Hollywood starts with an agent

Chapter 661 Ignites May
In a suite at the Cape Hotel in Cannes.

Aaron, holding Monica Bellucci, stood by the window admiring the Mediterranean night view. "Did you come here specifically to be a presenter at the closing ceremony of the Cannes Film Festival?"

"Yes, I also met with director Alejandro Amenábar in Italy. The script idea for *The Others* is really good."

"I absolutely love this script!"

Monica Bellucci has finally landed a great drama film.

Aaron smiled, savoring the woman's sexy, full 36D figure. "Spanish directors are very experienced with this kind of suspense and thriller project."

"The Others' release date next year will definitely make Hollywood see you in a new light. Monica Bellucci is more than just sexy and beautiful?"

“Hmm,” Monica Bellucci snuggled closer to the man, “I’m looking forward to it too. I heard the movie is going to be filmed in the UK?”

Aaron nodded. "Good. We just need to find a suitable castle. This will make filming this movie much easier!"

With its simple setting and few actors, The Others only cost $1200 million to make.

"At this year's Cannes Film Festival, the third installment of the Danish director's 'Conscience Trilogy,' *Dancer in the Dark*, is highly anticipated."

"They have a very good chance of winning the Palme d'Or!"

Monica Bellucci pointed out that the Danish director Lars von Trier is a regular at the Cannes Film Festival;

Previously, the first two films in the "Good Trilogy," "Breaking the Waves" and "The Idiot," both won awards at the Cannes Film Festival. This time, it's finally time for the Palme d'Or.

"This guy has indeed gained considerable fame in the European film industry in recent years, and his several works have received a lot of praise."

“It’s just that it’s too artistic,” Aaron said, shaking his head. Lars von Trier is just like Wong Kar-wai in Hong Kong.

New Moon Pictures' "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" also premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, but its reviews were indeed not as high as those for "Dancer in the Dark"!

Monica Bellucci smiled, put her arm around Aaron's neck, and kissed him. "By the way, I met with Sophie Marceau in Paris a couple of days ago; she's about to start filming 'Phantom of the Louvre.'"

"A French commercial film was shot directly in the Louvre."

Aaron stroked the woman's waist. "Looks like there's no way to avoid it after all?"

"What, you don't think it's a good idea?"

"I'm not optimistic. Besides Luc Besson, I really don't know anyone else in France who can produce commercial films."

And what was Luc Besson doing? He was the president of the jury at the 53rd Cannes Film Festival.

"By the way, you came to Europe not just to watch the European Championship next month, right?"

Monica Bellucci certainly didn't think Aaron Anderson would come to Europe for the Cannes Film Festival. The 2000 Belgium/Netherlands European Championship was the 11th edition of the European Football Championship and the first time in history it was co-hosted by two countries!

"Ha, we'll see. I plan to increase some investments in Europe this year," Aaron said, holding a large amount of cash in his hand. He didn't dare to invest heavily in the US because of the Nasdaq bubble.
So, I want to see what's going on in Europe.

“Really?” Monica Bellucci said, then pressed her lips to Aaron's and kissed him passionately…

Meanwhile, French energy and transportation giant Alstom was mired in a severe economic crisis due to mismanagement.
The main reason was the huge losses incurred due to cost overruns and other issues related to the Channel Tunnel project. After Alstom encountered a crisis, it faced acquisition competition from General Electric of the United States and Siemens of Germany, while France called for the protection of domestic companies.

Since the Cannes Film Festival didn't hold much appeal for Aaron, he quickly took Wang Zhuxian and Norika Fujiwara to Saint-Tropez, a French resort town between Cannes and Marseille!

Blue sea, beautiful beach, warm sunshine—in a seaside resort hotel in the Mediterranean town of Saint-Tropez, Wang Zhuxian walked in and saw Aaron sitting on the sofa reading a newspaper. "Aaron, the view from the beach is so beautiful, why are you reading the newspaper in the hotel?"

Norika Fujiwara went shopping nearby, and then went straight back to her hotel.

Aaron smiled and put down the newspaper. "It's nothing. Just look at the current economic news; the Nasdaq index is still falling."

"Internet stocks are becoming increasingly dangerous."

However, what Aaron was just looking at was Siemens' offer to acquire Alstom, a French company, for close to $150 billion;
This is significantly higher than the $130 billion previously offered by General Electric!
Wang Zhuxian, dressed in a bikini and draped in a sheer blouse, looked incredibly sexy and alluring. She sat directly on Aaron's lap, saying, "The economy is indeed not doing well; Hong Kong real estate is also declining."

"The value of your luxury villas in Hong Kong has fallen by more than 20% compared to their peak in 1997."

Aaron stroked the woman's thigh and couldn't help but laugh out loud, "Why don't you mention that the prices of those villas have doubled compared to when I bought them!"

Hong Kong's real estate market has been booming for so many years; no matter how you calculate it, Aaron's properties have been incredibly profitable.

“Yes, that’s true,” Wang Zhuxian kissed Aaron on the cheek. “I can’t stay too long; business in China is getting bigger and bigger.”

"I need to go back as soon as possible. Let Norika Fujiwara stay here with you. You can come find me when you go to Asia."

Media Asia Group has substantial investments in real estate and film in mainland China, and with its foray into the mainland talent agency business, Wang Zhuxian is worried!
"Of course, Haihua Real Estate has also started construction on the twin towers in Beijing, and the Global Shopping Plaza in Shanghai is almost completed. I will definitely go there."

As for the Shanghai World Financial Center, it won't be completed so soon; it's expected to be completed in 2003.

With the Cannes Film Festival coming to a close and the end of May approaching, Hollywood's hot summer movie season continues to gain momentum, with Universal's "Erin Brockovich" surpassing the $100 million mark at the North American box office and beginning its overseas release.

The horror-comedy film Scary Movie, set in the twilight of the year, grossed $1.6 million in North America and a total of $2.8 million worldwide!
Disney's animated feature film "Dinosaur" opened in North America with a gross of $3880 million in its opening weekend and accumulated $8000 million in box office revenue after 10 days of release.
Meanwhile, Paramount's sequel blockbuster "Mission: Impossible 2," which was just released, also grossed $5780 million in its opening weekend.

Of course, the release of Universal's Marvel's adaptation of the superhero film Spider-Man at the beginning of the month is even more unstoppable;

The North American box office reached $3.3 million, and the overseas box office quickly surpassed $2.5 million!
As expected, Hollywood did not disappoint during the summer blockbuster season of the new millennium. The $130 million comic book adaptation *Spider-Man*, the $1.27 million animated feature *Dinosaur*, and the $1.25 million action blockbuster *Mission: Impossible 2* ignited the entire May box office...

(End of this chapter)