Huayu Entertainment: You have been directing for three generations, are you comparing your qualifica

Chapter 293 Never fight a battle you can't win!
The Film Bureau is riddled with problems; Chen Zhixi had just submitted her script for registration and filing.

Within just one afternoon, everyone in the industry knew about it.

After learning that it was a TV drama script, the companies that had been cooperating with each other for a long time remained quite quiet.

They were very self-aware and didn't rush to ask questions, clearly understanding that this was a project that Xiaole Pictures was handling on its own.

But actors in the industry are not calm.

It's important to know that Xiaole Pictures' film and television productions are guaranteed to be of high quality.

Many people inquired about the roles, with the Beijing Film Academy being the most enthusiastic. Wang Jinsong wanted Tian Xiaole to give more opportunities to his juniors.

This vice dean was incredibly dedicated and conscientious in his duties.

After Tian Xiaole announced that the male and female leads were Luo Jin and Tan Songyun, he immediately changed his tune.

They praised her for her good eye and excellent casting.

"Xiao Le, are you planning to take your art film to the Venice Film Festival?"

Wang Jinsong knew very well that going to Venice was the safest option for Tian Xiaole to aim for a Grand Slam.

After all, there's someone "on our side" here, and the relationship is quite close.

"Old Wang, are you asking because you want to know, or are you asking on behalf of the school?"

Tian Xiaole asked in return, curious.

"Haha, Principal Zhang and I both want to know, the more honors you receive, the more honor the school will have, after all, you are a famous alumnus."

Even more than Tian Xiaole herself, the Beijing Film Academy cares about which film festival to attend; the school prefers Venice.

With Muller still in office, Li An is the jury chairman again this year.

As for the conflict between the two, it can be easily resolved by finding a mediator.

With these two connections in place, as long as the film's quality isn't lacking, the chances of winning a Golden Horse Award are very high.

Tian Xiaole has won two gold medals, and the value of those medals is even higher than that of Zhang Yimou.

"I can't make it to Venice this year, so I'm going to the Berlin Film Festival next year."

As a Palme d'Or winner, Tian Xiaole was not restricted from applying; he could easily cut in line.

But if you win the Golden Lion in Venice first, winning the Golden Bear in Berlin will be several times more difficult.

Given the typical attitude of older white European men, they'll probably have to censor him several times, and he'll need to produce a film of such quality that it's considered a rigged affair if it doesn't win an award.

Persian director Jafar Panahi won the Venice Golden Bear in 2000 for "The Circle of Life" and the Berlin Golden Lion in 2015 for "Taxi".

In the days that followed, he made a continuous attempt to win a Grand Slam, only to fall short time and time again.

For this trip to Berlin, Tian Xiaole needs to hire a professional film PR team, given the quality of "Shoplifters" and its appeal to Berlin audiences.

If we can win the Golden Bear, the Golden Lion will be much easier, and we have a high probability of achieving a Grand Slam.

"Then I wish you all your dreams come true in advance, haha."

"Thanks, Lao Wang."

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The premiere of "Lucy" was held at the Chinese Grand Theatre.

It's clear that Lionsgate is giving Tian Xiaole a lot of face, inviting many actors and celebrities to help out.

Many photos and videos of the premiere have surfaced online in China.

James Wan and James DeMonaco, two of Hollywood's most promising young directors.

Notable actors include Keanu Reeves, Scarlett Johansson, Matt Damon, Gong Li, Michelle Yeoh…

Netizens exclaimed that the scale of this premiere was quite impressive.

Tang Yan is really getting great treatment; so many famous actors are attending.

Soon, netizens discovered a common thread: most of these Hollywood actors had crossed paths with Tian Xiaole.

A Weibo post by Zhang Ziyi attracted a large number of netizens.

The nine-grid photo she posted was full of pictures from the set of "Lucy" and group photos with various actors.

The one in the very center is a photo of him and Tang Yan.

The caption reads: "I was delighted to be invited to the premiere of [Lucy], where I met many old friends and made quite a few new ones—wishing Tangtang's movie great success."

A long article of several hundred words, if not for the restrictions, would probably be over a thousand words long.

His words implied that he knew many people in Hollywood and had a close relationship with Tang Yan.

Last year, she made a high-profile announcement of her engagement to her boyfriend, stating that they would get married within a year.

Now a year has passed, and instead of getting married, she's been kicked out like trash.

The man wanted to sign a prenuptial agreement, but Zhang Ziyi disagreed, arguing that once married, the property would be considered joint property.

She thought she could easily manipulate him with her later-era fairy-like tactics, throwing a tantrum. But the man wouldn't have any of it; he simply turned and walked away, refusing to hesitate even for a second as a sign of disrespect for money.

Zhang Ziyi's Weibo post, seemingly showing off her connections, was actually a desperate attempt to save face and assert her presence.

Gong Li's Weibo posts are very simple and straightforward: a movie poster and a photo of the two of them together.

The caption reads: "Beneath Tangtang's sweet appearance lies a fierce fighting spirit—[Lucy] is definitely worth the audience's anticipation."

Immediately afterwards, Tang Yan updated her Weibo, thanking all the guests who attended the premiere and finally hoping that movie fans would pay attention to the film's release.

In the nine-grid photo, she posed with many celebrities, and her photo with Gong Li was placed in the very center.

Netizens will make comparisons; they can easily tell how close or distant the relationship is.

Now I'm even more excited for the Chinese premiere of "Lucy".

After China Film Group announced the news, people in the industry began to receive invitations.

There were also invitations issued under the name of Xiaole Pictures. This time, there were no restrictions on the level of celebrities involved, and many actors and stars in the industry received invitations.

Lu Yang came to us; his directorial debut, "The Blind Cinema," had completed post-production.

"Have you decided? Which way do you want to go?"

"Well, I know my limitations when it comes to Europe, so I can only try my luck in South Korea."

Lu Yang chuckled self-deprecatingly. He wanted to go to the Busan International Film Festival in South Korea. For foreign contestants like him, the Shanghai International Film Festival would offer certain preferential treatment.

To put it nicely, you might win a prize.

Tian Xiaole looked at this younger brother; he wasn't old, but he looked quite old.

“CJ’s people came to see the finished product of ‘My Love from the Star.’ I’ll have them recommend you to them.”

There's a big difference between having someone recommend you for a film festival and not having one.

With CJ, the local bigwig, handling things, Lu Yang has a great chance of winning the award.

"Thank you, senior brother."

Lu Yang hesitated for a moment before agreeing. Who would want to take a detour when there's a shortcut?

·······
In the screening room.

Representatives from film companies such as CJ, Sony, and Southeast Asia are watching the finished product of "My Love from the Star".

As film and television giants in their respective countries, they have no interest in an urban drama series, let alone a period martial arts drama, which is not their forte.

However, since it was Tian Xiaole who invited them, they had no reason to refuse.

The judgment of a renowned director is still trustworthy.

The very beginning of the play caused everyone to frown.
Isn't this a modern drama? Why is it starting like a period drama?
I watched with questions in mind, and soon finished the first episode. The alien concept was novel, but the rest of the plot was average.

Seeing the reactions from various film companies, Xue Xiaolu was really worried, fearing that the film would be a dud.

Noticing Tian Xiaole's calm and composed expression, she finally felt a little relieved.

Then the second and third episodes were played, and the plot gradually unfolded. The appearance of the female lead, Liu Yifei, was a pleasant surprise for everyone.

Besides being beautiful, she has an even more attractive identity: she is one of the female leads in the global blockbuster movie, Pacific Rim.

Tian Xiaole nodded slightly. Xue Xiaolu, as a highly educated woman, had excellent taste.

The series not only showcases Liu Yifei's goofy personality and carefree character, but its costumes and styling also far surpass those of other dramas airing at the same time.

In just over two hours, I watched all the way to episode five.

Unsurprisingly, thanks to Tian Xiaole's reputation, the cast of the TV series, and the quality of the series, it sold for a high price.

Considering that the markets in these countries are not large, the price per episode cannot be compared with that in China.

South Korea received US$2.5 million, while the island nation received US$3.8 million.

Package deal for Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and other Southeast Asian countries, 3.7 million.

Xue Xiaolu breathed a sigh of relief when she learned the transaction price.

Although TV dramas have already made a lot of money in the country, cultural import is more important.

Now we've made money and our culture has gone global—a win-win situation.

Tian Xiaole found Xijie's people and told them about the "Blind Cinema." The latter patted his chest and guaranteed that there would definitely be a reward.

When Lu Yang heard the news, he didn't know whether to be happy or sad.

Suddenly, I realized this was way too easy.

It instantly demystifies art films.

(End of this chapter)