This director loves making friends.

Chapter 101 I Like Him

Amei prefers romantic movies with an artistic flair.

She didn't understand why her boyfriend, Ah Lang, had dragged her to see this movie with a seemingly corny title without even asking for her opinion.

With doubts, prejudice against the title "The Man from Nowhere," and a slightly critical mindset, I started watching the movie.

"This person is so cold and slovenly."

"Is he crazy? He wears hooded clothes all the time, they don't even fit properly, and they cover half his face. Are you a wanted criminal?"

"How annoying! Such a cute little girl keeps coming to you for an explanation, and you're so cold-hearted."

"The little girl is so pitiful, but she is so strong."

"Her mother is a real bastard. She shouldn't have given birth to the child. If she did, she should have taken responsibility for it. How could she do this?"

"Huh, is this male lead really sick? The movie's been going on for so long, and he hasn't said a single word."

"Oh, he's so pitiful. No wonder he looks like this. Anyone would be devastated watching their pregnant wife get hit and killed."

"He's so skilled! He's incredibly fast."

"I never expected that he, who is so taciturn and seems so aloof, would go to help Xiaomi."

Gradually, Amei focused intently on the big screen, stopped complaining in her mind, and began to follow the ups and downs of the plot, worrying about the fate of "Uncle" and Xiaomi.

Finally, the "uncle" killed Zeng Zhiwei, who played the villainous leader, inside the bulletproof car. Before Amei could even breathe a sigh of relief, she started worrying again about whether Xiao Mi was still alive, and what would happen to her.

According to the typical plot of Hong Kong movies, at this point a large number of Hong Kong police officers should appear, pointing guns at the male protagonist and shouting "Don't move!"

However, the plot development once again took Amei by surprise.

The male protagonist took a few steps and loaded the gun.

"Is he going to engage in a shootout with the police who are about to arrive, and then get shot to death?"

Suddenly, Amei saw the male protagonist, with lifeless eyes and a look of utter despair, point a gun at his own temple.

"He doesn't want to live anymore!"

"That's true. He felt he hadn't saved Xiaomi, and he had lost the will to live. Xiaomi was his salvation, his last attachment. Without 'salvation,' what was the point of his life?"

At this moment, Amei was very conflicted. She hoped that the male protagonist would commit suicide because even if he lived, he would have no reason to live. At most, he would just be a walking corpse, and living would be even more pitiful.

But Amei doesn't want the male protagonist to commit suicide.

It's better to live a miserable life than to die a good death. As long as you're alive, there's hope. Maybe another "Xiao Mi" will appear to save the protagonist's soul?

"Uncle, are you here to save me?"

The sudden sound not only startled the male protagonist in the movie, but also stunned Amei.

"Ah, Xiaomi isn't dead? Xiaomi isn't dead! She appeared just in time. A few seconds later, the gun might have gone off."

Before Amei could even finish feeling relieved, she saw the male protagonist hurriedly hide the gun behind his back and reach out a hand to stop Xiao Mi from coming over.

"No, don't come any closer, you'll get blood on your hands."

Amei is a sentimental person, and at this moment, she could no longer stop her tears, which began to flow down her face.

At the same time, she reached out and tightly grasped her boyfriend's hand. She didn't know why she was so moved; she just wanted to cry.

"Great shot!"

After the movie ended, Ah Mei took Ah Lang's arm and whispered, "This movie doesn't look like a Hong Kong movie at all, and it's different from Hollywood movies. It's very unique."

Then she added, "It looks great!"

"Right? I knew this director was amazing. We should have gone to see his last movie. I heard it was really good and different from traditional Hong Kong films."

Ah Lang replied.

Amei didn't say anything.

Last time, Ah Lang was going to take her to see "A Bittersweet Life." Many people around them were talking about that movie, but Ah Mei thought that such a nice-sounding movie title was actually a gangster movie, so she didn't go.

She doesn't like watching gangster movies.

Just like this movie, "The Man".

If her boyfriend hadn't brought her to see it, she wouldn't have watched it at all, given its corny title and the fact that it's about a retired assassin.

I almost missed a really, really good movie!

Amei decided that from now on, she would definitely watch any movie directed by Qin Keqing, no matter what the title was. Otherwise, she would definitely miss out on an excellent film. This director is indeed different from those directors in Hong Kong.

"I like him!"

After the movie ended, Shi Qi and Luo Ka followed the crowd out.

"Let's go to a tea restaurant for a late-night snack."

After Shi Qi finished speaking, the two walked along the familiar road.

What do you think?

"Director Qin Keqing is a bit strange."

"strangeness?"

"He comes from the mainland, but his films are not mainland-like at all, and are very different from Hong Kong films."

Luo Ka thought for a moment before finding the right words: "very cutting-edge, very fashionable, extremely stylized."

Shi Qi thought about it for a moment, nodded, and said, "That's right. Mainland directors can't make such a smooth narrative, and Hong Kong directors rarely make such a film with a clear and simple main plot and coherent storyline."

"It's a bit like Hollywood narrative, but Hollywood commercial film directors can't capture this depth of emotional buildup or this level of subtlety, while art film directors also find it difficult to achieve this level of narrative refinement."

"Haha, what a strange director, isn't he? But I like him."

Luo Ka couldn't help but laugh, and said with a touch of emotion, "No wonder Cannes said that he pursues a balance between commercialization and artistry, and is a highly stylized auteur experimental film director. What Cannes said makes a lot of sense."

Shi Qi nodded again, then said with some regret, "It's a pity about the movie 'The Man from Nowhere.' Such a great stylized film, yet it didn't win any awards in the main competition at Venice."

"You know I've lived in Italy for many years, and I've done research and filming of experimental films, so I know a bit about the Venice Film Festival."

Luo Ka took a drag of his cigarette before saying, "The Venice Film Festival has a different focus. They pay more attention to art films that explore social realities and the depth of human nature, especially emphasizing non-Hollywood narratives, long-take aesthetics, and the expression of marginal issues."

Although Qin Keqing's films are experimental films with a strong auteur style, their narrative style is more commercial and seems to have a more Hollywood-style singular narrative approach, which is something the Venice Film Festival does not like.

His films are better suited for Cannes. Have you forgotten what the current artistic director of Cannes said on stage: "We need to focus on films that fall between Venice and Hollywood?"

"Yes, that's right. When Giles-Jacob became the artistic director of the Cannes Film Festival, he established a selection strategy that lay between the obscure art of the Venice Film Festival and the mainstream commercialism of Hollywood."

In recent years, Cannes has relied on this strategy to gradually become the top of the three major film festivals in Europe, and the festival is more anticipated and popular, with greater influence.

Qin Keqing's films are indeed well-suited for Cannes. If he could further enhance the artistic aspects and reduce the emphasis on commercial narratives, he might win even bigger awards at Cannes.

"Haha, let's go grab some late-night snacks first. We still have to stay up all night writing our articles."

"Let's make this clear first, I'm paying for the movie tickets, but you'll have to pay for the late-night snack."

"Then I won't eat it—"