Huayu 02: The Days of Extreme Pulling and Rolling with the Fairy

Huang Xinjian tapped his finger on the metal thermos: "Ahem, quiet down. This is noisy and pointless. The youngest among us is in his thirties or forties. Why don't we hear what the younger generation has to say?"

Will the world ultimately belong to the young?

"Xiao Xie, stop hiding! Tell us your thoughts. Are you upset about not being nominated for the Golden Rooster Awards? Don't try to smooth things over like them. Young people should have some backbone!"

Xie Jin was speechless. I was practically hiding behind a potted plant, and they still remembered me? What was I supposed to say?

Section Chief Jia, standing to the side, coughed while covering his mouth and muttered, "Playing dumb."

Xie Jin held up her notebook: "President, I'm still a student. I'm here to learn from the guidance and spirit of the senior members and the association."

Zhang Yimou glanced at Xie Jin. Before he came, the leaders of the college had given him instructions. This was a student who would carry the heavy burden of the school for decades to come, not to mention that he was also from the Northwest.

We can't drag him into the cesspool.

"Old Huang, you're joking. He's still a kid, what are you talking about?" Zhang Yimou said, glancing at Chen Kaige.

Before Wong Sum-kin could speak, the chairman of the Hong Kong Island Film Awards interjected: "Hey, Director Cheung, you're mistaken. Director Tse's films sell very well in Hong Kong; they're incredibly popular."

"When we old folks are all buried in the future, won't it still be these young people carrying the torch for Chinese-language films? Tell me about it, Xie."

As soon as he spoke, the veterans who had been coasting along at the film studio started clamoring, saying, "Listen to what the young people have to say!"

There were also whispers below.

"It's not even fully grown yet, it's fucking weird."

"Listen to that, it sold for 4000 million! Just listen to that!"

"What's the point? It has absolutely no intellectual depth. When I'm filming, I don't even know if he can walk properly."

"Really, I joined the factory in '74. Has he ever even seen film?"

Speaking of the film studios and performing arts troupes, there are many respected seniors who are highly conscious and creative.

But some of those who really fight tooth and nail to get into the association are the kind of people who get into NB University by flattering or ripping off others and getting a letter of introduction.

  

At GNB University, I schemed and plotted to get a job at the film studio (the film studio offered good subsidies, didn't require heavy labor, and was located in a big city with arts subsidies, so life was comfortable).

Once I entered the factory, I just coasted along and accumulated seniority.

They're not good at filming, but they can fight over housing allocation.

Although they may not be able to accomplish things themselves, they are adept at making it impossible for others to do so.

Even though I can't climb up, I can pull your legs so you can't climb up either.

What I'm best at isn't creation, it's struggle.

Zhang Yimou glanced at Chen Kaige and coughed.

Although Lao Chen and Zhang Yimou come from different regions, they both belong to the Beijing Film Academy faction, so he couldn't stay out of it.

Chen Kai glanced at Xie Jin and said, "Junior brother, you haven't graduated yet. Take your time, think it over, and these seniors won't find fault with you."

(In the arts and culture industry, unless there is a clear master-disciple lineage, students from the same school generally address each other as fellow students regardless of age.)

Chen Kaige and Zhang Yimou both spoke up, and the commotion subsided somewhat.

Xie Jin originally intended to just speak up and say a few words to smooth things over, but Third Master Han was a little curious about him: "Come here, come to me. I've wanted you to come to China Film Group for a while now. Yu Dong wanted to hide you in a safe, but he just didn't have the time."

As Xie Jin passed by Director Chen and Director Zhang, she nodded slightly in acknowledgment, and Zhang Yimou and Director Chen nodded gently in return.

........

Xie Jin glanced at the various expressions on everyone's faces; she had already prepared her impromptu speech in her head.

Suddenly my eyes swept over the area with social groups and seasoned veterans from the film studio.

These seasoned veterans looked so indignant, their mouths were practically agape as they were cursing; they practically had their displeasure written all over their foreheads.

Xie Jin was already trying to smooth things over when suddenly a surge of anger rose within her.

I don't rely on Golden Rooster or you guys for a living, why should I indulge you?

"I'm the youngest, and my understanding of things is rather limited. Chairman Huang just asked me if I felt wronged."

"Actually, the leadership of the Golden Rooster Awards is under the guidance of our seniors. As younger generations, our main task is to learn the guiding principles; as for feeling wronged, there is certainly no resentment on our part."

At this point, the seasoned veterans smiled knowingly, thinking that the child was sensible and knew the proper order of seniority.

Unlike Feng Dapao, who was a troublemaker.

Just wait and see. When you reach the age of seniority, you'll be eligible for the Golden Rooster Award, or even the Golden Duck Award when you reach the right age.

"Old Feng, look at their awareness. If they lack humanistic depth, they should go back to study. Don't let their thoughts be polluted by the stench of money. What kind of behavior is this, cursing in the streets?"

"Yes, Lao Feng, we should consider the bigger picture."

"Exactly! They're all talk and no action, I think their problem is a lack of critical thinking. That's what the market is all about."

"Ahem, be careful what you say."

Feng Xiaogang's face turned purple with anger. These people are truly incompetent at external conflicts but expert at internal ones.

Regardless, he didn't blame Xie Jin for not speaking up for him. He came from the Beijing Film Studio and was also from humble beginnings. He didn't want to drag Xie Jin into this mess.

Xie Jin felt disgusted looking at these people's faces.

I couldn't help it.

"but"

.........

This "but" made Zhang Yimou and a few other directors who were pretending to be confused look up.

"cough!"

Zhang Yimou coughed.

What you just said was fine. If you just say a few more things to fool me, you can go back. But what is it?

Xie Jin gritted her teeth and forced herself to do it.

"As a junior learner, I have some questions and would like to ask the seniors for their guidance. Please enlighten me."

"I've compiled data from the film and television industry over the past year."

"Last year, 78% of the cartoons we showed to children came from Japan, 46% of the TV dramas for adults came from South Korea, and Americans accounted for 70% of the movie box office."

"Nearly half of the profits from my cultural industry flow overseas, and the proportion is increasing year by year."

"I believe every director has faced this situation: before the release of each film, you have to calculate how to avoid Hollywood's release schedule."

Several directors who are capable of making films nodded helplessly, saying that avoiding scheduling conflicts is actually quite pathetic.

The veterans at the film studio looked increasingly grim. They never had to worry about making money, so why are you asking us what we mean now?

Feng Xiaogang coughed twice and added, "Even so, this is still a limit on the number of Hollywood blockbusters imported each year. If it were lifted, we might as well let foreigners help us with cultural development from now on."

Old Feng tapped his cigarette on the table: "I think some people are like that, they watch others carry water without lifting a finger, but when they get old, they ruin their reputation."

"Who the hell are you talking about?!"

Huang Xinjian slammed his hand on the table: "Is this ever going to end! The younger generation is still here, aren't they ashamed? Xiao Xie, continue!"

"Distinguished seniors, there's an old Chinese saying: 'When the sky falls, the tall ones hold it up.' You are the tall ones now. Whether it's me or Jia Zhangke, we juniors are following in your footsteps."

"The Korean War lasted eight years, and the War of Resistance Against Japan lasted fourteen years. How long will this upcoming cultural war last, and how will it be fought? I would appreciate your guidance."

"We younger generations will obey orders and follow commands."

Jiang Wen chuckled: "Hey, I'm pretty curious about this kind of thing too. Will everything move towards intellectual rigor, or will we prioritize serving the audience and respecting market principles?"