I created the myth of the Great Old Ones.

Since the opening of the film festival, "All Quiet in Spring" has dominated the discussions at the Cannes Film Festival. Many film critics and industry insiders believe that, barring any unforeseen circumstances, "All Quiet in Spring" will definitely win the Palme d'Or this year. Some have even predicted that Lu Ban might sweep several major film festival awards, including the Palme d'Or.

Many reporters are also eagerly anticipating the red carpet show.

Because of Amber's brilliant performance in the film, people are very curious about this actress who seems to have never acted in other films. She is also a strong contender for the Palme d'Or for Best Actress this year. On such an important occasion, they believe that Lu Ban will definitely bring Amber's actors to attend the awards ceremony.

As evening approached, crowds thronged outside the Palais des Festivals, with countless reporters waiting for the Palme d'Or to be awarded.

Meanwhile, a message began circulating among journalists.

That means Lu Ban will be attending the awards ceremony with the actors from Amber.

Chapter 384 Best Actress Award

As is well known, the actors in Lu Ban are all regular actors and are rarely reused.

Most of the actors in his films and short films are ordinary people, and he only makes one film. Except for a very few who appear repeatedly, the rest are all one-time appearances.

This is quite extravagant, and quite regrettable.

It's worth noting that, apart from himself, all the actors in Lu Ban's movies have outstanding acting skills. Even the extras seem to have acting skills at the level of an award-winning actor, making the audience feel completely immersed.

Any production crew that encounters an actor like this would treasure him.

Lu Ban used it and then discarded it, not even allowing anyone else to appear a second time.

Such resources are truly enviable.

Moreover, Lu Ban did a great job of keeping the identities of these actors confidential. The cast list even only listed the names of the characters. Countless domestic reporters searched high and low but could not find any information about these actors.

Some people couldn't help but wonder if these actors might not exist in this world at all.

Do you guys think the actors playing Lu Ban might be fake, or even fictional characters?

[Dude, are you obsessed with movies? These are real, living people!]

[But no one has ever been able to find their information. Even among film school students, there are only a handful in the country. It's impossible that they still haven't been found by now, right?]

[I have a guess, it might not be correct, but is Lu Ban played by a ghost actor?]

【I'll just give you a piece of my mind: If he can find ghost actors, then why is he even making movies as a form of charity?】

I think it's probably because he was well-prepared and able to find people who actually live in similar environments. For example, in "The Tide of Magic," you can find people from backward and isolated villages and towns to act, and you can achieve the same effect. But the difficulty lies in finding them, and that's Lu Ban's most powerful weapon.

With such a large population in China, exceeding one billion, finding a few people who fit the character's temperament is quite easy. Don't underestimate the odds.

I'm just curious about one thing: is the actress who played Amber really that good-looking in real life? I think I'm in love.

[This shows that Lu Ban does a good job protecting his actors. They are all extras and passersby, and he doesn't even reveal their identities to avoid being harassed by entertainment reporters. It's quite humane.]

[You're saying these actors are ghosts? You might as well say they're all special effects. Anyway, Lu Ban's special effects are so amazing, creating a few people or replacing their faces is no problem at all.]

[It seems he's bringing the leading lady to the Cannes awards this year; we'll get to see her in person!]

[I think she's 100% the Cannes Best Actress winner this year. Putting everything else aside, just that expression of pain, struggle, and despair while being burned—that's something you can't portray without thirty years of acting experience and talent. I work in a hospital, and I've seen many burn patients; their expressions are pretty much the same!]

Most people are quite rational and don't believe that Lu Ban actually cast some kind of ghost or monster in the movie. Besides, they are just ordinary viewers who aren't that gossipy. As long as the movie is good, who cares about anything else?

It was evening in Cannes, which was already late at night in China, but there were still live broadcasts on TV and online, with a bunch of people waiting in front of their screens at one or two in the morning.

Various self-media outlets also sprang into action, hoping to obtain firsthand information. At this moment, the world's attention was focused on Cannes.

Several renowned directors and actors attended the event, drawing a flurry of camera flashes.

But the atmosphere at the scene had not yet reached its peak. Everyone seemed to be holding their breath, waiting for the moment they were looking forward to.

Finally, halfway through the red carpet ceremony, a black luxury car slowly drove up and stopped at the starting point of the red carpet.

A man got out of the back seat; it was Lu Ban, dressed in a suit.

He was already extremely handsome, and with a little grooming, he became dashing and unrestrained, with a touch of artistic nonchalance, enough to break through the heart barrier of any woman.

But the reporters were still nervous. They had seen Lu Ban and the others so many times that they were almost tired of seeing his face. What they wanted to see was the actor who played Amber.

They saw Lu Ban get out of the car from the side door furthest from the carpet, and then move to the side closer to the carpet, which was clearly the driver opening the door for someone.

In an instant, all the flashbulbs were focused, everyone wanting to capture the moment the actor in Amber got out of the car.

Lu Ban opened the door and reached out his hand.

Then, as if she had taken someone's hand, she walked forward.

"?"

The reporters present were stunned.

The viewers watching the live stream were also stunned.

Next to Lu Ban, in the spot where the actor who should have been Amber was standing, there was nothing there.

There was only air.

But he walked forward as if he were leading a lady, completely ignoring the stunned reporters around him.

At this moment, a reporter pressed the shutter, and the flash went off. As if this was a signal, more flashes went off like starlight, capturing the scene.

However, after Lu Ban finished walking the red carpet, everyone was still a little dazed.

On the live streaming website, when Lu Ban walked the red carpet, the originally dense barrage of comments instantly cleared the screen, and only after everything was over did the barrage explode again.

What was that just now? Performance art?

[I'm not mistaken, am I? There really isn't anyone with him, is there?]

So I wasn't the only one who didn't see the amber?

Isn't this a bit ridiculous? It's one thing for Amber not to come, but why is she pretending that someone is there?

[No, none of you saw it, she was right next to Lu Ban just now!]

[You saw it? Really?]

Holy crap, is it really haunted?

I think this is performance art. Amber is definitely already in the venue, waiting to go on stage when the awards are presented.

[What's with this Lu Ban acting all high and mighty? Don't get in my way of looking at my wife, Amber.]

Could Lu Ban have really gone insane? I heard he spent some time in a mental hospital before.

Amber, hehe, my amber.

[So beautiful! Amber is even more beautiful than in the movie! Oh my god, my wife!]

At the scene, when several guests followed them onto the red carpet, the reporters were still somewhat bewildered.

What is Lu Ban doing?

Is it to match the plot of the movie, so they pretend that the amber is still there?

Many people who were healed by Lu Ban couldn't help but feel confused.

"Hey, you were involved in its creation, so you should know what kind of person Amber is, right?"

Pang Zhen, who was standing on tiptoe and peering into the crowd, asked.

"I'm just a post-production worker, where would I see any actresses!"

Bai Qiquan expressed his innocence.

"However, I know one thing."

"what's up?"

Pang Zhen turned to look at him.

"Director Lu must have his reasons for doing this. We just need to trust Director Lu."

Bai Qi said with absolute certainty.

Chapter 385 I'd like to clarify something here.

The awards ceremony for this year's Cannes Film Festival was held in the Lumière Cinema Hall at the Palais des Festivals, a venue for screening films in the festival's main competition section, including the premiere of "All Quiet in Spring".

The Lumière Cinema Hall was built in memory of the Lumière brothers, who held the first public screening of a film a century ago. The film shown was of a train arriving at a station, and its realistic depiction caused a stir among the audience.

Now, the Lumière Cinema Hall is filled with film industry professionals from all over the world. These are not idols who have become famous by relying on popularity or hype, but real filmmakers who bring people a variety of realistic and surreal works.

The spotlight moved around as the awards ceremony progressed, but many people's eyes were drawn to one spot: Lu Ban, who was standing at the front of the aisle.

He himself was nothing special, but there was an empty seat next to him.

Based on Lu Ban's performance, this was a seat "reserved" for Amber.

At this moment, many reporters were no longer focused on the awards given to the short films and emerging directors; they were only concerned with one thing: the Palme d'Or and the Best Actress award in the main competition.

Initially, it was thought that Lu Ban's behavior on the red carpet was just a show, but media people and those filmmakers who were close to him discovered that Lu Ban seemed to be genuinely talking to the "people" around him the whole time.

Could there be some hidden secret?

When someone acts too matter-of-factly, it can cause onlookers to doubt themselves.

Moreover, this is Lu Ban, a big-name movie star.

People of this caliber, even if they point to a deer and say it's a horse, would likely have many people agree.

Everyone trusts Lu Ban; Director Lu must have his reasons for doing this.

The cameras in Cannes would occasionally pan across Lu Ban, and each time they passed by, many viewers watching the live stream would carefully observe Lu Ban's surroundings, trying to find something amiss.

However, the place was indeed empty.

If there really was no one in that spot, then Lu Ban's acting was far too realistic; he acted as if a lady were actually sitting there, being extremely polite.

But Lu Ban's acting skills are really lacking compared to his directing abilities. Can he really act that well?

Some viewers began to think that Lu Ban had probably informed the organizing committee in advance, so that when the awards were presented, Amber would rise from the center of the stage to surprise everyone!

The awards were announced one by one, and soon it was time for the main competition.

According to certain established conventions, each film award's sub-awards are given to different works. After all, the circle of art films is not large, and the production team of each film will always have some overlap. If there were a grand slam, it would be too embarrassing for the other films to be runners-up.

Therefore, people generally believe that Lu Ban will win the Palme d'Or this year, but awards such as Best Screenplay and Best Director should be given to others.

Unexpectedly, the first script to be selected was "All Quiet in Spring".