This director is vindictive.

Chapter 495 The Crouching Dragon and the Phoenix at the Premiere

Although April isn't as popular as the Spring Festival or summer movie seasons, it's still a legitimate movie season and usually gets a decent share of the box office.

But this time, Chen Mo and Feng Dagang's shady tactics turned April into their own personal arena—the promotion of other movies was like throwing leaflets into a typhoon, not even making a splash!
The film companies that had originally scheduled their films for April were stunned by this situation. Some held meetings overnight to change their release dates, while others simply gave up and lay low.

Why? Because right now, the trending topics online are either #DreamShatteredInChangAn# or #SunflowerViolentAesthetics#, and audiences simply can't accommodate a third movie! Some film companies are still unwilling to give up and are spending money on promotion, but netizens are directly criticizing them: "Don't waste your money, this month I just want to see Chen Mo and Feng Dagang's epic battle!"

On March 31, "The Great Tang Desert" and "Sunflower" played another game of tacit agreement.

Both premiered their respective films.

Chen Mo's status and influence in the industry are self-evident.

However, Feng Dagang is a veteran director after all, and the premieres of both sides have been hyped up as a star-studded competition.

However, this time, Feng Dagang also put in all his effort, and the two sides were evenly matched in terms of lineup!
As if by prior arrangement, on the same day and at the same time, one held the premiere of "The Great Tang Dynasty in the Northern Desert" at the Chang'an Grand Theater, and the other held the premiere of "Sunflower" at Starlight World.

The two red carpets started competing from 3 p.m., with the flashes so bright they could blind people.

The star lineups on both sides are like a royal flush in a game of Dou Dizhu (a popular Chinese card game); you play four twos and I play two kings.

On Chen Mo's side, all the celebrities, directors, and people who had worked with Shengshi Pictures were present.

With the addition of the seven women around him from their social circles, it was a truly star-studded event.

The star-studded lineup rivals that of award ceremonies.

However, the vast majority of the celebrities present on Chen Mo's side were middle-aged and new generation stars. Of course, there were some veterans as well, but they didn't make up a large proportion.

Feng Dagang's side was equally unwilling to be outdone, bringing out all the experience of a veteran director, with a group of veteran actors and actresses supporting him, as well as old stars and artists from mainland China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong, etc., although they were a bit older in comparison.

Netizens were having a blast, jumping around in the trending topics: "Let's fight! Let's fight!"

"This isn't a premiere; it's a celebrity all-star competition!"

It's fair to say that the two premieres brought together almost all the big names still active across the country.

Even scalpers went crazy; two premiere tickets were being resold for five figures and sold out in seconds. Other film company owners, watching the real-time trending topics, silently stuffed their own posters into the shredder.
The off-field celebrity lineups were evenly matched, so naturally people started to extend their attention to the on-field events.

As is well known, there is usually a special feature at Chen Mo's movie premieres: the front row is considered the "leading lady's seat" in the past!
It was a feast for the eyes, a whole host of young actresses from the entertainment industry, each with their own style – a true display of diverse talents.

Therefore, everyone thinks this time will be no exception.

Therefore, it would be quite difficult for Feng Dagang to be on par with Chen Mo in this regard.

After all, Chen Mo's movie premiere has become an authoritative selection of new leading actresses in the entertainment industry.

Let's rewind to three days ago.

Feng Dagang really racked his brains for this premiere.

The main point is that Chen Mo's movie premiere was arguably the most unique event in the entire country.

"What are you planning to do? Actually, we don't need to compare ourselves to him in everything!" Xu Fan was also somewhat helpless about Feng Dagang's obsession.

"We've been competing for almost a month now, we can't just give up at the last minute, can we?" Feng Dagang said, waving his hand.

“But his movie premieres, the first row in the theater has almost become a regular headline news item for major entertainment media. How can we compare?” Xu Fan was still relatively clear-headed.

I know that although Feng Dagang has a high status in the industry, is a famous director, and has a wide network of connections, some things really can't be viewed that way.

"Comparing star-studded casts is pointless, and our movie isn't really suitable for it!" Xu Fan advised again.

Feng Dagang, however, said confidently, "Hehe, of course I'm not stupid enough to compete with him in terms of star lineup. We need to take the initiative and not let him lead us by the nose!"

"So what do you want to do?" Xu Fan was genuinely curious.

After all, Chen Mo's film premieres have accumulated over many years and have long since become a brand that is not really a brand.

Moreover, it's not just within the industry that they recognize her; even the general public acknowledges her. As a new generation of female stars, if you want to claim you're famous, have you ever sat in the first row of the leading lady seats at Chen Mo's movie premiere?
No? If you're not famous, how dare you call yourself popular?
Therefore, Feng Dagang really can't compare in this respect.

Even if you put all the top actors and actresses in the front row, their influence still wouldn't be enough. The reason is simple: while these award-winning actors and actresses may have higher status and star power than those younger actresses, they are completely different people!
Feng Dagang slammed his hand on the table, his eyes shining, as if he had suddenly figured out a key point: "I've figured it all out! Our film is different from Chen Mo's flashy stuff—his 'The Great Tang Dynasty in the Northern Desert' is all about the grand Tang Dynasty fantasy and a million extras, but frankly, isn't it just throwing money at marketing? Ours is a solid realistic film, about those marginalized people forgotten by society!"

He became more and more excited as he spoke, tapping his fingers on the table: "Since he wants to put on a red carpet show packed with celebrities, let's go all out—we'll invite the real-life figures who inspired the characters in the movie to sit in the front row! Let those who have truly experienced hardship sit in the most prominent positions!"

Feng Dagang excitedly stood up and spun around: "Just imagine, when the camera pans across the premiere venue—Chen Mo's side has a bunch of glamorous and beautiful girls, while our side has a weathered deaf-mute girl, a shampoo girl with scars, and a streetwalker leaning on a cane. How exciting is that contrast! He's playing games, we'll go for real!"

Xu Fan, standing to the side, frowned: "Old Feng, isn't this a bit too much?" She hesitated, her eyes filled with worry.

"Too what?"

Feng Dagang turned around abruptly, his excitement still lingering on his face.

Xu Fan sighed and said softly, "The film depicts the suffering of these people, exposing their wounds to the spotlight. Isn't that too cruel to them? And..."

She lowered her voice: "There are so many media outlets at the premiere, what if someone asks about their past?"

Feng Dagang waved his hand impatiently to interrupt, "You're overthinking it! The fact that they came means they approve of our film! Besides—"

He suddenly raised his voice: "Isn't this exactly what we want to express? To let society see these neglected people!"

Xu Fan opened his mouth as if to say something, but Feng Dagang grabbed his shoulder and said, "Believe me, this is the most powerful publicity! It's more effective than hiring a hundred celebrities!"

His eyes gleamed with an almost obsessive light, as if he could already see the trending topic #ThePowerOfRealityVSTheFakeProsperity# on tomorrow's hot search list.

On the other side, Chen Mo was also asked the same question by Zhao Liying before the premiere.

"Chen Mo, shall we follow the same old routine for this premiere?"

Zhao Liying frowned as she flipped through the process sheet.

"The Great Tang Dynasty in the Northern Desert tells the story of an old soldier with white hair who guarded the Western Regions for 42 years. If we add those actresses' fashion shows and young actress selections, it just doesn't feel right with the movie's atmosphere."

Fan Binbin put his wine glass on the table and interjected, "That's right! Our movie sells the patriotic sentiment of 'returning home,' a stark contrast between the prosperous Tang Dynasty's Chang'an and the deserts of the Western Regions."

Audiences were just moved to tears by the line "Looking up, I see the sun, but not Chang'an" from the trailer, when they turned around and saw female celebrities vying for attention in the front row of the premiere—isn't this a case of schizophrenia?

She pointed to the trailer for "Dreaming Back to Chang'an" that was still playing on a loop on the tablet and said, "Look at this scene, the old soldier is stroking the rusty bronze plaque of the Anxi Army, but his memory is of the camel bells and the Rainbow Feather Dance on Zhuque Street. This sense of historical weight is completely different from the flamboyant premieres of those commercial films in the past."

Zhao Liying suddenly said, "That's it! How about we make the premiere 'Anxi Army themed'? We can have all the guests wear Tang Dynasty Hanfu, decorate the venue to resemble a dilapidated Western Region city wall, and invite the descendants of veterans as special guests."

Her eyes lit up as she gestured: "Just like in the trailer, using the magnificent Daming Palace as a contrast to the endless yellow sand!"

Fan Binbin nodded and said, "That's a good idea! But it still feels a bit... forced?"

Chen Mo smiled and said, "Don't worry, I'm not that superficial. You're all right. The core of this movie is patriotism and the veteran's more than forty years of perseverance. An overly entertainment-oriented premiere is indeed inappropriate."

"And Xiaodao, your idea sounds great, but in reality—for example, having the guests wear Tang Dynasty costumes and setting up a scene resembling a battlefield in the Western Regions—while it sounds creative at first, upon closer inspection, it feels too contrived. The audience will feel like we're 'performing' history, rather than genuinely respecting the story."

Fan Binbin raised an eyebrow: "So what exactly do you want to do? Judging from your expression, you must have a plan already, so stop keeping me in suspense!"

Chen Mo smiled mysteriously: "It's very simple—no fancy stuff, just heartfelt stuff."

"A heartfelt gesture? Inviting the descendants of these white-haired soldiers?" Both women were somewhat puzzled.

Chen Mo smiled and shook his head, saying, "No, that's too far away, and it also gives people the same feeling of being deliberate!"

The tragic story of the Tang Dynasty's Anxi Army and the white-haired soldiers of the Western Regions is too far removed from us, but this spirit has many real-world prototypes!
I have invited a special group of audience members to the premiere.

They didn't experience the arduous forty-plus years of guarding the Western Regions, but they shared the same spirit of dedicating their lives to their country without complaint or regret.

Zhao Liying and Fan Binbin's eyes lit up upon hearing this.

Because they had guessed Chen Mo's thoughts.

The more I thought about it, the more I felt that Chen Mo's idea was the most suitable and perfect one!
At the same time, it also embodies the theme and spirit of "The Great Tang Dynasty in the Northern Desert".

(End of this chapter)