I am a historical film director in the entertainment industry.

The first award presented was the Golden Lion for Best Short Film, which was ultimately given to the British film "Dog altogether"; then, the Best European Short Film award was won by the Spanish film "Alumbramiento".

As the presenter read out the list of winners, Cheng Sheng remained completely unfazed; he had no recollection of either of the short films.

Clearly, the two short films were not of outstanding quality; otherwise, given his extensive experience of watching countless films in his other timeline, he would have been completely unimpressed.

After the awards for the short film category were presented, the Lifetime Achievement Award was announced.

Ultimately, the Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to American director Tim Burton.

This director's talent is beyond doubt; he is a legend in the film industry, having directed many well-known classic films, such as "Edward Scissorhands," "Sleepy Hollow," and "Sweeney Todd," each with a distinctive personal style and beloved by audiences worldwide.

This year, he was nominated for Best Director at the 65th Golden Globe Awards for "Sweeney Todd," demonstrating his considerable talent.

Tim Burton took to the stage and delivered a heartfelt acceptance speech, his words filled with his love and dedication to the film industry.

After he finished his acceptance speech and stepped down from the stage, the award presenters began to announce the winners of the Horizons category.

The Best Film award in the Horizons section went to the Estonian film "Autumn Ball," while the Best Documentary award unsurprisingly went to Kashinko's "Useless."

"Wow! Director Chia Chang-ko won an award!" Da Tian Tian exclaimed excitedly, clapping her hands as she looked at the TV screen.

Zeng Li also exclaimed with admiration: "Director Jia Zhangke is really amazing. He won the Venice Golden Lion Award last year with 'Still Life,' and this year he won Best Documentary. His strength is truly outstanding."

Upon hearing this, Cheng Sheng nodded secretly.

Jia Zhangke's directing skills are indeed outstanding. He has won numerous awards at the three major European film festivals and can be regarded as one of the representative figures of Chinese directors on the international film scene.

At the Venice Film Festival, he won the Golden Lion in 2006 for "Still Life"; at the Cannes Film Festival, he won the Best Screenplay Award for "A Touch of Sin" in 2013, and in 2015 he won the Directors' Fortnight "Golden Coach Award", a lifetime achievement award; although he has never won an award at the Berlin Film Festival, many of his works have been successfully selected for the main competition of the Berlin Film Festival, which is enough to show that his films are highly recognized and loved by European film critics and audiences.

Jia Zhangke calmly accepted the trophy, gave a brief acceptance speech, and then turned and walked off the stage.

With all the Horizons awards concluded, the live stream switched to the most anticipated segment of the event – ​​the announcement of the main competition awards.

The first award presented was the Golden Lion of the Future, which ultimately went to a promising new Mexican director.

Cheng Sheng and the others looked at the screen and understood.

The so-called Golden Lion of the Future is not an independent award. It belongs to the "International Critics' Week" section of the Venice Film Festival. Its full name is "Lion of the Future Award". It is specifically used to recognize the first feature film of outstanding new directors from around the world. It has a certain level of prestige, but it is not enough to shake the status of the core awards in the main competition.

Following that, the technical awards in the main competition were officially announced. The Best Technical Contribution Award, which is widely recognized in the industry as the Best Cinematography Award, was ultimately won by Pritto, the cinematographer of "Lust, Caution."

Those familiar with the industry know that this foreign photographer is already Li An's long-time partner, and they have a great working relationship.

As early as 2006, he was in charge of directing Ang Lee's classic film "Brokeback Mountain", and his exquisite cinematography earned him a nomination for Best Cinematography at the 78th Academy Awards, demonstrating his international recognition.

Pritto's photographic style is highly inclusive. He is skilled in traditional film shooting, but he never puts himself in a rut. Instead, he has a deep understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of both film and digital shooting media. He can switch between them precisely and blend them flexibly according to the style of the film, maximizing the presentation of the beauty of the lens and the atmosphere of the story, and completing high-quality photographic works.

Moreover, his life trajectory is quite similar to that of Zhang Yimou. He also successfully transitioned from a top cinematographer to a director, directing many critically acclaimed classic films and television dramas, demonstrating his talent across both behind-the-scenes and behind-the-scenes fields.

"Lust, Caution has won an award!" As soon as the award appeared on the screen, Jing Tian immediately exclaimed softly, her eyes fixed on the screen.

Upon hearing this, Li Xiaoran leaned forward slightly, her tone tinged with curiosity and a touch of wistfulness: "Have you all seen 'Lust, Caution'? I received some industry news from Venice before, and this film is extremely explicit, with many scenes involving real sex without any camera tricks."

"Really?" Da Tiantian's eyes widened instantly, her face full of disbelief: "The female lead is Zhao! She wouldn't sacrifice so much, would she?"

When Zhao is mentioned, everyone marvels at the extent of her sudden rise to fame.

In the late 1990s, the TV series "My Fair Princess" was released, and her portrayal of Xiao Yanzi was lively, vivid, and unrestrained, instantly making her a household name across the country.

At that time, she was a true national sensation. Her posters were plastered all over the streets and alleys, and all kinds of related products such as stationery and washbasins were everywhere. Every household's television was playing "Princess Pearl" on a loop, and the ratings set an unprecedented record.

In an era before widespread internet access, she single-handedly achieved nationwide screen domination with just one drama, becoming a household name across all ages and a sensation throughout Asia. She is undoubtedly a "national princess" and a "fairytale goddess."

She went on to win Best Actress awards at major film festivals, firmly establishing herself as a top female star in China, enjoying unparalleled popularity and becoming arguably the most phenomenal artist of the late 1990s.

In everyone's hearts, her screen image is vivid and positive, a generation's youthful memory.

No one expected that she would take on such a large-scale film, which almost overturned everyone's preconceived notions.

Jing Tian still looked puzzled: "Has she gone mad? Giving up being a national goddess to act in this kind of drama is completely self-destructive and does absolutely nothing to benefit her career! If it were me, I would never accept it no matter what."

Zeng Li shook her head slightly upon hearing this, her tone clear: "I can understand that. Zhao's fame, resources, and awards in China have already reached their peak. It's difficult for her to break through and go further with conventional mainstream films and upright roles. If she wants to reach a higher international status, she can only find another way and try highly controversial and groundbreaking themes and roles."

She paused, then continued, "I previously achieved top domestic box office success with 'Ten Red Army Soldiers' and won the Best Actress award at the Venice Film Festival, so my international reputation is already quite high. But to reach the next level, I need a classic film that surpasses all my previous works. However, even if I want to break through my own limitations, I don't need to be so extreme as to accept any script." (End of Chapter)