Entertainment: I am the peak

Chapter 535 Reform Report
That matter was interesting in some ways, but also uninteresting in others.

But if this doesn't happen in a marriage, then the two people are at most just friends, not lovers.

The couple hadn't seen each other for over half a month. Liu Yifei asked her husband to do everything he could and not feel sorry for her, saying she wanted to faint. The two then became deeply entwined, their passion boundless.

Both of them were covered in sweat, but were completely satisfied.

"Ugh, he doesn't care about me at all, he's like a bull." Liu Yifei lay in her husband's arms, took a sip of water, and her voice was hoarse.

This woman always criticizes the cook after she's had her fill.

Li Qiutang wanted to kiss her and say a few sweet words, but as soon as he leaned in, she turned his mouth away: "No, it's dirty."

"Your own stuff."

"That won't do either. Hmm..." But Li Qiutang didn't care and forced a kiss.

She said those two words at least ten times tonight.

After resting for a while, Liu Yifei asked Li Qiutang to carry her to take another shower, and Li Qiutang naturally agreed.

Li Qiutang stayed in Toronto for three days before having to board a flight back to China.

Liu Yifei borrowed a car from the film crew and drove him to the airport by herself.

With her husband's support, Liu Yifei's overall condition has improved significantly, and she looks radiant.

"I feel like I came here specifically to deliver X to you."

"What nonsense are you talking about?" Liu Yifei laughed in exasperation. "You're making it sound like a legal marriage is illegal."

Liu Yifei apologized again: "I can't spend the Spring Festival at home again this year. Please help me explain this to my parents."

"It's nothing, they understand." Since the son and daughter-in-law work in the film and television industry, they have to face this kind of problem.

After the two completed the check-in procedures, Liu Yifei and her husband kissed goodbye, and Li Qiutang's figure disappeared from Liu Yifei's sight.

The first thing Li Qiutang did upon returning was to go to the ministry to report to the leaders about the Changchun Film Festival's Golden Deer Award.

Perhaps this is their style of doing things. To this day, Li Qiutang still can't figure out what role the leaders want her to play in this work.

Is it to provide assistance and offer suggestions, or is this job for him to lead, with the organization only caring about results?

Although they were unsure, Li Qiutang and Zhang Zhao still prepared diligently for more than a month, conducting thorough research and making bold assumptions.

There were few attendees at today's meeting; apart from Li Qiutang and Zhang Zhao, there were fewer than 10 people.

Today's meeting will not include the media; the purpose is for Li Qiutang to criticize current affairs and speak freely, so the ministry did not review his manuscript and PPT in advance.

Li Qiutang wasn't nervous. He had negotiated film agreements with the Americans as part of a delegation, participated in discussions on the "Film Industry Promotion Law" as an industry consultant, and met four or five elders. He had seen a lot of the world, so today was just a work report and he wasn't under much pressure.

After exchanging greetings and sitting for a while, the conference room door opened, and the senior leader entered. Everyone stood up to welcome him.

"Please sit down, everyone. You are all industry experts. I am just here to listen in. Please have a seat."

Upon meeting Li Qiutang, the leader shook hands with him and praised him, "I heard that your new movie did very well at the box office, breaking records!"

"The audience was enthusiastic."

"You're too modest," the leader laughed. "The audience's enthusiasm is because your movie is good. If it's successful, you should take credit for it."

The others laughed along.

Li Qiutang asked, "Have you seen it?"

"I haven't seen it yet, but I'm very interested. I'll buy a ticket in a few days and contribute to the box office of your movie." Everyone laughed again.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, the leader sat to the left of the meeting host.

Everyone has arrived, and the host begins:
"The film market is booming right now. I have some data I just got: the total box office in China last year exceeded 450 billion yuan, compared to just over 14 billion yuan in 300. Last year's growth was the best ever. But... the Changchun Film Festival Golden Deer Award... Today we'd like to hear Director Li's opinion."

Director Li took the stage, plugged in his USB drive, opened his carefully prepared PowerPoint presentation, and began his eloquent speech.

Li Qiutang's report was brief, with only five minutes dedicated to the history of the Changchun Film Festival, focusing instead on the current situation and future reform plans.

"The market is currently booming, which is certainly a good thing. The industry is developing rapidly, and funds and talents are flocking to the film and television industry. However, it has also brought some problems, such as young, handsome actors, high salaries, and a lack of professionalism."

However, Li Qiutang had no intention of criticizing. He mentioned, "These are all negative aspects that are bound to be brought about by the rapid development of the industry. We cannot only want the dividends of market development and not accept the drawbacks brought about by development. When problems arise, we must find ways to solve them. Film festivals and film awards play an important exemplary and guiding role in this regard."

Returning to the topic of awards, Li Qiutang bluntly pointed out the drawbacks of the Golden Rooster Awards, currently the highest-ranking film awards in mainland China: "Firstly, the constant shifts in location hinder the transmission of experience in organizing film festivals. Each city has its own agenda and its own organizing team, resulting in each city starting from scratch with no prior experience to follow. For example, in Hongdu, a basic mistake occurred where the restrooms were too far from the red carpet. And in Jiangcheng, even with the advocacy for frugality in organizing the gala, cutting the opening ceremony budget from 300 million to 30 was still unacceptable."

"Secondly, the Golden Rooster Awards do not embrace the market or the audience. Perhaps because the Golden Rooster Awards are positioned as an academic award in the industry, the Golden Rooster Awards have a high opinion of themselves and feel that standing with the audience is not enough to reflect their uniqueness and academic taste. They often give awards to some very obscure films, or even films that have never been released. How can the audience be convinced by such awards?"
"Of course, academia is indeed somewhat distant from the general public, but being too stubborn and being unconventional for the sake of being unconventional is not a good thing."

"Third, the Golden Rooster Awards' biennial judging system is unreasonable. Films are very time-sensitive, and now hundreds of films are released every year. No matter how the judges judge, what impression can the audience have of films from two years ago?"

After criticizing the Golden Rooster Awards, Li Qiutang then criticized the Hundred Flowers Awards, and after that, he criticized the Hong Kong Film Awards.

Finally, it came down to the Golden Horse Awards in Taiwan, and it must be admitted that the Golden Horse Awards are indeed being done well at this stage.

Li Qiutang elaborated on the excellence of the Golden Horse Awards from five aspects: its wide selection scope, its discovery of emerging talents, and its historical influence.

Afterwards, Li Qiutang used the Cannes Film Festival and the Oscars as examples to compare the differences between the two film awards and their respective strengths.

They are all more or less influenced by political factors, but in terms of film selection and film festival systems, they are recognized by filmmakers all over the world, especially Cannes.

"The Cannes Film Festival is an art film festival; it's not even open to the general public. But it's the most glamorous and attention-grabbing film festival in the world. Sometimes, even the Oscars don't get as much attention as Cannes. I think we should learn from Cannes."

Having analyzed the strengths and weaknesses of numerous film festival awards, Li Qiutang, returning to the Changchun Film Festival's Golden Deer Award, boldly proposed her own positioning for it:

"We're all talking about the industrialization of film now, and the Changchun Film Festival's Golden Deer Award should be positioned in that direction. We really lack a film award that recognizes the film industry in China. The Oscars are an award for the film industry, but I won't compare it to the Oscars here; I'll use the Golden Globes as an example..."

Li Qiutang envisions the Changchun Film Festival's Golden Deer Award as China's equivalent of the Golden Globe Awards for cinema.

Regarding the direction of reform, Li Qiutang first proposed reforming the scope of the selection: "We welcome all Chinese-language films from Mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and even Singapore and Malaysia to participate in the competition. In 13, at such an important juncture as the 50th Golden Horse Awards, the Golden Horse Awards actually awarded Best Film to a new director from Singapore, 'Ilo Ilo.' This clearly shows that the Golden Horse Awards truly supports newcomers. If anyone later says that the Golden Horse Awards are based on seniority, 'Ilo Ilo' will be a perfect example. Singaporean Chinese-language films are on the very edge of the Chinese-language film circle, but it was able to win a Golden Horse Award, which is very encouraging for newcomers."

However, Li Qiutang also knew that many overseas Chinese-language films could not be imported into China, and film awards had to take this into account. Li Qiutang also raised this point at the meeting.

Next, Li Qiutang explained the future plans for the Changchun Film Festival's Golden Deer Award based on its industrialization positioning, including potential difficulties such as funding sources, weak festival appeal, promotion and dissemination challenges, and support for the festival's screenings and competitions.

Li Qiutang not only raised the questions, but he also proposed some feasible solutions to these questions.

Li Qiutang talked on and on for more than two hours. He really had a lot to say on this topic.

"...These are just some of my thoughts, and they're still quite immature. Please feel free to offer criticism and let's exchange ideas." Li Qiutang finally finished speaking.

The senior leader led the applause, praising him for his excellent presentation: "You explained things from simple to complex, and even I, a layman, understood it. Very good! No wonder you've made your company so successful with movies."

"You flatter me."

The senior leader didn't say whether it was feasible or not; after praising him, he left.

The other leaders didn't say anything good or bad. After listening to Li Qiutang's report, they said a couple of inconsequential things and then the meeting adjourned.

Li Qiutang was a little confused.

(End of this chapter)