Huayu: Are you even sitting up straight? You're going to be the director?

Chapter 84 Zhang Yimou's Remarks! Shocking! [Please Subscribe]

September 5th, Venice, Lido Island.

Unlike the tense atmosphere created by Cao Zhong in China, the atmosphere in Venice was harmonious and cheerful. Everyone was smiling and greeting each other, and they didn't seem to be in a competitive relationship at all.

Since Johnnie To's "Mad Detective" was selected as a "surprise film" at the last minute for Venice, there are already rumors that the film will be nominated for the main competition.

So essentially, this year's Venice International Film Festival can be said to have been dominated by Chinese-language films, with four of them taking the top spots.

Even though everyone thought that Lee Kang-sheng's "Help Me, Eros" and "Mad Detective" from Taiwan had no chance of winning in the main competition.

But for Jiang Wen's "The Sun Also Rises" and Wang An's "Ailing", all Chinese media outlets are well aware that these two films are very likely to win awards.

Therefore, Chinese media had already launched a massive publicity campaign for these two films during their premieres two days prior.

Whether a film festival awards prizes or not is actually based on a very clear underlying logic, and countries around the world will look ahead to the list of winners for each film festival.

The reason why the chairman of this year's jury selected Zhang Yimou is itself a matter of interest.

Although Zhang Yimou's filmmaking focus has gradually shifted away from the three major European film festivals in recent years and turned its attention to Hollywood, he is still based in Europe. Many people predict that Zhang Yimou will not risk the conventions of film festivals by openly awarding important prizes to Hollywood films.

This is also related to Zhang Yimou's previous comments on Hollywood movies. Zhang Yimou is not a fan of many Hollywood superhero movies. Although he is aiming for the Oscars, he does not have a high level of approval for Hollywood movies.

Moreover, Zhang Yimou had told the media long ago that Jiang Wen alone was worth all the sixth-generation directors, and Jia Zhangke, a member of the sixth generation, had already won the Golden Lion Award last year. So, will Zhang Yimou bring a new surprise to Chinese cinema?

Domestic and international media already knew this all along.
The composition of the seven jury members at this year's film festival is quite intriguing. Firstly, all the jury members are directors.
Two of the judges were women. Catherine Breyer was the director of "Romance" that year. The film "Romance" tells the story of a young French woman named Marie who takes control of her life through sex and her body and embarks on a journey.

The director has always considered gender relations from a female perspective, and is committed to expressing the "pleasure principle" of doing what one loves in her works, elevating the reflection on sex in film to a very high level.

It is worth mentioning that this person had only won a special award for women's issues in Venice six years ago, and had never won any other awards in Venice before.

Jane Campion is the director of "The Pianist" and also a director with a feminist perspective.

Subsequently, the directors of *Babel* were: a Hollywood director from the Mexican film circle; Paul Verhuffen, a Hollywood director from the European film circle; Fossen Özpetek, a Turkish director; and Manuele Krialese, an Italian director.

This group has a very obvious essential characteristic: they are non-Hollywood people in the narrow sense.

This is why even Hollywood directors who participate in the film festival themselves are clearly pessimistic about whether Hollywood films will win awards this year.

After several days of screenings, people have largely reached a consensus that the main contenders for the awards will likely be among "This Is a Free World," "Atonement," "Chaos," "The Sun Also Rises," and "Ailing."

These films are either co-productions between Europe and the United States, or films that have absolutely no connection with Hollywood.

……

"This kid's awesome!"

In the hotel, Jiang Wen glanced at the domestic news, then turned to look at Zhou Yun, his mouth agape in a wide grin.
"Cao Zhong, a junior at Beijing Film Academy, directed the film 'Nanjing Photo Studio,' which has grossed over 320 million yuan at the box office, raising the record that Zhang Yimou broke back then to a whole new level."

Jiang Wen was shocked but also laughed and said, "I don't know how Lu Chuan got into a fight with this kid. This kid confronted and scolded him at the Beijing Film Academy's freshman ceremony and even said that he directed 'Looking for a Gun'. Hahaha, this kid has a good eye."

Zhou Yun was also very surprised: "More than 320 million? That's terrifying!"

"Given this momentum, Titanic probably won't be able to hold on." Jiang Wen took a deep breath. "Although I can't stand this guy's ability to stir up public opinion, I can only give him a thumbs up and say 'amazing' for this box office performance."

Zhou Yun was even more speechless. "Titanic…that's a record that so many directors dream of breaking, and a newcomer…"

Jiang Wen narrowed his eyes: "Although I'm not particularly interested in box office performance and I haven't seen this movie, I can only say I admire this unknown guy for daring to make such a film."

The comments about the three major European film awards are a bit too outrageous. After all, Europe is considered a prestigious forum for art film selection; why would they allow such shady dealings?

“By the way, I saw Jia Zhangke and Zhao Tao when I went out this morning,” Zhou Yun said. “They looked terrible. Being brutally attacked by Cao Zhong from his moral high ground must have been a terrible experience for them, making it hard for them to eat or sleep. I greeted them, and it seems they went to see Wang An.”

"Because of Cao Zhong's prediction?" Jiang Wen frowned when he heard Zhou Yun say that Jia Zhangke went to see Wang An.

Although Jia Zhangke was not shortlisted for the main competition this year, he still showed obvious vigilance regarding Wang An's situation.

Jiang Wen believed that his film was capable of winning the Golden Horse Award, or at least an award. However, the biggest obstacle on his path to winning the Golden Horse Award was "Ailing".

Because director Zhang Yimou and Ang Wong also have certain connections. The reason why Ang Wong's "The Funeral Banquet" was able to win the Golden Lion Award was also related to the fact that Zhang was the chairman of the jury that year. However, Zhang Yimou helped to win the award, and that year the story of the Golden Lion Award being tied by two Chinese-language films was created.

All film festivals in the world are about human relationships and social interactions.

Jiang Wen understood this principle, but social relationships also vary in closeness. He and Zhang Yimou saw each other all the time, and their relationship was neither close nor distant. He could only vaguely guess that he might win an award, but he had no idea whether he could win the grand prize.

“Cao Zhong’s prediction was very strange.” Zhou Yun frowned when he heard the prediction mentioned. “He predicted that ‘The Sun’ had no chance of winning the grand prize.”

“I actually talked to Mr. Xie,” Jiang Wen said. “Mr. Xie also said it was no use. The title ‘The Sun Also Rises’ is not good. The word ‘sun’ implies the presence of light and hope, which is not artistic.”

Zhou Yun was dumbfounded. "When did you talk to Old Xie? Why didn't you tell me?"

“During those two days of Cao Zhong’s interview, you were at home taking care of the kids, so I didn’t want to make you feel bad too,” Jiang Wen thought about Xie Lao’s advice to keep quiet that day, and continued, “Actually, I also wanted to see if the final result was as he predicted. Otherwise, with my temper, I would have already torn that guy to pieces!”

"Do you think his remarks will affect the outcome?" Zhou Yun asked.

"He exposed the secrets of 'Ailing,' so from that perspective, Director Zhang must be under some pressure," Jiang Wen smiled. "In that case, I should thank him; at least my film still carries some hope."

Jiang Wendao: "I don't know how much impact that previous interview had, but now that he has broken Director Zhang's box office record, do you think Director Zhang is unaware of it? He must be under pressure now."

Zhou Yun nodded. "That's true. Director Zhang's box office record being broken must have been known eventually. And that interview back then couldn't have escaped Director Zhang's ears."

"Now, all we have to do is wait."

Jiang Wendao said, "Whether it's the awards ceremony at the Venice International Film Festival or the industry after the ceremony, things are about to turn upside down."

"Cao Zhong is like Sun Wukong, causing havoc in the Heavenly Palace."

"If his prediction is successful, he will have mastered the Seventy-Two Transformations and be able to roam freely across the world. If his prediction fails, he will likely be suppressed by the Heavenly Court and the Western Regions."

Zhou Yun suddenly laughed; what Jiang Wen said was indeed interesting.

Thinking about it this way, Cao Zhong really does resemble Sun Wukong.

……

in the house.

Jia Zhangke's face was already pale and lifeless. He looked at Wang An on the stage.

"Director An, he's committing blasphemy! He's committing blasphemy against art!"

Jia Zhangke said, "I watched your movie carefully. The casting was excellent. Wang Jiazhi, with her restrained and sultry eyes, and her perpetually soft, panting breaths..."
The character you chose is absolutely brilliant, absolutely brilliant!
By weaving the story into this utterly nihilistic love, only the joy of love itself is real.

The performances, regardless of gender, were top-notch. They seamlessly integrated art into various dramatic tensions, creating an absolutely top-tier artistic value.

Wang An smiled and said, "Director Jia's affirmation is the greatest praise I can receive."

Actually, I was drawn to this film because of its historical background; Eileen Chang was a great author.
Although it's just a short story, this film is full of plot, tension, and human nature; people make many choices within a historical context.

Regardless of the story or ethics, what I want to convey in this film is a universal value of freedom, something essential to humanity.

"Yep."

Jia Zhangke nodded frantically, "That's it, that's it."

“Actually, I didn’t initially plan to film this subject,” Wang Andao said.

"Actually, I was very apprehensive at the time. I felt that this movie was very close to my own fears and taboos. I mainly focused on those few lines in the novel, which were simply the ultimate display of human nature:"
Power is an aphrodisiac; guidance is the path to a woman's heart; in the end, her feelings for him became so intense that no other feelings mattered, only feelings remained. They were in a primitive hunter-prey relationship, a tiger and its accomplice relationship, the ultimate possession.

This clash between men and women in different settings, this turbulent political climate, this interplay of light and shadow, this back-and-forth exchange, each harboring their own ulterior motives—this is the ultimate narrative technique in art, exploring the complexities of human nature, and it is the key to understanding this film.

Jia Zhangke nodded frantically:
"Yes, yes, Director An's art is very powerful. This film shows the ruthless Mr. Yi's double humiliation of Wang Jiazhi, both mentally and physically, from God's perspective."

All the tenderness, the intense tug-of-war, the passionate kisses, and the unpredictable twists and turns all carry entirely different meanings within this context.

Wang An didn't speak this time, but just smiled: "Director Jia, you understand me. At the premiere, I saw some viewers who didn't understand it, but were greatly shocked because of certain scenes."

"Did I intentionally film those scenes? I did it to demonstrate the rationality of art, as a setup. Without the experience of those paperclips, how could the final human entanglement and extreme tension be achieved?"

Jia Zhangke nodded and said, "But Director An, there are people in China who are deliberately trying to distort your artistic achievements. They are promoting your original work, 'Ailing,' as a rare literary work in interviews in China. I am worried that this will have a certain impact on you."

"Is it about making predictions, the thing you mentioned last time?" Wang An smiled, exuding refinement.
"We can't control what others say or do. Their mouths aren't on our bodies. We're all the same. As long as we're true to ourselves, isn't that enough?"

Jia Zhangke hesitated and said, "But the director who made this statement has already broken all of Director Zhang's box office records and has become the highest-grossing director in China... So his statement is inflammatory."

The refined air on Wang An's face began to fade, and he stood there stunned for a moment. After a while, his lips trembled, "Wh-what?"

Jia Zhangke emphasized: "Nanjing Photo Studio has already broken the box office record of "Curse of the Golden Flower" and is now the highest-grossing domestic film, and it is still rising."

Jia Zhangke was on the verge of tears: "Those viewers are like they've gone mad. They don't watch art films or commercial films, but they've been watching an anti-Japanese war film nonstop. They're like they've really gone mad, completely mad!"

Wang An completely lost his mind.

During this period, he was busy hosting banquets for guests in Venice, and although it was inconvenient for him to meet with Zhang Yimou privately,
However, he did chat with each of the other judges for a few minutes. In fact, he himself felt that whether the film could win an award was uncertain and he was not sure.

As for Zhang Yimou, he also sent James Shams, who had been working with him for many years, to meet with him, mainly to show their familiarity with each other.

Try to make your presence known to Director Zhang as much as possible.

He had actually seen Cao Zhong's criticisms of the film before, and had even told his screenwriter James.

But he didn't take it to heart. If he cared about what outsiders said every day, he wouldn't be a great director.

But at this moment, Wang An suddenly became somewhat surprised.

Regardless of whether this film will win an award, if it does,

What will happen to my reputation in China because of Cao Zhong's remarks?

Wang An suddenly felt extremely tense.

"Thank you, Director Jia. I wouldn't have known what happened if you hadn't told me."

Wang Andao said, "I have some things to attend to, so I won't see you off."

He told them to leave.

Outside the hotel.

Zhao Tao looked at Jia Zhangke: "Why did he directly ask you to leave?"

“He panicked.” A smile finally appeared on Jia Zhangke’s pale face. “He didn’t care when it was 100 million, I didn’t tell him when it was 200 million, but now that it’s over 300 million, he’s panicked. He’s finally panicked. Now he has to step in. He has no choice but to step in because Cao Zhong’s voice can no longer be stopped. If I can’t stop him, then naturally there will be someone who stands higher than me to stop him.”

Zhao Tao was puzzled and asked with great doubt, "What will the outcome be?"

“He doesn’t need another Golden Lion,” Jia Zhangke said.
"Whether he gives up or wins an award and joins Director Zhang and others in criticizing him from an artistic high ground, it will be a huge blow to Cao Zhong."

If he is willing to give up or not receive any awards, Cao Zhong's previous statements will fall apart, and all the counterattacks will then be directed at Cao Zhong.

Even if they win awards, Director Zhang and Director An will be on the same side. What about Cao Zhong?

Jia Zhangke's expression was very serious, and his pale face held a hint of arrogance from years of experience in the industry.

"What is it about in the entertainment industry? Is it the circle, the background, the connections, or the audience?"

Those people have absolutely no idea what art is.

Do you think Cao Zhong has offended only me?
Because of his film, many directors have been innocently insulted and attacked, and many media outlets have been innocently labeled as morally inferior by Cao Zhong's supporters.
Cao Zhong is no match for me; he's a black sheep!

"I'm just the first one to be hit. Many of the sixth generation, do you think they're any different from me? They're slacking off and making a fool of themselves. This guy is too arrogant and cocky, he'll get his comeuppance."

"Just wait and see, he will reap what he deserves."

Zhao Tao seemed to be deep in thought.

……

After Jia Zhangke left, Wang An panicked and called James.

The matter has been clarified.

After hanging up the phone, Wang An still felt a little uneasy.

How did Cao Zhong become the highest-grossing director in mainland China?

Wang An had only heard of Cao Zhong before, but hadn't paid much attention to him. It was only after searching for news about China online that Wang An came across Cao Zhong's life story.

That's a bit too much.

Beat Ozu, beat the Japanese!
He attacked Jia Zhangke, the director who spoke up for Ozu.

The purpose of playing against the three European giants is to target Jia Zhangke and undermine his legitimacy.

Jia Zhangke then dragged him down with him.

He continued to target the three major European film critics, including his original work, and proposed a three-tiered structure for the three major European film critics' selection criteria for mainland Chinese films.

Incidentally, he also criticized almost all of the three major directors in China.

They claimed that there might be no difference between these people, except that some surrendered on their own and others were chosen.

The comments were explosive.

While recounting these stories, Cao Zhong also took the opportunity to criticize a few intellectuals like Mao Yushi, satirize the corrupt emperor, and criticize Lu Chuan.

The knife is deadly!

Gunner! It's a gunner!

Wang An felt a chill run down his spine!

Looking at entertainment news in China, it's almost entirely dominated by Cao Zhong.

News of domestic films constantly breaking box office records is going viral!
Wang An's face turned green!

He suddenly had a feeling that whether or not he won this award, and whether or not he could win it, would have a huge impact.

His phone call to James was to explain this situation.

James was not only the screenwriter of his films, but also a key figure behind them. He was an independent film producer in Hollywood, and his influence was evident in several of his earlier films.

……

"Things have changed."

James called Commissioner Smith, who was in the United States, and said, "I have something to report to you."

After a lengthy speech, the other party fell silent, which was unusual for them.

To promote their political agenda, they have been using independent producers like James to search for talented individuals from other ethnic groups, subtly influencing peace within the US and preventing social instability. To this end, internally, they continuously develop various groups—cats and dogs, men and women, even androgynous groups, human rights groups, environmental groups, etc.—basically, providing a spiritual anchor for people raised with a happy education, giving them something to do.

Please, please don't even think about making any changes! Ha! We're terrified.

To promote this kind of thing, white people don't feel any sense of identification; it's necessary to have yellow and black people involved.

Commissioner Smith, belonging to the intelligence system, is specifically responsible for this kind of work. Externally, he promotes democracy, freedom, equality, and human rights, claiming that his country is the best system and emphasizing refined American values.

Domestically, it emphasizes the American Dream, weaving a vast network of dreams to attract elites from all over the world who harbor dreams and aspire to achieve America's glory in this lifetime.

They leverage the multinational corporations and massive media system of the United States, as well as the powerful Hollywood film industry, to continuously export their views: whenever the world is damaged, peace police representing world justice, American heroes, will appear to protect peace and maintain the righteous image of "defenders of world order."

They also joined forces with every available thread to influence narratives elsewhere and to create a sense of moral depravity in their target countries.

The American, having finally reached the pinnacle of power, looked around and found no rivals.

It's like the economy that ruined ordinary people back then, just like a grandmother.

As long as your wealth doesn't reach 40% of mine, you are all my closest friends.

This kind of covert warfare is sweet; it wins without fighting, and therefore it is unscrupulous.

"How much impact do you think their remarks will have?" Commissioner Smith asked James. "Will they affect our plans? Do you know how much effort and money we put into selecting these judges?"

James squinted and said, "To be honest, the impact should be significant, but most importantly, our chosen director, An, might be torn apart by public opinion over there."

"But we've been laying the groundwork for this narrative for a long time. Haven't they been fighting a full-scale war for seventy years? We're just rubbing salt into their wounds. And we can also disrupt their national self-confidence opening ceremony. It's a two-birds-with-one-stone strategy."

“But now, things have changed,” James said. “I met with the Chinese jury chairman yesterday to try and get his opinion privately, and he said he would wait until the awards ceremony in a few days to discuss it further.”

“I don’t care about casualty figures,” Commissioner Smith ordered. “I just want the Golden Lion. Ann is gone, but we have others. We have plenty of manpower!”

Commissioner Smith smiled.
“Things are starting to get interesting. From what you just said, this Cao clearly has the same social tendencies as us. I really like his personality. He should be ours.”

"How do we collect it?" James asked. "He doesn't even participate in foreign awards. If we take the initiative, it will seem too abrupt."

"What are we relying on? This year's Venice Film Festival." Smith smiled.
"We did a lot to secure this year's Golden Lion, even going so far as to submit a film like 'Excerpted and Revised' for these people to criticize. It's a self-deprecating film, after all, and those judges were sure to choose it."

When the results come out, I hope there will be even more public opinion on their side. The stronger the public opinion, the more the judges will have to stand on the side of reason for their own benefit.

At that time, An will be fine, and Cao will be torn apart by public opinion. We only need to use a little trick. With nowhere else to go, what else can he do but choose us?
He can be one of us too. Isn't this the best possible outcome?
Moreover, I glanced at the synopsis of the film he directed, and it's quite interesting. Perhaps the influence of someone like him is more effective than that of others.

We should give talented people our full understanding. Right, James?
"Once we achieve our goal, everything else will be fine. Your bonus and my bonus will be paid as usual. Then, we can both sing a little tune and enjoy a few days of vacation, wouldn't that be great?"

A sense of intense horror rose up from James's back.

"Mr. Commissioner, you are right."

Commissioner Smith truly lives up to his title; he has far more vision and insight than a producer like him who only has a superficial understanding of the film industry.

In just a few words, James suddenly understood.

James hung up the phone and looked out of the hotel window at the bright morning sun over Lido Island. A hint of sarcasm flashed through his mind.

"The art institutions you love, can't they be manipulated anytime, anywhere, if we want to interfere?"

He suddenly thought of some resistance groups in Europe. What good would that do?

For decades, European cinema has been eroded and rendered meaningless.

Their opposition was not only a joke in Commissioner Smith's eyes, but could also be manipulated at will, becoming weapons in his perception.

These European non-Hollywood individuals were, in fact, the biggest hidden threat among the Venice jury this year.

In comparison, those two female judges are already Mingzi.

Adding Zhang, that makes three votes.

Including the other four, as long as you don't want to give the Golden Lion to a Hollywood film, you can just go with the flow.

It's that simple.
James picked up a glass of water, looked outside, his gaze lingering.
……

"To celebrate, you should naturally jump around."

Beijing.

Not wanting to follow Wang Renjun, Cao Zhong, who was staying in the dormitory with Qi Jiuzhou, came to find Yang Mi.

Cao Zhong said to Yang Mi, "You have to jump, you have to jump up and down."

Yang Mi was already used to Cao Zhong's favorite move, so she happily jumped up and down.

"Over three hundred million! That's terrifying!"

Yang Mi was so excited she couldn't contain herself. "Our Rong Xinda class has gone crazy! Cool Mom asked me six times, 'Are you my classmate?' and even told me to get along well with you. Hahaha, Cool Mom doesn't know yet, we're already practically inseparable."

Director Li Xiaowan was also surprised. Wasn't she the producer of "The Door"? A couple of days ago, she was doing accounting on a calculator when I heard her. She was dividing 3 million by 5500 and then she was completely bewildered.

And then there's Chen Kun, who's been feeling really down lately. He'd really really taken off with "The Knot," becoming the biggest rising star of his class. But then Huang Xiaoming and Zu Feng, those same two seniors, took off with just one movie!
And it flew incredibly high, higher than all the actors in Director Zhang's films. It was terrifying.

Knowing that you are my classmate, he hasn't dared to scold me lately. Before, he used to criticize me a lot because of my poor acting skills. But recently, whenever we meet at the company, he brings me delicious food every day.

Oh, and Zhou Xun too. Didn't Zhou Xun leave Rongxinda before? She contacted me too, asking if I knew you well and wanting your contact information.

Yang Mi was very happy, "This time, you really slapped a lot of people in the face and made many people doubt their existence."

She pouted and glanced down at Cao Zhong. "But I can also tell that a lot of people want your contact information and want to see your new movie."

"Why divide 300 million by 5500?" Cao Zhong asked curiously.

Cao Zhong didn't care about Yang Mi's other comments at all; with a box office of over 300 million, these people's reactions were perfectly normal.

Regardless of whether the director will be torn to pieces or whether there will be any problems.

The actors truly benefited.

How could they remain indifferent to Cao Zhong's new film?

Cao Zhong has changed his phone number.

In the past few days, with the box office surpassing Zhang Yimou's, many students who graduated from Beijing Film Academy many years ago have returned to the school, such as Wang Luodan, Jiang Yiyan, and Dong Xuan. They said they wanted to see their teachers, but they ended up hanging around the entrance of the Directing Building and Cao Zhong's dormitory every day, which was extremely annoying.

"Because the box office of 'The Door' was only 5500 yuan."

At this point, Yang Mi jumped up and down even faster, "Waaah, I'm so embarrassed! I didn't dare say anything about the box office performance of this movie after it was released, afraid you'd laugh at me. But thankfully, you're here, it has to be you, you have to help me. My movie only had such a small box office, if word got out, wouldn't that be embarrassing for you?"

"Ok?"

Cao Zhong said seriously, "Don't tell anyone. If you do, you'll get hurt. There are many people waiting to tear me to pieces."

“Oh, I know, I know you want to protect me,” Yang Mi said. “Aren’t you just afraid that after this Golden Lion Award, Zhang Yimou and others will also get involved? Then you’ll be all alone to deal with it.”

Cao Zhong fell silent upon hearing this, and after a moment of contemplation, said, "Actually, achieving this box office result this time was beyond my expectations. Even for my next film, I have doubts about whether it can break this record, but I estimate it should be close."

The one about bidding for the Olympics?

“That one is a bit lacking,” Cao Zhong said. “It’s mainly mine, but my goal is not just box office revenue. I also plan to use the new film to lay the foundation for Chinese commercial film genres.”

"That's too ambitious," Yang Mi said. "Neither of these movies features me, so you need to help me think of a new movie. I happen to have some time now, and after next year, I might be able to star in the 'Dream of the Red Chamber' that Cool Mom is going to make. Cool Mom said she'd give me a lead role."

Yang Mi burst into laughter, "Such a large copyright is really a huge benefit to me."

Cao Zhong narrowed his eyes upon hearing this, thinking of Tie Laoda, "No need to rush, let me pick out a few roles for you, movies or TV series. Right now, your most important thing is your popularity."

Upon hearing this, Yang Mi was overjoyed.

After waiting a while, she leaned against Cao Zhong's chest and asked, "By the way, I heard from my roommate that you took a junior to a coffee shop. I'm warning you, don't get any bad ideas."

"These days, female celebrities are all crazy about you."

"As I said, this is an angel round investor. He even met with Shen Ao back then to discuss the movie."

Cao Zhongdao said, "You keep thinking that you need to be punished."

"Punish me then," Yang Mi stuck out her tongue, "Come on, come on! I'll exhaust you, exhaust you~"

7:30 p.m.

Afterwards, Cao Zhong leaned against the headboard, lost in thought.

We definitely need to find Yang Mi a role; Cao Zhong will certainly support his own people.

The story about the railway boss was too outrageous. Cao Zhong could only believe it was true, not that it wasn't. He still had to be vigilant at all times. At least he gave Yang Mi a real movie or TV series, which made her refuse "Dream of the Red Chamber".

Moreover, according to Cao Zhong's recollection, Yang Mi didn't seem to end up playing a lead role, and she was even blacklisted for criticizing the show for having unspoken rules.

Anyway, this drama is a mess, and Cao Zhong doesn't want Yang Mi to get involved in it.

Yang Mi went to take a shower; the glass door was filled with steam, making it hazy and indistinct.

Just as I was thinking about it, a phone call came in.

Can my new number find me?
Cao Zhong was puzzled.

Then click to answer the call.

An unfamiliar voice came from the other end, direct and resolute.

"I hope I haven't disturbed Director Cao. I'm Zhang Yimou."

Cao Zhong was startled upon hearing this.

However, after his initial surprise, Cao Zhong quickly calmed down.

"Hello, Director Zhang."

"I contacted Chairman Han through Zhang Weiping, and then got your phone number from Chairman Han. This time shouldn't bother Director Cao, right?"

"No," Cao Zhong replied succinctly.

The phone call was quite absurd, and Cao Zhong was momentarily confused about its purpose.

"I want to congratulate Director Cao. 'Nanjing Photo Studio' has broken the box office record of my film 'Curse of the Golden Flower'. Although I haven't seen the movie yet, Director Cao has helped Chinese commercial films open up a new path, which is something that every filmmaker should be excited about."

"Even though I'm in Venice, I have to make this call to congratulate you."

Cao Zhong was still unclear about the other party's initial intentions, but after all, one shouldn't hit a smiling person: "Director Zhang, you're exaggerating. This movie was also influenced by some emotions, so it was an accident."

"A movie is meant to evoke emotions," Zhang Yimou said. "Whether it's emotions or lingering feelings, they are all part of the film itself. A good movie, in my opinion, doesn't care what it can bring to the audience. For example, that film mentioned in the review, I feel it has a lot of lingering impact. I wonder if Director Cao has done any film analysis?"

Cao Zhong smiled and said, "I didn't expect that Director Zhang would still feel the lingering charm after watching this movie."

Zhang Yimou shook his head and said, "I'm not talking about the lingering disgust that's hard to distinguish, but the lingering satire. The political characters in it are inherently full of strong irony."

“The film does contain some metaphors; it satirizes divine authority, legal authority, political authority, and feudal forces,” Cao Zhongdao said. “That’s why the director died, and died very quickly.”

Venice, a strange light flashed in Zhang Yimou's eyes on the other end of the phone.

He didn't expect that Cao Zhong had actually seen the movie.

He murmured to himself, Zhang Yimou's approval of Cao Zhong's previous statement had unknowingly increased even further.

Without further hesitation, Zhang Yimou took the initiative to speak, saying, "I'm calling to talk to you about the Venice Golden Lion Award."

Cao Zhong asked, "Did Director Zhang come to persuade me to apologize?"

“I don’t have that right,” Zhang Yimou smiled and said calmly. “I just don’t want to make a big fuss over artistic disputes, so I’d like to hear your opinion on this year’s Golden Lion Award.”

“I haven’t seen the movie,” Cao Zhong said.

"Let's talk about 'Eileen Chang'. You predicted that this film might win an award. What was your reasoning? Just because it's a rare adaptation of a novel?"

“No,” Cao Zhong said, “because this year marks the 70th anniversary of the start of the full-scale War of Resistance against Japan, and because of you.”

"Me?" Zhang Yimou asked, puzzled.

“Yes, it’s you. You are the best choice.” Cao Zhong said, “You are not only the director, but also the chief director of the opening ceremony. You are responsible for directing the grandest narrative showcasing the confidence of the entire Chinese nation, and you are responsible for presenting the world with the grandest performance of Chinese civilization.”

Upon hearing Cao Zhong's words, Zhang Yimou's pupils suddenly contracted.

He suddenly realized that the reason he hadn't read Cao Zhong's "Nanjing Photo Studio" was because he had been preparing for the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games before coming to Venice, and he had even taken leave to come to Venice.

Zhang Yimou suddenly fell silent.

He suddenly thought of a disgusting connection: the 70th anniversary of the War of Resistance Against Japan, the awarding of "Ailing" magazine, glorifying figures like Mr. Yi and belittling figures like Wang Jiazhi, and then brazenly printing the name of the award presenter, Zhang Yimou, on the book, which then connected to the display of national self-confidence, the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games.

An absolutely hidden line of thought was successfully revealed in an instant.

Your national self-confidence comes from sleeping around!
If all of this is indeed done as Cao Zhong said...

That just happens to show that Zhang Yimou's cognitive narrative, which represents the elite, has long since become utterly decadent.

Zhang Yimou suddenly remembered that Wang An had even approached him to play Mr. Yi. At the time, he had read the script but hadn't thought much about it and declined because he was too busy.

He was suddenly drenched in a cold sweat.

If it really were him playing Mr. Yi, instead of Leung Chiu-wai...

Zhang Yimou's expression changed drastically, but he remained calm on the other end of the phone and continued to ask, "What you're saying is too much of a coincidence."

Cao Zhong shook his head: "No, Director Zhang, it's not a coincidence."

"The surprise film in this year's main competition is 'Mad Detective.' You all knew that this kind of movie wouldn't win an award. I don't know if Director Zhang has read my triple structure theory. Judging from the title, this movie can't possibly fit the narrative."

And you, Director Zhang, everyone knows about the news of you tearing up awards for "Funeral Banquet" back then. It's all about human relationships, everyone understands.

So if you want, the Golden Lion Awards will move closer to Chinese-language films.

In terms of status, Jiang Wen is inferior to Wang An; in terms of closeness, the two are at best equal.

And look at the two female judges on your panel. They started their careers based on sex, so their votes are practically guaranteed.

There are seven people in total. Besides these two, the other five, including you, need four of you to pool your money to invest in a film to change the situation. Do you think your artistic styles are similar?

Zhang Yimou suddenly felt horrified.
(End of this chapter)