I am a historical film director in the entertainment industry.

Upon hearing this, Cheng Sheng immediately had a brilliant idea and came up with a perfect solution. He immediately said, "No need to wait until next year, Sister Xiaoran. When I returned to Beijing before, I promised a senior in the industry that I would write a script for Feng Dapao. If you want to win an award, I can directly recommend you for the lead role in this film."

Given his current status and influence in the industry, if he were to recommend her, Feng Dapao would absolutely not dare to refuse, making her the shoo-in for the lead role.

Upon hearing this, Zeng Li looked at Cheng Sheng with a puzzled expression and asked, "Ah Sheng, I've always been curious. You wrote award-winning scripts for Chen Kaige before, and now you're writing one for Feng Xiaogang. Why do you always give these foreign directors the chance? Our own company also has directors. Wouldn't it be better to leave the good scripts to our own directors and artists?"

Cheng Sheng was speechless for a moment, unsure how to explain.

He couldn't very well tell them directly that the reason he helped Chen Kaige and Feng Dapao write scripts was because he owed them favors and had entanglements with their wives, Chen Hong and Xu Fan, and that he had to fulfill his promise because he owed them favors.

Once he said those words, the three women in front of him would probably change their expressions instantly, and the way they looked at him would be completely different.

He could only offer a plausible excuse: "I also wanted to leave the award-winning script to our own director, but the directors in our company are still lacking in skill and ability. Top award-winning scripts require a high level of aesthetic sense, direction, and narrative ability from the director. If we really hand it over to them to direct, it will only ruin a high-quality script and be a loss."

"Brother Sheng, you're an internationally renowned director and a top screenwriter now. What kind of connections do you have with senior figures in the industry that would make you go to such lengths to offer a good script to Feng Dapao?" Da Tiantian asked, still full of doubt.

Cheng Sheng gave a vague answer, glossing over the matter: "It's a favor I owed when I first entered the Central Academy of Drama. It's been so long that I haven't mentioned it much."

"This is really a lucky break for Feng Dapao," Li Xiaoran said with a smile. Getting a custom script from a top-notch screenwriter for free is truly an incredible opportunity.

"Sister Xiaoran, do you want to take this role?" Cheng Sheng asked, getting straight to the point.

Li Xiaoran squinted, her voice tinged with a hint of probing teasing: "Don't do what you did for Chen Kaige and write another explicit art film, making me sacrifice myself for the role. I don't want to cause such a stir."

"Pah, what are you thinking?" Cheng Sheng rolled his eyes at her, his expression serious and solemn: "How could I let my woman act in that kind of role? This script is a pure realistic art film aiming for awards. The subject matter is serious and the theme is profound. There is no ambiguous entanglement or intimate scenes throughout the entire film. Not to mention large-scale scenes, there is not even a single ordinary kissing scene. It relies purely on acting skills and plot to win awards."

Hearing this, Li Xiaoran smiled gently, her eyes crinkling: "You're really possessive, but I'm into that. Fine, I'll reluctantly agree and wait for your new script."

"Don't worry, once we finish filming these scenes, I'll immediately find some time to start writing and polish the script as soon as possible," Cheng Sheng replied.

He smiled bitterly to himself. He had originally thought that he could take a short break after filming "Zheng He's Voyages to the West," but now it seemed that he would have no choice but to work like a beast of burden for a while, working non-stop to write the script.

While the group chatted, the awards ceremony on television had already continued.

With the Best Actress award finalized, the Best Actor award was then presented.

Unsurprisingly, the Best Actor award at this year's Venice Film Festival went to Brad Pitt.

As a top Hollywood star, Brad Pitt possesses a unique personal charm and sophisticated screen presence. He acts with thoughtfulness and attitude, meticulously crafting and interpreting his characters with exceptional skill. Years of dedicated work on screen have solidified his position in the film industry, a well-deserved and illustrious career. However, what the public most enjoys discussing is not his work, but rather his tumultuous and long-standing romantic entanglement with Angelina Jolie.

In 2005, Pitt and Jolie fell in love while filming together and officially became a couple. Together, they adopted two children and later had a daughter and twins, forming a lively family of eight.

After a seven-year courtship, the couple officially got engaged in 2012. In 2014, they held a secret wedding at their family estate in France, becoming husband and wife in the presence of their six children.

Unfortunately, deep affection cannot withstand the test of time. The marriage lasted only a little over two years. On September 20, 2016, Julie formally filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences.

She proactively sought full custody of her six children, refusing any child support payments, while allowing Pete normal visitation rights – a gesture that was both dignified and resolute.

This news instantly ignited global public opinion, like a bolt from the blue, leaving countless fans stunned and speculating about the real reasons behind the two's falling out.

The two, well-versed in the rules of public opinion, began a protracted battle that lasted for several years.

When celebrities divorce, public opinion is crucial, and Pitt has focused his efforts on child custody, maneuvering carefully at every step.

For eight long years, the two clashed repeatedly and confronted each other several times over issues such as child custody, property division, and public opinion battles.

In 2024, the protracted divorce case finally came to an end, with both parties reaching a formal agreement and signing a divorce settlement.

The specific details of the agreement have not yet been made public, but this century-long divorce case, which has attracted global attention for eight years, has finally come to a complete end.

After twelve years of dating and eight years of tumultuous divorce proceedings, the complex web of interests, family ties, and public opinion has turned the public into a long-running drama spanning eight years, prompting many to remark that divorces for top celebrities are a hundred times more difficult than those for ordinary people.

At this moment, Pitt was at the height of his career. Holding the Best Actor award, he stood on the awards stage in Venice, calmly and confidently delivering his acceptance speech. His words were sincere, and he was in excellent condition before gracefully walking off the stage.

With the awards for Best Actor and Best Actress all decided, the atmosphere became increasingly tense, culminating in the highly prestigious Best Director award.

Among the nominees for Best Director this year are two renowned directors, Chen Kaige and Li An.

Inside the awards ceremony hall, the two sat side by side, appearing calm and composed, seemingly unfazed by honor or disgrace. However, deep within their eyes lay a complex mix of entanglement and contradiction.

They both yearn for the Best Director award, the highest recognition of a director's personal skill and an honor that all directors pursue throughout their lives; yet at the same time, neither of them wants to win it.

It's common knowledge in the industry that the three major European film festivals have always adhered to a balanced approach to "distributing the pie," preventing resources and awards from becoming excessively concentrated. (End of Chapter)