Director of Photography Department of Huayu

Chapter 426 arrives, the birth of a masterpiece.
The spring breeze outside the CPPCC Auditorium fluttered the flags, and the main poster for "The Martian" rustled in the evening light.

The flashbulbs on both sides of the red carpet surged like a tide, and the shouts and shutter clicks of the media pushed the atmosphere to another climax.

The red carpet buzz surged instantly after Wu Chen, Liu Yifei, Jiang Wen, Gong Li, Christian Bale, Scarlett Johansson, Chadwick Boseman, and others appeared.
Many reporters' arms were already sore and numb, but they were still reluctant to put down their cameras.

Inside the hall, the seats were almost full, and guests from all sides entered one after another.

Representatives from the Film Bureau, the Space Bureau, cinema chains, production company executives, directors, professors, scholars, film critics, and media reporters all took their seats in their designated areas.

The seats in the CPPCC Auditorium were almost full, though a few guests were still arriving.

Stephen Chow has arrived.

The media were not surprised.

Stephen Chow had said during the filming of "CJ7" that he would be present during the filming of "The Martian".

Just as the light in the center of the front row flickered slightly, a new commotion suddenly arose outside the auditorium, like a pebble thrown into water, stirring up ripples once again along the red carpet that had been somewhat calm.

"Hey, what's all this commotion over there?"

"Someone's coming. It looks like—"

"Nolan! Christopher Nolan!"

"Really? You flew all the way from Los Angeles?"

"Someone saw him saying he was scouting locations in Japan. He must have flown in specifically from Japan."

Before he finished speaking, reporters outside the auditorium swarmed forward, their cameras almost blocking the entrance.

In the footage, Christopher Nolan, dressed in a dark gray suit and looking slightly tired, walks onto the red carpet, accompanied by his assistant.

In the center of the red carpet, Wu Chen was talking with Liu Yifei, Bell, and a few others. Hearing the voice, he turned his head and a smile appeared in his eyes. He then took a few steps forward to greet them.

"Welcome, welcome." Wu Chen reached out and gave Nolan a leisurely hug.

"Sorry I'm a little late," Nolan said apologetically.

“Christopher.” Bell quickly stepped forward, and the two embraced familiarly.

"You're really unlucky," Nolan joked.

Liu Yifei couldn't help but chuckle, lightly covering her mouth, clearly knowing that this was a joke about "The Dark Knight" missing out on the Oscar for Best Picture.

"Let's not talk about such sad things." Bell gave a wry smile, and everyone burst into laughter.

Gong Li and Scarlett Johansson also greeted Nolan, making the scene simple yet warm.

At this point, staff members from inside the hall came to provide guidance.

Deep inside the hall, as guests took their seats one after another, the inner doors of the CPPCC Auditorium slowly closed, the red carpet ended, and the long street gradually returned to calm.

The premiere of "The Martian" is about to begin.

Inside the CPPCC Auditorium, all the lights on the arched dome were lit, illuminating the entire space.

Nolan's seat had already been arranged between Universal Pictures representative David Lyndon and Blumhouse Pictures' Jason Blum.

David stood up to greet Nolan, shaking hands and exchanging pleasantries.
Many people noticed this scene.

"Who was that person shaking hands with Universal Pictures?"

"It should be Christopher Nolan; he visited the set of 'The Martian' before."

"."

Seeing the surrounding chatter, Feng Xiaogang looked at Wu Chen and the others who were entering and felt a bit envious.

He had to admit that he was far inferior to his opponent in terms of global connections, which was why people in the Hong Kong entertainment circle dared to confront him. If it were someone like Zhang Yimou or Wu Chen, they probably wouldn't have dared to speak so loudly.

On the one hand, it's about awards, and on the other hand, it's about international standing.

Han Sanping was in a very good mood.

It has to be a top-tier blockbuster; the scenes here are truly different, completely different.
In the media area, reporters from major media outlets such as *China Film News*, *Southern Metropolis Weekly*, and *Movie View* gathered, and several veteran film critics also made a quiet appearance, including Mao Jian, Cheng Qingsong, Zhou Liming, and Bi Chenggong.
The stadium lights gradually dimmed.

The stage lights were focused, and the CCTV host took the stage, speaking clearly and at a fast pace:
"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the premiere of 'The Martian,' one of the most anticipated international sci-fi blockbusters of 2009."

Let's welcome the creative team and special appearances of "The Martian": Director Wu Chen, Jiang Wen, Christian Bale, Gong Li, Liu Yifei, Scarlett Johansson, and Chadwick Boseman.

Applause erupted.

Wu Chen first thanked China Film Group, Universal Pictures, Shanghai Film Group, Blumhouse, the Space Administration, and everyone who made cameo appearances.
After giving their brief remarks, the group stepped down from the stage.

The actual interviews and interactive sessions are usually reserved for after the screening of such a blockbuster film.

As the stage lights dimmed and the dragon emblem appeared, the film finally began to unfold before the audience.
The movie opens with a long shot.
The orange-red dust and cracked rock lines intertwine to form a vast picture scroll. The rugged Martian scene instantly attracts the viewer's attention, vividly expressing the desolate and lonely atmosphere of Mars.

The scene shifts to a conversation between the Mars team.

The team members chatted and joked with each other while collecting soil samples, creating a very relaxed atmosphere. Occasionally, a few witty remarks would elicit laughter from the audience.

It was Liu Yifei, Gong Li, Boseman, Scarlett Johansson, Bell, and others.

The movie fans were extremely excited.

The Mars rover and Mars capsule appeared one by one in front of the audience.

"I breathed a sigh of relief. It looks like real science fiction, finally not one of those cheap imitations where they just put on a spacesuit and call it a science fiction movie."

"I feel comfortable now. I can relax and lean back in my chair to enjoy myself."

The audience couldn't help but smile knowingly.

Of course, this was followed by a sudden and extremely strong sandstorm, with wind speeds approaching their limit, ground communications being interrupted, and solar panels being damaged.

The two space agencies jointly ordered an emergency evacuation.

During the evacuation, Jiang Wen, the Chinese commander, was struck by debris while rescuing an injured American soldier and swept into a storm, disappearing into the dust cloud.
Jiang Wen was the only one left on Mars.

The audience couldn't help but recall the desolate landscape of Mars, which evoked a sense of despair and made them even more curious about how Jiang Wen would survive on Mars and how this interstellar rescue would begin.

Meanwhile, space agencies on both Earth announced this devastating news.

People on the surface only then realized that this Martian super dust storm would last for a full 120 days!
The scene shifts back to Mars, where Jiang Wen is recording a video of himself, explaining his current situation.

This conversation reads more like a suicide note!
Nolan looked closely and couldn't help but feel a sense of emotion: "It's all filmed on location, the quality is amazing, and judging from the plot, it should be a universe that reflects the loneliness of human spirit, where humanity is always so insignificant."

Zhang Yimou, however, thought of "Red Sorghum" when he saw Jiang Wen's monologue.

Gong Li and Jiang Wen were also there back then, but times have changed, and twenty years have passed since the three of them worked together.
Without a doubt, within just ten minutes of the movie's opening, the intense storm, the sci-fi plot, and the anxious "death countdown" had already completely captivated everyone!

When people are lonely and desperate, they are either crushed by pressure or they bounce back from rock bottom and unleash unprecedented power. The protagonist played by Jiang Wen clearly belongs to the latter.

This character is very funny and optimistic. Of course, Wu Chen also added some self-deprecating lines in the style of Jiang Wen.

"Waiting to die?"

"What kind of normal person would just wait to die? I won't."

"How can you survive on Mars without being tough? Isn't that common sense?"
The audience couldn't help but laugh out loud at Jiang Wen's soliloquy on the screen. The relaxed atmosphere gradually dispelled the oppressive atmosphere in the screening room, just like the black sandstorm on the screen, which finally passed and the sun once again shone.

Of course, many production company personnel also saw the special effects level of StarCrystal Visual Effects.

Those in the industry know that about a quarter of the special effects in "The Martian" were done by StarChip Visual Effects.

"That's great. With a special effects company like this, sometimes we don't have to go to great lengths to find one."

"Sure, we can try collaborating later."

People from some production companies were whispering and exchanging ideas.

In the video, potato seedlings have sprouted, their vibrant green color a miraculous sight, giving viewers a new kind of awe.

"Resilience and perseverance."

Chen Kai crossed his arms over his chest, thinking to himself.

Meanwhile, the domestic space agency had never given up searching for Jiang Wen;

When people saw the image of the satellite vehicle's position changing in the magnified satellite image, the entire space agency seemed to be ignited in an instant; everyone stood up and held their breath.
An impromptu joint communications meeting between China and the United States on space exploration was convened.

"In this universe, no one should be forgotten. Whether he is tens of millions of kilometers away or trapped on the lonely surface of a barren planet, as long as he is breathing, as long as we can still hear the echo of his heartbeat—"

We have an obligation to respond; we should bring him back.

A cross-planetary rescue mission also begins at this moment.

The audience listened silently, their thoughts drifting back to that extraordinary moment last year, when countless people were frantically racing against time to save lives.
"Great shot!"

Tong Gang and Zhang Hongsen were exchanging quiet words with the people from the space agency. They nodded in agreement, finding it natural and reasonable, not affecting the plot, but rather elevating it further.

The word "rescue" in "The Martian" refers not only to external rescue but also, and perhaps more importantly, to self-rescue.

Jiang Wen was preparing for self-rescue and for the space team to land on Mars again four years later, so that he could reach the landing site of the spacecraft.

The full picture of Mars is unfolding: a Mars rover, a tourist lost on an alien planet, striving to return home.

Suddenly, the screen fell silent.

There were no lines or background music.

The wind seemed to come from nowhere, and Jiang Wen got off the Mars rover and slowly climbed up the small sandy hillside.

In the image, the earth is a rust-colored, wrinkled texture, covered with cracks and rock layers, while the sky is torn into a ripple of dark red and ochre by the storm.
The wind blows from deep within the screen.

The sand undulates at the far horizon.

Jiang Wen, dressed in a spacesuit, stood alone on a bare mountain ridge.

With his back to him, his figure appeared both small and resolute in the desolation, though the helmet reflected a cold light and his shoulders and back were slightly hunched, yet he remained as steady as a rock.

Zhang Yi and Chen Kaige narrowed their eyes slightly, their reactions were very sharp.

"Is this scene a tribute to Friedrich's 'The Traveler on the Sea of ​​Fog'?"

Zhang Yi was initially unsure, but as she looked at the composition of the picture and the way man and nature gazed at each other, the artistic conception of resisting fate with dignity in solitude was already vividly conveyed beyond the screen.

Although the white mist has turned into yellow sand; the mountain peak into Mars; and the man in the trench coat into an astronaut clad in silver armor.

But the artistic conception is so similar that it cannot be changed in the slightest.

"What a beautiful scene!"

Chen Kaige couldn't help but sigh softly at this moment. For a moment, Chen Hong stared blankly at the scene. She felt that the scene had a unique beauty, but she couldn't explain the strange feeling for the time being.

Many film critics also noticed this and began writing in their notebooks.
"Great story and visuals."

Nolan couldn't help but mutter to himself. David Lyndon, who was standing next to him, breathed a slight sigh of relief upon hearing this, his eyes fixed on the screen, waiting for the audience's reaction after the movie ended.

(End of this chapter)