It's reasonable for me to be a three-time Golden Horse Award-winning director and an all-around

Chapter 195 Lü Rui VS Li An! The Beginning of the Conflict! Playing the Piano? Talking About Cotton? Is there a difference?

"The movie 'Rob-B-Hood,' directed by Chen Musheng and starring Jackie Chan, Louis Koo, and Gao Yuanyuan, has officially started filming."

"Gao Yuanyuan announced her breakup with her boyfriend, sparking controversy again, with rumors circulating that she was 'a homewrecker'..."

"Huang Xiaoming's side has officially announced a countersuit, demanding the termination of his contract with Century Elements Entertainment Agency, and requesting the company to issue a public apology and compensate him for defamation..."

"The list of the eight most competitive film and television companies in China in 05 has been released: Ruishijie, Tianyu Media, New Pictures, Huayi Brothers, Orange Sky Entertainment, Polybona, Hengdian Group..."

……

Yang Shoucheng did not stay in the mainland for long.

Two days later, he returned to Hong Kong with two tasks.

First, to assist with the Cannes public relations for "The Sun Also Rises," and second, to handle Zhou Xun's affairs for Lü Rui during the Hong Kong Film Awards selection process.

He gained a lot from this trip to the mainland!
He was especially overjoyed to have reached a verbal cooperation agreement with Lü Rui.

In his view, with the connection to Ruishijie, Yinghuang's development in mainland China will undoubtedly be more secure.

It was much smoother than cooperating with Huayi.

The two Wang brothers were too greedy and constantly engaged in underhanded tactics, which he found extremely distasteful.

Moreover, the list of the eight most competitive film and television companies in China in 05, compiled by multiple media outlets in mainland China, shows that Ruishijie is undoubtedly the leader!
Aside from being established relatively recently, it is in no way inferior to other companies.

Yang Shoucheng had made up his mind that he had to handle Zhou Xun's matter perfectly and not let Lü Rui down.

He was best at making a pledge of allegiance.

Meanwhile, filming for "Dying to Survive" is still underway.

Li Bingbing was the first to join the crew and filmed her entrance scene.

In the video, she is wearing red-soled high heels and black hot pants that barely cover her hips, outlining an alluring curve.

She wore a black bra on top, covered by a lace openwork gauze dress, her fair skin faintly visible beneath the thin fabric.

She sat in front of the dressing table, one foot firmly on the ground and the other resting on the edge of the chair. Her pert buttocks were slightly deformed due to her sitting posture, and her unrestrained posture revealed her voluptuous figure and snow-white, rounded legs.

Every line exudes a captivating tension, perfectly capturing the mature charm that men adore.

In fact, in her early days, Li Bingbing was far less alluring than Fan Bingbing, who was flamboyant and dazzling.

But once someone becomes famous, the "fame" adds a touch of confidence and charm to their demeanor, making them irresistibly attractive in every gesture.

Besides being a good fit in age, the key reason for casting her as a dancer and single mother was her blend of worldliness and resilience...

The crew has finished its adjustment period and filming has officially entered a fast track, with encouraging progress every day and time flying by.

Before we knew it, it was March 6th.

The Oscars ceremony officially kicked off on this day.

As in previous years, the movie channel (Six Princesses) successfully secured the broadcasting rights.

After the crew finished work that evening, Lü Rui, Jiang Wen, Lu Yang, and Zhao Peng, who had come to visit the set, gathered in their hotel room to watch the broadcast together.

"Zhang Ziyi is becoming more and more international!"

Looking at Zhang Ziyi, who was wearing a black low-cut dress and walking arm in arm with the director of "Memoirs of a Geisha" on the red carpet, Zhao Peng murmured with emotion.

This person is undoubtedly a prime example of how "redness nourishes the body".

In fact, this is true for most female celebrities: the more famous and charming they become, the more confident they become.

Lu Yang suddenly leaned over and started gossiping: "Hong Kong media says she's dating the Huo family's son, I wonder if it's true or not?"

At Lu Rui's request, he has been spending all his time watching Hong Kong movies lately, and has also come across a lot of Hong Kong entertainment news.

This news is one of the biggest hot topics in Hong Kong recently.

"It should be right," Lu Rui replied casually.

He knew all too well that Zhang Ziyi's love life in later generations was far more exciting than it was now.

As her figure disappeared from the camera's view, more and more female celebrities walked the red carpet under the spotlight.

The room gradually quieted down as everyone stared at the screen, admiring the exotic charm and swaying movements of the Western actresses...

This year's Oscars red carpet was exceptionally star-studded.

Nicole Kidman's elegance, Charlize Theron's cool sophistication, Jessica Alba's sweetness, Anne Hathaway's vivacity, and familiar faces like Jennifer Aniston and Keira Knightley all made appearances, making it a feast for the eyes.

Lü Rui never hides his appreciation for beauty, but he keeps his boundaries clear, limiting it to just "looking".

A while ago, Hollywood was hit by a wave of AIDS news, with many celebrities being photographed going to the hospital for checkups...

The risks in this circle are practically like stepping on a landmine; he doesn't want to get involved in even a little bit.

Beautiful things are always fleeting; soon, the scene on the screen made everyone frown.

Lee was seen holding hands with Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal respectively, and leading the entire cast and crew of "Brokeback Mountain" onto the red carpet.

"A few grown men pulling and tugging at each other, aren't they disgusting? Ugh!" Jiang Wen retorted without any politeness.

However, on both sides of the red carpet, there were quite a few eye-catching special groups cheering wildly at the three of them, their enthusiasm was a bit exaggerated!

Brokeback Mountain is already extremely popular among this group, so it's not surprising that such a scene occurred.

With the red carpet ceremony over, the awards ceremony officially began.

Lu Rui stared at the screen, not actually to watch "Brokeback Mountain," but out of curiosity about what awards Sony Columbia had managed to secure for "The Pursuit of Happyness (US version)."
After months of hard work, the time has finally come to see the results.

"Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design—Memoirs of a Geisha..."

The awards were presented one by one.

Brokeback Mountain lived up to its reputation as a "special seed," winning both Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Original Score awards.

As for the Best Foreign Language Film award that Chen Kaige had been longing for, it was ultimately won by the South African film "Gangsters".

"The winner of the 78th Academy Award for Best Actor is Jamie Foxx for *The Pursuit of Happyness* (US version)!"

Upon hearing the result, Lü Rui's eyes widened in shock.

Sony really pulled off a brilliant move!

No wonder the film hasn't been released since filming wrapped, and the release date was specifically set for the day after the Oscars.

It turns out they actually managed to win the Oscar for Best Actor through public relations!

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, with this award boosting the film's box office, it's sure to hit a new high!
"Brother Rui? Isn't this the American version of your movie? The one that won you the Best Director award at Cannes?" Shen Ao asked in surprise.

“That’s right.” Lü Rui nodded.

Zhao Peng immediately exclaimed from the side, "Goodness! Rui, you're going to be famous again!"

Most people outside the industry don't actually know about the public relations tactics behind the Oscars; they just think that winning an award is "well-deserved."

Jamie Foxx's Best Actor win for "The Pursuit of Happyness" is seen by outsiders as proof of both the actor's acting skills and the quality of the film itself.

As the director and first screenwriter of the original film, Lü Rui also won the Best Director Award at Cannes for it.

This undoubtedly reaffirms the high quality of his screenwriting skills!
The awards ceremony is still ongoing.

As expected, Lee won the Best Director award for "Brokeback Mountain".

As for the most prestigious Best Picture award, it was won by "Crash," which focuses on the issue of racial discrimination.

While this result disappointed many fans of "Brokeback Mountain," it also aligns with the Oscars' consistent tendency to "divide the spoils."

The day after the awards ceremony, domestic entertainment news exploded:

"Reprinted from The Hollywood Reporter: The Pursuit of Happyness, adapted from director Lu Rui's film, wins the Academy Award for Best Actor!"

"Warmest congratulations to director Li An for winning the Academy Award for Best Director for 'Brokeback Mountain,' becoming the first Chinese director to receive this honor!"

"Zhang Ziyi graces the Oscars red carpet in a black strapless gown, showcasing the elegance of Chinese actresses..."

With the media deliberately hyping things up, Lü Rui and Li An, who already had conflicts, were now directly brought into the spotlight by netizens for comparison.

The entire internet is debating: who is more awesome between the two?
"Li An is the first Chinese director to win an Oscar for Best Director! Is there any doubt about the prestige of that?"

"Director Lü is truly amazing! His films have been adapted by Hollywood time and time again, winning awards and achieving box office success. In the past, we were the ones copying foreign works, but now it's the other way around. This is true cultural export!"

"Don't forget that Li An is also a Golden Lion Award-winning director!"

"Director Lü is the only person in the world to have won three Silver Awards at the three major European film festivals! In terms of output and commercial appeal, can Li An compare?"

The fans of both sides argued fiercely, but neither side could gain the upper hand.

At this critical juncture, Feng Xiaogang suddenly announced that "The Banquet" had been submitted for review and would be released in the second half of the year. With two top directors engaged in a fierce competition, his sudden appearance instantly made him the target of attacks from both sides' fans.

"What kind of banquet is this? Aren't five thousand years of Chinese history enough for you to make a film about? Why do you have to adapt 'Hamlet'? What are you trying to prove by being so sophisticated?"

"Is Feng Xiaogang a typical foreign-worshipping slacker who only knows how to copy foreign things and has no original ideas?"

"Go home and rest! You lost everything in the box office competition with Director Lü, and now you dare to show your face?"

Feng Xiaogang was so angry when he saw the negative comments online that he jumped up and down.

He had hoped that some of his fans would stand up for him, but after searching the entire internet, not a single person was willing to speak up for him!

This frustration made him so depressed that he wanted to find a block of tofu and smash his head against it!
A perfectly good publicity plan has turned into a recipe for disaster...

At the same time, with the start of filming for "Curse of the Golden Flower," the new "Zhang Yimou Girl" also began a flurry of publicity.

However, the popularity of this newcomer from the Central Academy of Drama's acting program is worlds apart from that of Gong Li, the veteran "Zhang Yimou girl," who has returned to the spotlight.

Gong Li easily made headlines on major portal websites with just one leaked photo from the set.

In contrast, even if a newcomer publishes dozens of press releases, the comment section remains pitifully quiet, without even a ripple of discussion.

Even Zhang Yimou himself has faced considerable controversy as a result.

With so many professionally trained actors from Beijing Film Academy, Central Academy of Drama, and Shanghai Theatre Academy, can't you find one you're satisfied with? Why do you have to find someone with only a junior college diploma?

However, as always, Zhang Yimou remained silent in the face of controversy, much like an old ox that only knew how to plow the fields...

Inside the "Dying to Survive" film crew, Lü Rui paid no attention to the noise from the outside world.

However, he did glance at the online debate about who was better, him or Li An.

In terms of pure art-house film achievements, he admits that he is indeed slightly inferior.

But when it comes to the box office appeal and market control of commercial films, he is absolutely confident that he can easily beat Li An!
Netizens argued back and forth without reaching a conclusion, and in the end, they could only hope that the two would have the opportunity to compete on the same stage and determine who was better through their works.

But no one expected that this opportunity would come so quickly.

After returning to Taiwan from receiving his Oscar, Lee An immediately held a press conference to officially announce the start of his new film project, "Lust, Caution"!
Facing the densely packed media cameras below the stage, he spoke earnestly and emotionally: "As early as when I was preparing to film 'Brokeback Mountain,' I knew that my next film would be 'Lust, Caution.'"

After reading Eileen Chang's novel, the plot kept swirling in my mind... I knew that I had to adapt it into a film to resolve this inner conflict; it would be a great work..."

As soon as the press conference ended, the news spread instantly throughout Mainland China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong:
"Li An returns with Oscar glory; new art film 'Lust, Caution' has been greenlit, adapted from Eileen Chang's novel of the same name!"

"Plot of 'Lust, Caution' Revealed: A female college student seduces a traitorous leader, the assassination plan faces numerous setbacks, and ultimately ends in a tragic failure..."

"A HK$1.2 million investment! Edko Films and Polybona Films are fully supporting the project! HK$2000 million will be invested in the reconstruction of Nanjing West Road."

"Tony Leung has been confirmed to play the male lead in 'Lust, Caution,' and the female lead will audition in mainland China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. The requirements are: 'intelligent and classical, with a stunning figure, outstanding acting skills, and both beauty and talent!'"

"Li An on 'Lust, Caution': We will strictly follow the original novel, and some scenes involving women will be more thorough and in-depth..."

With the halo of "Oscar Best Director", "Lust, Caution" became the focus of the entire internet as soon as it was officially announced.

Actresses, especially, were all fascinated by the sight!

You know, the allure of a great director's work can be fatal for actresses.

Just like in Lü Rui's "Dying to Survive", even a supporting role in it can make Li Bingbing and Fan Bingbing fight tooth and nail for it.

Given Li An's current status, the role of the female lead in "Lust, Caution" will inevitably trigger a frenzy of competition within the entire industry!
Even more coincidentally, netizens who had been debating who was better, Lü Rui or Li An, suddenly found a "point of contention".

"Dying to Survive" is an art-house film, and "Lust, Caution" is also an art-house film. Wouldn't this be a perfect opportunity for the two to have a real showdown?
"Start fighting! Give them a good beating!"

"Come on, the time has come to settle things."

"This is fucking exciting! I hope they both win the grand prize and see who's better..."

While the online discussion was in full swing and over 90% of female celebrities in the Chinese entertainment industry were excited, Lü Rui was not idle either.

He immediately arranged for people to release the core plot and style of the original novel "Lust, Caution".

Of course, it's not time for a full-scale attack yet. It's enough to let people in the industry and those who are interested in the film know that the original novel adapted from the film is essentially full of vulgar descriptions and cannot be considered a serious literary work.

As for his next move, he already had a more detailed plan in mind.

Just as Lü Rui was making phone calls to arrange things, in the dressing room of the "Dying to Survive" crew, Fan Bingbing, who had just joined the crew, looked at Liu Yifei curiously: "Qianqian, are you going to audition for 'Lust, Caution'?"

"Don't go!"

Liu Yifei shook her head without thinking, a fleeting look of disgust crossing her face.

Fan Bingbing keenly caught this emotion and casually probed, "I'm quite curious about the audition requirements, and I'd really like to give it a try..."

Upon hearing this, Li Bingbing, who was sitting not far away, frowned slightly.

She did consider it, but the female lead in "Lust, Caution" was supposed to be a "female college student".

She looked at herself in the mirror and realized she really didn't have the confidence to look her age.

"Sister Bingbing, I suggest you don't go." Liu Yifei suddenly spoke up.

These words made Fan Bingbing even more certain that Liu Yifei must know something inside, otherwise she wouldn't have given such advice.

She knew Liu Yifei's personality well; she wasn't the type to gossip. Unless the relationship was close, she would never say such a thing.

From "Sunny Sisters" to "Dying to Survive," she has consistently shown goodwill towards Liu Yifei and has repeatedly helped her out of difficult situations in front of the media... The other party has clearly remembered this favor.

"Why?" she asked curiously.

After hesitating for a few seconds, Liu Yifei lowered her voice and said cryptically, "This movie may have a lot of explicit scenes, the kind that are... very explicit, like the kind of movies that Shu Qi once acted in in Hong Kong."

The words "very big" and "Shu Qi" instantly made Fan Bingbing's brows furrow.

For Liu Yifei to describe it as "extremely significant," the "sacrifice" required must have far exceeded her imagination!

It would be a lie to say I wasn't tempted; after all, the works of internationally renowned directors are like a ladder to heaven for actresses.

Especially in the domestic film and television industry, the competition becomes more intense and the market space narrows as actresses advance in their careers. Being able to connect with Li An is almost equivalent to obtaining an "international ticket".

But upon further reflection, this ladder doesn't seem to be absolutely necessary for her.

She's not badly famous now, so it's not worth paying too high a price for a role, like Shu Qi who "finishes easily but gets back on easily," and has to carry that label for the rest of her life.

With this thought in mind, Fan Bingbing quietly gave up the idea of ​​auditioning.

On the other hand, Huo Siyan, who had just received the script for "Apple", was particularly interested in "Lust, Caution".

She had long been prepared to "liberate the actor's nature" in "Apple," and now she felt that if she could get in touch with Li An again through "Lust, Caution," she would not mind "liberating" herself again.

For her, this was not a sacrifice, but a necessary step to seize the opportunity!
...

As soon as the new project was finalized, Li An immediately got busy.

Starting from the Shanghai Theatre Academy, he traveled north, targeting not only the Beijing Film Academy, the Central Academy of Drama, and the Beijing Dance Academy, but also female students from ordinary art schools and actresses from all the talent agencies in mainland China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong.

To his regret, the actress he had his eye on ultimately didn't make the cut and became an unattainable choice.

On the other hand, after arranging the steps to "snipe" "Lust, Caution", Lü Rui turned his attention to "The Pursuit of Happyness (American version)".

Thanks to Sony Columbia's strong marketing campaign, the film's North American box office soared to over $5000 million in just one week after its release!

Keep in mind that the total investment for the film was only $5000 million.

At this rate, breaking even or even making a profit will be a piece of cake.

To his even greater surprise, thanks to Sony's overseas distribution channels, the overseas box office of "Paranormal Activity," produced by Ruixing Pictures, was also climbing steadily, with large sums of money coming in every day.

Everything is thriving...

Time quickly moved into mid-March.

Amidst audience anticipation, "The Return of the Condor Heroes" and its contemporary rival "Seven Swordsmen" premiered on various television stations one after the other.

As soon as the former premiered, Liu Yifei, who played Xiaolongnu, made a stunning appearance in a simple white ancient costume.

Her aloof and refined temperament perfectly matched the character, solidifying her reputation as the "Jade Girl" and making her the Little Dragon Girl who seemed to have stepped right out of the book, according to the audience.

However, for some reason, a certain artist rushed over and posted about it.

His father, in particular, adopted an attitude of self-proclaimed "aristocrat".

Unfortunately, they still ran into a brick wall.

Liu Yifei's response to the disrespectful scoundrel shocked many people in the industry!
"My father, being an artist, is at least half an artist himself... Actually, for me, playing the piano and talking about cotton don't have much of an impact on me..."

After leaving Lü Rui's side, she once again became that armored, occasionally sharp-tongued "Liu the Critic" and "Liu the Hedgehog," increasingly displaying the demeanor of a leading lady!
……

ps: Asking for monthly ticket
(End of this chapter)