Director of Photography Department of Huayu

Chapter 588 An Epic Comeback, Hold It Down?
Four Seasons Hotel, Beverly Hills.

On the second floor, in a low-key yet luxurious private banquet hall, the lighting was soft, and the crystal chandelier reflected a pale golden halo.

This is the annual directors' roundtable hosted by The Hollywood Reporter.

It has always been considered one of the most important public relations aspects of the Oscars season.

The air was filled with a unique atmosphere where fame, fortune, and art intertwined.

Although it's a directors' roundtable, popular actors like Leonardo DiCaprio and Keira Knightley are also invited to attend.

Leonardo, on the other hand, seems rather unfortunate.

Anyone with eyes can see the effort he put into winning awards, but as a commercial sci-fi blockbuster, Inception is naturally at a disadvantage in terms of acting awards.

As Wu Chen pushed open the door to enter, he happened to hear Leonardo DiCaprio finish his speech about "effort and regret." He turned around, saw him, greeted him, and then poured out his grievances:

"Wu, this is so hard for me!"

“There will always be opportunities,” Wu Chen joked with a smile. “Your fingerprints have already been stained with many excellent scripts, haven’t they?”

“But I haven’t had any of your touch yet,” Leonardo said sincerely. “You’re amazing. Keira is almost certain to be nominated for Best Actress at this year’s Oscars.”

He was truly convinced.

A review of Wu Chen's works:
Chadwick Boseman, the young African American actor who starred in "Get Out," has been nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor.

"Black Peony," a foreign language film, has earned an Oscar nomination for Best Actress.

Now, with "Black Swan," Keira Knightley's popularity is soaring.

And what about him?
A commercial superstar, countless scripts, but that face always seems to be destined to miss out on the Oscar.

"It's just a nomination, I haven't even received it yet," Wu Chen said casually. "Besides, haven't you had enough nominations already?"

As soon as the words left his mouth, Leonardo's eyes widened instantly, as if to say, "You're rubbing salt into my wounds."

Wu Chen realized what was happening and couldn't help but laugh out loud. He patted Nolan apologetically on the shoulder and then walked towards Nolan, who was waving at him from a distance.

Almost all the directors present tonight are top contenders for this year's awards season:
David Fincher of The Social Network, Tom Hooper of The King's Speech, the Coen brothers of True Grit, and David O. Russell of The Fighter.

Nolan is clearly obsessed with the Oscars, but he also knows that the chances of Inception are slim.

"The chances of Inception seem slim."

Nolan glanced at Harvey Weinstein of The Weinstein Company not far away, beaming as he courted each of the judges, and couldn't help but sigh.

“The old folks never really like movies that have high box office returns and are sci-fi,” Wu Chen and Nolan whispered to each other. “Cameron, didn’t he fail miserably?”

Not far away, that fat Harvey really does have some skills.

He moved with ease through the crowd, sometimes eloquently telling film critics about the deeply moving British spirit behind "The King's Speech," and at other times patting an academic judge on the shoulder as if they were old friends.

Hugs, handshakes, and pats on the shoulder—these demonstrate a masterful command of "family-style intimacy."
Wu Chen's arrival also attracted a lot of attention.

Black Swan wasn't exactly a surprise hit, because Paramount had already given it a preview;
However, with such positive reviews after only a few days of release, it is clearly a strong contender for this year's Oscars. Especially noteworthy is its ability to carve out a significant portion of the box office from a blockbuster like "Tron: Legacy," which is undeniably impressive.

Since the dinner was not a formal interview, the atmosphere was relatively relaxed.

David Fincher took the initiative and walked over with a wine glass.

This director, known for his precision and detachment, was now also filled with a hint of curiosity:
"Wu, I'm very curious, why did you agree to let a psychological thriller go head-to-head with Disney's 3D sci-fi blockbuster?"

At this question, several directors around him perked up their ears.

Schedules can actually be changed; it's not like they're set in stone.
Actually, this isn't the most important issue, because judging from the current situation, "Black Swan" could very well turn the tables on "Tron: Legacy" next week.
Wu Chen smiled and answered casually:
"I just think that Disney spent $1.7 million, so there should at least be one good movie showing in theaters that week, even if it's just a little bit."
It's not theirs.

This slightly arrogant joke made Nolan and David Fincher burst into laughter.

Wu Chen noticed that David Fincher was brimming with confidence tonight.

This is not surprising.

Because The Social Network is indeed considered by film critics to be at the pinnacle of cinema.

However, the other party is indeed very good at filming. Although it is just about the life of Mark Zuckerberg, a prominent figure in the internet industry, "The Social Network" has a particularly strong dark atmosphere.
It portrays the technological and business geniuses of the capitalist era as tragic and lonely.

Before The Social Network, no one dared to make a biographical film like this.

Harvard University in the darkness was like a hell for geniuses.
In contrast, the most mediocre film among those present was Tom Hooper's "The King's Speech".

Plain and straightforward, conventional and unoriginal.
As they left the hotel after the dinner, Wu Chen casually remarked to Rebecca Sarkin beside him, "Weinstein is making a big move tonight."

“That’s how their PR is always, but we’ve done a comprehensive evaluation,” Rebecca said confidently. “Among the major competing films, The King’s Speech is the most traditional and least innovative, and it’s basically at the bottom of the current critics’ awards.”

Wu Chen was speechless upon hearing this.

Damn it, it was your underestimation of the enemy that allowed "The King's Speech" to stage an epic comeback at the Oscars.

And that idiot "The Social Network" had a perfect start; even if it got crushed in the end, it should have won a big prize. Instead, it got completely wiped out.
It was literally halfway through the game, with champagne being popped up.
“The King’s Speech is not to be underestimated,” Wu Chen’s tone became more serious. “Our focus should not be on the film itself, but on Weinstein.”

"Oh?"

Rebecca immediately dropped her relaxed expression.

She knew that Wu Chen rarely concerned himself with public relations details, but when he did speak up, it was always something special.

“The King’s Speech is ‘conservative and outdated,’ so we need to establish a firm stance on its discourse and prevent it from relying on safe choices.”

"Black Swan represents the limits of 'visual appeal and art'."

The two exchanged views.

Wu Chen didn't know if this approach would have any effect. If it didn't, he would have to wait until the turning point arrived and then regroup.

With him around, it won't be so easy for Weinstein to pull off an epic comeback.
(End of this chapter)