Entertainment Era: My Good Sister Is All Over the World

Chapter 118 Preparations Before Going to Cannes (Part 1) (Please Subscribe)

After arriving in Shanghai, the crew took the train directly back to Yanjing.

Huang Wenbin stayed behind and went to the Shanghai Film Studio to continue revising the script of "Heart-Shaped Stone" with director Xie Jin, and to finalize the main roles.

Before going to Hong Kong, Huang Wenbin wrote a list of roles for director Xie Jin.

Director Xie Jin and Factory Director Xu discussed it and made some minor adjustments, but in general, they followed Huang Wenbin's suggestion.

However, to be on the safe side, many roles have been cast with two people initially, and it is estimated that one or two rounds of auditions will be arranged before the final selection is made.

The cast has been almost finalized, including Li Zhi as Ding Sitian, the first love; Zhu Lin as Zhuang Xiaoman; and Liu Xiaoqing as the superstar Fan Lengyue.

As for the role of the first love, Director Xu and Director Xie Jin immediately understood Huang Wenbin's attitude.

They arranged the best teachers for Li Zhi to train her in acting skills and demeanor.

The character Zhuang Xiaoman is slightly different from the one in "The Invisible Guardian," only borrowing the name and identity.

Zhuang Xiaoman in "Heart-Shaped Stone" is a composed and elegant woman who is gentle on the outside but strong on the inside. She is very opinionated and has saved the male protagonist's life many times.

As for the role of the big star, Director Xu actually preferred Pan Hong or Chen Chong from the Shanghai Film Studio.

Unfortunately, Pan Hong had only been in the industry for a short time at this time and was not as famous as Liu Xiaoqing.

Chen Chong is not even 20 years old yet, and his imposing presence is indeed not as strong as Liu Xiaoqing's.

Most importantly, Huang Wenbin insisted that the role could only be played by Liu Xiaoqing, and Director Xu naturally did not insist any further.

It's not that Huang Wenbin actually has any feelings for Liu Xiaoqing; it's just that he's indulging in a perverse sense of humor, hoping to create a parallel with the future Fan Bingbing. Then some bored netizens will dig up this movie and claim that the director and screenwriter were prophetes.

The remaining roles to be determined are: Junko Muto, a Japanese girl; Hua Xihong, a famous opera singer; and Xiao Liu, the wife of Boss Wang.

Regarding the role of Hua Xihong, Huang Wenbin suggested Wei Huili, but at that time she was already filming Gu Leiming's "The Enchanted One".

Huang Wenbin had not seen the movie "The Enchanted One," but he had seen a montage of clips before his time travel and was amazed by Wei Huili's agility and beauty in the film.

I think I met the director, Gu Leiming, once last year.

The film's main characters are Xu Shaohua, the monk who falls in love with the Queen of the Women's Kingdom, and Miss Gao, Wei Huili.

This movie has had a very difficult history.

Filming began in early April 1980, but shortly after, the lead actor, Xu Shaohua, was unfortunately kicked by a horse and had to rest for more than two months. Then, another actor suffered an accident during filming last year.

In early 1981, the crew reassembled and went to Suzhou for filming, but director Gu Leiming suddenly died of a heart attack. Soon after, the crew's art designer also passed away suddenly.

Ultimately, director Gu's wife, Han Lanfang, took over the filming, and it was finally completed in 1983.

For the role of Hua Xihong, director Xie Jin actually went out and selected several candidates, including Ma Lan, who sings Huangmei Opera. She is 18 years old this year and played the mother of Tang Sanzang in the 86 version of "Journey to the West". She later married the writer Xu Qiuyu.

Another notable figure is Mao Weitao, a Yue Opera singer, who was also only 18 years old. He rarely appeared in film or television dramas; his only memorable role is probably Dongfang Bubai in Li Yapeng's version of *The Smiling, Proud Wanderer*.

When Huang Wenbin saw this name, he suddenly remembered that He Saifei and Teacher Mao were colleagues in the Xiaobaihua Yue Opera Troupe. Had she made her debut yet?

He asked Director Xie Jin, but Director Xie shook his head, saying he had never heard of such an actress. Even Mao Weitao was recommended by a friend; he personally went to the Tongchuan Yue Opera Troupe to see her, thought she had potential, and then included her on the shortlist.

After searching high and low, Wei Huili was still the most suitable.

Regarding the character of Junko Muto, although she is set as a young girl, she doesn't necessarily have to be played by a young girl. As long as she has that delicate, soft, and easily swayed temperament, that's fine. We can just change the age setting later.

For example, Gong Xue would be quite suitable, since she happens to be an actress from the Shanghai Film Studio.

Factory Director Xu had no objections, but Director Xie Jin was a bit stubborn; he insisted on finding a proper Japanese actress to play the role.

At that time, there was no precedent for foreign actors, especially Japanese actors, acting in Chinese films. The first film officially co-produced by China and Japan was "An Unfinished Game of Go" in 1982.

Director Xie Jin decided to give it a try, so he contacted the Film Bureau and asked his Japanese friends to find suitable actors.

Factory Director Xu felt it was completely unnecessary, but he let Director Xie do as he pleased. He knew all too well what kind of person Director Xie was when he was filming; once he made a decision, nothing could change it.

Huang Wenbin did not stop it, because there was no need to.

It will be at least another month before filming officially begins, by which time Huang Wenbin will have returned from Cannes.

After spending two days in Shanghai, Huang Wenbin spent his time revising the script with Director Xie and wandering around with Li Zhi. The two were indeed getting along better and better, and were starting to resemble a young couple.

However, Huang Wenbin was very honest. At most, he would touch Lizhi's little hand, steal a kiss on her lips, and then climb to the top, but he didn't dare to cross the line.

This isn't like Hong Kong, where you can do whatever you want. You have to consider the consequences, or you might really be punished.

After all, not everyone has the luck of Zhang Huama, who was so carefree and got away with nothing.

Li Zhi let Huang Wenbin do as he pleased; deep down, she was a very traditional woman. It was just that she had a strong obsession with changing her fate, which made her seem so stubborn.

Now, thanks to Huang Wenbin's arrangements, his fate has taken a significant turn for the better, and he has found solace in his emotions, naturally settling down into a peaceful state.

Huang Wenbin still hoped that she would study abroad, so he enrolled her in an English training school to make things easier for her in the future.

Lizhi was very clever and immediately realized what was going on, so she studied very diligently.

On the third day, Huang Wenbin returned to Yanjing.

Upon arrival, as usual, we first went to the Beijing Film Studio and explained the situation in Hong Kong to Director Wang.

Then he returned to school and began attending classes as usual, as well as writing the first script for "Asian Flying Eagle" and the first novel of "Ghost Blows Out the Light".

When the movies and novels are released simultaneously, it will definitely give readers and audiences around the world a small shock.

"What are you writing? It's creepy," Zhang said with some concern after seeing Huang Wenbin's novel. "Can this stuff be published? Won't it be accused of being feudal superstition?"

"It's not feudal superstition," Huang Wenbin said with a smile. "It's actually science. Every kind of monster has nothing to do with ghosts. For example, a zongzi (rice dumpling) is just a corpse that has turned into a zombie. Those things that look like monsters are just mutated animals."

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"You can't just use that to fool us!" Zhang shook his head, reminding them, "Those experts and stuff don't listen to what you're saying."

Huang Wenbin said, "Don't worry, I don't plan to publish it in any magazines here. I've already had people find newspapers in Hong Kong and foreign publications. I'm earning foreign exchange for the country. If those people dare to spout nonsense, someone will take care of them."

He also told Golden Harvest about writing the novel "Ghost Blows Out the Light," and they were responsible for finding media outlets to publish it.

Finding someone to translate the text and publish it in a foreign magazine was one of the special terms proposed by Huang Wenbin.

Although Jiahe felt it wasn't necessary, they still agreed. After all, they had already given millions, so what difference would a little more make?

"You're awesome." Zhang had nothing more to say.

While Huang Wenbin leisurely attended classes for about a month, he also wrote the first draft of the script for the "Asian Flying Eagle" series and the first five chapters of the first part of "Ghost Blows Out the Light".

He sent it out together, but not to Golden Harvest, but to Cherie Chung, asking her to pass it on to Golden Harvest.

At the end of April, the foreign affairs department contacted Huang Wenbin again.

This time it's about "Let the Bullets Fly" participating in the Cannes Film Festival.

Although Li Hanxiang bought out the overseas distribution rights for "Let the Bullets Fly," and this exhibition was organized by Li Heizi and left-wing filmmakers, the main creators of the film are still from mainland China.

The people who are going to meet Huang Wenbin this time are bigwigs from the Film Bureau and the relevant departments for external publicity.