Almost all those who could make it came, including Hong Kong stars.

Cao Yang’s identity is different now. Any star who still has some aspirations would want to follow Cao Yang’s path.

In the past, Cao Yang was just a famous domestic director and an internationally renowned art film director. Now, he has also established a firm foothold in Hollywood and is even more popular than Li An, who was not at a low level before.

If a big commercial film director works in Hollywood and runs out of health, he will have to go back to where he came from.

In this respect, art film directors are better than commercial film directors. Even if they are at a low level, they are still art film directors without losing their status.

So no matter whether Cao Yang succeeds or fails in Hollywood in the future, he will still be an internationally renowned director.

Moreover, everyone was watching and thinking about the press conference a while ago. How could a co-production be without Chinese actors?
As an actor, whether you want to pursue awards or commercial value, Cao Yang can satisfy them.

Fat Bing entered the premiere hall, observed secretly, and couldn't help but be amazed.

As for actors, big names in Hollywood such as Jackie Chan, Li Lianjie and Chow Yun-fat are all here.

Andy Lau, Leung Chiu Wai, Leung Ka Fai, Ng Kee Wah, Aaron Kwok, Tse Ting Fung from Hong Kong...

Not to mention those from the mainland, there are three international film queens, international Zhang, Xun Ge'er... as long as they are a little famous, you can find them here.

As for directors, there are Zhang Yimou, Chen Kaige, Xiao Gangpao... and many domestic and Hong Kong directors.

This lineup brings together most of the well-known directors and actors from both sides of the Taiwan Strait and Hong Kong.

Of course, there are still many people who want to attend the premiere, but you can't come just because you want to. The seats are limited and not everyone can get an invitation.

(End of this chapter)