Chinese Entertainment: Academic Director

Chapter 94 What does the director know about movies?

The post-production of the film has been completed, and the remaining work is to organize a small film screening at school. If there are no problems, it will be submitted for review, and then it will participate in the film festival through the school’s formal channels.

As early as January, when the film was not yet completed, the Berlin Film Festival knew that Cao Yang had a new film and sent an invitation, hoping that Cao Yang's new film would participate in the Berlin Film Festival.

The 2002 Berlin Film Festival was held from February 2th to 6th, which happened to be during the Chinese New Year. It was too early. "Secret Sunshine" was not completed until February 17th, so there was no time to go to Berlin.

For directors who have won awards at the three major European art galleries, as long as there is news of a new film and the timing is right, the three major European art galleries will basically send out invitations.

Especially for a famous director like Cao Yang, who has not only won the Berlin Grand Jury Prize but also the Venice Golden Lion, the three major European cinemas don't want to miss out on any new film.

This is also one of the three major ways for Europe to increase its influence.

Just like this year's Cannes Film Festival, when they learned that Cao Yang was shooting a new film, they would definitely tentatively send him an invitation. Whether he comes or not is one thing, and whether he is invited or not is another.

Directors who have won the three highest awards in Europe, no matter what country they are from, must have considerable influence in the European film industry - if the influence is small, it will be difficult to win the three highest awards.

This may sound a bit confusing, but it is the truth.

Behind every director who wins the highest award is a large group of stakeholders, and these stakeholders are connected to a large number of directors. This is influence.

Cao Yang has not yet given Cannes a definite reply, only saying that he will see the progress and will participate if he can catch up.

It wasn't that Cao Yang was deliberately manipulating it. It was mainly because Marco Muller contacted Cao Yang and said that Gong Li might be invited to be the chairman of the jury at this year's Venice Film Festival.

Lao Ma asked Cao Yang if he wanted to wait a few more months and come to Venice in September.

To be honest, Cao Yang must be very excited, as there are a lot of “our own people” in Venice this time.

So Cao Yang asked tentatively: "Lao Ma, if the quality of the movie is very good, is there a possibility of winning the championship again?"

"Continuous?"

Even though Lao Ma's Chinese is very good, he didn't understand the meaning of the word at first.

"It means winning the Golden Lion for two consecutive years." Cao Yang made it clear.

Lao Ma said without hesitation: "This is impossible. There is no precedent so far. No one will support this 'pioneering' initiative. I can tell you responsibly that the possibility is almost zero."

Then he added, "Even if I were the president of the film festival, it would be impossible."

Why would I go to Venice?
Judging from the plot of "Secret Sunshine", even if it goes to Venice, only the leading actress can win an award, and at most she can get the Grand Jury Prize or Best Director.

It would be better to go to Cannes. Even if she only wins the Best Actress Award at Cannes, it would be a breakthrough. There has never been a Chinese winner of the Best Actress Award at Cannes.

Cao Yang also considered, what if Cannes "bullies" him and doesn't give him the Best Actress award?
So, shake people.

MK2, who plays at home, and Sony Classic, who plays as a support, both need to bring someone reliable over.

If you still feel unsure at that time, it’s not too late to choose Venice.

This time we watched the film in the small screening room of Beijing Film Academy. Old Situ, Xie Fei, Lao Tian and the head of the directing department Xie Xiaojing, almost all the school leaders were there, as well as several directors of the photography department, fine arts department and acting department.

MK2 was very respectful this time. They attached great importance to such a young Golden Lion-winning director, both in terms of influence and the benefits he could bring to them.

Three people came from MK2, including founder Marin Kamitz and producer Chabrol. They also invited Nanni Moretti, last year's Palme d'Or winner at Cannes and chairman of the jury at last year's Venice Film Festival.

Sony Classics still comes with Bellman and Nikita Mikhalkov.

In addition to winning the Venice Golden Lion, Nikita Mikhalkov also won the 47th Cannes Jury Prize.

That year, the 47th Cannes Jury Grand Prix was a double yolk egg, the other winner was Zhang Yimou's "To Live", and Ge You also won the Cannes Best Actor Award for Zhang Yimou's "To Live". However, "To Live" was not approved and did not pass the review, and it was a movie that participated in the film festival privately.

He also had several films participate in foreign film festivals before they were approved.

For example, "Red Sorghum", which won the Berlin Golden Bear, started filming before the script was reviewed. If it weren't for Wu Tianming's help, it might not have been able to participate in the Berlin Film Festival.

For example, "Ju Dou", which had not yet passed the review when it participated in the Cannes Film Festival.

For example, "Raise the Red Lantern" won the Venice Silver Lion.

However, Lao Mouzi's influence is too great, who dares to punish him in China? Nothing happened, and the Film Bureau just pretended that nothing happened.

After the greetings, we started watching the movie.

Cao Yang has always known that there are great differences between Eastern and Western values.

For example, in this movie, it is a typical Eastern value system. The heroine is not religious, but she needs spiritual comfort and support, so she starts to join the church.

And when she feels that the church's teachings conflict with her values, she will retaliate without hesitation.

It's a bit like, I can believe when I need to, but when belief conflicts with my interests, I will no longer suppress myself, I will abandon it, or even retaliate.

Therefore, Cao Yang feels that this kind of Eastern values ​​is something that the West would not be able to understand, and might even find incredible.

Of course, movies with this kind of conflicting values ​​are also very easy to win awards, but they will never win the big prize.

After watching the movie, whether it was Sony Classics or MK2, the first thing people discussed was not Gao Yuanyuan's acting skills, but the interpretation of religion in the movie.

MK2 founder Malin Kamiz first lamented, “Cao, your understanding of the doctrine is too correct. The heroine is a shallow believer. Her gaffes and anti-Christ behavior are manifestations of a shallow foundation of faith.

There is a warning in the doctrine about "overdoing things". People cannot do good things beyond their own power. The heroine's forgiveness of the criminal has obviously exceeded the ability of a mother who has lost her child. This is a test from God for her.

The Book of Job in the Bible tells the story of Job, a completely upright man, who was tested twice by God, who destroyed all his wealth and caused him to break out in boils from the soles of his feet to the top of his head.

After enduring extreme pain, Job began to doubt God: Why was a righteous man like him being tortured while the wicked were left unharmed?

Isn't this very similar to the heroine's situation? Cao, I have to say, you must have referred to Job's deeds, right?

With the persuasion of his three friends and Elihu, as well as God’s personal testimony, Job strengthened his faith, stopped being self-righteous, and regained God’s blessing.

Unfortunately, the heroine in the movie failed to pass God’s test.”

Nanni Moretti also said: “I can see from the movie that the heroine is deeply loved by God, even taking away her husband and children to make her return to him.

God's love for the heroine is expressed in many aspects. The owner of the auto repair shop, the clothing store owner, the drugstore owner, the sunlight among the junk pile, the passers-by who sent her to the hospital, etc. are all the love codes that God has compiled for the heroine.

The heroine also loves God, even though she takes her anger out on the church, seduces the pastor, and destroys church fellowship... The way she loves is very similar to the way she loves ordinary people. She loves God so much that she becomes angry with God and becomes hysterical and goes against Him.

She said, God, I was in so much pain that I chose to forgive the person who killed my child, how could you forgive that person so easily!
Cao, I never thought you could make the metaphor of the movie so perfect."

Listening to their conversation, Cao Yang fell into deep thought. What are you talking about?
Is my understanding of the movie wrong?

Maybe it’s just like what netizens jokingly said, you’re a director and you know nothing about movies.

Lao Tian turned his head and looked at Cao Yang in confusion. Did you really shoot this movie according to this idea?

I do not believe!
(End of this chapter)