Huayu: King of Kung Fu

Chapter 112 The First Actress of the Millennium

While busy with preparations for the start of filming "The Legend of the Martial Arts," Lin Hu was also pondering how to film "My Sassy Girl."

This needs to be planned carefully; it's not something that can be succeeded just by having a script and following it.

The script is just a foundation. The same script can be turned into a masterpiece by some and a mess by others. Can you believe that Zhang Yimou could turn Blood Maze into a Three Gun?

Lin Hu pondered whether to find a local director or, like with "Better Days," continue to outsource to a Hong Kong team.

There are currently no mature urban romance films in mainland China. In Lin Hu's memory, the 2005 film "Waiting Alone" pioneered this genre.

Hong Kong has produced many excellent urban romance films.

After some consideration, Lin Hu decided to first look around in mainland China to see if there were any worthwhile trainees.

So they announced the recruitment of a director.

In less than three days, I received quite a few resumes.

Ning Hao was the first to volunteer, and Lin Hu said with a bit of annoyance, "It seems no one in mainland China has ever made a film on this subject. To be on the safe side, the director must be my puppet and carry out my will. Can you do that?"

Ning Hao thought for a moment and said, "Then I'll go back and continue writing that script."

Ning Hao left, and Lin Hu met with several more sixth-generation directors, but quickly gave up.

Most of these people are good at shooting period dramas. Even when they shoot modern subjects, they often focus on the urban-rural fringe and the marginalized people in the city.

Lin Hu wasn't saying these things couldn't be filmed, but rather that he couldn't connect them with a trendy urban theme.

In fact, once the box office in the mainland market took off, most of these people were eliminated.

At that time, investors were looking for directors everywhere. Singers, actors, hosts, crosstalk performers, and skit actors could all be put on the show as directors.

These people rarely appeared, and the few who were active, such as those who ate skewers and those who played the role of Guan Hu, achieved brief success, but their reputation quickly collapsed.

However, there's no rush. It won't be too late once he finishes working on "The Chronicles of Martial Arts".

Lin Hu didn't attend the Venice Film Festival opening; instead, he sent a staff member from his company to accompany Peter Chan and Xu Yuezhen.

Since he didn't go, Fan Binbin didn't go either, and stayed in Beijing to accompany him.

A week later, Peter Chan suddenly called and said, "We might win an award."

Lin Hu was taken aback and asked, "What prize?"

"Based on information gathered from various sources, it should be an acting award."

Lin Hu was immediately excited and said, "You mean—Brother Xun will win Best Actress?"

"It's very likely. Her performance this time was outstanding. I've watched all the nominated films, and no actress can compare to her."

"Is that the second Chinese actress to win the Venice Film Festival Best Actress award after Gong Li? Is that news accurate?"

"It's not 100% certain yet. Someone told me that the day before winning the award, someone will slip a letter into the room."

"Stay calm, don't let this get out of here. If it turns out to be a false alarm, then we'll be in big trouble."

"I understand. I called you hoping you could find Zhou Xun and, if she wins the award, have her come to Venice to accept it. She's the first Best Actress winner at Venice in the new millennium, which is very historically significant."

"Will it be enough time?"

"We can know the results as early as one day in advance. This is a big deal. If you can streamline the process domestically, you should be able to make it in time."

"I understand. Just keep waiting for news. Let me know as soon as it's confirmed."

"good!"

Lin Hu hung up the phone, and Fan Binbin asked in shock, "Zhou Xun won Best Actress?"

Lin Hu shook his head: "It's not confirmed yet, don't tell anyone."

"oh!"

Lin Hu sat in the room and began calling Huang Bo, Sha Baoliang, Huang Jue—everyone he knew who knew Zhou Xun, one by one.

"Do everything you can to find Zhou Xun. I urgently need to speak with her!"

"Baoqiang, take the fastest flight to Quzhou and go to your sister Zhou Xun's house. Here is the address."

Lin Hu called Zhou Xun's home, but no one answered, so he had to ask Wang Baoqiang to fly there.

While sending people to find Zhou Xun, Lin Hu also inquired about any temporary ways to go abroad.

After waiting for several hours, Huang Bo and his team still hadn't received any news.

In Venice, Chinese filmmakers such as Jia Zhangke, Clara Law, and Fruit Chan, who were nominated this time, along with reporters from Chinese media, gathered in Peter Chan's room to wait for news.

International film festivals like these usually notify the winners in advance so that they can prepare their acceptance speeches, cooperate with the filming, walk the red carpet, and participate in group interviews with the media.

If we wait until we're on-site to notify them, there won't be enough time to make arrangements.

Therefore, the awards ceremony is just a formality to announce the results publicly; people don't have to go to the venue to open the envelopes to find out the results.

At two in the morning, Lin Hu was startled awake by the phone ringing. He sat up abruptly, answered it, and asked, "How is it?"

From the other end of the phone came Peter Chan's heavy breathing: "I won an award, Best Actress!"

Holy crap!

Lin Hu cursed and jumped out of bed.

"Has it been confirmed?"

"It's confirmed, it was Lao Ma who called personally."

The "old horse" that Peter Chan mentioned is Marco Müller, the president of the Venice Film Festival.

He is Italian, but he studied in China, married a Chinese woman, and speaks Chinese since the 1970s.

For more than a decade from the 1990s to the new millennium, Chinese films repeatedly won major awards at the Venice Film Festival, forming a wave of Chinese cinema, which he single-handedly promoted.

Since he stepped down, Chinese-language films have rarely won awards.

Since it was confirmed by Lao Ma, it can't be wrong.

Lin Hu repeatedly said, "Good! Good!"

Peter Chan asked, "Will Zhou Xun be able to come and accept the award?"

"If I haven't confirmed it by 9:00 AM this morning, please collect the prize on my behalf!"

"---That's the only way."

Although Peter Chan himself did not win an award, he was very excited to have helped Zhou Xun become an international Best Actress. He hoped that Zhou Xun could accept the award in person.

Lin Hu hung up the phone and dialed Wang Baoqiang's number: "Have you arrived in Quzhou yet?"

"Brother, I'm hailing a taxi, we're almost there!"

"Okay, call me as soon as possible."

About an hour later, Lin Hu's phone finally rang.

It was an unfamiliar number. Lin Hu answered and heard Zhou Xun's familiar voice: "Why did you send so many people to look for me?"

'

Lin Hu breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Brother Xun, you won an award, Best Actress at the Venice International Film Festival."

"I already know!"

Are you going to collect your award?

"Is it too late now?"

"I've consulted with them. You've received an international honor, so we can make an exception and let you leave the country."

Zhou Xun was silent for a moment on the other end of the phone, then gave Lin Hu an address.

Lin Hu then realized that Zhou Xun had been in Beijing all along.

Zhou Xun lived in Miyun, a suburb of Beijing. Lin Hu rushed there and found it to be a newly built villa area with a particularly nice environment.

"I haven't shortchanged myself!"

Lin Hu never gave Zhou Xun any money, except for a car as a gift on her birthday.

However, she has filmed quite a few movies in recent years, so she is quite wealthy.

Lin Hu found the place, and a middle-aged woman of short stature opened the door.

Lin Hu had seen Zhou Xun's family photo and recognized her as Zhou Xun's mother.

He said politely, "Hello, Auntie, I'm Lin Hu!"

Zhou's mother was quite welcoming, saying, "Come in!"

Lin Hu walked into the living room and was immediately struck dumb.

Zhou Xun, heavily pregnant, stood before him!

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