Huayu: From charlatan to great entertainer

Chapter 600: Principal Lu's Reform of Chinese Cinema – He is Writing History!

People working in the film industry in China may have a kind of "fateful" connection with the Jimen Bridge landmark and its traffic congestion.

This interchange, which spans the North Third Ring Road, is the only way to reach the heart of Chinese cinema.

Located in its northeast corner is the Beiping Film Academy, which nurtured five generations of filmmakers, where the seeds of the world's seventh art sprouted.

The Xiaoxitian area, located more than two kilometers to the east, is where the true power wings of the industry reside:
China Film Group, representing the official will and the lifeline of the industry, and CCTV-6, the movie channel with the largest broadcasting platform in the country.

These two are at the same level and are both under the jurisdiction of the State Administration of Radio and Television. However, after 2018, due to the increasing importance of the economic and social value of the film industry, the management responsibilities for film were transferred to the Film Bureau under the Publicity Department during the institutional reform.

In addition, there are a number of important film and television companies gathered around them, making Xiaoxitian and Jimen Bridge together the most influential "film industry belt" along the North Third Ring Road.

The staff members travel daily between the academic hub of Beijing Film Academy and the media center of the film channel, engaging in industry discussions, project negotiations, and information exchange. Their work is very busy.

Before 8 a.m. on September 9, 2010, the bridge’s “heartbeat” was on the verge of stopping due to overload. The traffic flow from Xitucheng Road was no longer a commuter tide, but a spectacle of a carefully choreographed industry event forced to be compressed on a limited road surface.

TV broadcast vans with license plates from various regions, limousines with black embassy license plates, and countless vehicles carrying excited students and industry leaders turned the road into a noisy parallel world.

The impatient blaring of horns, the increasingly urgent whistles of traffic police, and the questions peeked out by drivers all blended together, filling the air with the unique anxiety and anticipation of this big day.

Its target was the Beiping Film Academy, a small area in the northeast corner of Jimen Bridge.

As the highest institution of film education in China, it is not only a sacred place in the hearts of thousands of students who dream of working on the silver screen, but also, after the "Pan-Asian Film Academy" project led by Lu Kuan was launched, it has become a core node for the convergence of Asian film talents and resources.

The gathering of numerous industry giants and international guests today elevates this ceremony far beyond the scope of a mere academic event, transforming it into a major industry event that resonates throughout the Asian film and television industry.

The usually quiet campus has transformed into a grand, meticulously functioning stage, with a huge red banner with white lettering fluttering in the wind above the school gate:

"Warmly celebrate the opening ceremony of the 2010 class of Beiping Film Academy and the graduation ceremony of the first class of students of Pan-Asia Film Academy."

Along the fences on both sides, welcome flags in Chinese, English, Korean, and Japanese are hung every few meters, silently proclaiming the international status of this event.

Security personnel in uniform formed several human walls inside and outside the school gate, meticulously checking every entry pass. Reporters with cameras and microphones had already secured advantageous positions, and flashes of light shone through the school gate, capturing every well-known face entering the campus.

Along both sides of the main road on campus, carefully arranged exhibition panels and corridors, rich in pictures and text, showcase the glorious history of Beijing Film Academy over the past sixty years, as well as the remarkable achievements of the Pan-Asia Film Academy in just four years since its establishment in 2006.

As the cradle and core of cultivating mature directors in a market-oriented, commercial, and industrialized manner, it is precisely the huge posters and representative works of the six first graduates who are now internationally renowned.

A number of people stopped to admire the poster of Na Hong-jin (South Korea), which featured a classic scene from his representative work, "The Yellow Sea," accompanied by a brief description of his achievements.

"The first cohort of Pan-Asian Film Academy graduates reconstructed the paradigm of Korean crime films with genre narratives and extreme violent aesthetics. Their works, such as *The Chaser* (2008) and *The Yellow Sea* (2010), infused local social issues into a precise Hollywood three-act structure, achieving a perfect balance between art and box office success, becoming new benchmarks for Asian crime films. The Pan-Asian system has yielded remarkable results in honing their skills in industrialized production processes and high-intensity genre narrative rhythms."

Not far away, the display board for Ryusuke Hamaguchi (Nihon) exudes a different atmosphere, with a still from his work "Intimacy" in the background, and the text emphasizing:
"The first cohort of Pan-Asian Film Academy students systematically studied classic Hollywood narrative structures and independent film production models during their time at the academy. Their works are characterized by ingenious script structures, delicate character portrayals, and profound explorations of modern interpersonal relationships, demonstrating a powerful ability to combine auteur expression with clear narrative logic, and providing a new paradigm for the commercialization of Asian art films."

Gareth Edwards's panel from the UK is visually striking, showcasing the stunning images from his 2010 work, "The Monster."

The description reads: "A Pan-Asia cohort of students, a successful example of an independent filmmaker transitioning from low-budget special effects to a mature director. His graduation feature film, 'Monster,' created a highly immersive and grand spectacle with an unprecedentedly low budget using digital special effects, perfectly embodying Pan-Asia's innovative production philosophy of 'high concept, high efficiency,' laying a solid foundation for him to handle larger productions in the future."

Among the foreign director students, the one who lingered the most was Neill Blomkamp, ​​who received an Oscar nomination last year for "District 9". A bunch of Beijing Film Academy students and guests took photos in front of his booth.

The short review states: "A member of the first cohort of Pan-Asia Film Academy graduates, an innovator combining the pseudo-documentary style with the science fiction genre. His graduation feature film, District 9, with its innovative cinematic language, profound social metaphors, and highly impactful visual effects, stunned the global film industry upon its release, earning an Oscar nomination for Best Picture. It has become a model case of Pan-Asia's teaching philosophy of 'mastering commercial genre films with a unique auteur perspective to maximize creativity and cost-effectiveness.'"

Just two steps further on, you'll find the introductions of the two Chinese trainees, which is naturally the most congested area.

Lu Yang (China)'s exhibition board exudes the vigor of a new wave of martial arts films, with classic stills from his 2009 film "Brotherhood of Blades" as the background.

The text describes the student as follows: "A graduate of the first cohort of the Pan-Asian Film Academy, majoring in directing at the Beiping Film Academy. During his time at the Pan-Asian Film Academy, he systematically integrated the narrative rhythm of Hollywood genre films with the aesthetic core of Eastern martial arts."

His graduation feature film, *Brotherhood of Blades*, released in 2009, reshaped the aesthetic paradigm of Chinese martial arts films in the new millennium with its sharp and realistic action design, meticulous dramatic structure, and vivid ensemble cast. It achieved both box office and critical success, becoming a successful example of the academy's teaching philosophy of 'modernizing classic genres.'

Next up is Cyber ​​Daji, but the crowd that stopped to watch and take photos suddenly stirred up a little.

"Hey! Look, isn't that Liu Xing and Xia Xue?" A parent accompanying their child to school exclaimed, pointing to a young couple in front of Guo Fan's display board.

"Who is it?" His companion next to him didn't react for a moment.

"Those two kids from 'Home with Kids,' Xia Donghai! Liu Xing and Xia Xue!" The parent exclaimed excitedly, as if they had discovered a treasure.

Aside from the guests and reporters present, the only other people on the Beijing Film Academy campus today were probably the parents of the 2010 freshmen who brought their children to study.

The main reason is that this group is small and will not affect the overall order.
In 2010, the Beijing Film Academy received 13668 applications across all its programs, but only 453 were actually admitted, resulting in an overall admission ratio of approximately 30 to 1, highlighting the intense competition.

The largest group consisted of 80 students from the Performing Arts Department, while the smallest group was 12 students from the Directing Department.

It is worth mentioning that among these 453 enrollment slots, 14 are specifically designated for Inner Mongolia. Na Qian, who was recently embroiled in a scandal and marketed as the "chosen Mulan," entered the Shanghai Theatre Academy through this route in 08.

In 2010, students who could get into the Beijing Film Academy were all from prestigious backgrounds, but most of them were in majors with large enrollments and "easy to get into," such as the acting department and management department. Some ordinary parents were quite excited to see celebrities.

In particular, these two child stars, who gained popularity among middle-aged and elderly people due to the 2005 sitcom "Home with Kids", are also very popular.

The parents' quiet exclamations drew the attention of several people, whose gazes turned to the two young figures who were talking in hushed tones in front of Guo Fan's display board. They were Zhang Yishan and Yang Zi.

Today was their first day of registration as freshmen of the 2010 acting class. The two of them arrived at the school early, hoping to take a stroll around the campus and take some photos, especially hoping to get a front-row seat in the student area during the opening ceremony and become acquainted with the famous director who was attending today...

They didn't even dare to get involved with Lu Kuan himself, but in addition to the spirited first cohort of the Pan-Asian Film Academy students shown on the aforementioned display board, there were also renowned Asian and world-famous directors such as Stephen Chow, Park Chan-wook, Christopher Nolan, and Luc Besson, who were also the academy's instructors.

Yang Zi doesn't seem to be used to being the center of attention yet. After all, she faded from the public eye after her last drama, "Home," in 07. She nudged Zhang Yishan with her elbow and said, "Hurry up and take the picture, then leave."

"What's the rush!" Zhang Yishan said smugly. "With so many reporters today, if we show ourselves up a bit, we might get a photo with a big director and even post something on Weibo, right?"

Yang Zi couldn't do anything about it, so she could only smile sweetly and pose for selfies, then point at his phone in surprise: "Why did you switch to HarmonyOS? Where's your latest iPhone 4?"

"Hey! You don't understand, this is where details determine success or failure!" Zhang Yishan covered his mouth mysteriously and lowered his voice, "Today is Beijing Film Academy's home turf, and also Asia Film Studio's home turf, so it's Boss Lu's home turf, we definitely have to use HarmonyOS!"

"I did act in 'Shoplifters' back in the day, so I'm practically a 'protégé,' aren't I?"

He didn't finish his sentence. This phone, the first product from the joint venture between Huawei and HarmonyOS to be equipped with the Android system, was indeed not very user-friendly. It was the first generation of products launched after barely absorbing the technology of the original Lenovo LePhone, and could be considered a trial product.

Or perhaps Yang Zi doesn't even recognize the model number?

However, not recognizing the model number is one thing, but failing to understand Zhang Yishan's subtext is another.

"You might as well tattoo the name of that famous director on your forehead, what a jerk!" she scoffed, then looked puzzled. "But what does HarmonyOS have to do with Director Lu and Wenjie? Why are you trying to curry favor with them by associating yourself with HarmonyOS?"

"That's why I always say you girls are all talk and no action. Do you even know who the head of HarmonyOS is?"

When Zhang Yishan talks about this topic, he has to avoid people. He and Yang Zi step aside to introduce Lu Yang and go see the last "bottom-of-the-barrel" Guo Fan.

"Who?"

"So Zhuang Xu from Weibo? He's Director Lu's best friend. I heard he has shares in Wenjie. Who do you think he is?!"

Yang Zi, who is not very new to the entertainment industry, looked surprised and quickly went off-topic: "I know Zhuang Xu! He's Su Chang's boyfriend! He seems really upright and steady."

She glanced at the "skinny monkey" in front of her with ill intent. "You and he are such opposites. His face looks like that of a high-ranking official, just like Director Lu's face looks like that of an artist. Your face..."

"how do I?"

"It's obvious he's been smoking."

Zhang Yishan grinned and said, "I haven't even mentioned your face yet. It looks like you need to go to South Korea for further cosmetic surgery!"

"Look at Liu Yifei's face again, she looks like a fairy descended from heaven!"

"Get out!" Yang Zi shouted angrily, but involuntarily touched her chin and jawline, realizing that a casual remark from a friend had touched a nerve.

Speaking of which, Xiao Liu is only four or five years older than their generation of post-90s, but in the hearts of Yang Zi and others, they always feel that she is already a "senior" who has been popular for more than ten years.

And for her, it was time to start planning for the future.

In her previous life, before the time traveler, Yang Zi signed with Huayi Brothers in 2010 and subsequently starred in family dramas such as "Happiness Knocks on the Door," medical dramas such as "The Heart Surgeon," and war dramas such as "Battle of Changsha," transforming from a child star into an adult actress.

In this life, companies have also extended offers to her, but the matter remains unresolved for the time being.

Zhang Yishan didn't care what she was thinking. He gesticulated excitedly and said, "Hey! So you're saying that if there's a chance for a photo later, I'll go up to Director Lu, snap a picture, and pull out my phone like this!"

"Director Lu, I've been a HarmonyOS fan for twenty years! Tell me! Tell me! The effect... wow!"

Yang Zi was in a bad mood and said sarcastically, "You're as cunning as a monkey. No wonder you're urging us freshmen to stop using QQ groups and use WeChat groups for our class groups instead."

"Foolish! How can you survive in the entertainment industry looking like that, Yang Zi?" Zhang Yishan looked at her incredulously, exaggeratingly gesturing around to show her, "Where is this?"

"This is the Beijing Film Academy!"

"Do you know how much 'Ball Flash' grossed yesterday?" He held up two fingers: "Just 200 million short! There's still a month left! Just 200 million short of breaking 'Avatar's' domestic box office record, I think it's a sure thing!"

"You, who want to make it in the Chinese entertainment and film industry, aren't you thinking about how to get on Boss Lu's good side? Are you alright?"

"Besides, WeChat's group functions are far ahead of Tencent's. QQ only launched voice messaging last week. Just wait and see, they'll copy us soon!"

Although Zhang Yishan has had no further contact with the entertainment industry since "Shoplifters," this film truly changed the trajectory of his life. In addition to "Home with Kids," he has participated in many other films and television series in recent years, becoming much more famous than Yang Zi.

The two chatted and joked as they walked to the memorial tablet of Cyber ​​Daji... no, to Guo Fan's booth, intending to take a look at the comments that were supposedly written for them by Principal Lu Kuan, but they were quickly dumbfounded.

Everyone else has such and such a resume. The most impressive one, Neil's "District 9," even got an Oscar nomination. How come Guo Fan has quite a lot of movies listed, but not a single one is his own?

More and more students from the Beijing Film Academy gathered around. They didn't react much when they saw Yang Zi and Zhang Yishan, because there were just too many celebrities in the school, and these two were just minor celebrities.

As far as the eye can see, Guo Fan's display board is more like a legendary resume of "cross-border success", cleverly integrating the logos of projects such as "Iron Man", "Avatar" and "Ball Lightning" together, which is visually very impactful.

The introduction emphasizes his unique path: "A member of the first cohort of Pan-Asia Film Academy students, with a legal background, crossed over into film and demonstrated amazing learning and adaptability. As a key candidate for the academy's 'product manager-type' director training program, he went deep into the Iron Man crew to study Hollywood's industrial processes, completed an in-depth internship of more than three months before the release of Avatar, and previously participated in the entire production of the epic series 'The Sky of History' as the assistant producer."

Ultimately, in his core post-graduation project—the sci-fi epic *Ball Lightning*—he was deeply involved in several key aspects, from pre-production planning to on-set management, integrating the industrialization concepts he learned at Pan-Asia Film Studio with his practical experience. He became a crucial practitioner and promoter in the industrialization of Chinese cinema.

This looks so familiar. It seems like something a useless college student would write on their resume:
He has participated in many social practice activities, won the title of outstanding student leader at school, and served as dormitory head, captain of the law school football team, and other positions. He also conducted business negotiations with several Fortune 500 companies as an officer of the external relations department of the student union.

To today's Beijing Film Academy students, Guo Fan is just that kind of jerk...

This statement isn't entirely wrong, after all, Guo Fan in his previous life only enrolled in the Beijing Film Academy for graduate studies last year, so he wasn't that much different from freshmen like Yang Zi and Zhang Yishan.

"It's a bit shabby," Zhang Yishan sighed, puzzled as to why, despite participating in so many of Lu Kuan's films, he had never had the opportunity to put his skills to use.
If he's truly a talented person, then this long period of unfulfilled potential, like being pregnant, is far too long.
If he were truly useless, he wouldn't have stayed in the Quest Realm for so long, unable to understand anything.

"What's so shabby about it?" Now it was Yang Zi's turn to lecture him: "How can you survive in the entertainment industry and the film industry like this? Directors who have accumulated experience and talent are the kind of people we acting students can aspire to. You try being the other kind?"

Everyone knows each other well; his family has some influence, but to say they can become a director of Boss Lu's caliber is just a pipe dream.

Zhang Yishan was lucky. He auditioned because of his god-aunt Han Hong, who got the song "Dawn" to be used as the theme song for "Shoplifters".

Seven years have passed in the blink of an eye.

"Excuse me, are you also freshmen in the Performing Arts Department?"

A slightly shy but tall boy tentatively approached, interrupting Zhang Yishan and Yang Zi's hushed conversation.

The latter glanced back and saw a sunny-looking young man, and felt a sense of goodwill towards him: "Yes, are you also from Beijing Film Academy?"

Zhang Yishan glanced at the girl with a playful expression, then smiled at the boy and said, "We're all from the 10th cohort. Who are you?"

"Oh! Oh! My name is Li Xian, I'm also from the 10th cohort, we should be in the same group..."

The man, who called himself Li Xian, hurriedly took out his phone and tapped on a green icon: "Look, is this the WeChat group? I've joined it, it's just that the name is kind of funny, hehe."

Yang Zi chuckled, giving Zhang Yishan a teasing look. He was the class monitor and also the nominal administrator of the group chat, which he had renamed:
"Closely united under the leadership of Principal Zhang, Principal Lu, and Director Wang, Class of 10."

Principal Zhang is Zhang Huijun, Principal Lu is Lu Kuan, and Director Wang is Liu Yifei's former class teacher and now the director of the Performance Department of Beijing Film Academy, Wang Jingsong.

However, due to the large number of students in the 2010 cohort, the class will be divided into smaller classes. The teaching management will still be based on the department, with Wang Jingsong serving as the head instructor to oversee the process.

"Hey kid, are you trying to accuse me of sucking up?" Zhang Yishan said without any hesitation. "I'm doing this for the benefit of our classmates, you know?"

He resorted to his old trick again, simulating a scenario: "Think about it! Later, we'll ask Teacher Wang to do us a favor and have Director Lu and the Fairy take a group photo with us—"

"I just turned this HarmonyOS phone on and exclaimed! Hey!"

"And then it just slipped out on WeChat without my noticing, oh dear!"

Li Xian grinned, showing off his bright white teeth: "And then the group name was accidentally seen, right?"

"That's right! You've got some talent, kid. Stick with me from now on!" Zhang Yishan said smugly. "You're definitely better than Yang Zi. An actor has to be expressive and have something in their eyes!"

"Who wouldn't want to be in a blockbuster movie? Right?"

Zhang Yishan, a local from Beiping, couldn't stop chatting, but Li Xian couldn't help but sigh, "Who says otherwise? I dream of acting in a movie or TV series with the fairy sister, or even just having a cameo role without any lines in 'The Book of Peace'..."

"That Qin soldier who was scared off by her in yesterday's episode was pretty good. If I could act in a scene with her and have a direct shot, and say a word to her... haha!"

Li Xian couldn't help but smile, while Yang Zi, who had just been enjoying his attention, suddenly became annoyed.

You pervert, dreaming of eating farts? You're not even worthy to smell the farts of a celestial being!

Of course, if it's something a gentleman desires, then it's not entirely unacceptable...

(The picture below shows Yang Zi on the left watching Li Xian and Zhang Yishan on the right playing basketball.)

Today on the Beijing Film Academy campus, in addition to the three freshmen like them, there was also a group of returning students. Most of them took advantage of the upcoming 60th anniversary celebration of the Beijing Film Academy to join in the fun or to get acquainted with the campus, as they had a chance to get close to so many famous directors.

Even if there's just one opportunity during the event to ask Mr. Lu a question, you could openly and confidently introduce yourself at the beginning:

"Hello Director Lu! I'm a huge fan of yours, I've seen every single one of your movies! I'm from the 10 class of the Performance Department at Beijing Film Academy..."

How wonderful!
From God's perspective, at this moment, many familiar faces from the previous generation of the Chinese entertainment industry are slowly lining up to enter the school:

Yao Chen, Huang Xiaolei, and Du Chun from the class of '99;
Jiao Junyan and Yuan Shanshan, classmates of Da Mimi from the class of 05;

Zhu Yilong, Peng Guanying, Zhai Tianlin, and Gao Ye, who were in the same class as Jing Tian in 06;
Kan Qingzi, a student from the class of 07, and her roommate Shuangzi, among others, recently connected with Hunan TV, but she doesn't have any suitable projects yet, nor has she confirmed signing with Tianyu Media.

The main reason is that her destined hero has been snatched away by Jing Tian, ​​while the latter continued to maintain her popularity yesterday due to her role as Hua Xian, and is making an attempt to become one of the four little actresses.

Shawn Dou, Chuo Ni, Gan Tingting, and others from the class of 08...

And all the directors in the industry who could find connections to get into the school flocked to the main venue today, the Beijing Film Academy Standard Broadcast.

The hall, which can accommodate nearly a thousand people, was already packed. The air was filled with the scents of perfumes contributed by female stars, actresses, and female students, the smell of heat from the cameras, and a suppressed whisper of excitement.

The stage for the ceremony was set up simply yet solemnly, with the logos of the Beiping Film Academy and the Pan-Asian Film Academy side by side on a dark blue background, and the ceremony theme in both Chinese and English below.

The podium stood alone in the center of the stage, illuminated by a beam of overhead light, awaiting the appearance of the main character.

The first few rows of seats in the audience can be described as a "power map" of the Chinese and even Asian film industry.

The first row, near the center, naturally included Lu Kuan, Beijing Film Academy President Zhang Huijun, other leaders from Beijing Film Academy, and colleagues from the broadcasting, China Film Group, and publicity departments. On the left and right sides were teachers from the Pan-Asia Film Academy, such as Nolan and Stephen Chow, who were there to speak on stage.

These world-class directors, whom we usually only see on the big screen or in news reports about international film festivals, are now chatting casually.

The second group, besides the six graduates of the Pan-Asia Film Academy, includes some honorary alumni of the Beijing Film Academy, such as Liu Yifei, Su Chang, Huang Xiaoming, and Zhao Wei, who is currently pursuing a master's degree with Tian Zhuangzhuang.

Among the older generation are Li Shaohong from the 78 directing class, Zhang Fengyi from the 78 acting class, Liu Xiaoqing from the 73 advanced training class, and so on.

Not everyone could come, mainly because today was just the opening ceremony, not the 60th anniversary celebration. It was more about whoever was in Beiping just showing up to make a gesture, without making excessive invitations.

There was only one person, Xiao Liu, whom Zhang Huijun explicitly required Wang Jingsong to invite to the event. After all, in less than a month, "The Book of Peace" had truly astonished the industry in terms of both quality and popularity.

People aren't particularly surprised by the global marketing of movies, but for a TV series to achieve this level of success, the resources mobilized from production to marketing are truly astonishing.

Liu Yifei is currently at a crucial juncture in her journey from a top-tier domestic actress to a global star, and the Beijing Film Academy has no reason not to capitalize on the popularity of her honorary alumna.

Zhang Huijun was also prepared to handle the matter officially. He would first contact Wang Jingsong, the homeroom teacher who had taken good care of Xiao Liu back then. If that didn't work, he would contact Lu Kuan. In any case, he would kidnap this female student who was filming the second season of "Taiping Shu" if necessary.

At exactly 8:30 a.m., the soft lights in the lobby focused on the center of the stage. However, contrary to usual practice, the host today was not a beautiful woman in an elegant dress, but a disheveled old man who had already dressed up.

Amidst enthusiastic applause, Tian Zhuangzhuang walked to the front of the stage, still maintaining his indifferent demeanor, but it is often the jokes told by people like him that are particularly funny.

"Good morning, everyone, welcome to today's..." The old man stammered before he could finish his sentence, so he simply pulled out a cue card from his pocket without bothering to pretend: "We've arrived at the opening ceremony of the 10 class of Beijing Film Academy, and the graduation ceremony of the 07 class of Pan-Asia Film Academy!"

He then chuckled softly, "Who prepared this for me? There's even English and Japanese. You didn't expect me to speak these languages, did you? Please refer to the subtitles later." The audience burst into laughter.

Tian Zhuangzhuang's face crinkled with laughter: "I told you, I really can't be this host, but they insisted I do it, saying that as the head of the directing department at Beijing Film Academy, I can't shirk my responsibility..."

"No, it's that I can't shirk my duty."

The audience burst into laughter again; that was the power of an honest man telling jokes. His old face was so serious, it was quite amusing.

"After thinking about it myself, I realized that they did have their reasons for asking me to come."

Tian Zhuangzhuang held up two fingers: "First, I have a very close relationship with both principals."

“Principal Zhang was my classmate and roommate back then, and Principal Lu was my student. I can only say ‘student’ because the movies I make are incomprehensible to most people, but you all understand his movies quite well and are willing to pay for them.”

The live broadcast camera focused on Lu Kuan clapping. This opening ceremony, which Zhang Huijun planned to use as a live broadcast to advertise and increase the influence of the Beijing Film Academy, started with an Oscar-worthy talk show.

This comes from an old man who was blacklisted during the golden decade of his life; he was also incredibly frustrated during those years.

Tian Zhuangzhuang's self-deprecating jokes about his own movies, which were incomprehensible to most, were well-received, eliciting continuous applause and laughter from the audience. The old man on stage gestured that he wanted to continue:

"First of all, I have a very close relationship with both of them. Even though some of the things said on stage today were a bit too bold or heavy, no one bothered this old man."

"Secondly, it's very simple. There are many procedures and many leaders today, while I don't talk much."

Tian Zhuangzhuang immediately spoke, this time without needing to look at his cue cards: "First, please let Comrade Zhang Huijun, the principal of the Beiping Film Academy, speak!"

The audience applauded enthusiastically; they seemed to really enjoy the two-minute opening remarks, which didn't waste any time. They hoped that the leaders who followed would also follow suit, otherwise they would have spent the whole morning listening to long-winded speeches.

Amidst lighthearted laughter and applause, Zhang Huijun rose to his feet and exchanged a knowing glance with Tian Zhuangzhuang, who was leaving the stage. His eyes held approval for his old friend's "natural performance."

He walked steadily to the podium and adjusted the microphone:
"Zhuangzhuang is still the same as ever; getting him to say a few more words is harder than filming a few more shots." A knowing laugh rippled through the audience once more.

“However, there is one point I agree with.” Zhang Huijun’s tone turned solemn. “Today’s occasion is indeed of extraordinary significance. Putting the freshmen’s opening ceremony together with the first graduation ceremony of the Pan-Asian Film Academy is not a simple merging of agendas.”

He paused slightly, letting the weight of his words settle.

"It's more like a complete cycle, a symbolic reincarnation. Right here in this courtyard, we welcome the freshest blood, who step into the world of film with the purest dreams; at the same time, we also bid farewell to the first batch of directors who have been systematically tempered, who are about to embark on a journey to the wider world with mature skills and clear aspirations."

"Enrollment and graduation, starting point and journey, converge at this moment. This vividly illustrates the essence of film education and even cultural inheritance: it is not a closed ivory tower, but a constantly evolving open system."

"Beijing Film Academy, as the cornerstone of this system, provides the most fertile ground for Pan Asia; and Pan Asia's exploration and achievements, in turn, nourish Beijing Film Academy, injecting new vitality and international perspective into our traditional teaching philosophy."

At this point, he raised his voice slightly and turned his gaze to the six Pan-Asia graduates in the second row, as well as their principal, Lu Kuan.

"Therefore, although today is the opening ceremony, we all know that the real focus of this event is the graduation ceremony."

He spoke frankly, without the slightest hint of resentment, but rather with a sense of pride.

"Why?" he asked himself, his gaze sweeping over all the audience members as if he were giving a profound academic presentation.

"Because 'starting school' means sowing hope, while 'graduation' means reaping the rewards and demonstrating the value of our education to society. In just four years, the Pan-Asia Film Academy has delivered a report card that Chinese film education can be proud of."

"Its success lies not only in the fact that it has cultivated several outstanding young directors, but also in the fact that it has validated a path—a new path for film talent cultivation that combines the essence of Eastern aesthetics with a global perspective and the expression of the author with industrialized production."

"This proves that Chinese filmmakers are fully capable of establishing a high-end film education system that is internationally competitive while being deeply rooted in their own cultural soil. This is the core value of today's ceremony that is most worthy of celebration and needs to be seen."

Zhang Huijun paused, then summarized his less than five-minute speech, putting into practice what he had just said:

Today's protagonist is the Pan-Asia Film Academy, and Lu Kuan, who brought honor back to Beijing Film Academy. This kind of display of teaching achievements adds more value to Beijing Film Academy than an ordinary opening ceremony.

"Finally, I would like to formally announce some good news to everyone."

He looked at Mr. Lu in the first row, and learned the information he had just obtained from him: "As of September 8, 2010, which is yesterday, the mainland box office of 'Ball Lightning,' directed by Lu Kuan, an honorary alumnus of our Beijing Film Academy, has officially exceeded 16 billion RMB!"

Before the audience could erupt in uproar, especially Zhang Yishan, who had just boasted to Yang Zi about the 15 billion figure, and start clapping and jeering, Zhang Huijun continued to wear a pleased expression:
"With less than 200 million RMB remaining to reach the 17.79 billion RMB box office record set by 'Avatar' in mainland China at the beginning of the year, students, teachers, respected leaders and guests, let's look forward to it together!"

"Next, please welcome Comrade Lu Kuan to the stage to speak!"

As soon as Principal Zhang Huijun finished speaking, a moment of silence fell over the hall, as if everyone was processing the impact of this number. Then, applause, exclamations, and whistles erupted like a tsunami, instantly engulfing the entire venue.

Lu Kuan, the main character promoted by Beijing Film Academy and Zhang Huijun, also calmly took the stage.

Instantly, the interview area was bombarded with cameras and microphones, and many people were also trying to capture the expressions of Liu Yifei and others in the audience.

Especially today, since Liu has become Gucci's global ambassador, she can no longer dress like a "female mourner." Her ladylike suit is very eye-catching. Reporters are ready to capture her looking at her husband with a radiant expression. This kind of news is very likely to attract clicks and replies from fans.

Those who ship couples will come in, and those who want to kill off random fans will come even faster; it's practically the code to traffic.

"Hello everyone, I'd like to start by addressing Principal Zhang's 'unwarranted praise'—"

"It's quite unexpected that 'Ball Flash' has come this far thanks to the support of movie fans. Actually, we only worked on the key for two months, thinking that it would naturally be taken off the screens soon, without doing any delays or marketing."

"But it has not only come this far, but it is also one step away from recovering its lost ground, and the decline in box office revenue is not very obvious. After completing the super long screening period of three months, it seems that the market has also made its choice."

"As the director, I am truly honored and very grateful for the support of my fans!"

Mr. Lu bowed slightly on stage, then changed the subject: "But Principal Zhang just gave me face by only talking about the mainland box office measured in RMB, and not comparing it to the global box office measured in USD, because from this perspective, we are still far behind Avatar."

He joked, "Maybe it's because my wife has been a bit hot-tempered lately, and Principal Zhang is thinking of trying to appease the young people so that Xiao Liu can participate in more activities at the Beijing Film Academy?"

The camera panned to Liu Yifei and Zhang Huijun, the latter smiling, clapping, and nodding in agreement with his guess.

"Getting back to the point." He casually picked up a string of numbers: "Avatar's global box office is close to $28 billion, while ours is only $13 billion so far. Moreover, most of the European and American markets have already finished showing. This gap is real and impossible to catch up with."

"But what we can catch up with are attempts like 'Ball Flash' and 'The Book of Peace,' which take the cultural connotations of our own nation as the core and utilize industrialized film and television production. This is the case in China, Japan, and South Korea."

Boss Lu's gaze swept over the six students in the second row below the stage, his tone calm and resolute:
"We have discussed the specific elements of film industrialization, such as standardized production processes, replicable genre film creation paradigms, and collaborative management of the entire industry chain, many times, so I will not go into details here. Today, I want to focus on the most crucial variable on the road to industrialization: the director."

"A healthy industry system not only needs top-notch authors, but also a core group of people who can accurately grasp genres, understand the market, and have product manager thinking. This is precisely the original intention of us in founding the Pan-Asian Film Academy."

He gestured to the large screen behind him, displaying the exhibition board that Yang Zi and others had seen on the Beijing Film Academy campus. "We are honored to see that the first six students have proven the feasibility of this path with their works. They are not repeating themselves, but rather, supported by the industrial system, they have maximized their individual creative qualities—"

“Na Hong-jin’s sharp narrative, Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s script precision, Blomkamp’s visual innovation… together they outline the diverse face of the film industry.”

“Looking back at the East Asian film scene in 2010,” Lu Kuan said, shifting his focus to deeper issues. “Japanese films faced the dual pressures of a shrinking market and restrained creative output; South Korean films, while having mature genres, still had a relatively singular industrial system and relied excessively on the domestic market; while Chinese films, while rapidly expanding in market size, were plagued by a talent gap and a lack of industrial standards.”

"Pan-Asia's experience shows that breaking down geographical limitations, promoting joint talent development and resource sharing, and allowing creators to hone their skills in industrial processes and innovate within genre frameworks are the most effective ways for us to address common challenges."

"The achievements of these six trainees not only belong to them personally, but also signify that we are on the right track: a path that allows Asian films to truly integrate into the global industry landscape and make their own strong voice heard."

After a brief summary, Lu Kuan successively released several major announcements:
"After these four years of development, I would like to share some reforms and measures for the future development of the Pan-Asian Film Academy, including my own work arrangements."

Everyone in the audience except Liu Yifei held their breath, because for many people there, this was an opportunity to change their fate.

After all, the college's second round of admissions has been delayed for so long, which must be related to the matters to be announced today.

"Our second cohort of Asian Film Academy admissions is about to begin. There won't be much difference in the academic system, but there will be slight adjustments to the faculty lineup. We will also be adding an animation film major, and the academy will be collaborating with Pixar, a subsidiary of Disney. We welcome interested animation film directors to apply."

"In addition, I will be conferring tassels on six graduates later as the principal. One of them has not yet submitted his graduation project."

"Perhaps everyone outside has noticed, it's Guo Fan," Boss Lu laughed. "This also led him to rack his brains the night before last when he was writing his own evaluation, not knowing how to make himself look good, so he wrote a resume at the level of a third-rate college student."

"Hahaha!" The audience burst into laughter, but Cyber ​​Daji was not worried but happy. He naturally knew what was going to happen next, and this was also a way for the big boss to promote himself.

Because of the film that is about to be approved.

Lu Kuan laughed and said, "I must explain for him. It's not that Guo Fan is not good, nor that the students are mistreating him, but that I personally asked him to devote more time and energy to polishing a wonderful film."

He paused and then smiled, “Many media outlets and newspapers are now saying that this year is the first year of Chinese science fiction films, not only because of the industrial revolution brought about by Avatar, but also because of the tireless pursuit of films like Ball Flash.”

"In response to the call of the national Film Promotion Law, Wenjie has decided to further accelerate the pace of its pursuit of the film industry. We will simultaneously launch two science fiction films in 2010, with a total investment of over 6 million RMB, namely..."

Before he could even announce the specific film project, the audience erupted in an uproar.

"These are Ning Hao's adaptation of Liu Cixin's work, 'The Rural Teacher,' and Guo Fan's 'The Wandering Earth.'"

"Clap clap clap!" A few sudden claps sparked a wave of applause, and the Cyber ​​Daji at the head even stood up, her face filled with reverence, gratitude, and excitement.

"It doesn't look like acting at all, this guy is amazing!" Zhang Yishan whispered to Yang Zi from below the stage. The latter was already stunned. 6 million! Even if you average it out, "The Wandering Earth" would have made 3 or 4 million, right?
Ning Hao's films are usually handled internally by Wenjie and Wuyue, but outsiders might have a chance to see "The Wandering Earth." To be honest, she had actually seen it because of "Ball Flash," which had a character named Han Duoduo in it...

Other actresses from the Beijing Film Academy present shared the same sentiment, except for Liu Yifei.

After the applause subsided a bit, Mr. Lu continued, "I was just mentioning my work arrangements. In the next six months or so, in addition to preparing the script for the new film, I will also be taking on more teaching duties at Asia Film Studio."

In the art world, it is common for industry giants to return to academia, especially for masters.

Martin Scorsese's decades-long teaching career at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts has profoundly influenced generations of filmmakers, including Spike Lee and Oliver Stone. Through teaching and learning, Scorsese has also continuously refined and elevated his auteur aesthetics and production system.

Similarly, Ang Lee's guest lectures at New York University and Francis Ford Coppola's guest lectures at UCLA were not simply "homecomings."

But the seemingly unstoppable discussions and clamor erupting from the audience were even more frenzied than the earlier news of Asia Film Studios adding an animation film project, the first year of Chinese science fiction films, and the two latest film projects being approved for the "Questioning the World" project!
Especially the directors in the audience who were preparing to apply for this year's Pan-Asian Film Academy; their eyes looked like they could eat you alive!
This point is infinitely more important than anything I've said before!

This also includes Xin Yukun, a 2009 graduate of the Beijing Film Academy's photography training program;

Graduates of the Directing Department of Beijing Film Academy applied for the Olympics in 2005;
Zhang Mo, who had already discussed with her father Zhang Yimou, decided to apply to NYU's directing program in 2009.
There is another one who has already asked her father for help but to no avail: Han Jianu, a master's student in directing at the Beijing Film Academy in 2010.

Xiao Han decided to nag his father again, saying that even if he couldn't get into Asia Film Studio, it would be good to be able to hang out with Boss Lu!

She glanced at Guo Fan, who had shamelessly stood up and applauded just moments before. If he can do it, so can I! Anyone can flatter someone!

Especially since this person is going to teach in person this time, and even admitted that he will shift his focus to Asia Film Class during this period, this is a real master class!

Even today, although the title of "film master" has not been officially established on Mr. Lu's head globally, there are already quite a few young people who admire him who have long held that view.

Aside from the director and fans of the Beijing Film Academy, the happiest people in the audience were the reporters, though they had no idea there was a bigger fish in the pipeline!
"Okay, those are two little advertisements for our Pan-Asia Film Academy. We once again welcome young directors from all over the world to apply. Please visit our official website for more details."

Boss Lu paused for a moment and took a few steps on the stage.

No wonder no leader spoke today; he had a lot to announce, and each one had a core influence on Chinese and Asian cinema.

"Finally, as the vice chairman of the Beiping Film Festival, I am honored to announce today, entrusted by the leadership, that the Academy and the Beiping Film Festival will officially establish a cooperation, starting with the first Beiping Film Festival in 2011, by sending professional judges to the film festival."

The audience erupted in uproar. What did they mean by "providing professional judges"?
Isn't it the Pan-Asian Film Academy that will "control" the judging criteria of the Beiping Film Festival?

Just as the media had previously touted his dual identity as a "tycoon" and an "academic tycoon," this standard-bearer of mainland cinema is finally going to take action against the domestic film evaluation system!

"Therefore, the Beiping Film Festival will be the most unique film festival in the world—"

"We will set up both competitive and non-competitive sections. The non-competitive section will accept diverse film submissions from all over the world, with no premiere requirements, and will vigorously promote the screening and acquisition of commercial films."

"But the competition section is only for Chinese-language films, and requires an Asian premiere!"

Now it's the reporters' turn to keep making a fuss. Who are they targeting? Need I say more?!
That horse is you!
"We are committed to leveraging the professional expertise of the Pan-Asian Film Academy to establish a fair, transparent evaluation system for Chinese-language films that is grounded in the essence of cinematic art. This system will be based on the film's intrinsic language, industrial production quality, and depth of cultural expression, rather than other non-artistic factors."

He didn't say it directly, but when he said "rather than other non-artistic factors," the audience burst into knowing laughter and applause.

Everyone remembers Chiang Ching-kuo's second attack on Kinmen and Matsu; it seems that a third attack is coming, and it will be an extremely fatal one!
Clearly, the Beiping International Film Festival, which demanded the Asian premiere, is trying to steal business by surpassing the Golden Horse Awards in terms of operations.

As for the prestige of a film festival, it must either be recognized by the director's name, that is, by international big names and the general audience;

Either you can bring benefits to the director, that is, you can successfully sell your film at this film festival. Just by attending and leaving, your value will increase significantly.

If someone else were to say this "boast," the Golden Horse Awards might dismiss it with disdain. But now it's the cultural behemoth of Asia speaking out, the only person in Asia who can rival James Cameron in terms of box office appeal.
Moreover, compared to Cameron, Lu Kuan's capital and resources are on a completely different level, which is what makes Jinma most wary upon hearing this news.

If the Beiping Film Festival were to actually take hold, how would they continue to use the Golden Horse Awards to promote island stars and advocate for positive values ​​to the north? (Chapter 576)
In fact, the Hong Kong Film Awards and the Shanghai Film Festival were also affected, but for the leaders of the Beiping Municipal Government and for higher-level decision-makers, these were not factors that affected their considerations.

This is the capital city! We are enhancing the capital's cultural influence internationally. Can't you tell the difference between the big and small kings?

The news that Boss Lu simply dropped on stage was already quite earth-shattering.

He paused, giving everyone a few seconds to process his words before continuing:
"For more information about the Beiping Film Festival, including the specific dates for 2011, selection criteria, etc., please pay attention to official announcements. Today, I will not divert attention from the main topic, but only talk about matters related to the Pan-Asian Film Academy."

"It is particularly worth mentioning that the Pan-Asian Film Academy will establish an award at the Beiping Film Festival through the Youth Film Foundation, which is fully funded by the Academy. We will invite many young directors present today and from the community to submit their short films. After being shortlisted and awarded, they will be given funding for feature film production and training opportunities."

The reason for setting the competition requirement as a short film is that directors of this type usually don't have many opportunities to make feature films, and the purpose is to support and select materials.

The fact that this award, entirely funded by the industry, was set up at the Beiping Film Festival was simply a way of giving face to the city government and continuing to attract visitors to the newly established film festival, which was only to be expected.

Mr. Lu's calm expression suddenly brightened: "At the same time, I am also honored to inform everyone that this foundation, which is used to support the creative work of young directors, has obtained Ms. Xu Dawen's permission and will be officially and permanently named—"

"Xie Jin Honorary Award"

This is a classic way for the international film industry to express the highest respect, such as the "Godard Honor," which has the same simplicity and solemnity as a lifetime achievement award.

Lu Kuan's voice suddenly lowered, taking on an almost solemn tone, and the entire room fell silent.

"In two days, it will be the second anniversary of the death of director Xie Jin."

He paused slightly, letting the weight of this day press heavily on the hearts of every listener.

“Standing here at this moment, I am filled with boundless gratitude and admiration. Not only me personally, but I believe that the entire Chinese film industry should hold Director Xie Jin in the highest esteem. He not only erected artistic monuments for us with immortal works such as ‘Woman Basketball Player No. 5,’ ‘The Red Detachment of Women,’ ‘Hibiscus Town,’ and ‘The Opium War,’ but he also used his life to interpret what it means to be a filmmaker’s responsibility, integrity, and commitment.”

His gaze swept across the entire room, as if he were having a conversation with every filmmaker.

"Today, we are here to celebrate the global box office success of 'Ball Lightning' and to be proud of the cultural fervor sparked by 'The Book of Peace'. It seems that our generation of filmmakers, with the help of some new technologies and methods, has finally touched the pulse of the world and achieved some insignificant success."

Lu Kuan slowly shook his head, his tone sincere: "But I must say that any scenery we can see today, even if it is just a glimmer of light, is built on the shoulders of predecessors like Director Xie Jin. Every step we take is thanks to the generation of filmmakers he represents, who, in that era of material scarcity and hardship, lit the torch for us with their lives, passion, and artistic ideals, and paved the way for us."

He leaned forward slightly, as if to share a secret he had kept deep in his heart, his voice filled with profound reminiscence:
"After the successful opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, I had a brief conversation with Director Xie. At that time, the whole country was filled with a powerful national passion. Director Xie's voice trembled slightly on the phone as he said to me—"

Lu Kuan repeated the words clearly and deliberately, as if they were still echoing in his ears:

“Every country and every era must shape its own image. If 20th-century Chinese cinema has not left behind a positive image that is accepted by the whole world, then our generation of filmmakers has not fulfilled its responsibility.”

"Regarding this responsibility, for various reasons that I will not go into detail about, Director Xie Jin failed to keep his promise. I hope that our generation can continue to work hard for it in the 21st century."

At this point, Lu Kuan paused for a moment, his gaze becoming even more firm and resolute:
"This sentence is like a lighthouse, and also like a whip. In every late night of racking my brains over technical details for 'Ball Lightning,' and in every heated debate about how to present the aesthetic charm of Chinese culture for 'The Book of Peace,' Director Xie's sentence always lingered in my mind."

"It constantly reminds us that no matter how dazzling the technology, how noisy the market, or how large the industrial system, its core and fundamental mission has never changed—that is, to deeply engrave the soul of our nation and sincerely convey the wisdom and beauty of the East."

"That's why," he raised his voice, full of decisive power, "we have decided, with the utmost sincerity, to permanently name this highest honor, which aims to support the new generation of filmmakers, the 'Xie Jin Honorary Award'."

"This is not just a name, but a promise, a relay of spirit. Our greatest hope in establishing this award is that Director Xie Jin's lofty ideal of 'sculpting a portrait of the nation' and his pure heart, his deep love for his country and people, his ultimate pursuit of film art, and his solemn sense of responsibility to history can transcend time and flow endlessly in the blood of the new generation of Chinese filmmakers, and be passed on from generation to generation."

"May this honor inspire young talents to reach new heights in art, and remind every Chinese filmmaker to stay true to their original aspirations and always keep their lenses focused on the most authentic, profound, and moving life stories on this land."

"Using film, a universal language, to present a three-dimensional, rich, vibrant, and hopeful modern China to all mankind. This may be the best way for us to commemorate director Xie Jin, and it is also the fundamental force for Chinese films to move towards the future."

Lu Kuan's voice echoed in the solemn air, and as the last syllable faded, the entire hall fell into a moment of almost somber silence.
Zhang Huijun, the president of Beijing Film Academy, who was sitting in the center of the first row, stood up slowly without any warning, turned around to face the audience, and solemnly applauded.

The steady, powerful, and unhurried applause rang out clearly in the silent hall, like the first pebble thrown into a calm lake.

In an instant, the leaders and guests in the first row, the honorary alumni and Pan-Asia graduates in the second row, the teachers, students and media reporters in the back row... like dominoes being pushed over, nearly a thousand people in the entire venue stood up in unison!
The applause erupted like a torrent of power that had been building up for too long, instantly breaking through all solemnity and restraint, transforming into a continuous, deafening wave of sound.

This applause is a deep remembrance of Director Xie Jin, a collective pledge to the noble mission of "sculpting a statue for the nation," and a strong response to the blueprint drawn by Lu Kuan.

The flashbulbs went off again, no longer out of curiosity about chasing celebrities, but out of solemnity to record the history of the Chinese film industry.

Pens flew across notebooks in the reporters' area, and more than one veteran reporter wrote sentences like these:
"On September 9, 2010, at the Beiping Film Academy, Lu Kuan completed a pivotal transformation from a market conqueror to an industry leader through a ceremony."

"The four-pronged approach he has taken today—cultivating industrial talent through the 'Pan-Asia' system, reshaping evaluation standards and spiritual beacons through the 'Xie Jin Honor,' vying for industry influence through the 'Beiping Film Festival,' and continuously driving industrial upgrading through major science fiction projects—clearly outlines a systematic path of industrial innovation that transcends personal success."

"He is using his unparalleled financial strength, his already peak creative reputation, his increasingly solid official trust, and his nascent international network to try to fundamentally reconstruct the ecosystem of Chinese films and even the cultural industry."

"Its core is no longer about producing one or two hit shows, but about establishing a modern industrial system that can continuously produce high-quality content and maximize its value."

"More symbolically, today marks the 34th anniversary of the old man's passing. On this special day, Lu Kuan pays tribute to his predecessors by 'sculpting a statue for the nation' and responds to the grand narrative of 'a single spark can start a prairie fire' with systematic construction. This move undoubtedly adds another profound historical metaphor to this already weighty ceremony."

"It is foreseeable that, no matter what lies ahead, September 9, 2010, will become a key watershed moment for Chinese cinema as it attempts to move from 'wild growth' to 'system construction'."

"He is writing the history of Chinese cinema."

(End of this chapter)