The only sun in Huayu

Chapter 23 Lifting the Roof

"Damn, it sounds awful, but it kind of makes sense, doesn't it? Look at our award-winning films, what kind of looks do the three major European cinemas have?"

"Even powerful nations have no art? Hollywood doesn't need art? This is such a bizarre angle! But thinking about it, it seems to make sense!"

"Abandoning art for business? Can't art save Chinese cinema? To paraphrase Lu Xun, he's putting himself in the position of 'saving the country'! That's too, too arrogant! But it's also too damn exciting!"

Many boys excitedly slapped their thighs.

"it is good!!!"

"well said!!"

"Senior Brother Shen is awesome!"

"Damn this film powerhouse!"

Crash!!!

The student area erupted in thunderous and prolonged applause.

This applause was no longer just polite support; it carried a strong resonance, catharsis, and ignited fighting spirit!

Shen Shandeng's words were deeply moving!

My passion was completely ignited!
Especially the young students from the performing arts, management, and photography departments, their eyes shone with an unprecedented light!
Shen Shandeng did not engage in empty talk about artistic ideals; he pointed out the cold reality and depicted a future that required their struggle and construction.

This declaration, which confronts reality, challenges authority, and sets ambitious goals, is truly exhilarating!
Like a heavy hammer, it shattered the shackles of certain vague, instilled notions of the "sacredness of art" in their hearts.

Some students have had this viewpoint vaguely.

But in academia, this would be considered "rebellious".

After Shen Shandeng's summary, they felt more confident and exhilarated, a sense of relief rising in their chests.

The students from the directing and literature departments, who prided themselves on their artistic pursuits, had disbelief written all over their faces.

"Holy crap, weak countries have no art? That's a really harsh statement!"

"Does he mean we're not even qualified to talk about art?"

However, amidst thunderous applause and after the silent majority expressed their support, their previous views seemed so pale, not worth refuting, and not even worth mentioning!

The teachers who remained in the guest seats had various expressions: some were shocked, some were deep in thought, and some were worried.

A very small number of people also revealed a subtle hint of agreement in their eyes.

As if something had been ignited by the power in Shen Shandeng's words, he seemed to be deep in thought.

In this enthusiastic atmosphere, most teachers chose to applaud.

Regardless, it's a good thing for young people to have ambition.

The most outrageous were the reporters.

It's completely boiling over!
If Wu Jing's "bankruptcy" was just an appetizer, and Shen Shandeng's analogy of Hollywood and the Big Three European cinemas was a bombshell before the main course, then the three consecutive blows of "weak countries have no art," "abandoning art for business," and "art cannot save Chinese cinema" were like a series of heavy bombs that blew the news value to the sky!
All the reporters, whether from the serious China Film News or the keen-nosed metropolitan newspapers and portal websites, were like they'd been injected with adrenaline!

"Quick! Quick, write it down! Not a single word can be missed!"

"Title! We've got the title! 'Shen Shandeng, the Madman from Beijing Film Academy: A Weak Nation Has No Art, He Abandons Art for Business to Save Chinese Cinema!'"

"Explosive news! Absolutely explosive news! Tomorrow's headlines! No, it's the hottest topic for the next week!"

"Contact the editor-in-chief! Reserve the front page immediately! No, a special feature! This Shen Shandeng is too good at creating buzz!"

The flashes were no longer continuous, but rather a frantic, uninterrupted barrage.

The young figure on the aiming platform, whose words were startling yet whose expression was unusually resolute.

The rapid clicking of camera shutters, like a torrential downpour on a tin roof, captured this moment that was destined to cause a huge uproar.

The long-haired directing student who asked the question seemed somewhat out of place.

Amidst thunderous applause and the complex gazes of countless classmates—some sympathetic, some disdainful, and some indifferent—the applause was deafening.

His face went from flushed to pale, the color quickly fading, and all traces of smugness and provocation vanished from his expression.

Its value was initially high, but it was then completely crushed by Shen Shandeng's even greater value. "A weak nation has no art!"

Shen Shandeng's response went far beyond the scope of his preconceived notion of a "commercial versus artistic dispute," directly escalating to the level of national dignity and the foundation of the film industry!
Under the blunt yet incisive bombardment of "Hollywood crushes the three major European cinemas," it felt as if an invisible giant hand had instantly drained all my strength.

He opened his mouth but couldn't say anything; he couldn't speak. Even if he wanted to, no one would listen, and the microphone had been taken away.

Everyone else was happy, but he remained silent.

They could only silently experience the enthusiasm of others.

Yuan Shanshan and Zhang Xiaofei, who were standing next to Da Mimi, were already dumbfounded.

Zhang Xiaofei murmured, "He...he's so outspoken!"

Da Mimi proudly straightened her back, her eyes sparkling with a mixture of pride and worry.

Her man is single-handedly challenging some kind of "rule" in the entire circle!

"This is going to turn the world upside down."

Yu Jianhong looked at his students with a mixture of pride and distress.

There was both awe at the vision and courage that far exceeded his age, and concern about his words.

They say they're benefiting from this, and then they immediately have to clean up their mess.

Fortunately, they were students in the management department; otherwise, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

As for Teacher Huang's expression.

His face had turned from a grimace to a deep purple, and his jaw was clenched.

Shen Shandeng's words were not only a rebuttal to the student who asked the question, but also a resounding slap in the face to all those "highbrow" people who only talk about "art" and are detached from market reality.

He also considers himself an artsy youth!

This is his pride!

At this moment, I felt my "artistic dignity" being trampled on, yet I was also overwhelmed by the other party's grand and realistic logic, unable to find a point of entry to refute them.

The frustration and anger he felt almost caused him internal injury.

In contrast, Shen Shandeng on stage was very gentle, like a refined gentleman.

The host announced that the launch ceremony of "Du Gong" had come to a successful conclusion.

Shen Shandeng bowed to everyone in gratitude for their support.

In reality, he was not as calm as he appeared.

The original plan was to make a big splash today, but what he wanted to reveal was a "small goal of 100 million," announcing a box office expectation of 100 million.

But when someone uses his value to pressure him, he has no choice but to fight back.

Because this film no longer belongs to him alone.

It reflects the hard work of the team, the contributions of China Film Group, and, more broadly, Han Sanping's strategic vision and the autonomy of the film industry.

However, the pressure remains immense.

In this era, as someone in the film industry, making commercial films carries a psychological burden, and the pressure is even greater when one shouts out to strive for a strong film industry.

Of course, what surprised Shen Shandeng even more was the enthusiastic response!

Actually, it's not that unusual when you think about it.

These students are mostly born in the 80s, and the majority are born in the mid-85s. Apart from some students from the directing and literature departments, most of them are fairly normal people.

The ceremony ended.

Shen Shandeng, Wu Jing, and even Zhou Qifeng were immediately surrounded by a frenzied crowd of reporters.

Countless microphones and recorders were practically shoved in their faces.

(End of this chapter)