Director of Photography Department of Huayu

Chapter 231 Possible, Official Media Speaks Out

The Vanity Fair party continued unabated, the dance floor under the spotlight was already a dazzling display of stars, champagne and gentlemen, formal attire and laughter woven together the most extravagant night in the resort.

But right there in the dazzling central corner, in front of that gold-rimmed high table, it seemed as if the noise of the whole world was shut out.

Linda Aubus tapped her fingers lightly on the rim of her glass, gazing at the young yet composed Eastern director across from her with a complex expression. After a long pause, she slowly spoke:
"I can't promise you anything, Wu."

We did sign a letter of intent with Paramount, but Kip and I had many concerns. We worried about scientific accuracy and whether emotional expression was restrained enough. But…

She paused, her eyes fixed on Wu Chen:
“I can bring you into this discussion.”

Wu Chen did not show any joy; instead, he appeared even more serious.

Linda continued, "You're not just dealing with me, but also with a physics fanatic obsessed with the concepts of black holes and time."

"Don't worry, I'm a fanatic in the film industry too," Wu Chen replied with a light laugh.

After he finished speaking, he took out a slightly yellowed piece of paper from the inside pocket of his suit.

The paper was torn from a notepad at the celebration banquet on the third floor of the Kodak Theatre. He wrote a short passage in black pen, without fancy words or detailed structure, just a brief idea, and then handed it over.

Linda didn't look down immediately; she simply took the paper gently, folded it, and carefully put it into her handbag.

Then, she stood up, raised her glass, and gently clinked it against Wu Chen's:
"We're not in a rush to make this movie, so news might not come as quickly as you're used to."

Wu Chen nodded, "But you've already signed a letter of intent with Paramount."

“I understand.” Linda nodded. As a veteran producer, she naturally understood Wu Chen’s underlying meaning. After glancing at her watch, she chuckled and raised her glass.

"It's almost time. Congratulations, winner of the Oscar for Best Picture."

"Thank you." Wu Chen smiled gently, clinked glasses with her politely, and the aroma of the wine wafted softly in the air.

That night, the Vanity Fair party was as boisterous as ever, with champagne and laughter flowing everywhere.

But in the midst of this quiet conversation, a plan that will rewrite the history of science fiction films in the future quietly gave birth to its first possibility.

A few steps away, Jason Blum and David Lyndon breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing this.

When they saw Wu Chen return, they immediately came to greet him.

"A chance?" Bronm asked eagerly.

“There is a slight chance,” Wu Chen nodded truthfully, “but whether it will work out depends on the next period of time.”

“What about Paramount?” David Lyndon asked in a low voice.

"I've brought it up. If it doesn't work out in the end, we'll just have to accept it!" Wu Chen shrugged. If things were settled, they'd just have to wait for a second chance.

There was a brief silence among the three, then Bronm smiled and raised his glass:

"Alright, now that things are done, we can officially look forward to a huge overseas box office hit."

"I'm really looking forward to the Asian premiere."

"I'm more concerned about the European market. 'Get Out' was already a hot topic, and then there's this Oscar controversy."

"Then let's toast to our next victory."

Several people clinked glasses, the crisp sound breaking the background music in the glamorous ballroom.

It was 2:30 a.m. in Los Angeles. The night was dark and the stars had faded.

Wu Chen returned to the Beverly Hotel where he was staying, his steps carrying a barely perceptible weariness, but his fingers habitually loosened his collar.

The room was dimly lit. He didn't go to take a shower right away, but sat down on the sofa and quietly looked at the city lights outside the floor-to-ceiling windows.

After a long while, he picked up his phone and dialed that familiar number.

The moment the call connected, he could clearly hear background noise on the other end. There was wind outside, the TV was on, and he could vaguely hear Shu Chang talking to someone. "Junior brother!" Liu Yifei's voice was cheerful and soft, with a hint of lingering excitement. She glanced at the time instinctively, her mind racing: "Hmm, it's afternoon here, but it's probably early morning where you are. You must be tired."

"It's alright, hearing your voice makes me feel less tired," Wu Chen replied with a light laugh.

There was a pause on the other end of the phone, then Liu Yifei gave a soft "humph": "All you do is coax people, who are you trying to coax?"

"Just trying to comfort you."

Liu Yifei smiled gently, looking at the sunlight shining on the leaves outside the window, her voice softening: "I miss you a little. Get some rest, goodnight."

Wu Chen smiled slightly, as if all her anxieties had dissipated in that soft "goodnight".

He turned off the light, lay down on the sofa, tilted his head, and fell asleep.

That night, Los Angeles slept soundly, while on the other side of the world, Beijing was bustling with activity.

The Oscars ceremony that morning sparked heated discussions across the country that lasted for half a day.

As clips from the official interview were circulated back to China, the voices from mainstream portals and blog forums were once again amplified.

Multiple mainstream media outlets immediately published breaking news reports, with headlines appearing one after another:

Wu Chen's speech resonated deeply: Being credited is not an honor, but a testament to the path we've taken!

[In an exclusive interview at the Oscars, Wu Chen addressed his hometown audience: "That day, it was early summer in Beijing outside the window."]

[In response to accusations of "creating division," Wu Chen casually retorted, "That's about cultural pride."]

[A source of pride for Beijing Film Academy! Wu Chen: This script was the first line of dialogue I wrote at Beijing Film Academy!]

【.】

In the administration building of the Beijing Film Academy, Zhang Huijun, unusually, stood up from in front of the screen, his forehead glowing with laughter, and even the corners of his mouth were crooked from smiling.

He watched the video interview sent back by CCTV's movie channel on his computer, repeatedly replaying Wu Chen's words: "Although 'Get Out' was born in Hollywood, I wrote the script at the Beijing Film Academy."

"Damn, this is the mindset of returning to simplicity. 'The sun was blazing outside the window that day, it was early summer in Beijing, and the cicadas were not so noisy, but rather pleasant to the ear.' This mindset is unbeatable."

"The part that criticized South Korea was more satisfying; it was full of yin and yang and hit the mark right between the eyebrows."

"That's really awesome. I'll show my support when it's released in a couple of days. I wonder what the Best Film award will be. It seems like it'll be released in Hong Kong a day earlier than in mainland China."

"."

Netizens were also engaged in heated discussions, but then several major official media outlets spoke out.

The first to speak was an editorial in the overseas edition of People's Daily: "The power of film is more than just light and shadow on the screen."

The accompanying subheading further summarizes Wu Chen's award: "Chinese director Wu Chen wins the Oscar for Best Picture, showcasing the rising spirit of young Chinese filmmakers."

Director Wu Chen not only firmly expressed his cultural stance on Hollywood's home turf, but also demonstrated the responsibility and courage of Chinese filmmakers in the new era.

Xinhua News Agency followed up with an article titled "Young Director Wins Film Awards Overseas, Chinese Filmmakers Stand at the Center of the World Stage."

CCTV Movie Channel and China Film News even created special columns to promote it.

The following morning, the Los Angeles sun lazily streamed into the hotel's floor-to-ceiling windows.

Wu Chen hadn't fully opened his eyes when the phone on the bedside table rang. He glanced at it and saw it was a call from the bureau, from Tong Gang's secretary.

"Director Wu, first of all, congratulations on winning four major awards, including the Oscar for Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay. Director Tong and the others are very happy."

Director Tong asked me to inquire about your approximate return date. The bureau is currently organizing a symposium to exchange creative experiences with young filmmakers and to give more practitioners in the industry hope.
Secondly, the external publicity department will also arrange for you to make an official statement within the next day or two; you may need to keep an eye out for phone calls.

(End of this chapter)