I am a literary giant in Europe

Chapter 574 I regret it!

Cannes, May 16.

The 2006 Champions League final was drawing ever closer.

Unfortunately, the Champions League final is on May 18th this year, and the opening ceremony of this year's Cannes Film Festival is also on the same day.

The Champions League final will be played between Barcelona and Arsenal.

Unfortunately, both of these clubs are top-tier clubs with immense influence and countless fans.

What bothers Gilles Jacob the most is that this year's Champions League final happens to be held at the Stade de France in Paris.

This has also significantly diverted some of the attention from the Cannes Film Festival.

For this reason, Giller complained about it more than once at the organizing committee meetings.

But what can be done?

After all, the influence of the Champions League is simply too great.

"Ladies and gentlemen, prepare for the quietest opening ceremony in the 59-year history of the Cannes Film Festival."

Representatives from the Ministry of Culture also expressed their inability to do anything about it.

Football is the world's most popular sport!

Back at the hotel, Giller had just taken off his coat when there was a knock on the door.

The door opened, and Wang Jiawei, the chairman of the jury for this year's film festival, walked in. Behind him were a man and a woman.

"Kar-Wai, Malte, Helena, is something the matter?"

The three people who came in were all members of the jury for this year's film festival.

Lucrecia Malte, an androgynous and highly individualistic (male) director, is from Argentina.

In 2001, he made his directorial debut with the film "The Swamp," which won the Alfred Bauer Award at the 51st Berlin International Film Festival.

In 2004, she was nominated for the main competition at the Cannes Film Festival for her drama film "Saint Woman".

Yes, it was the term when Quentin was chairman.

He had a round face and long, flowing hair.

Upon entering, before the Wang family could even speak, he loudly declared, "Giller, I don't think Amos and Monica are suitable to continue serving as judges."

"what?"

Jacob paused, looking at Lucrecia with a puzzled expression.

Behind him, Helena Bonham Carter, a British actress, said, "Mr. Jacob, haven't you read today's paper?"

Any news?

Jacob laughed and said, "I was in a meeting early this morning and didn't have time to look at it."

Helena didn't waste any time and handed Jacob a copy of the Nice-Main News.

Nice-Matin is the largest local newspaper in the Nice region.

Jacob looked at Helena with a puzzled expression and unfolded the newspaper.

As a result, the front page headlines weren't political news, but rather reports surrounding the upcoming Cannes Film Festival.

The photo shows the port of Marseille.

A yacht is docked at the port, and Liu Jin and others appear in the photo.

"Isabelle Adjani is the producer of 'Sleepless in Paris,' while Amos and Monica are both judges."

The opening ceremony will be held the day after tomorrow, but the two judges have not yet arrived. They are currently sailing slowly at sea, surrounded by five beautiful women.

what is this?
Where does the authority and fairness of the Cannes Film Festival lie?
Will such blatant private gatherings raise questions about the final outcome?

Wang Jiawei was very angry and said loudly in English.

Lucrecia and Helena both nodded in agreement.

Jacob took off his glasses and placed them on the coffee table along with the newspaper.

"Do you both think that they are no longer suitable to serve as judges?"

"Yes!"

The three of them nodded in unison.

Jacob thought for a moment and said in a deep voice, "How about this, let's call the others over and ask for their opinions?"

If everyone disagrees, I will relay my feedback to the organizing committee.

The three members of the Wang family exchanged glances and nodded in unison in agreement.

Jacob picked up the phone in the guest room and dialed several numbers in succession.

A moment later, the judges arrived one after another.

Apart from Liu Jin and Monica, Samuel Jackson, Elia Suleiman (Israelese), Patrice Lecomte (French), and Tim Ruff (British, who played 1900 in the original time-travel film "The Legend of 1900") were all present.

"Giller, is something the matter?"

Jacob handed the newspaper to Samuel, then said to the group, “Just now, Kar-Wai, Mr. Martel, and Ms. Carter told me that it is highly inappropriate for Amos and Ms. Monica Bellucci to meet with director Isabelle Adjani and her group in private and to travel to Cannes by boat without gathering together.”

Therefore, they recommended disqualifying Mr. Amos and Ms. Bellucci from judging.

What are your opinions?

Samuel Jackson paused for a moment, then glanced down at the newspaper.

He suddenly laughed and said, "As far as I know, Mr. Amos and Ms. Adjani have known each other for a long time, haven't they?"

"I think we met back in 01."

Patrice Lecomte said with a smile, taking the newspaper from Samuel's hand.

"Ms. Béart is here too? And Marion too?"

Lecomte laughed, "If I were ten years younger, I would definitely be eager to attend such a party; it would be wonderful!"

Samuel nodded and said, "It's a pity I didn't know Amos before, otherwise I would definitely have signed up."

"Haha, being with so many beautiful ladies must be a wonderful thing, don't you think, Ilya?"

Elijah Suleiman, an Iserloh director who has worked in Europe.

He is also a screenwriter, actor, and producer.

In 1996, he wrote, directed, and starred in the drama film "Chronicles of Lost Civilizations," which examines the various predicaments faced by ALB people living in Jewish settlements from the perspective of an Iserlohn. For this film, he won the Luigi de Laurentiis Award at the 53rd Venice Film Festival.

In 2002, she won the Jury Prize at the 55th Cannes Film Festival for her romantic war film, "Divine Intervention".

Elijah belonged to the moderate Jewish group.

He nodded and said, “Mr. Amos, I’ve long admired your name. Your works have extraordinary power… Samuel, do you know which of your books I like best? Million Dollar Baby! Eastwood directed it very well, but I prefer the original novel…”

I especially love one of the lines: "Make them so tired that they can only listen to you, only hear your voice, and only do what you tell them to do!"

"It's so powerful..." he said, taking off his glasses and wiping them with a cleaning cloth.

"A writer has fulfilled his duty by simply creating excellent works."

As for the rest, that's his private matter.

We cannot assume that he will be unfair or biased towards director Adjani simply because he had a private gathering with her.

This is not only disrespectful to Mr. Amos and Ms. Bellucci, but also an insult to director Isabelle Adjani.

Patrice Lecomte said, "I roughly know what director Isabelle Adjani wanted to talk to Amos about."

In early March... well, the jury members hadn't been finalized yet, and I hadn't received a call from the organizing committee. It was a party hosted by director Claire Dennis, and directors Ozon and Xiahou were also there.

I talked to Ms. Adjani about our upcoming plans.

Director Isabelle Adjani said she obtained the rights to adapt a short story from Mr. Amos's new book, "The Amos Fantastic Journey".

It's a short story adapted from SNEG's 1946 film "The Cage of the Nightingale," called "The Chorus"... Director Isabelle Adjani is currently adapting the screenplay, and I guess she went to Mr. Amos for this project.

There shouldn't be any problem for a director to discuss the script with the original author.

I heard from director Isabelle Adjani that SNEG and the Ras Al Khaimah Film Investment Foundation jointly invested $15 million in the filming…

Gilles Jacob suddenly asked, "SNEG? Isn't it about to go bankrupt?"

Why are you already in production again?

Lecomte chuckled and said, "That's old news. Last year, SNEG was acquired by a mysterious fund, and now Alizee is the owner..."

He paused, stunned.

They looked at Giller, and both of them laughed simultaneously.

Did Alizee acquire SNEG?

I absolutely refuse to believe it!

Why would a singer like her acquire a film company?

It would be a miracle if this acquisition wasn't carried out by Amos using Alizee's name.

But it seems understandable!
With so many novels in his possession, he certainly needs a film company to invest in him.

Otherwise, he would have to invest it all himself, and the taxes alone would have been terrifying...

"But……"

Wang Jiawei was getting a little anxious.

He was about to retort when he heard Tim Ruff say slowly, "I understand Mr. Wang's concerns, and I also understand Director Martel and Ms. Carter's dissatisfaction."

But this kind of thing...

I don't think there's any need to make a fuss.

Yes, Mr. Amos and Ms. Bellucci have special positions, but just because they are judges doesn't mean they shouldn't have their own circles of friends and social networks. If we follow their theory, since Oscar judges are all in the public eye, can't they contact other directors and actors privately? This kind of discussion, in my opinion, is completely unnecessary.

Samuel looked at Tim and nodded to him.

Samuel and Spike are good friends, and Samuel co-starred with Tim in Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction.

Tim Burton even appeared in Quentin Tarantino's debut film, Reservoir Dogs, in 1991, playing Mr. DF Orange.

Liu Jin and Quentin seem to share a similar penchant for each other.

Before they came to Cannes, they had all received calls from Quentin, asking them to help Liu Jin out.

Wang Jiawei did not expect everyone to react this way.

Lucrecia also frowned slightly.

His troubles with Liu Jin were not due to personal grudges, but because Liu Jin was a fan of Shakira.

Shakira was also the former Crown Princess of Argentina.

In 2003, Liu Jin was rumored to be having an affair with Shakira.

According to Lucrecia, Liu Jin bears a great deal of responsibility for Shakira's current engagement to Antonio de la Rúa, which is now merely a formality.

This damned sense of national pride made Lucrecia inherently dislike Liu Jin.

As for Helena, it's because she starred in Mrs. Sinha's works.

Yes, this Mrs. Sinha is not Indra Sinha's wife, but Indra Sinha's mother, a well-known female writer in Great Britain.

Many of her works have been adapted into film and television dramas.

Helena Bonham Carter's debut film was "A Pattern of Roses," an adaptation of Madame Sinha's work.

A British film made in 1983.

She remained grateful for Mrs. Sinha's kindness.

So when he heard that Indra was in a particularly awkward situation because of his attack on Liu Jin, he wanted to help Indra Sinha get revenge.

Yes, that's how it is.

So when the Wang family did not suggest removing Liu Jin from his position as a judge, she and Lu Kuixia hit it off immediately.

Unexpectedly...

She glanced at Patrice Lecomte, a French director.

Needless to say, his relationship with the French film and television industry must be extremely close.

It is said that Liu Jin is very familiar with the French film and television industry, not to mention that Isabelle Adjani and Emmanuelle Béart are also involved.

He will definitely side with Liu Jin.

As for Samuel and Tim, they were clearly speaking up for Liu Jin.

And Ilya Suleiman...

I don't understand what his relationship with Liu Jin is.

But it's clear that he will also strongly support Liu Jin.

As for Gilles Jacob, needless to say. He once said that Liu Jin was jointly recommended by the French Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the French Film Association... What a miscalculation! He never expected that this Chinese man would have such a great influence in France.

Helena looked at Lucrecia.

Lucrecia looked calm, but you could tell he was also backing down a bit.

"The minority shall obey the majority. Since no one thinks there is anything wrong with this matter, Kar-Wai's proposal is rejected. Mr. Amos and Ms. Monica Bellucci will continue to serve as judges without having to report to the organizing committee for discussion."

Jacob made the final decision.

Wang Jiawei's expression at this moment was extremely ugly!

……

(End of this chapter)