Best Director in Literature Department of Huayu

Chapter 127 Gold Derby Odds

Film forums and portals of all sizes across the country were in a state of frenzy this morning.

The office of the Literature Department at Beijing Film Academy was already in complete chaos.

Liu Yibing held the copy of "Reference News" he had just bought that morning, his smile so wide that the wrinkles at the corners of his mouth deepened.

Although the newspaper did not publish a full-page report on "Dallas Buyers Club," it reprinted foreign media reviews of the Toronto International Film Festival in the culture section. One of the comments about Lin Ruiyang was highlighted in bold by the editor.

"A powerful work of realism accomplished with astonishing restraint."

"Old Liu, stop laughing to yourself! Your tea's getting cold, refill it!" Professor Zheng from the projection class next to him chuckled and scolded, then snatched the newspaper and examined it closely with his reading glasses on.

Seven or eight teachers who didn't have classes in the office immediately gathered around, their heads crammed together, marveling at the sight.

In 06, the directing and cinematography departments at Beijing Film Academy were always the most prestigious and influential. At international film festivals, the good news coming back from the Golden Circle was mostly stamped with the seal of those two departments.

But just as autumn began this year, it seemed like fate was playing a cruel joke on everyone. Jia Zhangke, who had just graduated with a degree in literature, became the second mainland Chinese director to win the Golden Lion on the Lido Island in Venice, and this was done without any violations of the rules, even after obtaining the official seal.

Lin Ruiyang, a senior majoring in literature, then took the lead in Toronto, North America, becoming the GoId Derby.

The website's top choice based on the highest odds is the most popular option.

Professor Zheng couldn't help but sigh, "People used to say that our Beijing Film Academy's directing and cinematography departments produce talented people, but now, the literature department has stolen all the limelight."

"Who says otherwise?" another screenwriting teacher chimed in with a smile.

"A Golden Lion and a People's Choice Award frontrunner, coming in one after the other. At this rate, students will have to ask first when choosing a major: are they still accepting students for literature?"

Liu Yibing deliberately adopted the airs of a department head, but couldn't hide the smile on his face: "Stop talking about things that undermine unity."

Just then, the office phone rang.

The young teacher who answered the phone had just said "feed" when she gave a strange look, covered the microphone, and turned her head away.

"Teacher Liu, the school's Youth League Committee is looking for you."

"The Youth League Committee?"

"They said they wanted to compile information about Lin Ruiyang to include in the school's external reports."

The teachers in the room exchanged glances, both amused and exasperated.

Liu Yibing took the phone, listened for a few minutes, and finally said only one sentence: "Okay, but don't exaggerate too much. He's still a student, so just write whatever you would normally write."

"You said not to exaggerate?" Professor Zheng joked. "Now foreign media are practically praising him as the most promising new director in Asia."

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Liu Yibing shook his head: "The film industry hates overpraising someone to the point of ruin. He has a long way to go."

Despite his words, anyone could hear the overflowing satisfaction in his voice.

Meanwhile, the Toronto International Film Festival has entered its most exciting phase.

As word-of-mouth from the premiere spread, the Dallas Buyers Club booth became one of the most visited places by the media.

Every morning, before the searchlight staff have even finished setting up the interview area, reporters are already waiting at the door.

Some came from France, some from Germany, and several Asian media outlets flew in specifically to try and arrange a joint interview with Lin Ruiyang and the lead actor.

The staff responsible for coordinating the schedule felt their scalp tingling as they looked at the increasingly full schedule.

"Ryan, you have three more interviews this afternoon."

"And at night?"

"There will also be an industry networking cocktail party."

"tomorrow?"

"A media roundtable in the morning, a photo shoot in the studio in the afternoon, and a small reception from the Canadian Film Institute in the evening."

Looking at the densely packed arrangements, Lin Ruiyang couldn't help but rub his temples.

Making a movie is physically tiring, but what you really need after filming is emotional intelligence and energy.

Peter Rice, standing to the side, was in high spirits. For a publishing company, this kind of busyness meant a lot of attention, and also meant that the issuance negotiations and subsequent market value would rise accordingly.

Especially during the pre-awards season, every interview and every appearance can become the starting point for the next wave of public opinion.

"Hang in there for a few more days," Peter said with a smile, patting him on the shoulder. "Once the film festival is over, at least you can get a good night's sleep."

Lin Ruiyang chuckled but didn't expose him.

Based on his understanding of Hollywood's promotional rhythm, after Toronto, there will be film critics from New York and Los Angeles,

If you want to truly relax, you'll have to get out of the game early; otherwise, it's probably still a long way off.

During a media roundtable discussion in the afternoon, a reporter from The Guardian asked a rather interesting question.

"Ryan, many directors try to evoke tears in their audiences, but your films always maintain a distance. Is this intentional?"

Lin Ruiyang pondered for a few seconds: "I don't think emotions should be imposed on the audience by the director. If the camera keeps telling you where you should cry, where you should be moved, and what kind of emotion you should express, then what remains may only be technique, not the characters and the story itself."

"I hope that after the movie ends, as the audience walks out of the theater and onto their way back to their hotel or home, they will suddenly remember a line of dialogue or a look from the film and fall silent."

Another Canadian journalist immediately followed up, "So, do you think this is a movie about AIDS?"

Lin Ruiyang shook his head: "It's first and foremost a film about people. Illness is just the background, prejudice is just the environment, what truly drives the story is the choice a person makes when facing fate."

After the interview, there was another round of photos, handshakes, and pleasantries. By the time Lin Ruiyang finally got into the van back to the hotel, it was completely dark.

The driver turned on the radio, which was broadcasting news about the day's film festival.

The host first talked about the continued popularity of "Dallas Buyers Club" and then changed the subject to a few other interesting anecdotes.

"One of the biggest hot topics at this year's film festival may not be the films themselves. Today, Asian film star Zhang Ziyi gave a direct response to the previous kneeling incident."

In an interview, she jokingly said that the Venice Film Festival president kneeling on one knee was just a joke after watching "The Banquet," a very romantic expression, and she hoped people wouldn't overinterpret it.

The radio host's relaxed tone made the staff in the car relax.

Sitting in the passenger seat, Peter Rice shrugged: "That's just how the media is; they can always talk about something that takes a minute to make a month."

Lin Ruiyang offered no comment. Entertainment news is inherently a mix of truth and falsehood, especially during film festivals, where even the most unsubstantiated gossip can easily overshadow the work itself.

The van pulled into the hotel's underground parking lot. After a busy day, Lin Ruiyang finally returned to his suite.

He took off his suit jacket and turned on his computer to browse the day's film festival information.

Besides the comments from the Dallas Buyers Club, the homepage also features a number of news items that are both funny and absurd.

One headline stood out: "Zidane: A Portrait of the 21st Century is incorrectly categorized in the Terrorism/War on Terror film category."

In the accompanying photo, the film festival's press officer looks embarrassed as he faces a reporter's question, with the caption: "That's a good question. I don't know why it looks like this; maybe it's just a layout error."

Lin Ruiyang couldn't help but chuckle after reading it. Once a film festival grows large, even the most meticulously organized events will inevitably result in some mishaps. And it's precisely these little incidents that spread faster than many serious news stories.

Scrolling down, I saw another report: "All the Kings" received lukewarm reviews from the media.

As a film that was considered a strong contender for awards by many industry insiders, the initial reviews were far below expectations. Some film critics even bluntly commented that "besides wasting the talent of a group of excellent actors, Ji Ping left nothing behind."

Even more attention-grabbing than the film's reviews was the news that Sean Penn, the lead actor, was fined on the spot by law enforcement for smoking at a press conference. Faced with the strict indoor smoking ban, this Hollywood troublemaker had no choice but to accept his fate.

The report also specifically noted the amount—105 Canadian dollars (approximately 755 yuan).

Lin Ruiyang's gaze continued downwards across the page, landing on another report that followed: "The Most Controversial Fictional Assassination: 'The Death of the President' Ignites Toronto, Director Under Heavy Security Guard Due to Security Threats."

This is a mockumentary directed by British director Gabriel Ranch, who absurdly and boldly fabricated a political scenario in which current US President George W. Bush was assassinated in Chicago.

In North America, where political sensitivity is extremely high in the post-9/11 era, this is tantamount to touching one of the most sensitive nerves in contemporary North American society.

The accompanying image on the webpage shows a large crowd of angry protesters surrounding the screening room, while director Lanci barely managed to squeeze into the press conference venue, escorted by several burly bodyguards in black.

Lin Ruiyang closed the webpage, leaned back in his chair, and gently turned his slightly sore neck.

Outside the window, Toronto's night had completely fallen, but the film festival lights still shone brightly. The occasional whisper of departing audience members could still be heard on the streets, and reporters with cameras rushed past the hotel, chasing the next scoop.

Just then, my phone vibrated slightly. The screen lit up with a short message from Peter: "Stay alert, the organizing committee has new arrangements for tomorrow afternoon. Also, regarding the internal workings of the People's Choice Awards..."

We are optimistic.

Lin Ruiyang glanced at it, tried his best to suppress his inner joy, and simply replied "Received".

He then placed his phone face down on the bedside table, drew the heavy curtains to completely shut out the noise and absurdity of the outside world, and recharged himself for the next day's battle.