Entertainment: I am the peak

Chapter 729 Screening
The two most popular events at this year's Shanghai International Film Festival are both related to Li Qiutang. One is the dialogue between Li Qiutang and Hirokazu Kore-eda held yesterday.

That same evening, the full 1 hour and 10 minute video with subtitles was uploaded online by enthusiastic viewers.

Another event is the upcoming special screening of "Marriage Story" at the Changchun Film Festival.

"Marriage Story" is scheduled to be released on December 14th, and will only be screened once at the Changchun Film Festival before that.

In addition to the lead actress Liu Yifei, all other main creators of the film were present.

Liu Yifei really can't come. Filming for "Mulan" will wrap up in a week at most, and Guo Fan is now determined not to let Liu Yifei leave.

The screening of "Marriage Story" attracted numerous film media outlets and enthusiastic viewers who purchased tickets to watch the film.

At the event, Li Qiutang even saw Liu Yifei's fans forming a movie-watching group to show their support.

This is an art film, and Li Qiutang didn't expect it to be very successful at the box office. It's their job to be enthusiastic about it, but Li Qiutang really didn't expect the fans to be so enthusiastic.

For fans to go to such lengths, they've truly done right by Liu Yifei.

Therefore, before the event started, Li Qiutang made a special trip to the Liu Yifei fan viewing group's location to say a few words to the group of movie fans.

Upon learning that many of them had taken leave to attend the event, Li Qiutang said with a hint of reproach, "It's the same to buy a ticket to see the movie once it's released. You should go to school or work as usual, don't let it interfere with your own lives."

But the fans were sincere after all, and Li Qiutang was still very grateful to them.

"Director, thank you for directing this film for Yifei and winning her the Best Actress award." Some fans really didn't stand on ceremony.

But Li Qiutang felt extremely awkward hearing this. His expression was just as twisted as when Hirokazu Kore-eda answered a question yesterday. He said, "Then my wife doesn't need your thanks."

"Hahaha!" The fans laughed.

When fans handed her photos or notebooks asking for autographs, Li Qiutang asked with a smile, "Sign mine or Yifei's?"

"It's best to sign both."

Li Qiutang said, "I can actually sign my name like that." She quickly signed Liu Yifei's name, "It looks pretty good, huh?" Then she signed her own name.

Then he took another photo of Liu Yifei. Upon seeing it, he recognized her as Little Dragon Girl. As he signed it, he said, "It's been so many years, why are you still using this one?"

"This photo is the best." There's no way around it, the image of Little Dragon Girl is too stunning, Liu Yifei's most loyal fans were those she accumulated before she turned 18.

Li Qiutang told fans that Liu Yifei will wrap up filming next week, and then they will be able to see her.

"Will I really be able to see her?"

"What activities does Yifei have after filming wraps up?"

Li Qiutang really didn't know: "It depends on the arrangements."

However, given Liu Yifei's usual habits, she will probably stay away for another three to five months or even half a year after filming "Mulan" before she comes out.

After signing autographs and exchanging a few brief words, Li Qiutang left the fan group.

"I saw Director Li up close just now, and he's actually quite handsome."

"After all, he has played the male lead in idol dramas before, so how bad can he be?"

"He's even acted before?"

"He made a cameo appearance in the last transformation of the male lead in 'The Beauty Inside.' He didn't want anyone else to kiss Sisi, so he took the initiative and did it himself."

The screening began quickly, with participants sharing their experiences beforehand and discussing the film afterwards.

Li Qiutang said, "Scriptwriting is actually very painful. It took more than a year or two to complete, and we scrapped countless drafts." Screenwriter Li Qiang took the opportunity to complain, "I've argued with the director about the script more than once, sometimes in my studio, sometimes at his house. But we were both trying to write a good story, and we were arguing about the whole story. I think this kind of debate is beneficial."

Several actors also shared their opinions. Wan Qian, who played Yang Xinyuan, said, "I didn't know the director before. That day, I suddenly received a call saying that I was from director Li Qiutang's studio and that they wanted me to audition for a film. At first, I didn't believe it and thought it was a scam, so I hung up." Two years later, Wan Qian still finds the whole thing hilarious.

"Then the next day, the same call came in again. I thought to myself, these scammers are really persistent these days. The person on the other end said, 'We really are from Li Qiutang's studio, and we really have a role for you.'" This kind of thing is only funny when told by someone who experienced it firsthand. "I still didn't believe it, and I even scolded the director's staff." Wan Qian covered her mouth and laughed.

Qin Hao added, "Commendable courage."

The entire audience laughed. It seemed Wan Qian was indeed capable of doing something so foolish.

"Then the third time," Wan Qian continued, recounting her selection for "Marriage Story," "the director called me personally, and I only realized he really wanted to talk to me when I heard his voice."

The host then asked Wan Qian, "What did the director say on the phone that you believed?"

Wan Qian said, "His first words were, 'I am Li Qiutang, I am not a fraudster.'"

"Hahaha!"

Li Qiutang said helplessly, "If I don't say it like that, she'll hang up the phone."

When it was Qin Hao's turn, he had even more to do. He said, "I was told I'd be playing Liu Yifei's husband again, so I came." This was his first time playing a married couple with Liu Yifei in "Now I'll See You."

Li Qiutang chimed in, "Your real husband is right here, so at least don't say this behind my back."

The other main cast members spoke one after another, and finally returned to Li Qiutang. He then steered the conversation toward Liu Yifei, who was not present today, saying, "Every actor in this play performed very well. Although praising my wife might seem like showing off, I still want everyone to watch Yifei's performance carefully later. She is really different from before."

After saying this, the main creators stepped down from the stage, and the movie began to play.

Even without him saying that, today's audience would have carefully watched Liu Yifei's performance.

Whether they are fans or haters, they will all re-evaluate Liu Yifei's acting skills.

The first Cannes Best Actress winner from mainland China—this is a prestigious title, but it's also a hot potato.

It's incorrect to say that there were any anti-fans of Liu Yifei among the audience today. Anti-fans don't need to come to the film festival specifically to watch the film; the tickets are quite expensive.

However, there are indeed quite a few media outlets and viewers who have stereotypes about Liu Yifei's acting skills.

They were carefully reading "Marriage Story" with magnifying glasses.

Two hours passed quietly, and many of them realized that if they were to nitpick, they could find fault—no one's performance could withstand such scrutiny—but it was indeed unnecessary.

You can say that the text of "Marriage Story" is too traditional and unoriginal, the directing style is not innovative, the story pace is too slow, and the expression is so restrained that it is almost entirely hidden behind the scenes, but you really can't lie and say that the actors' performances are bad.

This is why "Marriage Story" only won the acting award, but not the directing award, the jury prize, or the Palme d'Or.

The Cannes jury members aren't blind.

Liu Yifei has truly transformed. Her performance in "Marriage Story" is, as Kate said, sincere, precise, and restrained—the highest level of acting.

The entire film "Marriage Story" contains no crying, shouting, or fighting, which places higher demands on the actors' performances.

But to be honest, this type of performance has a certain threshold for appreciation. Viewers who don't understand it will still feel that Liu Yifei still has no expression.

Modern audiences prefer dramatic outbursts in plays, believing that crying and screaming scenes best showcase acting skills. This has even led to the invention of new terms like "cosmetic surgery-like acting" and "reincarnation-like acting."

After the screening of "Marriage Story," the creators returned to the stage for the usual post-screening Q&A.

(End of this chapter)