Huayu: From charlatan to great entertainer

Chapter 604 Horses Trample Tokyo (Bonus Chapter for Ice Cream)

At 6 a.m. on the 22nd, in Beijing, where autumn was already in full swing, the sky outside the window was still a thick, dark blue, with only a faint hint of pale white showing near the horizon.

The villa area was completely silent, with only the autumn wind rustling through the sparse sycamore branches, reminding people that the season was approaching Frost's Descent.

The master bedroom was warm and cozy, with the underfloor heating silently dispelling the chill of late autumn, and the humidifier emitting faint white mist that filled the room with a sense of peace and tranquility.

The man felt a light touch on his arm and immediately opened his eyes. Through the blur, he saw his wife, Liu Yifei, looking at him sideways with a finger to her lips, making a "shh" gesture.

Her eyes were clear, indicating that she had been awake for a while.

Mr. Lu understood and cautiously turned his head to look at the two little ones in the middle of the big bed who had ruined his parents' plans; they were fast asleep.

My older sister, Youyou, curled up like a kitten, her fair face rosy, her long eyelashes casting soft shadows under her eyelids, a small fist resting loosely on the pillow, her breathing even and long.

The younger brother, Tiedan, lay sprawled out, his little belly rising and falling with his breath, a glistening drool hanging from the corner of his mouth, looking utterly adorable.

The little ones who successfully "occupied" their parents' bed last night are probably still having their bedtime stories playing on repeat in their sweet dreams, completely unaware of the short separation that is about to take place.

The couple exchanged a smile, their eyes filled with affection and a touch of helplessness, and began to carry out their "secret operation" with remarkable tacit understanding:
Lu Kuan slowly pulled his arm away from his daughter's pillow, his movements as gentle as a slow-motion scene in a movie. Liu Yifei was ready to gently pat the child if she showed any signs of waking up.

The entire process was completely silent.

Barefoot on the soft carpet, they entered the dressing room one after another, like stalkers in the dark.

"My goodness, it's like we're doing something thieving." The lady of the house glanced at the two little brats, gently moved the wooden door shut, and then stuck out her tongue in amazement.

"They're such clingy little devils now. If they don't leave now, they'll have to put on a dramatic 'life-or-death' show later. Their acting is even better than yours, their mother."

A one-and-a-half-year-old child is full of separation anxiety. At this moment, the natural acting skills of the twins bidding farewell to their father in tears may be better than many famous actors, because they really don't know if their father will come back.

He'll leave quietly now, and the baby's slight disappointment will be quickly soothed by his mother and grandmother. But if we just watch him leave with his luggage, it might just be like the song "The Mountains and Rivers Grieve" playing in the background.

Lu Kuan smiled as he opened his suitcase and casually took out and folded his clothes. Men generally have much simpler preparations for traveling than female celebrities. It was only a day or two round trip to Tokyo, so his luggage was relatively light.

With a "snap," Boss Lu looked up and saw that his wife didn't reply, but just kept closing the door...

The washing machine instantly became alert, raising an eyebrow at its wife's seductive expression: "What...what are you going to do? I'm a respectable person!"

"The early bird catches the worm." Liu Yifei bit her lower lip. "What am I going to do? I'm going to collect public grain! I'm going to ravage you!"

The young woman's eyes sparkled with a soft smile. Instead of actually lunging at him, she tiptoed and gently hooked her fingertips around the back of Lu Kuan's hand as he folded clothes.

He had just straightened a shirt, and the back of his hand still carried the warmth of the fabric from folding it. When he was touched like this, his fingertips felt as if they were covered in cotton.

While unbuttoning the trousers he had just put on, the washing machine said righteously, "Director Liu, you can't do this! You've only just become a leader and you're already doing this kind of thing... you've become corrupt far too quickly!"

Director Liu smiled contemptuously, her fingertips sliding up the back of his hand, slowly hooking his wrist as if wrapping a soft ribbon around it.

She moved closer to the man from behind, gently pressing against her husband's back through the thin nightgown, tentatively exploring him with a half-hearted touch, before leaning forward and chuckling softly:

"What are you pretending for? Look at you, so ugly! How are you going to get promoted if you don't report to me?"

"what!"

Xiao Liu was suddenly picked up by the man and taken into the inner sanctum of the dressing room, where designer bags and high heels were displayed, and there was a slightly miniature sofa for sitting on while changing shoes.

But though small, it has all the essential parts, and it's enough to satisfy the couple's quick, fast-paced work reports early in the morning.

"The leader is right, the early bird catches the worm, but two words need to be reversed." The washing machine was now standing at attention. "Director Liu, may I report to you now, is this a convenient time?"

Director Liu glanced at his "subordinate," who was ready to be completely honest with him. A blush spread from his swan-like neck to behind his ears. He coughed lightly twice, and his teasing words were soft and sweet:

"Don't go too far, don't try anything fancy, it's just... just a simple breakfast." Director Liu made a few requests, then hurriedly added:

"Hurry up, or you'll end up getting tangled up with the little brat again."

"Stop talking nonsense! Let me teach you how to be a leader!" The washing machine threw his wife onto the soft sofa and bent down to grab her wrist.

A cool breeze carries tidings, and the autumn moon shines without end.

The crisp, clear morning light of late autumn was completely blocked out by the heavy curtains, with only a few stubborn strands of gold quietly sneaking in through the gaps in the curtains.

They were lucky enough to hear the subtle friction of the leather sofa, the soft rustling of the clothes hanger being accidentally bumped, and the deliberately suppressed, indistinct murmurs and soft laughter.
They were also unfortunate, because before they could see the full beauty, they were thrown into disarray by a sudden, suppressed whimper from a kitten.

The hanging clothes hangers gently bumped against each other, as if tapping out a rhythm for this hurried morning symphony. The sunlight that sneaked in moved around in a flustered manner, like the mistress of the house, sometimes illuminating the overlapping shadows on the floor, and sometimes disappearing into the shadows in the corner of the cabinet.

Finally, peace returned.

Leader Liu still failed to get the job done, and instead made the washing machine neither here nor there. He had to do it again before he could finally approve the work report to his subordinates.

Some of the subordinates were even more rebellious and dissatisfied!
The couple sneaked into the bathroom like thieves, not daring to turn the water on too high. After a passionate farewell kiss, they parted ways.

Boss Lu is going on a long trip, and today Xiao Liu is also taking the baby back to Hengdian to continue filming scenes for the second season, which is about to wrap up.

Two hours later, the babies still went through the same routine of looking for their dads, shedding tears, and being coaxed by their moms and grandmas. However, Tiedan was quickly attracted by the delicious breakfast, while Youyou kept her little mouth pursed. It's unclear whether she understood the meaning of "I will see my dad the day after tomorrow".

It wasn't until she was in the study helping her mother write a script that she managed to say with some difficulty, "Mom, the cat..."

"You can't play with the kitten, its fur will get into your nose. How about we go see Grandma's house later?"

Liu Yifei didn't even look up, continuing to slowly advance the scriptwriting for "Reply 1982," a life task that couldn't be entrusted to others.

Suddenly, Youyou reached out and grabbed her pen seriously. Her cute eyebrows and eyes were exactly like her mother's. "Mom, there, a cat."

The young woman looked at the direction her daughter was pointing towards the bedroom and suddenly understood what her eldest daughter meant. She had heard a cat meowing in the room when she was half asleep that morning...

That's actually your mommy's uncontrollable meowing.

The beautiful young woman in front of her blushed bright red, but this was a mystery that even the cleverest girl like Youyou couldn't understand.

Xiao Liu's heart flew away with her husband.

But when the announcements released by Wenjie and China Film Group at 10 a.m. made it known that "Ball Lightning" had officially replaced "Ada" as the highest-grossing film in mainland China, movie fans across the country were thrilled.

The official Weibo account of China Film News quickly released a brief report:
Recently, the sci-fi blockbuster "Ball Lightning," directed by Lu Kuan, officially surpassed 18.2 billion RMB in domestic box office, exceeding the 17.79 billion RMB record held by "Avatar," becoming the new box office champion in mainland China's film history.

This marks a historic leap for Chinese cinema in terms of both market size and top-tier production standards. Industry insiders generally believe that the film's success lies not only in its stunning audiovisual effects, but also in its complete implementation of a modern industrial process from research and development to production and distribution. It provides valuable, replicable experience for the development of subsequent major projects and represents a significant milestone in the exploration of the industrialization of Chinese cinema.

The Arts and Literature Section of the People's Daily:

According to this newspaper, as of October 22, the science fiction film "Ball Lightning," independently produced by Chinese filmmakers, has grossed 18.2 billion yuan in mainland my country, successfully surpassing the previous record holder James Cameron to become the highest-grossing film in Chinese film history.

This achievement is not merely a numerical breakthrough, but also vividly demonstrates the increasing maturity and significant improvement in the overall strength of China's film industry system in recent years, and is a concentrated manifestation of cultural confidence in the film field. Its successful practice provides valuable lessons for promoting the construction of a strong film nation with high quality and exploring creative paths for genre blockbusters with Chinese characteristics.

These two relatively official newspapers clearly anticipated this result, after all, since September, the entire mainland film industry had been paying close attention to the news of the number of films climbing up every day.

They commented from both the macro perspective of the industry and the cultural significance at the national level.

Of course, some media outlets also analyzed the news from another perspective and connected it to the recent "Golden Horse Awards competition".

Global Times Brief: "Ball Flash" tops the box office in mainland China with 18.2 billion yuan; industry analysts say the record in Greater China was affected by the Golden Horse Awards controversy.

The Chinese sci-fi blockbuster "Ball Lightning" achieved a historic milestone, surpassing "Avatar" to become the highest-grossing film in Chinese mainland history with 18.2 billion yuan in box office revenue. However, the official announcement only specified the record in the mainland market and did not mention the overall performance in Greater China.

Industry analysts point out that this phenomenon is directly related to the market uncertainty caused by the recent Golden Horse Awards controversy.

Since the Executive Committee issued its statement on the controversy, some local cinemas have become more conservative in their scheduling and promotion of the film. The related public opinion has also affected the normal pace of market promotion, leading to objective obstacles in integrating box office data from Mainland China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. This situation reflects fluctuations in cultural exchange and may have a real impact on regional market box office statistics and record-keeping.

Undoubtedly, this analysis has sparked a new round of online flame wars.

……

On the evening of the 22nd, the crew of "Ball Flash" and other Chinese film crews met and dined with the delegation from China and other film crews at the hotel where they were staying.

Film festivals both domestically and internationally typically have exchange programs based on either business or culture. For example, the "Hong Kong Night" event, which is held annually in Cannes by Hong Kong's cultural authorities and film industry professionals, aims to promote the influence of Hong Kong cinema, which is gradually waning.

The Tokyo International Film Festival is similar; as one of Asia's most important A-list film festivals, it has always been an important window for Sino-Japanese film exchange.

The “China Film Week” event can be traced back to the 1980s and 1990s. It usually relies on the Tokyo International Film Festival as a platform to showcase the latest developments and achievements of Chinese films to Japanese audiences and industry professionals.

Each film week selects a number of representative works that achieved excellent box office or critical acclaim in China that year for screening, and organizes directors, actors and other key creative personnel to go to Japan to have in-depth exchanges with Japanese audiences, film critics and film distributors.

For example, in the 2010 edition, in addition to films such as "Buddha Mountain" starring Bingbing, "The Piano in a Factory" starring Wang Qianyuan, and "Ball Flash", the Film Bureau also selected films such as "Confucius", "A Chinese Odyssey Part Two: Cinderella", "Brotherhood of Blades" and "Go Lala Go!" to participate in the exhibition.

The official delegation was led by Jiang Ping, who was now having a friendly conversation with Lu Kuan at the restaurant. Jiang Ping was also someone that Wenjie frequently dealt with (Chapter 154).

"Congratulations, Director Lu! You've brought glory to Chinese cinema once again. And it's always Cameron who gets injured, right? Haha!"

Jiang Ping was the deputy director of the Film Bureau and the deputy general manager of China Film Group. He was an arts and culture cadre who came from the Shanghai Theatre Academy and developed in Shanghai. In his previous life, he entered the ranks of deputy director of the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television ahead of Lao Han.

But in this life, because of the existence of this international director in front of him, it should be impossible.

Boss Lu had attended many meetings, big and small, with him, so they were quite familiar with each other: "Thank you, General Manager Jiang, and thank you for the support from the bureau."

"Alright, alright, this isn't a meeting, why are you giving me that bureaucratic talk?" Jiang Ping feigned annoyance: "I'll call you Comrade Xiao Lu, and you can call me Old Jiang, isn't that more friendly?"

"Haha! Okay." Boss Lu laughed and invited him to push open the door to the private room together, chatting and laughing.

When he arrived, everyone in the private room stood up involuntarily, their faces respectful.

The attendees were mostly cultural workers and cadres from the Chinese film delegation, as well as the film crews of the two main competition films, "Buddha Mountain" and "The Piano in a Factory," and the Hong Kong film crew of "All About Love."

Then, watching Bingbing gracefully rise to her feet, he said, "What was President Jiang doing going out? What were you two big leaders plotting outside?"

People of Jiang Ping's caliber naturally know some industry secrets, and they also know the relationship between Bingbing, Wuyue, and this richest man in mainland China. They weren't offended by her joke: "Aren't you panicking about how to get Zhou Xun to push you out of the Best Actress award?"

"President Jiang, why are you blaming me? But Bingbing finds it hard to believe what you're saying!" Zhou Xun, with his carefree demeanor, sat down directly next to Bingbing to show that he was completely open and honest.

Bingbing couldn't possibly believe it either, because she never thought that "Buddha Mountain" could beat "Ball Flash," which was second only to "Avatar" this year.

Even though it's a sci-fi commercial film, the humanistic content wrapped in the sci-fi veneer and Zhou Xun's brilliant performance made it impossible for her to feel any competitive intent.

Boss Lu sat down at the head of the table with Jiang Ping with a natural expression. "This year's Tokyo Olympics is an internal battle between three Chinese-language films. I'll be happy no matter who wins."

He then smiled and nodded to Hong Kong female director Ann Hui, who was also present: "Director Hui's 'All About Love' is also very interesting, and you are welcome to bring your work to the Beiping Film Festival next year."

Although Jiang Ping is not a core member of the organizing committee, he still needs to advocate for the Beijing Film Festival, as this is a core cultural project for next year.

"Yes! Chinese-language films still need a most authoritative award, and evaluation criteria are key to driving industry progress!"

Xu Anhua, understanding the implied meaning, raised his glass: "Most Hong Kong filmmakers are reasonable. The things Apple Daily and Huang Qiusheng and their group said before don't represent us. Director Lu, you should be able to see things clearly." (Chapter 576)
She wasn't a particularly scheming director, but she knew that this person in front of her had a long-standing "discord" with the Hong Kong entertainment circle, both in rumors and in public view, so she had to be cautious.

Lu Kuan knew this well-established Hong Kong female director. Her films reflected local Hong Kong culture and rural thoughts, which were common to that generation of Hong Kong directors.

For example, in her semi-autobiographical novel "Autumn Regret on a Journey", the character played by Zhang Manyu, based on her, returns to Hong Kong from abroad. This generation of Hong Kong people has a vague and alienated concept of history and national sentiment.

The grandparents' longing to return to the mainland, and the experiences of her mother, who is of Japanese descent, upon returning to her hometown, prompted Zhang Manyu, who felt a lack of connection to her homeland and returned from abroad, to re-examine her family relationships.

In her film, the character who plays herself eventually dedicates himself to the Hong Kong television industry, documenting anti-British demonstrations in Hong Kong, which can be seen as a reflection on the colonial issue.

Ann Hui highly praises the 97 documentary about Hong Kong, "The Past is Full of Suffering," believing it to be the best explanation of the sense of belonging felt by her generation of Hong Kong people. The documentary mentions:

Hong Kong is like a very successful prostitute. Whatever anyone wants, she can give them. The most important thing is to give them the opportunity to survive.

She sold her dignity, people left, and all she wanted was a simple and peaceful life.

In terms of appearance, he's not like that yellow beast, but he's not a left-wing filmmaker either.

Lu Kuan smiled and replied to her: "There has always been a lot of discussion about me, especially in a free port like Hong Kong, where there are all sorts of opinions."

“I don’t care what anyone said or said, or even what someone did during this period like the Golden Horse Awards.”

When he took the opportunity to bring up the hottest topic of public opinion recently, everyone, including Jiang Ping, couldn't help but listen attentively.

In Bingbing's eyes, he seemed even more reserved and composed; just sitting there, his demeanor was extraordinary, not to mention what he said—

"But I think that when we make movies and do so-called art, we still need to have a bottom line while being imaginative. This bottom line is known to everyone, so I don't need to say anything more."

Mr. Lu smiled and raised his glass: "President Jiang has limited funds, so this meal is on me. I wish everyone good luck tomorrow!"

"Haha, then I'll gladly accept! It's always a pleasure to eat at a big house!" Jiang Ping chimed in, and everyone echoed his words, making the gathering a joyful occasion for both host and guests.

After dinner, Lu Kuan and Bingbing chatted about Wuyue Plaza and the development of the "My Love from the Star" IP on the way back before parting ways. After returning to the hotel and video chatting with his wife and children for a while, Lu Kuan started working and patiently waited for the film festival to open the next day.

He didn't know if history would repeat itself, so he could only adapt to the situation, including his response to Xu Anhua's overtures at the dinner table and his warning to him.

The 23rd Tokyo International Film Festival officially opened at 2 PM on the 23rd in Roppongi Hills, Minato Ward, Tokyo.

This is the most representative urban complex development project in Tokyo and even the whole of Japan. It is also the headquarters of embassies of other countries and multinational companies such as Rakuten and Yahoo. Today's opening ceremony is being held in the Mori Building, the tallest building in Japan.

If we must draw a comparison, ignoring the stark differences between the two places, Roppongi Hills is comparable to the China World Trade Center in Beijing or the Shanghai World Financial Center in Shanghai. However, Roppongi integrates more functions than either of them and features the famous "vertical garden landscape."

Choosing this location as the main venue highlights the Tokyo International Film Festival's positioning of film as an important part of high-end urban culture and cutting-edge art. However, for first-time visitors to the festival, many aspects of the event felt strangely unsettling.

For example, its green carpet.

Cannes features a red carpet, Venice once had a navy blue carpet, and Tokyo has been using a green carpet for the past three years, making it the main color scheme for one of the most visually appealing and talked-about processes at international film festivals.

The main message being promoted is naturally about universal values ​​such as green and environmental protection, emphasizing the harmonious relationship between film art and nature and sustainable development.

Starting around 1 p.m., the area around the main venue at Roppongi Hills was already bustling with people.

Film fans and media reporters from all over the world crowded both sides of the green carpet, and the flashes of cameras were like a continuous lightning bolt, warming up the atmosphere of this Asian film feast.

Filmmakers from various countries dressed in their finest attire, pausing on the green carpet to take photos and receive brief interviews from the host. The air was filled with the cacophony and excitement of multiple languages.

Among them, the appearance of Boss Lu and the crew of "Ball Flash" quickly attracted attention from all sides.

The promotional buzz surrounding the film crew in Japan seemed to still be going strong, as her "Ladies and Young Women Support Group" arrived at the venue as scheduled. Accompanied by greetings from filmmakers such as Takeshi Kitano, it was as if they had come to their own home turf.

After a routine social gathering, Boss Lu introduced Zhou Xun, Xin Baiqing, Duan Yihong, and others to his friends from the Japanese company, and then waited to prepare for the carpet event.

"What are you thinking about?" Zhou Xun noticed that he seemed a little unhappy today, assuming it was because he might see Huang Jianye at the Golden Horse Awards later and was feeling down.

That's right, the Tokyo International Film Festival has a China Week and a Taiwan Week, both with the same purpose and significance: to promote the exchange of film culture.

This time, the delegation from Taiwan was led by Huang Jianye and others from the Golden Horse Awards. It can be said that they were destined to meet again, since the loss of the "Greater China box office champion" was inseparable from their sabotage behind the scenes.

However, Zhou Xun was wrong this time. The time traveler next to him was thinking that as soon as he saw the program booklet, he would try to figure out if Japan had done something underhanded again.

Just like in my previous life.

As expected, the unexpected still happened.

Before Lu Kuan could answer, the Chinese film crew saw Hong Kong director Ann Hui, who had dined with them the night before, running all the way out from the green carpet. He didn't care about the demeanor and appearance of an art film director at all. As soon as he saw the richest man in mainland China, he went straight for him.

Behind them were Bingbing, who was equally anxious.

Boss Lu looked on with a sense of helplessness, thinking to himself that it was impossible for both lifetimes to be coincidences, and that the Japanese were starting to play dirty tricks again.

Xu Anhua walked up to him, panting. "Director Lu, there's something I need to tell you."

She recalled the jokes and warnings the authority figure had made at the dinner table the previous night, and handed over the program schedule in her hand.

As the opening film, she saw some "unusual" things earlier than the mainland film crew who would later receive the program sheet and promotional brochure upon entering the venue.

"What?" Lu Kuan calmly flipped the book open, and everyone else was also confused, but they understood at a glance—

When introducing the two delegations, the Tokyo International Film Festival referred to the University of Tokyo and "Not Straight" together, and this was also the case in a series of subsequent promotional materials.

"What do they mean by this? Are they inviting us to do this again?" Xin Baiqing, who had sharp eyes, was the first to exclaim in surprise.

Duan Yihong clicked his tongue and said, "The Japanese are starting to play tricks again. Don't forget what happened last year."

Despite her difficulty moving around in high heels, Bingbing rushed over anxiously. She knew the intensity of the Golden Horse Awards competition and understood that it was a very serious matter for all mainland film crews and actors.

Even disregarding national interests, if every film industry professional here, especially mainland actors and directors, were to be exposed afterward for not "struggling" or fighting for their rights under such arrangements and simply let it go without a second thought, they would probably end up in a similar situation to the geese draped in the national flag back then.

With the hype from certain individuals, this kind of thing can be blown out of proportion or made into a minor issue.

Amidst the bustling atmosphere of the Tokyo International Film Festival, this small circle of Chinese filmmakers fell silent, everyone watching Lu Kuan intently, awaiting his decision.

The main participants were three Chinese film crews: *The Piano in a Factory*, *Ball Flash*, and *Buddha Mountain*, as well as Xu Anhua from *All About Love*. But since she chose to come and deliver a message, her stance was quite clear.

"Director Lu, why are you still chatting here? Didn't you finish talking with your colleagues last night?"

Jiang Ping walked over with a smile, leading the crew members of several films from the delegation participating in the exhibition. At this moment, they were still unaware of the seriousness of the problem.

In public, Lu Kuan didn't call him Lao Jiang. He handed over the program booklet and pointed heavily at a certain spot twice. "President Jiang, take a look at this."

"Hmm?" Jiang Ping's gaze swept away as soon as they met. As someone with this constitution, he knew the gravity of the situation and immediately jumped up in anger: "How could they do such a thing? It's absurd! I'm going to contact their film festival staff!"

In fact, this is not the first time that such incidents have occurred in the international community, especially at international film festivals, due to issues with terminology.

The most dramatic example was when Ang Lee's "Lust, Caution" was submitted to the Venice Film Festival. The country of origin of the film was changed three times, and there were constant protests from both sides.

"Let me contact a friend and ask." Lu Kuan took out his phone and called Kitano Takeshi directly. It's always good to have an inside man.

Judging from his posture and expression while exchanging pleasantries with Takeshi Kitano, he seemed unaware of the situation.

Having connections makes things easier. Soon, a typical Japanese white-collar man with a 37-inch haircut arrived. Upon seeing Lu Kuan's displeased expression, he bowed without saying a word.
"Excuse me, Mr. Lu, I am Tanaka from the International Affairs Department of the Film Festival. How may I help you?"

His Chinese was halting but still understandable; judging from the department of international affairs, he should be fluent in various languages.

Jiang Ping was far more excited than Boss Lu, because this matter could very well lead to his immediate dismissal; his fingers practically pierced through the promotional brochure.

"What's going on? What's going on? There is only one China in the world. What did your 1972 Sino-Japanese Joint Statement say?"

It's hard to say whether Lao Jiang was putting on a show, but soon the surrounding reporters swarmed around. This kind of news is the most eye-catching, and they almost wished a fight would break out!

Especially noteworthy is the presence of Lu Kuan, a Chinese director who, from a commercial perspective, is second only to Cameron worldwide this year—these are all extremely eye-catching headlines.

But this is precisely the time when a performance is needed, and righteous indignation is required!
Seeing Tanaka's hesitant expression, Lu Kuan knew that he had been pushed to take the blame. Otherwise, given Kitano Takeshi's reputation, he would never have sent a "department manager" to respond.

That's right, Takeshi Kitano is currently trying to persuade the film festival chairman on behalf of his friend to avoid causing a conflict.

The chairman of this year's Tokyo International Film Festival is Tatsumi Yoda, a name that few people know, but he was once the chairman of Avex and has extensive experience in the entertainment industry.

Exactly three years earlier, in 2007, Wu Kebo, chairman of Chengtian Entertainment, a domestic film company invested in by Avex, and Ge Xixiong, a right-wing figure who had already been brought to justice, conspired to carry out some underhanded tactics against "The Sky of History." (Chapter 302)
A very intriguing connection.

Lu Kuan couldn't care less about that now. In front of all the media in the world, and the film crew who hadn't even had a chance to walk the green carpet yet, he looked at the staff member from the international affairs department and said in a deep voice:
“I have attended almost all the world’s most prestigious film festivals and have served as the president of the jury at Cannes. At the international film festivals I have participated in, all films from Taiwan are marked with the Chinese label. This is an international practice and an international consensus.”

He glanced at the increasingly large crowd of reporters and other film crews around him, and said to Jiang Ping in English: "Mr. Jiang, the Tokyo International Film Festival is violating international conventions and consensus by engaging in shady practices outside of art. If they do not invalidate and alter the catalog, I suggest that all Chinese film crews withdraw from this year's Tokyo Film Festival."

When they're out in the world, he represents the martial arts world, while Jiang Ping represents the imperial court; this is how the official tone is set.

This not only gives Jiang Ping face and confidence, but also firmly establishes a perspective of national righteousness, uniting against external forces.

That's why I gave Xu Anhua that hint and suggestion at the dinner table last night—

If there is unrest in Kinmen and Matsu today, and Hong Kong, represented by Ann Hui, does not stand in solidarity with them, even if the reckoning is swift and decisive, he will still lose face internationally.

What will these foreign journalists and Western film crews think?
In his previous life, Jiang Ping had naturally done the same thing, and these words were exactly what he wanted to hear:
"That's right. Not only this year, but if the Tokyo International Film Festival cannot maintain respect for the position of a country and a nation, I would suggest withdrawing from it permanently."

"Lu Kuan! You've become so arrogant, you're practically Japanese now! This is absolutely unacceptable! What are you doing?!"

Recently, Huang Jianye, known as "the most familiar stranger" and a member of the Golden Horse Awards, joined the fray with a standard Taiwan accent, appearing as a victim who has been suppressed for a long time.

Actually, they had been watching the show for a long time, just wanting to see how Boss Lu would make a fool of himself!
Huang Jianye strode out with his head held high, feeling smug as the crowd parted, as if he were testing the effectiveness of his VIP settlement.

Behind him were the directors and actors from the film crews who brought the film to the exhibition, all of whom were the young actors and actresses promoted by Jin Mali mentioned earlier:

Niu Chengze, Ruan Jingtian, and Zhao Youting in "Monga", Zhang Junning in "The Hunt for Beauty", and Xu Ruoxuan in "Juliet".

Among them, "Juliet," starring Xu Ruoxuan, will be selected as the opening film of the Golden Horse Awards after being screened in Tokyo.

They were almost all Huang Jianye's "direct subordinates".

Other directors include Hsiao Ya-Chuan (director of "The 36th Story"), Chung Mong-Hong (director of "The Fourth Portrait"), and Kuan Pen-Liang and Chiang Hsiu-Chiung (directors of "Traveling with Light and Shadow").

Jiang Ping was about to accuse him angrily, but before he could speak, Boss Lu interrupted him, shook his head, and gave him a wink.

Arguing about this kind of thing on Japanese territory, even if you win the argument, is not glorious. Having such a "wicked relative" will only make you a laughing stock for others.

He has already expressed his position in English in front of the world's media; now it's just a matter of continuing to exert pressure.

With him by my side in this life, things can't possibly end any worse.

Huang Jianye's clamor and the covert observations of Ruan Jingtian, Zhao Youting, Xu Ruoxuan, and others were all ignored. Boss Lu simply gave Tanaka, who appeared to be very respectful, a final ultimatum:

"Mr. Tanaka, right? I'll give you five minutes. The whole world's media is watching how the Tokyo Film Festival will react."

"If you do indeed take a disappointing approach and stand in a disappointing position, I will take the Tokyo Film Festival's irregularities, unfriendliness, and unprofessionalism to the whole world."

"You should believe that I have this ability."

Without saying a word, Tanaka bowed again at a 90-degree angle, looking at Huang Jianye with eyes full of fury, "How come you bastards are so weak-willed?"

It's even softer than mine!
“Lu-san, I’m so sorry! I’ll go and give feedback to Chairman Yi-tian right now. He must have been delayed by something, as you know…”

Tanaka was just pushed out to take the blame, and now he's under immense pressure and can't hold on any longer. He's preparing to back down if things get tough, otherwise he might really have to take the blame himself.

It's no wonder he has a "good leader" who, seeing the situation escalate, showed some compassion for his subordinates and rushed over.

"Lu-san!" Takeshi Kitano, the comedian who wasn't responsible for being funny today, shouted and parted the crowd, followed by an old man with gray hair and a suit.

"Please everyone calm down and discuss this calmly!"

It was none other than Yoda Tatsumi, the mastermind behind today's events. Although he was only suspected of being Boss Lu, for him, suspicion was enough to convict him.

"Chairman Yitian! Hello!" Huang Jianye shouted with a loud laugh, his thin face full of joy. He then led his crew forward.

I finally saw my family! They were all enemies just now!

Especially that arrogant, pretentious, and rude guy, Lu Kuan, he doesn't even bother to acknowledge me!
What are you pretending for? You dare to shout on our turf?

"Hello, Mr. Huang, please calm down." Yoda Tatsumi finally gave him some face, smiling and shaking his hand: "I've come to find out what's going on."

Tanaka remained silent and stepped forward to whisper in his ear.

The latter then stepped forward with an air of superiority and shook hands with the internationally renowned director, whom he had been glancing at out of the corner of his eye: "Mr. Lu! It's a pleasure to meet you! I'm very sorry for the unpleasant experience you had; it was my dereliction of duty as the film festival chairman!"

Boss Lu didn't expose him. He raised his hand to introduce Jiang Ping's identity, his gaze as calm as a deep pool: "Mr. Takeshi Kitano once told me a Japanese proverb: 'If you have made a mistake, don't be afraid to correct it.'"

“We Easterners value ‘rules’ the most. Since we have made a mistake, it is not too late to correct it now.”

He won't say it's an oversight, he'll just say it's a mistake.

Just like some biased directors who offend the feelings of Chinese people in their films, if it happens, it's intentional. Under a rigorous production process, there is no such thing as unintentional.

Yoda Tatsumi paused for a moment, then bowed slightly: "I'm sorry, this was a plan we had agreed on beforehand. Now that the brochure has been printed, it's really hard to change it."

"Besides..." He turned his head to gesture to Huang Jianye and the others, who had arrogant expressions, "Now that we've changed it, Huang Sang and the others are protesting. Are we going to change it back again? Like 'Lust, Caution,' turning the film festival into a joke?"

Yoda Tatsumi bowed deeply again, making a grand gesture in front of the world's media: "Lu-san, you are an international director, you should understand that art should not be mixed with these morally questionable elements, please forgive me!"

This scene is strikingly similar to the despicable nature of the Japanese soldiers in "The Sky of History," revealing their beastly behavior of feigning sincerity, innocence, and politeness.

The mood of all the Chinese filmmakers present was icy, especially Jiang Ping, whose only option now was to lead his team to withdraw.

Looking at the two dogs, Yitian Xun and Huang Jianye, in front of him, he felt a sense of helplessness, like "wanting to kill the thief but being powerless to save the situation."

Huang Jianye pressed his advantage, saying, "Lu Kuan, stop showing off in front of the media. Is 'Ball Lightning' just trying to please mainland audiences with your showmanship? Unfortunately, this won't work in civilized places!"

Xu Ruoxuan, who was watching the show, was sarcastic and, seeing the media gathered there, wanted to create some hype.

So, seemingly oblivious to the situation, he awkwardly stepped out of the crowd and said with a smile, "Director Lu, you're also in the film industry, so why not put yourself in our shoes? Why make things difficult for us and the Tokyo Film Festival? Everyone should just enjoy the event!"

"Who are you?" Lu Kuan's patience ran out, and he suddenly turned to look at her, his face ashen.

"I...I..." Xu Ruoxuan felt flustered under his gaze, unsure if she had offended him by speaking to him. But thinking of the Golden Horse Awards and Huang Jianye, on which she depended for her livelihood, she mustered her courage: "Director Lu, why are you like this? Fine, I'll tell you my name is Xu..."

"Alright!" Boss Lu waved his hand impatiently at her and took two steps toward Yitian Xun.

The Chinese director's tall stature brought a sense of intimidation, but what truly caused the latter to struggle was his words:

"If you think that changing the name repeatedly will easily cause controversy, I have a solution for you—"

“I participated in the Olympics two years ago. Your Tokyo Film Festival can adopt the Olympic model.” Boss Lu gestured to Huang Jianye and others, “Name them ‘Chinese Taipei.’ This is the most widely recognized international name and international practice.”

"If you still find it difficult to propose such suggestions and solutions, then you are obviously deliberately provoking us and trying to manipulate Zhengzhi."

Mr. Lu took out his phone: "These include the presidents of the Berlin Film Festival, Koslick, the president of the Cannes Film Festival, Jacob, the president of the Venice Film Festival, Mark Müller, and other international film festivals from other countries and regions that have previously invited us to participate."

"In addition, there is Ms. Lee Mi-jung, the owner of South Korea's largest film company and KBS television station, who is very righteous; there is Weibo, China's largest social media platform, and Twitter, the world's largest social media platform..."

"By the way, the president of Twitter was my former business partner at Mytube. Perhaps I'll talk to all of you about the betrayal we suffered today at the Tokyo International Film Festival—betrayal of justice, art, and film!"

Before Boss Lu could finish speaking, Jiang Ping, Zhou Xun, Xin Baiqing, Wang Qianyuan and others on his side looked at him with excitement. At this moment, the back of the transmigrator was like a high wall. Only after stepping out of the country would they realize the power of his discourse and public opinion!

Perhaps the least surprising one was Bingbing. Her beautiful eyes sparkled as she looked at the man, her brows brimming with a smile; she knew from the very beginning:

Once you tell him this news, everything will be resolved.

But Yi Tianxun and Huang Jianye, as well as Xu Ruoxuan, Ruan Jingtian and others behind him, were not so calm. What the hell is this home field they were promised?

"One more thing," Boss Lu added, giving these colluding parasites a piece of his mind: "I saw quite a few American film crews participating in the Tokyo Film Festival today, and it seems that many of them are B-movies in the genres of action, thriller, and suspense/horror."

"If you still cannot face up to your mistakes and correct them in time, I, on behalf of Netflix, declare that any film that participates in the Tokyo Film Festival will lose the opportunity to be released on Netflix DVD. This statement is permanent."

shock!
"holly fuck!"

The crowd erupted into a commotion as if they had been hit by a stone, and for Tatsumi Yoda and the Tokyo Film Festival, Mr. Lu's last words were a fatal blow!

What kind of American films are allowed to come to the Tokyo International Film Festival?
To put it bluntly, it's all Hollywood "former superstars" like Nicolas Cage, who have downgraded their status but still have star power among Eastern audiences, bringing their B-movies to support the event.

These "former superstars" earn appearance fees, while the Tokyo Film Festival earns them prestige and popularity.

But what if Netflix blocks their DVD distribution channels? Can the meager earnings from that trip to Tokyo compare to the profits from being unable to get a theatrical release and only making money through DVD distribution?

Those damned Japanese!

Some of the directors and actors from the American film crew present wished they could transform into General MacArthur and teach the lackeys a lesson!
While Yoda Tatsumi was still pondering, Huang Jianye looked flustered, but soon a "righteous person" who had come to watch the spectacle spoke in fluent English:
There is only one China in the world! What are you waiting for?

"Why bring up these things of all? Your Tokyo Film Festival is so unprofessional! If this continues, we're withdrawing!"

The Chinese film crew and reporters, feeling incredibly relieved and as if they'd just received a 998 yuan sword, burst into laughter, each offering their own words of pressure to Tatsumi Yoda and the film festival organizing committee.
"You have five minutes. If you don't make a decision, we're leaving too! The reporters are leaving as well!"

"The Golden Horse Awards are dead! The Beijing Film Academy should rise!"

Until a small, yet unmistakable, sarcastic remark reached the ears of the crew members of films like *Monga* and *Juliet*, it signaled the complete collapse of the situation for them.

"Holy crap! I recognized that as Xu Ruoxuan. I wouldn't have recognized a guy who's in a movie if he were dressed up."

"Hahaha!"

The mainland crew burst into laughter. Zhou Xun and Bingbing didn't pretend not to understand and shamelessly curled their lips as they looked at the female artist who had long been rumored to have a crooked butt.

Xu Ruoxuan was extremely angry. She was interrupted again just as she was about to speak, as if she would not be allowed to utter a complete sentence today.

Boss Lu's strategy of using force first and then diplomacy has almost sealed the deal, so he can't help but backtrack and continue to pretend:

"Chairman Yoda, I really like Japanese culture, Japanese movies, and Japanese culture. I have many friends in Japan, including Takeshi Kitano and Hayao Miyazaki who are here today, as well as Ryuichi Sakamoto, Ken Takakura, and others who are not here, and also the master Akira Kurosawa whom I admire very much."

"I hope you can cherish our friendship and not go astray."

And so, the final verdict was delivered.

This time, the "verdict" came from Tatsumi Yoda, this "genuinely repentant" "Japanese friend" who looked helplessly at Huang Jianye and others:
"Your Majesty! I'm sorry! This is a matter for you Chinese people; it was our actions that were inappropriate."

When he turned to Lu Kuan, the international director who had remained unmoved throughout, he was already willing to bow at a 90-degree angle, just like his subordinate Tanaka.

"Lusan! It's all a misunderstanding! We'll change it immediately and add your country's name before their delegation's name. This is a sound suggestion!"

"Absurd! This is unwarranted suppression!" Huang Jianye exclaimed in shock. "Why the hell are you helping me with the 'kaishakuhachi'?"

"Mr. Tatsumi Yoda! I am now formally informing you that we will not be walking the green carpet, and we are also withdrawing from the film festival!"

He spoke resolute words, yet his face still held an impossible hope for a stay. The second, Yoda Tatsumi, didn't even bother to bow to him.
"The film festival will cover your food, accommodation, and transportation for this trip. Please reconsider. Excuse me!"

"Go! Quit!" Huang Jianye glared fiercely at the tall mainland director. Even though the other man didn't show any gloating on his face, his submissive demeanor was already a strong humiliation.

He didn't say a single word to himself from beginning to end!

He even stopped Jiang Ping from scolding him!

Seeing Yoda Tatsumi turn and leave, he truly had no other choice.

He wasn't the only one without a choice.

The situation is the same for both sides:

Why was Jiang Ping so anxious? Because this was a very serious matter concerning cultural integrity.
Similarly, now that things have finally been set right and victory belongs to the righteous side, with the word "China" at the top, do you think people like Ruan Jingtian, Zhao Youting, and Xu Ruoxuan would still dare to walk the green carpet and participate in the exhibition normally?

It’s closer to the north!
"Lu Kuan, your shamelessness is astonishing. You are still using your usual cultural hegemony to bully the weak and exclude dissidents."

Regardless of whether he paid attention to him or not, Huang Jianye still made a strong statement after the game: "Jinma will respond, the authorities will respond, that's it."

The thought that her first Best Actor award was about to slip away, or that she would be the one to slink away as the "defeated" party, made Ruan Jing, who had always been pampered by capital, angrily ripped off her tie and followed Huang Jianye without looking back.

Then there was Zhao Youting, looking helpless, and Xu Ruoxuan, who was already crying her eyes out.

She deliberately presented herself as weak, pitiful, and helpless in front of East Asian media, clearly trying to market herself as a vulnerable group.

"Justice will prevail! China will prevail!"

This time, Wang Qianyuan, who represents both "Ball Flash" and "The Piano in a Factory", suddenly shouted out with a stubble on his beard, his face flushed and his expression excited.

This heartfelt shout instantly garnered a surging response.

"it is good!"

"well said!"

"Won!"

All the Chinese filmmakers present:

The delegation led by Jiang Ping, the "Ball Flash" team around Lu Kuan, the "Buddha Mountain" crew of Bingbing, the main creators of "The Piano in a Factory" by Zhang Meng and Wang Qianyuan, and even Xu Anhua, who came to deliver the news and now looked relieved and excited...

Everyone spontaneously burst into applause!
Lu Kuan and Jiang Ping exchanged a few words of laughter, and after the Tokyo Film Festival officially announced that the catalogue was invalid and would not be distributed, and that it would be handled in accordance with international practice during the delegation's presentation, Lu Kuan walked onto the "green carpet" with a nonchalant air.

By the way, this green carpet representing environmental protection and nature was also created by Tatsumi Yoda. I wonder if he ever served as the chairman of a whaling company.

Looking at that tall figure in front of them, everyone felt a sense of security in a foreign land.

It wasn't about arguing right and wrong in their own living room, but about arguing their case on someone else's home turf and successfully forcing the other side to concede. This greatly boosted morale and proved that Chinese filmmakers can also uphold principles and win respect in international settings.

Those sixth-generation rich kids who used to make a living by selling their looks and ugliness, you should reflect on yourselves!

At the same time, facing such sudden external pressure in a foreign land, the film crews from the mainland and Hong Kong were able to quickly unite and work together to overcome the external pressure, which greatly enhanced the internal cohesion of the Chinese film industry.

This victory belongs to everyone present; they all experienced and participated in creating this moment, which evoked a strong sense of collective honor and identity.

Reporters at the scene had no time to report on other aspects of the Tokyo Film Festival; news briefs flew back to the mainland like good news, or were thrown elsewhere like javelins.

Combined with the previously brewing "Golden Horse Awards controversy," and aligning with the theme of national righteousness, it quickly ignited online public opinion throughout the "Greater China region," sparking a protracted heated debate and flame war on Weibo and Twitter.

Even knowing that the Golden Horse Awards wouldn't let the matter rest, domestic online media outlets still excitedly produced various attention-grabbing headlines.

One of the posts that trended on Weibo was short, powerful, admirable, and full of the most basic expectations of ordinary Chinese people:
"Ball Flash" reigns supreme at the box office, its wide road sweeping across Tokyo!

(End of this chapter)