Huayu: Starting from joining the mainstream entertainment industry in 96

Chapter 538, Section 536: A False Pretense

I returned to my office in the Jingxin Building from the dusty construction site.

Wang Sheng sat down in the large office chair and opened his laptop, which was connected to both internal and external networks.

The screen's dim light illuminated his serene face.

The "enthusiasm" from South Korea that Han Sam-pyeong mentioned, as well as his own idea of ​​"breaking into the top three in Europe," were not just empty talk on a whim.

This is a game of chess that requires careful planning, and the first step is to choose the right project.

He needed a film that could profoundly explore human nature, possess an international artistic vision, be successfully developed within the South Korean production system in the present (2004), and have the potential to make a splash in the short term (his target was the Venice Film Festival, which had not yet closed its registration period).

My thoughts sank into the depths of memory, searching through the award lists of the three major European film festivals since 2007, especially the Venice Film Festival (Venice usually favors works with strong auteurism, social concern, and philosophical reflection).

Movie titles and images flashed through his mind.

Suddenly, a film title stuck in his mind—"A Separation" (original Persian title: ).

This Persian film, which won both the Golden Bear and Silver Bear for Best Actress at the 2011 Berlin Film Festival, left a deep impression on him with its calm and restrained cinematic language, exquisite script structure, and profound social insights.

It tells not only the story of a couple's divorce, but also the complex picture of Persian society as a whole, interwoven with religion, morality, class, and law. The human dilemmas it reveals have universality that transcends geographical boundaries.

“This is it.” A glint of light flashed in Wang Sheng’s eyes.

The original setting is in Persia, so simply copying it directly is obviously not feasible.

However, its core dramatic conflict—the rift between a couple due to immigration issues, the need to care for a sick elderly person, and the chain reaction and moral dilemmas triggered by the involvement of a low-income caregiver—has great potential for transplantability and adaptation.

His fingers flew across the keyboard, and a Sino-Korean co-production adaptation plan for "A Separation" quickly took shape in his mind and was translated into text on the screen:

[Tentative Project Title]: Farewell on the Han River (or Seoul's Dilemma? To be determined)

[Story Background Transplantation]:
It was transplanted from Tehran, Persia to Seoul, South Korea in 2004.

At this time, South Korea's economy was in a period of adjustment after rapid development, social stratification was beginning to emerge, the middle class was facing enormous pressure, and the idea of ​​emigrating overseas to seek better development was also emerging among some elites.

Although this background differs from the social atmosphere of the original Persian version, the conflict between personal ideals and the shackles of reality is equally intense.

[Reshaping of Key Figures]:
Husband (Kim Ji-hoon): In his thirties, an associate professor in the humanities department of a university in Seoul. He is highly educated, upholds academic ideals and traditional family values, but lacks adaptability to reality and has limited income. He deeply loves his son, but is determined to care for his father who suffers from Alzheimer's disease and is unwilling to leave his familiar academic environment and his father who needs him.

Wife (Park Min-hee): In her early thirties, a mid-level manager at the Korean branch of a well-known multinational company. Intelligent and capable, she aspires to break through the glass ceiling in her career. Disillusioned with the stifling academic life and certain unspoken rules of Korean society, she strongly advocates for skilled worker immigration to Canada, seeking a "broader future" for her son and herself. She is the primary breadwinner of the family.

Father (Mr. Kim): In his sixties, a retired high school teacher, suffering from moderate Alzheimer's disease. His thinking is often confused, and he is only partially able to take care of himself. He is his son's (Kim Ji-hoon's) greatest worry and moral burden. His existence is one of the triggers for the escalation of marital conflicts.

Nanny (Han Jung-eun): In her early twenties, a working girl from a rural city in South Korea. Coming from a poor family, she struggles to survive in the city while also sending money back home. Kind but timid, she lives on the margins of society and harbors a mixture of awe and barely perceptible envy towards her employers' families. She is the central figure caught in the storm.

[Localized Adaptation of Plot Conflicts]:
The couple argued incessantly over immigration issues, and their relationship was on the verge of collapse. After a heated argument, the wife, Park Min-hee, temporarily moved out of their home. The husband, Kim Ji-hoon, had to leave home unexpectedly for an academic conference, and in desperation, hired the seemingly honest and unassuming Han Jung-eun to temporarily take care of his father.

However, the unexpected happens.

During one of his episodes, Mr. Jin attempted to leave the house alone. Han Jing'en tried to stop him, but was pushed and shoved, causing her to fall down the indoor stairs and suffer a miscarriage (this could be framed as her not knowing she was pregnant, or wanting to hide it due to financial pressure). This event was a huge blow to her and her boyfriend (or husband) from a disadvantaged background.

After the incident was exposed, a fierce conflict erupted between the two families and the two social classes. Han Jing'en's side believed that the employer's family (mainly her husband Jin Zhixun's negligence in hiring and the presence of her father creating a dangerous environment) bore an unshirkable responsibility and demanded huge compensation.

Kim Ji-hoon's side: He is in a huge predicament. He has to face his wife's accusations (that he is incompetent and has brought shame to the family), deal with the demands for compensation from Han Jung-eun's family, and at the same time bear the moral guilt and the unbreakable bond of kinship with his father.

Wife Park Min-hee: Her attitude is complicated. She is angry at her husband for "causing trouble," but she also sees it as an opportunity to completely sever ties with South Korea and force her husband to agree to immigrate. However, she cannot completely stay out of it on a legal and moral level.

The core tension of the story lies in:
Marital crisis: Emotional rifts between middle-class couples due to immigration disagreements.

Moral dilemma: Kim Ji-hoon's difficult choice between his father, wife, conscience, and law.

Class clash: the inequality and friction between intellectual families and working-class families in terms of values, survival logic, and legal resources.

Metaphors of law and religion/custom: The Persian religious court in the original version is transformed into the uniquely Korean social atmosphere that values ​​personal relationships, face, and family reputation, as well as the flexibility and pressure that may exist in its legal system.

The resolution of conflicts may not rely on black-and-white court rulings, but rather on achieving a fragile balance in the gray areas of mediation, compromise, forbearance, and helplessness, leaving behind endless sighs and reflections.

[Operation Mode of China-Korea Co-production]:
Creative and script-driven: Wang Sheng proposed the core creative ideas and adaptation direction, and the Shengying screenwriting team (which may collaborate with a Chinese screenwriter familiar with Korean society) led the completion of the first draft of the script to ensure the core of the story and the depth of the theme.

Production in South Korea: The script is handed over to a cooperating South Korean production company (Jung Tae-won's Tae-won Entertainment, or a South Korean company that is more skilled in art films) for localization and polishing to ensure the authenticity of details, and the company is responsible for all filming and production in South Korea.

Director: Huo Jianqi (Wang Sheng?)

Cast:

Husband (Kim Ji-hoon): Chosen as a South Korean actor.

After all, it's a co-production, so they still have to put on a show.

Wife (Park Min-hee): Choosing a Chinese actress.

This is key to cultivating the international influence of Chinese entertainment artists.

Candidates...

After thinking it over, Wang Sheng decided on Li Bingbing.

Father: A veteran actor from South Korea.

Nanny (Han Jing'en): Fan Xiaopang.

Target Film Festival: Aim for the main competition at the 2004 Venice International Film Festival.

Time is tight, but if preparations are quick, it is feasible to complete filming in the summer and submit a rough cut before the registration deadline.

Venice has always paid close attention to Asian realist themes.

Wang Sheng stopped typing, leaned back in his chair, and examined the preliminary plan on the screen.

How can a film that's challenging for a spot in the top three European cinemas not be considered a world-class film?

(End of this chapter)