The only sun in Huayu

Chapter 115 Brute Force Output! Dog Training! (44)

"We can talk about it."

Shen Shandeng smiled and said, "I keep my word. Let's do it at the Beijing Hotel, in the Chinese Ceremonial Hall."

Tuesday evening.

Shen Shandeng picked up Fan Bingbing, turned his head and chuckled at the stunningly beautiful Fan Bingbing beside him: "How about we make a bet?"

Fan Bingbing's eyes flickered: "What new tricks are you coming up with this time?"

“I’m betting on that artistic director from Venice, Marco Müller,” Shen Shandeng said with a smile. “I’m betting that I’ll make him understand today that he shouldn’t have come, because once he’s here, he can’t leave.”

Fan Bingbing's breath hitched; she wished Shen Shandeng would be even more forceful in his domineering manner.

Shen Shandeng's fingers seemingly unintentionally brushed across Fan Bingbing's smooth neck: "If I succeed, when you go back, wear the little collar I gave you and play a game with me."

Fan Bingbing felt even stronger.

My cheeks felt slightly warm, but my heart trembled, a mixture of tingling and numbness.

She gave him a playful glare: "Are you that confident? He's the person in charge of Venice."

"Precisely because he is, we must make him see it clearly."

Shen Shandeng chuckled softly and said no more.

Three cars sped past.

The corridor lights at the Beijing Hotel cast a warm yellow glow.

"Director Shen, welcome, welcome." Jiang Zhiqiang personally greeted them with Tang Wei, forcing a smile.

Tang Wei followed behind, her head bowed and eyes downcast, her former elegance now shrouded in fear.

Shen Shandeng smiled broadly: "Thank you for your hospitality, Mr. Jiang."

Jiang Zhiqiang glanced at Shen Shandeng's group and dared not act rashly.

The entourage had unwavering eyes, like wolves and tigers, as if they were just waiting for Shen Shandeng's order!
Shen Shandeng was in front, followed by Ma Youde, Zhou Qifeng, and Wu Jing.

Ma Youde still had that capable yet somewhat江湖气 (jianghu qi, a kind of chivalrous and江湖-like demeanor) look.

Zhou Qifeng has a student-like air about him, but there's a hint of composure in his eyes.

Wu Jing, on the other hand, moved with a brisk pace, his eyes sharp as an eagle's, and his outfit exuded a sense of power ready to be unleashed.

Fan Bingbing was also secretly surprised, feeling that Shen Shandeng's team was like a unified whole.

Seeing Tang Wei, I sighed again. Women, sigh.

Jiang Zhiqiang helped Shen Shandeng push open the heavy, carved wooden door of the private room. When he saw the situation inside, his expression turned grim.

In the box.

Tian Lili sat next to the main seat, looking somewhat uneasy.

At the head of the table sat Marco Müller, the renowned European film festival artistic director, dressed in an elegant Italian suit, maintaining a reserved yet curious demeanor.

Shen Shandeng glanced at it.

This is quite interesting. The West may lack reliable historical records, but their private ownership system has a long history, and the aristocracy still exists today.

Some traditions are very long, from the Ming to the Qing, then to modern times, and into the present day, you can always find similar figures.

During the Ming Dynasty, they recorded China's human geography and various technologies. During the Qing Dynasty, they collected various social information and seized opportunities for warfare.

During the Republic of China era, Chinese culture was suppressed, from the replacement and elimination of written language to history. Now, it is active in many fields, acting as various "teachers" and "master teachers".

"Shandeng is here! Please have a seat, please take the seat of honor." Jiang Zhiqiang quickly tried to liven up the atmosphere.

Tian Lili remembered that he had put this together and introduced, "This is Mr. Marco Müller from the Venice Film Festival. Mr. Müller, this is Director Shen Shandeng, a promising young man!"

After a round of pointless small talk, we sat down.

Tian Lili cleared her throat and finally got to the point: "The main reason I invited you here today, Xiao Shen, is that Mr. Muller greatly admires your talent and would like to take this opportunity to sit down and calmly discuss our different understandings of the art of film."

“Especially the recent discussions about ‘The Creation’, I think they all fall within the realm of art.”

Before Shen Shandeng could even speak, Ma Youde had already started the discussion.

Such disrespect for one's own boss is despicable!
What a bunch of bastards! They came here to make peace, but they're putting on airs!
"Art? Don't fucking talk about art!"

Ma Youde directly launched into a tirade: "If you want to promote pornography, deconstruct history, and nihilize history, fine, just do it openly! Admit it openly and honestly! Don't be so sinister, hypocritical, and like a non-stick pan!"

"Art is inherently sacred, but unfortunately, some people love to use the name of art to do dirty things like male thievery and female prostitution!"

He glanced at Jiang Zhiqiang and Tang Wei, but said nothing because of their respectful attitude.

The gun barrels were pointed at Tian Lili and Marco Müller.

He doesn't acknowledge any directorship! He doesn't care about any art directorship!
Ma Youde said with utter disdain: "You fucking want to guide Chinese cinema? Fine! Throw money around! Throw money around generously! In the 80s and 90s, a film could earn hundreds of thousands of euros or US dollars. What a successful experience!"

"Now? If you guys can offer us a reward of ten million or a hundred million dollars for a single film, I, Ma Youde, will be the first to lead the cheers and support!"

"What? Now that we've discovered we can earn tens of millions of euros more from our own market, you can't come up with that money?"

Ma Youde slammed his hand on the table, causing the cups and plates to rattle.

"Damn it! You don't have money to play your mother's art game! Isn't art all about burning money?! You want to define art, but you're too stingy to spend the money? Is there such a thing as a free lunch? Get the hell out of here!"

Ma Youde took a breath, then his anger flared even more: "The most ridiculous thing is that you have no money, yet you still want to make money from our mainland market! You make money off us, and then you want to turn your backs on everyone else and curse us?"

"Just because we're gentlemen, we can deceive you? That's fucking bastard!"

Ma Youde's finger was almost pointing at Marco Müller as he cursed.

Tang Wei trembled with fright, her face turning ashen.

This burst of violence silenced the entire private room.

Jiang Zhiqiang remained silent and hesitant.

Marco Müller's composure vanished, and his face turned bright red.

He began to realize that this trip to China, and this meal, were far more complicated than he had imagined.

This was nothing like the salon he was familiar with, filled with "artistic discussions" and "cultural compromises."

Shen Shandeng, however, remained calm and even appeared somewhat relaxed.

He seemed oblivious to Ma Youde's passionate outpouring, accepting the food that Fan Bingbing carefully placed on his plate beside him.

That's too rough!

But it works!
We'll teach those bastards a lesson!
Tian Lili came to his senses and thought that he had never seen such a scene before in his life.
Is this a shot at Marco Müller?
It's clearly his face!

Tian Lili trembled with rage, pointing at Ma Youde: "You, you're being insolent! Which school did you graduate from? What's your academic background? Are you a professionally trained actor? Do you even know anything about film art? You're spouting nonsense here! Shen Shandeng, is this how you let your people talk?"

He tried to regain his composure and invoked his final authority.

"Mr. Marco Müller is an old friend of ours, the artistic director of the Venice Film Festival. Do you know the Venice Film Festival? It's a temple of art! And what about you? You don't even have the recognition of the Hong Kong Film Awards or the Golden Horse Awards! You don't have a single international A-list award! You haven't even won all three major domestic awards! What right do you have to question Mr. Marco Müller?!"

Upon hearing this, Ma Youde not only showed no fear, but instead burst into laughter, his laughter filled with sarcasm.

"Therefore, some people are extremely hypocritical!"

Ma Youde spat, "They talk about equality and freedom, but deep down they're all about rigid hierarchy! All they want is 'a rigid hierarchy below me, and equality for everyone above me'!"

"There's a bad trend going on right now!"

His voice boomed, drowning out Tian Lili's exasperation: "They've set some bullshit standard: international awards are higher than the Golden Horse and Hong Kong Film Awards, and the Golden Horse and Hong Kong Film Awards are higher than the three major domestic awards! And the three major domestic awards are higher than audience reputation!"

"A stinking class system, isn't it ridiculous? What's the standard for a good movie? Art? Art is the most idealistic, narrow-minded, and bullshit thing ever!"

"A film can only be considered art if it can guarantee that people will still want to watch it fifty years from now! And that's just a qualification!"

"Director Shen Shandeng is far greater than this so-called art director!"

Ma Youde pressed on: "Marco Müller, how many films does he have? How many viewers does he have? He's just a film festival director! Why can't he be questioned? Is he God? Is questioning him a sin?"

"Your servility is truly appalling! Your moral character is terrifyingly low! Have your knees taken root in your bodies?!"

"Unfortunately, here, everyone can speak freely! Everyone can breathe the air of democracy! If you can't stand being questioned, then you fucking can't stand it!"

Ma Youde nearly went on a rampage of abuse at the end.

"Is Marco Müller the emperor? Can't an emperor be questioned? A bunch of lackeys! Ignorant people! Mob! Eunuchs!"

In the past, Ma Youde only engaged in online debates, but in the past year or so, he has focused more on cultivating talent.

However, he did not lose his skills, and he can now use the various techniques that Shen Shandeng taught him at will.

Moreover, this is his chance!
As the old saying goes, saving a king's life is worse than the merit of serving a dragon!
This opportunity to protect Shen Shandeng in person must be seized and demonstrated to the fullest!
This is the realization of a man in his thirties who has done all sorts of jobs and has a family.

Shen Shandeng offered him such a high salary, and he wants even more in the future!

The private room was deathly silent.

Tian Lili was so angry that her lips trembled, and she was too frustrated to speak.

I've never suffered such an injustice in my entire life!

Marco Müller's face darkened completely, his eyes filled with confusion.

He knew that all his calculations and charisma had completely failed him.

Jiang Zhiqiang, on the other hand, felt grateful. It turned out that Shen Shandeng had been very kind to them.

thanksgiving!

Tang Wei, sitting at the lower end of the chair, had almost shrunk deep inside, tears welling up inside, which she barely managed to hold back from falling.

She felt as if her meteoric rise in the entertainment industry had come to an abrupt end.

Wu Jing subtly adjusted his body to the optimal stance for exerting force, his eyes locking onto Tian Lili and Marco Müller like those of a hawk.

He only needed to give Shen Shandeng a look before he pounced on him!
He had been in the Hong Kong entertainment circle for many years and had seen big shots talk about things, but this was the first time he had ever seen such a heated and one-sided verbal battle.

Shen Shandeng, however, was still in the mood to joke with Fan Bingbing, whispering, "So you want a raise."

Fan Bingbing shrank back like a kitten and gave him a reproachful look.

Shen Shandeng smiled, and Ma Youde countered with the same words that Shen often used to criticize China, which was quite amusing.

Some people use terms they constantly to stigmatize Chinese history, such as "lackey," "ignorant people," "mob," and "eunuch."

What was being depicted was precisely their own innermost reflection, and the rigid, unquestionable mental cage they tried to impose on others. Shen Shandeng gave Zhou Qifeng a wink.

Zhou Qifeng gently put down the teacup, making a crisp clinking sound.

"Director Tian, ​​is this an art discussion?"

Zhou Qifeng's tone also lacked respect, but with Ma Youde in front of her, Tian Lili actually felt it was very gentle.

Zhou Qifeng said, "The history of the Republic of China and modern history are an inexhaustible treasure trove for our creative work. National hatred and family feuds, famine and war, the bustling metropolis of Shanghai—which of them isn't magical enough? Which isn't profound enough?"

"The way 'The Sin' has been done will inevitably lead to a comprehensive tightening of this type of subject matter, which is tantamount to cutting off the livelihoods of those who come after! This is not just cutting off the source of income for one film, but the livelihoods of all practitioners! Mr. Jiang, what do you think?"

The criticism was directed at Jiang Zhiqiang.

Jiang Zhiqiang immediately admitted his mistake, his posture so humble it was almost insignificant. He had no choice; after all, he was the one begging for forgiveness: "Yes."

Tian Lili couldn't stand it and tried to speak up, maintaining the demeanor of a teacher: "There will always be risks in artistic exploration, and there will always be times when we make mistakes."

Zhou Qifeng sneered and said sarcastically, "If your master makes a mistake, we will starve. If you take a detour, we will have no way to survive."

These are their sarcastic and sarcastic words!
Tian Lili was speechless, her face turning pale: "You're just a graduate student. Did you even study directing at the undergraduate level? Do you even know what film language is?"

“But I can speak human language,” Zhou Qifeng said with a smile.

Fan Bingbing held the serving chopsticks, intending to serve food to Shen Shandeng, but her hand hovered in mid-air, wanting to laugh but not daring to.

She had seen social gatherings at banquets and clashes with the media, but she had never seen such a naked and ruthless scene.

Pointing fingers at the head of the Beijing Film Academy department and the director of Venice, this was completely beyond her understanding of dinner parties.

Shen Shandeng turned his head to the side, as if he didn't see the pale and bluish faces on the table.

Using Fan Bingbing's frozen hand as a starting point, he ate the abalone that she almost dropped, and chuckled softly, "Don't be nervous, this is called an honest exchange of opinions, which helps to deepen understanding."

Fan Bingbing snapped out of her daze, glared at him reproachfully, and whispered, "This isn't an exchange of opinions. This is practically a table-flipping and public swearing. They... they're Director Tian, ​​the art director!"

Her tone was tinged with lingering fear, yet also with an indescribable thrill and admiration.

"You're awesome."

Immediately, another worry arose in my mind.

Will she be blacklisted by the art world in the future?
She still wants to go to Venice.

Shen Shandeng thought Fan Bingbing was showing concern for him, so he patted her hand to reassure her.

for a long time.

Tian Lili gulped down a glass of wine, trying to regain her composure.

“You, you can’t understand it like that! When we create art, we don’t simply depict ignorance and backwardness! Modern audiences can’t understand it, nor can they relate to it! We need a perspective, a ‘bystander’s viewpoint’ that the modern civilized world can relate to, so that this viewpoint can create conflict and tension with the pre-modern landscape!”

"If we set this bystander as Chinese, wouldn't that make us seem schizophrenic? So, naturally, many works are set from a foreigner's perspective! This isn't pandering; it's a narrative strategy!"

Marco Müller quickly followed up on Tian Lili's words, trying to salvage the situation in accented Chinese.

"Yes, yes, what Director Tian said makes a lot of sense. The artistic value of 'The Creation' is very high. It should be viewed from the perspective of art itself, not simply from a political angle."

"I don't understand politics, but I understand the pressure directors face from all sorts of over-interpretations. Just like when Director Tian made 'The Blue Kite,' wasn't it over-interpreted, which caused it to lose some of its edge?"

He tried to empathize with Tian Lili by sharing her past experiences, hoping to build a closer relationship.

Tian Lili grasped at this straw and chimed in, "That's right! We directors don't think that much. We just film whatever we want! Director Paperclip's motives are absolutely good! If he doesn't film this kind of subject matter and this kind of history, who else has the ability and influence to do so? He wants to use his international fame to let more people, to let the world, understand that past!"

When pushed to the limit, they can't keep quiet anymore!

Or maybe they don't hide it at all!
Shen Shandeng finally understood that these people were not stupid, but evil.

He has been puzzled in both his past and present lives as to why directors of all generations have been so enamored with foreigners.

Now that he understood, Shen Shandeng thought this explanation was truly brilliant.

It omits the most crucial point: is it that Chinese culture has become fragmented, or are these artists deliberately creating such a fragmentation?
Is there more progress, inheritance, and continuation in the lives of respectable Chinese people in modern urban society compared to those who toiled in the countryside in the past, or is there more conflict and difference as depicted in these films?

In fact, just ask yourself, how many people move from rural areas to cities in China?
Despite the fact that tens of millions, hundreds of millions, or even hundreds of millions of people have transformed from farmers into urban residents, they choose to ignore this reality.

and also.

Can we find traces of the spirit and legacy of modern China in ancient times, or are they completely disconnected?
These people are well aware that no one can be separated from their past, the land beneath their feet, and their own history.

Therefore, they have to bring out a foreigner, a foreign country, to create a distant savior, even though they don't respect foreign countries at all.

They merely portray foreign countries as lifeless specimens of "civilization," while simultaneously depicting the Chinese as dehumanized "barbarians."

Of course, now it's a symbol of civilization. But once poverty alleviation is successful and we can't find any more backward fragments, we'll have to focus on human desires, or animalistic instincts.

Chinese people are all full of "beastly" instincts, while foreign people are all full of "divinity".

In China, the majority represents those with "beastly" instincts, while the minority represents those with "divinity" and "humanity."

In other words, villains are portrayed positively, while heroes are stigmatized.

Shen Shandeng felt he had gained something, at least the trip was worthwhile.

Only after they finished speaking did Shen Shandeng slowly wipe his mouth with a napkin, and then suddenly chuckled.

The private room fell silent instantly.

"Director Tian."

Shen Shandeng looked at Tian Lili: "When you mentioned being banned from directing and over-interpreting, I was reminded of an old story. I heard that when you were notified by a document that you were banned from directing for ten years, you were not angry at all, but rather proud of yourself. You framed that document in a high-end frame and hung it in the most conspicuous place in your living room. You told everyone that back then, if someone was banned, it meant that they were highly skilled and had a sharp edge?"

The mask that Tian Lili was maintaining was easily peeled away.

“Your house is frequented by people in the industry and cultural figures. Tell me, is this something you did unintentionally to show off, or something you did intentionally? Do you subconsciously feel that being banned here is a kind of ‘certification’ and ‘badge’ from another set of standards? Do you think this was unintentional?”

Shen Shandeng asked himself and answered, "You're kidding me."

Later generations have asked various questions about why no notice was issued and why there was no written notification.

This question is completely unfounded; it doesn't even consider what the industry's predecessors have accomplished.

Behind every precaution taken in chemical engineering, factory construction, and engineering projects lies a bloody loss of life.

So, behind all those bizarre regulations related to film and culture, there's definitely an old man who's leading future generations astray.

After Tian Lili, when it came to Jiang Wen, no more notices were issued.

Later, some people would say sarcastically, "If the punishment is unknown, then the power is unpredictable," which means omitting the beginning and the end and not mentioning what someone did in the past.

Tian Lili's face turned deathly pale instantly. She opened her mouth, but couldn't utter a single word.

As if all his strength had been drained, he suddenly lowered his head.

Seeing Tian Lili's appearance, Shen Shandeng knew that this meal had only just begun.

No one dared to think about subduing or educating him anymore.

Shen Shandeng relaxed slightly, a hint of excitement, typical of a creator, appeared on his face, and he turned his gaze to Mark Müller.

"However, I still want to thank Mr. Müller for his inspiration. Listening to your in-depth explanation of the artistic value of 'The Creation' has given me tremendous inspiration!"

Everyone was stunned.

Marco Müller, in particular, looked at him with a puzzled expression.

Shen Shandeng continued, his tone as sincere as a good student.

"I think the narrative framework of 'The Creation' is truly ingenious. The entanglement of lust and politics, the dilemma of identity, and the impact of the tragic ending. The structure of infiltration and plotting - the game of lust - psychological wavering - failure of the operation, it works no matter where you put it!"

He seemed to be sharing a brilliant idea.

“I was thinking, since some overseas viewers always say they can’t understand the historical context and characters’ motivations in China, could we learn from this successful model and change the background to World War II? For example, we could make a film about a female college student who, in order to seek revenge and save others, infiltrates the ranks of a German officer and tries to assassinate him.”

He became more and more engrossed in his speech, like a child who had discovered a treasure.

"Look, all the key elements are there: intense sexual tension, identity crisis—is she an Isaac or has she fallen in love with the enemy's woman?"

"Officers shouldn't be stereotyped; they should be aristocratic officers with cultural refinement and complex human nature. That's what makes their movements interesting!"

"The setting is easy to design: a chance encounter in a bookstore or a heart-to-heart talk at a concert are both good places for cultured people to fall in love! As for the ending, it should be a tragedy, preferably highlighting a sense of powerlessness."

Shen Shandeng spoke with great enthusiasm, as if the blueprint for his next masterpiece had already been drawn up.

His words elicited various reactions from the people at the table.

Tang Wei saw hope in her despair, and her eyes suddenly lit up.

She subconsciously looked at Shen Shandeng, as if trying to confirm whether this was a new opportunity for her.

Jiang Zhiqiang's face stiffened. He sensed something was wrong, but couldn't quite put his finger on it. He could only manage a forced smile.

Zhou Qifeng, standing on Shen Shandeng's side, was taken aback, a little worried that his senior might have been distracted by the promise of international awards and forgotten his own pursuit of filmmaking.

Wu Jing clenched and unclenched his fists, clearly wanting to punch his opponent!

I'm afraid Director Shen will be misled and turn to making art films!

Although Ma Youde was also stunned, he quickly recovered.

Suppress the urge to take notes.

He squinted at the reactions of the people opposite him, and he believed that his boss must have a deeper meaning in doing so.

Tian Lili finally found a way out, her face regained some color, and she even showed a relieved smile of satisfaction that she could be taught.

Is this inspired by Mark Müller? This is making him look good!
Tian Lili nodded quickly: "Shandeng, you're right to think that way! Hurry up and thank Mr. Mark Müller! That's how art is—it connects different things! This idea has a great international perspective!"

Only Marco Müller, sitting in the main seat, slowly turned pale.

Marco Müller's hand, which held up the wine glass, trembled almost imperceptibly.

He shouldn't have come, he shouldn't have come!

What should I do? What should I do?

Looking at Shen Shandeng's sincere and excited face, he felt as if he were seeing a devil.

There was still a sliver of hope in my heart.

Shen Shandeng certainly doesn't understand, doesn't understand, the unspoken rules of the West.

(End of this chapter)