I am a literary giant in Europe

Chapter 376 Matchmaking
Lou Ye and Zhang Ziyi looked somewhat disappointed when they came out of the guest room.

The person they are visiting today is named Elie de Luca, an Italian writer, screenwriter, and translator.

Representative work: The Day Before Happiness

Well, speaking of Luca, there's an interesting story.

It is well known that Europe has many messy and inexplicable literary awards.

One of the awards is called the 'Worst Sexual Description Award'.

Well, literally.

In the future, ten years from now, Luca will be awarded the 24th Worst Sexual Description Award for a passage in "The Day Before Happiness".

You might say this award is bad, but it's been around for decades.

But you'd say this is a good award?
Writers all over Europe avoid this prize like the plague.

Later, Liu Jin figured it out!

In Europe, writing about sex and violence is fine; the problem is whether you write it well.

Writing poorly is the greatest humiliation for a writer.

This is similar to the situation in China...

Forget it, let's not talk about China, to avoid censorship.

The reason why Lou Ye and Zhang Ziyi came to visit Luca was simple: Elie de Luca was a jury member at this year's film festival.

Lou Ye and he had known each other for a long time.

Lou Ye brought "Purple Butterfly" to compete in this year's Cannes Film Festival.

But with the closing ceremony just two days away, he still hadn't received a phone call from the organizing committee.

This also means that "Purple Butterfly" is most likely doomed!

This disappointed him, but he was also somewhat unwilling to accept it.

This is not his first time attending the Cannes Film Festival.

The reason I didn't win any awards at Cannes before was because there were no Chinese people on the jury.

Now that Chinese people have served as judges, and they still haven't won any awards, doesn't that mean the Chinese people have wasted their time as judges?
But he wasn't familiar with Jiang Wen and didn't dare to ask him directly.

Left with no other option, he had to ask Luca for information.

But the result...

Luca said nothing.

It wouldn't really matter if he said it, but the key is that the judging panel has a confidentiality mechanism, which he can't break.

So he had to subtly and very vaguely tell Lou Ye and Zhang Ziyi that this time, "Purple Butterfly" had absolutely no chance of being a hit.

Jiang Wen did manage to get it for him!
To be honest, in order to avoid repeating the mistake of last year's lackluster performance, the organizing committee invited a lot of big names this year.

Patrick Schall, winner of the Cannes Palme d'Or, the Golden Bear for Best Director, and the Venice Golden Lion, is authoritative enough.

Among the judges is someone like Steven Spielberg.

Even Xiahou had to give way a bit.

In addition, there's Meg Ryan, Hollywood's first-generation American sweetheart, who has a large fan base worldwide.

Although Jiang Wen was arrogant, he couldn't be arrogant in front of Xiahou and Spielberg.

After all, Jiang Wen at this time was not yet the director who made the "Beiyang Trilogy".

Spielberg didn't like "Purple Butterfly".

Zhang Ziyi is not on the same level as Oscar-winning actress and Berlin Film Festival Best Actress Nicole Kidman.

then……

The result speaks for itself.

"Ziyi, I'm so sorry this time."

After leaving the guest room, Lou Ye apologized to Zhang Ziyi.

Zhang Ziyi was probably aware of her own limitations, so although she was sad, she comforted Lou Ye instead.

"Since I can't attend the closing ceremony, I'm going back now."

Ziyi, what about you?
"Want to come together?"

Zhang Ziyi laughed and said, "Maggie and I, that is, Zhang Manyu, have agreed to visit her in Paris."

Is Maggie Cheung in Paris?

Zhang Ziyi nodded and said, "She's preparing for a movie, so she's been learning French."

"That's it."

Lou Ye actually really wanted to pay him a visit.

But then he thought again, he's a professional director, and this time he's failed again.

What will you say when you meet Zhang Manyu?
He hopes to collaborate with Maggie Cheung.

But he also knew that Maggie Cheung had faded from the Chinese film industry. If he had outstanding achievements, such as being named one of the three best directors in Europe or winning a Golden Bear or Golden Lion, perhaps Maggie Cheung would consider him. But right now, he wasn't qualified.

So going there would be pointless. It's better to go back, heal your wounds, and fight the three European giants again next year.

Thinking of this, Lou Ye immediately felt relieved.

"I would like to send my regards to Maggie Cheung."

"I will!"

The two said goodbye at the hotel entrance.

After watching Lou Ye leave, Zhang Ziyi turned around, took out her phone, and dialed Zhang Manyu's number.

She and Maggie Cheung don't have the close relationship she claims to have.

In fact, the two had a deep-seated grudge.

Especially during the filming of "Hero", Zhang Ziyi stole a lot of the scenes, which made Zhang Manyu very dissatisfied with her.

But after all, it's a bond forged through ancestral worship.

Especially since they both attended the Berlin Film Festival this year, Zhang Ziyi also has Zhang Manyu's contact information in France.

“Maggie, this is Ziyi.”

It's alright, it's alright, I'm here for the Cannes Film Festival...

Lou Ye's film "Purple Butterfly".

Yes, I just met Liu Jin... who is Amos.

I'm not quite sure. He seems to have just arrived and went out with Eastwood and Nicole Kidman.

Sister Maggie, I'd like to invite him to dinner, but I don't have his contact information. I wonder if it would be convenient for you to share it with me?

Okay, okay, I'll wait for your reply.

You can't be an actor if you don't have thick skin.

Zhang Ziyi wanted to get in touch with Liu Jin through Zhang Manyu.

Her goal is Hollywood, and her ambition is to become an international star.

However, Hollywood is extremely harsh on Chinese people.

Zhang Ziyi knew very well that without powerful connections and influence, it was impossible to gain a foothold in Hollywood.

Liu Jin, on the other hand, clearly possesses a strong network of connections.

Many of his works have been adapted by Hollywood, with successful precedents. Furthermore, he has a close relationship with Leonardo DiCaprio and others.

Someone who has never received any training has actually acted in two films in Hollywood.

One of them even features the male lead...

Looking at the entire Chinese-language film industry, it seems that no one other than Jackie Chan, Chow Yun-fat, and JetLi can achieve this level.

Moreover, he had just won the Pulitzer Prize for Literature.

She is also this year's Katz Prize winner.

These two points alone are enough to make Zhang Ziyi take them seriously.

What's wrong with being a little humble?

The key is whether we can use this opportunity to get more opportunities in Hollywood!
……

Paris, Rue Montorgueil.

This street, located between the 1st and 2nd arrondissements of Paris, is a popular spot for Parisians to shop and socialize.

Restaurants, cafes, bakeries, cheese shops, liquor stores, and bookstores—you name it, they have it.

Zhang Manyu walked out of the Stohler cake shop with a strange smile on her face.

She and Zhang Ziyi almost had a falling out when they were on set.

I don't know what kind of shameless woman she is, asking her to act as a matchmaker.

If it were two years ago, she wouldn't have even paid any attention to Zhang Ziyi.

However, I've come to terms with many things in the past two years, especially after leaving that circle in Hong Kong, and my temper has become much better.

She hesitated for a moment, then sat down on a chair in front of the cake shop.

"Amos, it's me, Maggie."

Have you gone back to France?

Haha, I wasn't spying on you... It's Zhang Ziyi, you should know her, right?

She saw you in Cannes and wanted to invite you to dinner, so she called me. I'm letting you know.

Okay, I understand!

I'll refuse her... Don't worry, it's just an excuse, I know what to do!

She hung up the phone and gave a cold laugh.

Let's wait and see...

(End of this chapter)