In the fiery red era of the heavens, refrigerators are refreshed daily.

In May, the sun shines just right in Cannes.

The premiere of "Amour" is scheduled for the afternoon of May 11th in the Lumière Hall, the largest room in the Palais des Festivals.

At noon, Yang Guangming was making final preparations in his hotel room. His dark blue suit was custom-made, perfectly tailored, and accentuated his tall, slender figure. A white shirt and a dark blue tie completed the clean and simple look. He stood in front of the mirror, adjusting his collar; the young man in the mirror had a calm and composed demeanor.

There was a knock on the door.

"Guangming, are you ready?" It was Duan Yunfeng's voice.

"Okay." Yang Guangming opened the door.

Duan Yunfeng, dressed in a suit and tie and holding a folder, said, "The vehicle is ready. Teacher Lan and Teacher Qin are waiting downstairs."

Yang Guangming nodded and went downstairs with Duan Yunfeng.

The film crew had all arrived in the hotel lobby.

Lan Tianye, dressed in a dark gray Zhongshan suit, looked energetic and exuded the air of a seasoned artist. Qin Yi wore a dark green cheongsam-style long dress, elegant and poised; time had left its mark on her face, but her temperament had only grown more refined. Xi Meijuan's champagne-colored gown was gentle and intellectual, while Gu Changwei's black suit was simple and capable.

Han Sanping also changed into a dark suit, looking exceptionally energetic.

"Is everyone ready?" Yang Guangming looked around at everyone.

Everyone nodded, their eyes filled with anticipation and a hint of nervousness.

"Let's go then."

Three black Mercedes-Benz sedans stopped in front of the hotel, and everyone got into the cars one by one.

The car slowly drove towards the Palais des Festivals. The closer they got, the denser the crowds became. Police were maintaining order, clearing a special lane for vehicles carrying films premiering.

Upon arriving at the red carpet entrance outside the Lumière Theatre, a large number of media and spectators had already gathered. As the latest work from last year's Palme d'Or winner, the premiere of "Amour" was highly anticipated.

After checking the list, the staff guided them to the starting point of the red carpet.

With a calm expression, Yang Guangming said to his team members, "Relax, smile, enjoy the process, and show your best side."

Everyone nodded, straightened their clothes, and stepped onto the red carpet.

Instantly, a flood of flashes came from the cameras.

"It's the crew of 'Love'!"

"Yang Ming! Last year's Palme d'Or winner!"

"Lan Tianye! Qin Yi!"

Reporters shouted in various languages, and cameras were pointed at them.

Yang Guangming walked at the front with a composed gait. He wore a faint smile and nodded to the reporters and audience on both sides. Lan Tianye and Qin Yi walked on either side of him, with Xi Meijuan, Gu Changwei, and Han Sanping following behind.

The red carpet was short, and everyone walked slowly. Reporters kept asking them to stop for photos and pose.

"Director Yang! Look this way!"

"Teacher Lan! Over here!"

"Teacher Qin! Look here!"

Shouts rose and fell. As last year's Palme d'Or winner, Sunny's return to the main competition this year was highly anticipated, and the premiere of "Amour" attracted a great deal of attention.

In the center of the red carpet, Yang Guangming stopped and had his team members line up for reporters to take photos.

The flashes were so intense it was almost blinding, but everyone was looking their best.

Just then, a commotion broke out at the entrance to the red carpet.

The entire cast and crew of Chen Kaige's "Feng Yue" came to show their support.

Chen Kaige, in a black suit, exuded both refinement and authority. Leslie Cheung, in a dark tuxedo, possessed an elegant demeanor. Gong Li, in a stunning red gown, captivated the audience.

When the two Chinese film crews met on the red carpet, the reporters went even crazier.

"Director Chen! Director Yang! Let's take a picture together!"

"Two Chinese film crews! Please stand together!"

Chen Kaige and Yang Guangming exchanged a smile and stood together cooperatively. Members of both film crews also stood in two rows for reporters to take photos.

After taking the photos, Chen Kaige whispered to Yang Guangming, "See you inside in a bit."

"Okay, Director Chen."

The two film crews entered the Lumière Hall one after the other.

The hall was packed. The front row held jury members, filmmakers from various countries, media reporters, and film critics. The back row consisted of ordinary audience members and film enthusiasts.

Yang Guangming saw the jury chairman, Coppola, sitting in the middle of the first row, talking quietly with the judge next to him. Charles, sitting on the other side, nodded to Yang Guangming as he entered.

Yang Guangming gestured to the team members to sit in the designated seating area.

The premiere officially began at 2:30 p.m.

The lights dimmed, and the screen lit up.

The dragon logo appeared, followed by the opening credits of Beijing Film Studio and Qiming Studio.

The movie begins.

The first shot is of the living room of an old-fashioned apartment. Sunlight streams in through gaps in the curtains, cutting bright strips of light across the floor. Peking Opera masks and black-and-white photographs hang on the walls, and sheet music sits on the piano.

The camera slowly pans across every corner of the room. Books on the bookshelf, teacups on the coffee table, potted plants on the windowsill... everything is so quiet, so ordinary.

Then, the camera focused on the two elderly people sitting on the sofa.

Lan Tianye, playing an elderly Peking Opera artist, leans back on the sofa with his eyes closed, seemingly resting or perhaps reminiscing. Qin Yi, playing a retired piano teacher, sits beside him, holding a book but not reading it, her gaze fixed on the window.

Neither of them spoke.

The only sound in the room was the ticking of the wall clock.

This opening lasted for nearly two minutes, with no dialogue, no plot development, only quiet visuals and subtle ambient sounds.

But the audience didn't get impatient. They were captivated by the scene and by the state of the two elderly people.

Yang Guangming stared intently at the screen, observing the audience's reactions.

The audience was quiet and focused.

The film continues.

Everyday life is gradually revealed. The husband gets up early to prepare breakfast for his wife, the wife plays a simple tune on the piano, the two go for a walk together, buy groceries, and greet the neighbors...

Everything was so peaceful and beautiful.

But beneath the calm surface, undercurrents have begun to stir.

While the wife was playing the piano, her fingers suddenly froze. She looked down at her hands, a flicker of fear in her eyes. Her husband, oblivious, continued busy in the kitchen.

The wife didn't say anything, she just continued playing the piano, but her fingers were no longer obeying her commands.

Then came that morning.

When the wife got up, she found that half of her body was paralyzed. She opened her mouth to call her husband, but no sound came out.

The husband brought in breakfast, and upon seeing his wife's appearance, he dropped the tray on the floor.

Milk spilled all over the floor, and the cup broke.

The next scene is of a hospital.

The doctor told them that they had suffered a stroke, resulting in hemiplegia, and would require long-term care.

The wife lay on the hospital bed, her eyes vacant. The husband sat beside her, holding her hand, without saying a word.

Lan Tianye's performance was extremely restrained. He didn't shed tears, didn't break down, just sat there quietly, holding his wife's hand. But in his eyes, there was so much—heartache, helplessness, fear, and a certain determination.

Qin Yi's performance was even more heartbreaking. She could only move half of her face and express emotions with only one eye. But it was that one eye that allowed the audience to see everything in her heart—fear, despair, and guilt towards her husband.

In the screening room, some audience members were already quietly wiping away tears.

The movie continues.

After his wife was discharged from the hospital, the husband decided to take care of her himself, without hiring a caregiver or sending her to a nursing home. In the beginning, the two were able to find joy even in hardship. The husband would sing opera for his wife, although he couldn't sing as well as he used to when he was young, but his wife would respond with her eyes. When his wife wanted to hear the piano, the husband would help her to the piano and let her play a few simple notes with her still-mobile hand.

But as time went on, his wife's condition worsened.

She began to lose control of her bladder, became unable to eat, and stopped recognizing people.

Taking care of him became increasingly difficult. Her husband couldn't sleep well at night and had to deal with all sorts of trivial matters during the day. His body and mind were being worn down.

The daughter rushed back from abroad and was heartbroken to see her father's condition.

"Dad, let's send Mom to a nursing home. The conditions there are good, and there are professional caregivers to take care of her."

The husband shook his head: "No, that's your mother. I can't leave her there."

"But you'll collapse if you keep going like this!"

“If she collapses, she collapses.” The husband’s tone was calm. “She is my wife, the only person I have ever loved in my life. I promised her that we would stay together, in sickness and in health.”

My daughter cried.

Xi Meijuan, who plays the daughter, delivers an outstanding performance in this scene. She perfectly captures the feeling of heartache for her father and helplessness, as well as the pain of wanting to help but not knowing how.

But the husband persisted.

The days passed by.

The wife's condition continued to deteriorate. She completely lost her ability to move, speak, and even become unconscious. She simply lay in bed with her eyes open, not knowing what she was looking at or thinking.

Her husband bathed her, fed her, turned her over, and changed her diapers every day. He sang opera for her and talked to her, although she didn't respond at all.

Until one day, the husband made a decision.

That morning, he bathed his wife as usual, then sat on the edge of the bed and held her hand.

"You're tired," he said softly. "I'm tired too. We should both rest."

He picked up a pillow and gently placed it over his wife's face.

The wife did not struggle; it was as if she were being relieved.

Then, he went out of the bedroom, closed the door, and sat on the sofa in the living room, waiting for his daughter to arrive.

The movie ends with the daughter walking in and seeing her father sitting on the sofa, his back to her. The father doesn't turn around, but simply says softly, "She's gone."

The screen went dark.

Subtitles appear.

The screening room was completely silent.

A full ten seconds of silence.

Then, applause broke out.

First came scattered applause, then it quickly spread, eventually coalescing into sustained and enthusiastic applause. The audience rose to their feet and saluted the creators.

The applause lasted for a full twenty minutes.

Yang Guangming saw that Coppola was clapping vigorously, his eyes reddening. The other judges were also clapping, their expressions solemn and moved.

Many audience members were wiping away tears. Some female audience members had even cried their makeup off.

The applause continued.

Yang Guangming stood up and bowed to the audience. Lan Tianye, Qin Yi, Xi Meijuan, and Gu Changwei also stood up to express their gratitude.

Lan Tianye's eyes also reddened. He had acted his whole life, portraying countless roles, but he had never experienced anything like this. He knew this wasn't just polite applause; it was heartfelt recognition.

Qin Yi felt the same way. Looking at the audience members who stood up and applauded, at their moved eyes, an indescribable emotion welled up inside her. At this age, to encounter such a role, to be able to move so many people with her performance—it was all worthwhile.

The applause lasted for a full ten minutes before gradually subsiding.

The press conference following the premiere was so enthusiastic it was almost boiling over.

The press conference room next to the Lumière Hall was packed with journalists from all over the world. Cameras and microphones were pointed at the podium, and flashes went off constantly.

Yang Guangming sat in the center of the stage, with Lan Tianye and Qin Yi on either side of him, and Xi Meijuan, Gu Changwei, and Han Sanping in order.

Below the stage, reporters raised their hands high, all eager to be the first to ask a question.

Duan Yunfeng, as the host, selected a French journalist.

A journalist from the French magazine *Cahiers du Cinéma* stood up and asked in French: "Director Yang, this film deeply moved me. Your handling of the themes of aging and death—neither sentimental nor evasive, but simply presented with composure—is a very courageous narrative choice. What were your thoughts on this?"

Yang Guangming replied in French: “Thank you. I believe that film should not be a tool for emotional blackmail, but rather a platform for reflection and feeling. Aging and death are issues that everyone must face, but few people are willing to confront them directly. What I want to do is present them, let the audience see them, and then feel and think for themselves.”

A reporter from the British magazine *Sight & Sound* asked, "Mr. Lan Tianye, your performance was heartbreaking. How did you prepare for this role? How did you achieve that immense emotional power within restraint?"

Lan Tianye understood the question through the translator, and then slowly opened his mouth, his voice steady and powerful: "I have acted all my life, and I have lived all my life. I have seen many elderly people, and I have also experienced the aging and passing away of those around me. This role is not something I 'acted' out, but something I 'found' little by little from life. I put those memories and those feelings into this role."

A reporter from Variety magazine in the United States focused on Qin Yi: "Ms. Qin Yi, your character is unable to speak most of the time, and can only express emotions through her eyes and subtle facial expressions. This kind of performance is extremely difficult. How did you manage to do it?"

Qin Yi smiled slightly, her voice gentle and clear: "Being unable to express it in words actually made me focus more on my inner feelings. I completely immersed myself in that situation, to feel her fear, her despair, her guilt towards her husband, and ultimately that... relief. When the heart is full enough, the eyes can naturally convey everything."

A reporter from the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera asked, "Director Yang, you won the Palme d'Or last year and have brought us another film like this this year. What are your expectations for yourself?"

Yang Guangming thought for a moment and smiled: "My expectation is simple—to let more people see this movie and be moved by it. As for awards, those are icing on the cake. Being able to make a good movie, work with excellent actors, and be recognized by the audience is enough."

A reporter from the Japanese magazine Kinema Junpo asked: "Ms. Xi Meijuan, the daughter character you play in the film represents the perspective of the younger generation. How do you understand this character?"

Xi Meijuan said gently, "The character of the daughter loves her parents and wants to help, but she is powerless to do so. She represents the dilemma of many children in reality - we want to take good care of our parents, but we have our own lives and our own pressures. I think many viewers can resonate with this contradiction and sense of powerlessness."

The press conference lasted an hour and a half. Reporters asked questions one after another, but the tone was positive and appreciative.

At the end, applause rang out again.

On the second day.

"Bright, great news!" Duan Yunfeng couldn't hide his excitement as he handed over a stack of materials. "The scores from the festival publication are in! Cahiers du Cinéma gave it 3.7 out of 4, and Screen magazine gave it 3.8 out of 4. These are the highest scores in the main competition so far!"

Yang Guangming took the materials and quickly glanced through them.

The short review in Cahiers du Cinéma reads: "A masterpiece about love, aging, and death. Director Sunny Yang demonstrates a maturity and control beyond his years, and the performances of the two leads are simply perfect. This is not only the best film at this year's Cannes Film Festival, but also one of the best films in recent years."

The short review on "Screen" was even more enthusiastic: "Beneath the calm surface surges a tremendous emotional power. With calm and restrained shots, Yang Guangming captured the deepest aspects of human emotion. The performances of Lan Tianye and Qin Yi will be unforgettable for everyone who has seen this film."

Reviews from other media outlets have also followed.

The Guardian (UK): "The most surprising work at this year's Cannes Film Festival, and the biggest favorite. A strong contender for the Palme d'Or!"

The New York Times: "Yang Ming has once again proven that he is not only a genius, but a master. This film is more mature, more profound, and more brutal than 'A Separation'."

Le Monde (France): "A film about the nature of love. It makes you think: when the person you love no longer recognizes you, when the person you care for becomes a burden, is it still love? The film doesn't give an answer, but it forces you to confront this question."

German magazine Der Spiegel: "The performances of Lan Tianye and Qin Yi were the most memorable moments at Cannes this year. They conveyed the strongest emotions with the most restrained performances."

The Italian newspaper La Repubblica wrote: "Yang Ming is the Mozart of cinema! He made 'A Separation' at seventeen and 'Amour' at eighteen. We are witnessing the growth of a great director."

As the sun was shining brightly in the evening, Charles knocked on the door and came in.

"Yang!" Charles exclaimed excitedly. "Did you see that? Number one in the event program ratings! The media reviews are rave! Do you know what that means?"

Yang Guangming poured him a glass of water: "What does it mean?"

“That means the chances of winning the Palme d'Or are very high!” Charles took the water glass, but didn’t drink it, just held it. “I just spoke with some of the jury’s assistants, and the feedback was excellent. Coppola’s evaluation of the film was incredibly high; during the jury’s internal discussion, he called it ‘the most outstanding film of this year’s Cannes.’”

Yang Guangming nodded: "That's good."

“And another thing,” Charles said in a low voice, “I’ve already arranged the media coverage for the next few days. France’s Le Monde and Le Figaro, Britain’s The Guardian and The Times, and the US’s The New York Times and Los Angeles Times will all be giving it extensive positive coverage. I’ve also spoken to the film critics; the reviews will be very high.”

Yang Guangming looked at Charles and said, "Chuck, thank you for your hard work."

Charles shook his head: "It's not hard work. Yang, you know what? I do film distribution and promotion, and I've handled many films. But a film like 'Love' is really rare. It's an honor to be involved in it."

The two chatted for a while longer about the details of public relations.

After Charles left, Yang Guangming stood on the balcony, watching Cannes as night fell.

In the distance, the lights of the Palais des Festivals were already on. The seaside promenade was bustling with people. (End of Chapter)