Huayu: Serious director, who's eavesdropping on your thoughts?

Professor Zheng Dongtian slammed his hand on the table: "Strange tricks and gimmicks! This is a negative example!"

He pointed at the screen, looking heartbroken:

"I'd like to ask, where is the film's reflection on human nature? Where is it its exploration of social pain points?"

It's a classic case of form over substance; it's all cleverness and no wisdom!

It looks lively, but it's actually empty and meaningless. Besides giving the audience a scare, what does it leave them with?

"Old Zheng is right."

Professor Ni Zhen, who was standing to the side, also shook his head:

"Our Beijing Film Academy teaches artists, not how to make commercially successful action films."

Comrades, be vigilant!

This is what I often worry about: if our students all learn this kind of dross culture, then what about the humanistic spirit that Beijing Film Academy established in the 1970s and 1980s?

I think this shouldn't even be nominated, let alone be the opening film!

At this moment, Vice President Hou Keming picked up the cast and crew list, glanced at it, sneered, and added insult to injury:

"The lead actor is Liu Yifei. Some of you may not know him, so let me introduce him to you. Liu Yifei is an overseas Chinese, and there was a lot of controversy when he enrolled in school."

How could a controversial figure, along with a college freshman, produce such a mature commercial film?

Is there a hired gun behind this? Is there any capital trying to use the Beijing Film Academy as a platform to promote someone? If foreign film critics find out that the creator of this short film is a foreigner, how can the Beijing Film Academy still have any face?

"Then I'll be accused of academic fraud and misconduct! This is a serious matter and must be handled with utmost care!"

Upon hearing this, Tian Zhuangzhuang became unhappy.

"Old Hou, your level of awareness is really high. You can link everything to academic misconduct. Does what you're implying mean I also have to write a self-criticism?"

Hou Keming was taken aback: "Old Tian, ​​what do you mean by that? I'm talking about the issue, not the person."

"I approved the equipment, I borrowed the film. Are you implying that I, Tian Zhuangzhuang, am so old and blind that I can't even tell if a freshman hired a ghostwriter? Or are you saying that I, Tian Zhuangzhuang, was also involved in this fraud?"

These words were so harsh that they left Hou Keming speechless.

"Old Tian, ​​that's not what I meant. I was just talking about reason..."

"What is reason? A bad film is reason, a good film is a paid advertisement. When did our Beijing Film Academy become like this, unable to stand students being better than teachers?" Tian Zhuangzhuang retorted sharply, his words cutting to the heart.

Not only did they criticize Hou Keming, but even Zheng Dongtian and others who had just been criticized felt embarrassed.

In 2002, Tian Zhuangzhuang had just made a comeback. He was a representative figure of the fifth generation of Chinese directors and a well-known troublemaker.

At the Beijing Film Academy, seniority and artistic achievements often outweigh administrative rank. Although Tian Zhuangzhuang is only the head of the department, he holds a very high position in the film industry.

Although Hou Keming is the vice president, he cannot suppress Tian Zhuangzhuang in terms of artistic achievements and social standing.

"Zhuangzhuang! Stop rambling! Old Hou is just trying to ensure the school's quality."

The issue now isn't whether or not there are ghostwriters; it's a matter of guidance! Once this precedent is set, students will all be learning how to pander to the audience, and who will be left to focus on creating art?

What's wrong with trying to please the audience?

Professor Xie Fei, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke.

"Old Zheng, we've dedicated our lives to art, but we can't end up detached from the realities of life."

We always say we need to align with international standards, but when our own students actually produce Hollywood-level technology, we call it rubbish?

If that's the case, then why hold this event at all? Isn't it just about opening your eyes to the world?

I've always felt that film schools should first teach students how to tell a story coherently and how to keep the audience engaged, instead of forcing them to run a profound marathon before they've even learned to walk. That's the biggest mistake in teaching!

Ni Zhen retorted, unconvinced, "Professor Xie, are you trying to turn the Beijing Film Academy into a vocational school?"

"What's wrong with vocational schools? They don't even have technical skills, so what are they talking about in terms of art!" Tian Zhuangzhuang immediately retorted.

"That's sophistry! The soul of the Beijing Film Academy is its humanistic spirit!"

"What's the point of a movie if nobody watches it? Is it just going to gather dust in the warehouse?"

In a short time.

A heated debate erupted in the meeting room, with everyone talking non-stop.

"Everyone, please be quiet." Zhang Huijun tapped the table.

He had heard the entire argument, but his perspective was completely different from the professors'.

"There's one thing you all need to understand: who will be sitting in the center position tomorrow?"

He held up one finger and pointed to the ceiling:

"It's Han Sanping! The head of China Film Group, the bandit leader of China Film Tickets!"

As the room quieted down, his tone became earnest and earnest:

"Comrades, I don't need to say much about the weight of China Film Group. If our Beijing Film Academy graduates want to have food to eat or acting opportunities, which one of them can get around President Han's approval?"

This film festival is not only an academic exchange, but also a showcase of the teaching achievements of the Beijing Film Academy to the China Film Group and the nation!

At this point, he picked up the cassette tape of "The Tuner," waved it a few times in the air, and casually tossed it onto the table.

"Who is President Han? He is the person who holds the reins of Chinese cinema. His vision has always been focused on the big picture and the grand scheme of things. He emphasizes the social and educational significance of films!"

"If we were to show him a commercial suspense film like this, which relies solely on technical skill and sensory stimulation, at such a solemn opening ceremony..."

He shook his head: "What will President Han think? He'll think that Beijing Film Academy has become decadent, no longer focusing on suffering, no longer focusing on reality, but instead teaching students to make these kinds of unorthodox films. Once the leadership gets the impression that Beijing Film Academy is frivolous, who will take responsibility for next year's collaborative projects and funding applications?"

These words set the tone completely.

Everyone here is shrewd; no one would gamble the school's future and Han Sanping's preferences for a film made by a freshman.

Even Tian Zhuangzhuang could only sigh helplessly at this moment and remain silent.

"Alright, let's decide."

Zhang Huijun made the final decision: "Go with the Ninghao film, and then pick another realistic film to take its place. Remember three principles: it must be solid, it must be profound, and it must depict hardship. We need to show President Han that the Beijing Film Academy has a strong backbone, a sense of depth, and the ability to carry the national narrative!"

"What about 'The Tuner'?" Wang Hongwei asked in a low voice.

"Since we've been shortlisted, it's not appropriate to withdraw directly, and there's no need to ask for the materials issued by the organizing committee back."

"Let's put it in Category C screenings. Find a quiet corner, somewhere when no one's around, let it rage for a bit, but don't put it on the big stage and embarrass ourselves." Zhang Huijun waved his hand impatiently.

"Meeting adjourned!" The professors all stood up and left their seats.

Tian Zhuangzhuang remained seated.

He glanced at the cassette tape lying on the table, reached out, picked it up, blew off the dust, and put it in his pocket.

The road ahead is difficult and the journey is long and arduous. My son, your future depends entirely on yourself.

...

late at night.

China Film Group headquarters building.

In the chairman's office on the top floor, Han Sanping had just finished a briefing on the increase in import quotas for films after the WTO accession.

As the head of China's largest and most influential state-owned film enterprise, he bears not only the responsibility for the profit and loss of a single company, but also the significant responsibility for the management of the entire Chinese film and television industry, the implementation of macro-control policies from above, and the future ideological guidance of films.

The burden on his shoulders is undoubtedly heavy.

I'm a little tired.

Han Sanping leaned back in his leather chair.

On his desk were piles of loss reports sent by film studios from various regions.

"Mr. Han, this is tomorrow's schedule."

The secretary tiptoed in and handed over a document.

"Dean Zhang from the Beijing Film Academy just called to confirm again that, in preparation for your arrival, they have specially prepared several of the most authentic realist masterpieces for tomorrow's opening ceremony. They say these works profoundly reflect the current state of rural life and the hardships we face, and are of extremely high artistic quality..."

"Why!"

Han Sanping waved for his secretary to leave, then rubbed his temples, feeling a bit of a headache.

He casually picked up the invitation and looked at the program schedule.

For a moment, I really didn't know what to say!

Irritability!

Han Sanping stood up, walked to the huge floor-to-ceiling window, and looked down at the myriad lights of Yanjing City.

After a long while, he let out a long sigh and muttered to himself:

"Zhang Huijun, Zhang Huijun, do you really not know what I want to see?"

The wolf is already at our doorstep! Don't you guys have any sense of crisis at all?

At a time like this, you're still trying to make me feel profound... or suffering...

Is this what I want to see right now?

What I want to see is that China can also produce talented young people! And have talent capable of making commercial genre films!

Having a service-oriented mindset is fundamental to the future of Chinese cinema!

If schools only teach how to whine and nitpick, how to get stuck on trivial details, then who will make blockbusters after these kids graduate? Who will compete for a living in this market that has been shattered by Hollywood?

Last year, your Beijing Film Academy suffered a crushing defeat, and you haven't even reflected on it! And now you've prepared another table of bitter herbs for me? This is utterly outrageous!

..

The next day.

Around 6 PM.

The autumn wind in Yanjing was no longer as sultry as before, and it brought a touch of coolness.

In front of the standard screening room at Beijing Film Academy.

Dozens of HMI lights illuminated a red carpet that stretched from the main road all the way to the gate, making it as bright as day.

Today is 2002, one of the few top-level events in the domestic film and television industry.

at this time.

Both sides of the red carpet were already packed with onlookers and media from all walks of life.

"Look! That's Xu Jinglei!"

A scream erupted from the crowd.

Xu Jinglei, dressed in an elegant white gown and with her hair up, walked down the red carpet, smiling and waving to the crowd.

Fresh and intellectual!

This year, Chinese media officially listed the four leading actresses, and Xu Jinglei is one of them. Her popularity is already among the top in China, not to mention that she has just transitioned into directing this year and has been hailed as a talented woman!

She is at the peak of her career and is enjoying great popularity.

"That's Professor Huang Lei! My goodness, he looks so refined and scholarly in person!"

In addition, some star alumni who returned to the school to lend their support, such as the famous director from the golden generation of '78 and some well-known figures from the star class of '96, also made occasional appearances, each of which caused fans to scream wildly.

"This is nothing, the real big shots are yet to come!"

Among the crowd, some knowledgeable people looked down on the screaming, fervent fans around them:

"Do you see that old white man next to Dean Zhang?"

That's Pierre Reis, the godfather of film selection at the Cannes Film Festival!

He was the one who launched Chen Kaige's "Farewell My Concubine" to the world stage. And the man next to him is the associate dean of the USC School of Cinematic Arts. You know Hollywood, right? Their industrial system is something they've already mastered.

Upon hearing this, a chorus of "Holy crap!" and "Awesome!" erupted from the surrounding crowd.

at this time.

Around the red carpet, besides onlookers and those who couldn't get tickets, were reporters from major newspapers and television stations.

Flashbulbs went off and a flurry of camera shutters clicked.

Capture this shining moment.

Tonight is destined to be a carnival for the Chinese film industry!

..