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Chapter 153

Su Wenshan said with a smile.

"You guys chat, I'm going to buy groceries. We'll have lunch at home."

After Su Wenshan left, the three of them sat down on the balcony. A gentle river breeze blew in, which felt very comfortable.

"Why are you here?" Su Xiao was still a little confused.

"Come see the place where you grew up."

Li Jun said.

"I also want to tell you that I'm serious. I'm not just looking for any project; I genuinely want to film 'Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains' and collaborate with you."

He pointed to the scenery before them: "I understand why you wrote this story. Such landscapes and such human kindness deserve to be recorded."

Su Xiao's eyes reddened: "Director Li, do you really want to film this?"

"real."

Li Jun nodded.

"Furthermore, I will guarantee your creative freedom."

How the script is revised, how the actors are chosen, how the shots are filmed—it's all up to you.

I only act as a producer, offering advice when needed.

"That Wang Zhonglei—"

"He handles administration and finances, but doesn't interfere with the creative process. Moreover, I will send my producer to oversee the entire process to ensure transparency."

Li Jun looked at her.

"Su Xiao, give me a chance, and give yourself a chance too. Let's work together to film this landscape and these stories."

Su Xiao's tears fell. She turned her head and looked at the Yangtze River for a long time.

Then she turned back, wiped away her tears, and nodded vigorously: "Okay."

On the way back to Beijing, Zhang Liangying said to Li Jun, "You're really amazing. You managed to persuade such a stubborn kid."

2

"It's not that I'm good, it's that I'm sincere."

Li Jun looked at the clouds outside the window.

"Creators like Su Xiao don't want money; they want respect and understanding. We gave her respect, and she gave us her trust."

"So what's the next step?"

"Go back to Beijing, sign the contract, and start preparations."

Li Jun said.

"As the first project of 'New Sprouts,' 'Spring River Flows North' must be done well."

The plane pierced through the clouds, and sunlight streamed through the porthole.

Li Jun closed his eyes, and the scene from the movie appeared in his mind: the Yangtze River, a small town, an old Chinese medicine doctor, a daughter who had left home, and the changing times.

Another story is about to begin.

After returning to Beijing, "New Sprout Pictures" was officially registered and established.

Li Jun and Wang Zhonglei each invested five million yuan, with the equity split 50/50.

The company is located in an office building in Chaoyang District. It's not big, but it's enough.

The decor is simple and practical, with several paintings by Lin Mo and posters of Su Xiao's short films hanging on the walls.

Many people came on the opening day.

Nicholas Tse and Qin Hailu made a special trip to show their support, Kent Chan sent a congratulatory telegram from Hong Kong, and Yuan Tao brought several familiar media reporters.

Most surprisingly, Cheng Guoqiang also came. He was in a wheelchair, pushed by his wife. Although he couldn't speak normally yet, he was in good spirits.

"Master Cheng, what brings you here?"

Li Jun quickly went to greet him.

Cheng Guoqiang mumbled, and his wife translated, "He said that he had to come and witness such a meaningful event."

When Wang Zhonglei saw Cheng Guoqiang, his eyes immediately welled up with tears. He walked over and knelt down in front of the wheelchair: "Master Cheng, I'm sorry."

Cheng Guoqiang raised his still-mobile hand, patted Wang Zhonglei's shoulder, and shook his head. The meaning was:

It's over now, I don't blame you.

Wang Zhonglei's tears fell.

This man, who had been in the business world for decades and had seen countless ups and downs, was crying like a child at this moment.

The opening ceremony was very simple.

Li Jun said a few words: "The purpose of 'New Sprout' is very simple:"

Give talented young people opportunities and create heartwarming Chinese stories.

We don't pursue box office miracles; we only strive for works that can stand the test of time and touch people's hearts.

Wang Zhonglei also spoke, his first time speaking publicly as a "new talent incubator." He was nervous but sincere: "I made many mistakes in the past, and now I want to make amends."

Thank you, Director Li, for giving me this opportunity, and thank you to everyone who still believes in me.

I will prove with my actions that I have changed.

During the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Li Jun, Wang Zhonglei, Su Xiao, Lin Mo, and Cheng Guoqiang, who was in a wheelchair, cut the red ribbon together.

Amid applause, "New Sprout" officially set sail.

The first project, "Spring River Warming," quickly entered the preparation stage.

Su Xiao, as both director and screenwriter, demonstrated an astonishing level of professionalism.

She made a detailed shooting plan, drew storyboard sketches, and even made her own budget.

"I interned on film sets during my university years and learned everything."

Su Xiao felt a little embarrassed.

"I know how to save money on low-budget films."

Li Jun was very satisfied with her plan.

The budget was kept under ten million, the shooting period was forty-five days, all shooting was done on location, and the actors were either newcomers or local non-professional actors.

"What are your thoughts on the actors?" Li Jun asked.

"The female lead wanted to find a real small-town girl, someone with that simple and honest feeling."

Su Xiao said.

"I have already contacted the local art school in Yunyang and am preparing to go for casting."

The male lead might need to be a professional actor, but not too famous, to avoid distracting the audience from the story.

"I'll keep an eye out for you."

Li Jun said.

"If you know any suitable young actors, please recommend them to Teacher Xie and Teacher Qin."

In terms of art, Lin Mo volunteered.

He went to Yunyang and brought back a large number of sketches and photos, which were used to design the overall visual style of the film: ink-wash style river scenery, lively town, and details with a sense of history.

"I want to use as much natural light as possible and as little artificial light as possible."

Lin Mo said.

"To give the visuals a documentary-like realism."

Su He also joined the sound design team.

He plans to go to the Yangtze River to collect natural sounds: the sound of the river, the sound of boat whistles, the sound of wind, the sound of rain, and the sounds of daily life in small towns.

"I want to create a 'Yangtze River Sound Map' as the soundscape for the film."

Li Jun felt gratified watching the group of young people enthusiastically discussing their creative work.

This is the kind of group of people he truly loves movies who want to work together on something meaningful.

But problems soon arose.

One afternoon, Su Xiao came to find Li Jun with red eyes.

"Director Li, my parents—"

They don't agree with me making this movie.

Why?

"They said that making movies is unstable, and it's better to find a proper job."

Su Xiao's voice was trembling with tears.

"Moreover, when they heard that the director's project was from Wang Zhonglei's company, they were even more opposed. They said Wang Zhonglei had a bad reputation and were afraid I would suffer losses."

Li Jun understood Su Xiao's parents' concerns.

In the eyes of the townspeople, making movies is indeed not a "proper job," let alone one that involves Wang Zhonglei.

"How about this?"

Li Jun said.

"I'll go talk to your parents."

"Are you going?"

"Yes. I'm also going to Yunyang to see the sights, so I can communicate with them in person."

A few days later, Li Jun flew to Chongqing again. This time he went alone, carrying sincerity and complete information about "New Sprout".

At the Su family home, Mr. and Mrs. Su were very polite, but their attitude was clear: "Director Li, we know you are a great director and have made great movies. But Xiaoxiao is still young, and we want her to have a more stable life."

"Dr. Su, I understand how you feel."

Li Jun said sincerely.

"But I can guarantee that this film will help Xiaoxiao grow and will also allow more people to see Yunyang and these stories along the Yangtze River."

He took out the "New Sprout" materials and explained page by page: "This is our company structure. I am the art director, and Wang Zhonglei is only responsible for administration."

This is our fund supervision plan; I have to sign off on every single transaction.

This is the plan for a movie; the script was written by Xiaoxiao herself, and it's about her hometown, which she knows best.

Su Wenshan carefully examined the documents without saying a word.

"Dr. Su, Xiaoxiao is talented and has dreams."

Li Jun continued.

"Our industry needs young people like her."

If you're worried, I can sign a special agreement to guarantee Xiaoxiao's creative freedom, protect her rights, and ensure the film can be completed smoothly.

Su Wenshan looked up at Li Jun: "Director Li, why are you helping Xiaoxiao so much?"

"Because I see myself in her from back then."

Li Jun spoke the truth.

"When I was young, I also encountered people who didn't believe in me, and I also faced difficulties."

It was someone who gave me the opportunity that allowed me to get to where I am today.

Now, I want to pass this opportunity on to the next generation.

Su Wenshan remained silent for a long time. A breeze blew in from the balcony, carrying a damp scent.

Finally, he sighed and said, "Director Li, I believe in you. I'm entrusting Xiaoxiao to you."

It was already dark when I left the Su family's house.

The lights along the riverbank were reflected on the water, swaying gently.

Li Jun stood on the dock, looking at the Yangtze River in the night, feeling very calm.

He knew he had done the right thing.

After returning to Beijing, preparations for "Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains" accelerated.

Su Xiao selected the female lead, a sixteen-year-old girl from Yunyang named Xiaoyu. She had never acted before, but her eyes were bright and she had an unadorned charm.

The male lead, recommended by Xie Tingfeng, was cast as Zhou Yuan, a recent graduate from drama school. He had solid acting skills and a down-to-earth appearance.

Filming is scheduled to begin in early May, when spring is in full bloom in Yunyang and the yellow oak trees along the river will be in bloom.

But just when everything was going smoothly, an unexpected piece of news came: the domestic release of "Dreams of Mountains and Rivers" encountered trouble.

The problem lies in the review process.

Although "Dreaming of Mountains and Rivers" won an award in Berlin, it still has to go through the censorship process in China.

The Film Bureau gave feedback: revisions are needed.

"The main problem is the ending."

Yuan Tao spoke on the phone, her voice filled with anxiety.

"The censors said the ending was too bleak," lacking any positive conclusion. They requested that we reshoot or revise it to give the audience hope.

Li Jun frowned.

The film ends with Lin Shen and Wan Rong parting ways during their escort, each heading towards an unknown fate.

That is the truth of history, and also the blank space left by art. If a "bright ending" were forcibly added, it would ruin the artistic conception of the entire film.

"Any other comments?"

"There are also some details:"

When burning paintings, the fire must be controlled and not too large.

When encountering danger in the bamboo forest, the blood shouldn't be too obvious; also, the dialogue should downplay the scenes of "escaping" during wartime.

Yuan Tao sighed.

"Li Jun, we have to make a choice. Either we modify it, or we can't go on."

This is a difficult decision.

To revise means to compromise with art; not to revise means the film will never be shown to domestic audiences.

Are there similar issues with other entries?

Li Jun asked.

"I asked around, and the other Chinese-language films that competed in Berlin this year also received feedback for revisions. One film was rejected outright."

Yuan Tao said.

"The current situation is that censorship is becoming increasingly stringent. We've run into a trap."

Li Jun hung up the phone and stood by the window of his studio.

The spring sunshine outside the window was beautiful, but his mood was heavy.

"Mountains and Rivers in Dreams" is his culmination of hard work, a reflection on history, art, and perseverance that he wanted to convey.

He couldn't live with himself if he had to compromise for the sake of getting the film released.

But if he doesn't compromise, the film can only be shown abroad, and domestic audiences won't be able to see it. That's not what he wants either.

Just when I was feeling troubled, an unexpected event occurred.

"I heard about the investigation."

She walked over to him.

"It's a difficult decision, isn't it?"

"Um.

""

Li Jun rubbed his temples.

"I don't want to change it, but I also don't want the movie to only be shown outside of China."

"actually----"

Zhang Liangying hesitated for a moment.

"There is a compromise."

"What method?"

"We can make two versions."

Zhang Liangying said.

"An international version, unchanged, will be released overseas."

A domestic version, with minimal modifications, is needed to secure a theatrical release.

Then, clearly tell the audience during the promotion:

There are two versions; the domestic version has been adjusted due to censorship requirements.

Li Jun thought for a moment: "Will the audience accept this?"

"It's better than not seeing it at all."

Zhang Liangying said.

"Moreover, we can send both versions to Cannes."

"Let the world see the original, and let domestic audiences see the most complete version possible."

This is a pragmatic choice. Although it's still not perfect, at least it allows the film to be shown to domestic audiences.

"it is good."

Li Jun made a decision.

"We'll make two versions. But the modifications to the domestic version should be kept to a minimum, and shouldn't be too drastic."

"I'll communicate with the review department."

After learning about the plan, Yuan Tao volunteered.

"I still have connections within this system, which allows me to secure the greatest possible creative space."

The following week, Li Jun, Yuan Tao, and Lao Yang worked together to revise the plan.

For the ending, they decided not to shoot new footage, but to adjust the existing material, shortening the two long shots after the separation, and then adding an establishing shot before the credits roll.

A rainbow appeared among the mountains in southern Anhui after the rain.

This change is minor, but it symbolizes "hope" and should meet the censorship requirements.

The scene of burning the painting was shortened by cutting out several close-up shots of the flames to reduce the visual impact.

The scene of encountering danger in the bamboo forest, replacing the close-up of blood with a close-up of Qin Hailu's expression of gritting her teeth and enduring the pain, is just as powerful.

Regarding the dialogue, only two overly direct expressions were modified, using more subtle ways to express them.

The revised version has a runtime of 1 hour and 52 minutes, now reduced to 1 hour and 50 minutes.

The overall artistic conception is basically preserved, only the edges have been smoothed out a bit.

"This is the biggest compromise I can accept," Li Jun said, looking at the revised version.

"It's already very good."

"9

Yuan Tao nodded.

"I'm submitting it for review; I hope it will pass."

A week later, good news arrived:

The revised version has been approved.

With the screening license in hand, the release date can proceed as originally planned.

But there is also bad news.