China Entertainment’s rescue plan is hard to come by

Chapter 922 Who Will Win the Flower? [Part Two]

"Dear bosses, Happy New Year! I'm so sorry that I was too busy to greet you all on the first day after the holiday. Please forgive me."

Not long after Wang Zhongjun entered, a group of leaders in police uniforms walked in.

The leader wasn't very old, looking to be in his early fifties at most, and he was very approachable, apologizing profusely as soon as he entered.

Everyone responded politely, shaking hands and exchanging greetings.

Yang Fan whispered to Sun Yi, "This is Director Li from the Golden Shield Film and Television Center."

"It's almost time, let's begin. Everyone, please move to the conference room."

Director Li led everyone out of the lounge.

The meeting room is right next door, just around the corner.

Staff had already arranged seats. Sun Yi and Yang Fan sat down at the location marked "Starry Sky Image," one seat apart from each other. Next to them were the CEO and CEO Wang of Huayi.

After Wang Zhongjun sat down, he smiled at Sun Yi, his face looking very friendly, but his eyes revealed a hint of determination.

"Everyone, let me first introduce the colleagues who are attending today's meeting."

After everyone was seated, Director Li began to introduce himself.

The first one was a deputy director in charge of the News and Publicity Bureau of the Ministry of Public Security, who was mainly responsible for public security cultural publicity activities. Sun Yi saw from the nameplate that his name was Zhao Wen.

The man looked older than Director Li, with half-gray hair, wearing glasses, and expressionless, displaying the characteristic shrewdness of a leading cadre.

As everyone applauded, Sun Yi noticed that Wang Zhongjun's eyes had inadvertently met those of Deputy Director Zhao.

It seems the two must have had dealings before.

Besides Deputy Director Zhao, there was another one, Xing Shiwei, the director of the Narcotics Control Bureau—a veteran police officer with piercing eyes and an imposing presence.

Unlike Deputy Director Zhao's composure, this officer from the Criminal Investigation Bureau, after Director Li finished his introduction, stood up abruptly, gave everyone a perfect salute at attention.

All the CEOs, including Sun Yi, stood up.

Sun Yi was still somewhat surprised. He had originally thought it was just a deputy director in charge, like that Deputy Director Zhao. He didn't expect that it would be the director himself who came forward.

It seems that today's matter is of extraordinary importance.

Before attending the meeting, Sun Yi had a guess based on the current timeline: it was probably the movie "Operation Mekong".

Released in 2016, this film grossed 12 billion RMB and received positive reviews from moviegoers. As a patriotic film, it was the first to find a balance between "real events," "national narrative," and "commercial genre film."

It not only satisfies the audience's entertainment needs for "exciting movies," but also, through solid production and emotional expression, it frees the mainstream theme from a "preachy" feel, making it an important benchmark work in the history of Chinese cinema.

The sheer scale of the scene presented by the Ministry of Public Security leadership made Sun Yi realize the importance of this cooperation, and he once again resolved to secure it.

After the leaders finished their introductions, the meeting officially began.

Director Li cleared his throat, his voice booming with an unquestionable authority, a stark contrast to his previous affable demeanor. "Thank you all for taking time out of your busy schedules, especially to attend this meeting right after the Spring Festival. You all represent half of the current Chinese-language film industry. Our Golden Shield Film and Television, following the instructions of our superiors, is preparing to bring the Mekong River '10.5' massacre, which shocked China and the world in 2011, to the big screen!"

It really is the Mekong River!

Sun Yi sighed inwardly.

Immediately afterwards, the meeting staff began playing an internal documentary about the case.

This was the first time Sun Yi had ever experienced the entire incident so realistically.

2011年10月5日上午，“华平号”和“玉兴8号”两艘商船在湄公河金三角水域遭遇袭击，共计13名华夏船员全部遇害，12人被抛尸入水。

Following the incident, the state attached great importance to the case and immediately formed a special task force led by the Narcotics Control Bureau of the Ministry of Public Security. More than 200 elite officers were drawn from across the country. After six months of intensive investigation spanning Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos, the task force finally apprehended all nine suspects, including the main perpetrators, on April 25, 2012.

After watching the documentary, the atmosphere in the conference room became even more somber, with everyone sighing at the complexity and danger of the case.

The leaders on the stage had serious expressions, their eyes filled with sorrow and determination. After calming down slightly, Deputy Director Zhao from the Publicity Bureau spoke first, setting the tone.

"The reason we've gathered everyone here today is to hear the ideas and proposals from each company. We hope to find the most suitable partners to jointly complete this landmark film! We only have a few requirements: to truthfully recreate the essence of the case, respect the facts, and at the same time showcase the bravery and fearlessness of our police officers and the hardships of international cooperation, while conveying positive energy! We must avoid sensationalism and excessive entertainment!"

It is also a living textbook that promotes justice and deters crime! To film it well, to make it authentic, shocking, and deeply moving, is both a political task and an artistic pursuit!

No sooner had he finished speaking than Wang Zhongjun of Huayi took the initiative to speak, displaying the confidence and familiarity of an elder brother, "Director Zhao, distinguished leaders, first of all, on behalf of Huayi, I would like to express our deepest honor in being able to participate in such an important project!"

"Huayi Films has extensive experience and resources in producing major themes and patriotic films. From early works like *Assembly* and *Aftershock* to more recent films like *Back to 1942*, we have proven our ability to handle grand narratives and profound themes, and..."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the crowd. "We have always maintained a good cooperative relationship with the Ministry of Public Security and Golden Shield Film & Television. Several film and television works we co-produced reflecting the public security front have achieved very good social response and viewership ratings. We have a deeper understanding of the work processes and core spirit of the public security system, and our cooperation is more seamless. Huayi is confident and capable of making this project a masterpiece that will go down in history!"

Wang Zhongjun's words were forceful, emphasizing Huayi's qualifications, past achievements, and good "cooperative relationship" with the Ministry of Public Security, subtly putting pressure on other companies.

Several leaders from the Ministry of Public Security remained silent, but their expressions varied.

Deputy Director Zhao nodded in satisfaction, while Director Li smiled in response. Only Director Xing remained serious and expressionless. Seeing the leaders' attitudes towards Huayi, Yu Dong from Bona Film Group frowned slightly, Wang Changtian from Enlight Media adjusted his glasses, and Li Ming from Xiao Ma Film Group curled his lip in disdain.

Sun Yi remained calm and composed, appearing detached and aloof.

He is not prepared to compete with Huayi at this time.

Whether you speak first or later makes little difference; ultimately, it comes down to your overall ability. Overemphasizing past achievements is a sign of insecurity.

Seeing that Sun Yi remained calm and showed no intention of speaking, Bona's Yu Dong decided to step in. He smiled broadly and spoke slowly.
"Director Li, distinguished leaders, Bona Film Group has always been at the forefront of exploring the commercialization of patriotic films. We are committed to creating high-quality patriotic movies. We have a professional team and abundant resources, which can ensure the ideological content of the films while also taking into account marketability and entertainment value, so that patriotic blockbusters can truly resonate with hundreds of millions of viewers!"

"The Mekong River '10.5' case itself has strong dramatic tension and an international perspective, which is exactly what Bona Film Group excels at! We are confident that we can make it a benchmark work that is both critically acclaimed and commercially successful!"

After Bona, it was Enlight Media's turn.

Wang Changtian first emphasized Enlight Media's strong distribution and promotion capabilities, saying, "Distinguished leaders, Enlight Media's advantage lies in its powerful terrestrial distribution network and precise marketing capabilities." He then spoke of Enlight Media's innovative spirit, saying, "We at Enlight Media have a unique perspective and innovative concepts in film and television production. For a film adapted from a true case like this, we can uncover deeper emotions and connotations, allowing the audience to resonate strongly."

"We aim to deliver serious themes in a way that is more relevant to the times and more appealing to young audiences. At the same time, we have extensive experience in script polishing and director resources, which ensures the artistic quality of the film."

Deputy Director Zhao and Director Li nodded politely, acknowledging the strength of the company, while Director Xing, sitting to the side, frowned slightly.

Finally, it was Little Horse's turn.

Frankly speaking, among the film and television companies present, Xiao Ma's overall strength was the weakest. After seeing Sun Yi personally appear, Li Ming's hopes were already dashed by 8%. Therefore, he did not exaggerate, but instead concisely emphasized Xiao Ma's production capabilities and serious attitude.

"Distinguished leaders, Xiao Ma is known for its production and pursuit of quality. We also have top-notch domestic photography, art, and action teams, especially adept at creating a realistic, tense, and textured atmosphere for films. For cases like the Mekong River '10.5' that require a high degree of realism in the depiction of real scenes and complex actions, our technical reserves and craftsmanship are important guarantees."

Apart from Sun Yi, all the other companies in the Starry Sky have already flexed their muscles, each with their own focus, creating an undercurrent of tension in the meeting room.

The leaders' attitudes were still unclear, but before Sun Yi spoke, Director Xing couldn't help but add in a firm tone, "Gentlemen! This topic is of great significance."

"It is more than just a movie; it demonstrates the firm resolve of our government to protect the lives and property of our citizens overseas, showcases the power of international judicial cooperation, and serves as a living lesson in upholding justice and deterring crime! I earnestly request that you all make a good film, one that is authentic, impactful, and deeply moving. This is both a political task and an artistic pursuit!"

Judging from the director's speech, it was clearly insufficient for each film and television company to simply introduce their various advantages in film and television production or their past cooperative relationships.

Perhaps this was the first time the Director of the Criminal Investigation Bureau had attended a meeting with a private film company, so he couldn't go into too much detail. He could only emphasize the significant meaning of the film.

Sun Yi thought for a moment, then, without looking at his competitors, calmly met the gaze of the leaders, his voice clear and powerful, “Distinguished leaders, Starry Sky Films highly values ​​this opportunity. The Mekong River ‘10.5’ tragedy is a national tragedy, a people’s pain, and a testament to the spirit of the police. Bringing it to the screen to warn against crime and boost national morale is of extraordinary significance and carries a heavy responsibility!”

He paused, then continued, “The advantage of Starry Sky Film Production lies not in its seniority, but in three points: first, its extreme pursuit of the restoration of true stories and its technical guarantee; second, its deep understanding and resources in international cooperation and professional fields; and third, its in-depth exploration of the social significance behind the stories.”

He glanced at Yang Fan, who immediately turned on the projector, drawing everyone's attention.

On the screen are stunningly realistic images of the spacecraft's interior, Martian terrain, and astronaut's control cabin from "The Martian."

"Distinguished leaders, please note that the success of 'The Martian' lies in the deep collaboration between our Starry Sky and the space agency. Starry Sky did not simply seek support, but rather established a joint working mechanism. Space agency experts were deeply involved throughout the entire process of refining the script's technological logic, scene design, and operational details, ensuring that every aspect could withstand the most rigorous professional scrutiny. The final result has won high recognition from the space agency, the international aerospace community, and movie fans worldwide."

Sun Yi pointed to the screen, his tone firm, “This model of ‘professional institutions deeply embedded in the core of creation’ is exactly what is necessary to restore a highly realistic, sensitive and complex transnational law enforcement operation like the ‘10.5’ case! We have mature experience and mechanisms to ensure the authenticity of the case, the rigor of the operation, and the accuracy of the details of international cooperation, which can withstand the test of history and professional expertise! This is one of Starry Sky’s core competitive advantages.”

Next, the scene switched to "Gravity," this time showing Liu Yifei, the female lead, bravely saving herself in the face of various difficulties and finally successfully returning to Earth.

The presentation slides were arranged by him and made by Yang Fan according to his requirements. One slide showcased the excellent results of Xingkong's cooperation with relevant departments, while the other was Xingkong's depiction of the "people" in the script.

Unexpectedly, the content Yang Fan edited for him was all about his own wife.

You can't say he's wrong. Gravity is indeed the most thorough film in terms of exploring the characters and story among patriotic films set in the starry sky.

Sun Yi coughed awkwardly and turned his gaze back to the leaders.

"This is another advantage of our Starry Sky team. The investigation of the '10.5' case involved complex collaboration among multiple countries, departments, and police units, and the process itself was full of thrilling dramatic tension. We not only have the capability to recreate large-scale, high-intensity transnational manhunts and maritime pursuits, but more importantly, we have the ability to portray the 'people' involved—the police officers who never give up in dangerous situations, their unwavering determination to seek justice for their compatriots, and the wisdom and responsibility demonstrated in international cooperation."

"Only the most authentic power, combined with stunning audiovisual expression, can truly touch people's hearts!"

Sun Yi's speech did not make direct comparisons or mention other companies, but precisely addressed the Ministry of Public Security's core demands: authenticity, professionalism, rigor, and impact.

He used the success of "The Martian" as a technological endorsement, and "Gravity" to emphasize the key appeal of "human beings" in the film.

The two complement each other, and are more in line with the Ministry of Public Security's expectations for this special subject matter than simply emphasizing past mainstream works or distribution capabilities.

The leaders exchanged glances. Deputy Director Zhao looked serious, his expression unreadable. Director Li nodded slightly. Most importantly, Director Xing's satisfaction with the starry sky was palpable.

It's clear that the "person" in the movie that Sun Yi mentioned—the frontline police officer—completely moved him.

The expressions on the faces of the people in the conference room varied. Yu Dong of Bona Film Group put away his smile and looked thoughtful; Wang Changtian of Enlight Media had a wry smile on his face; and Li Ming of Xiao Ma secretly gave Sun Yi a thumbs up.

Wang Zhongjun of Huayi lost some of his composure, his brows furrowing slightly. He clearly hadn't expected Sun Yi to approach the issue from two angles, presenting such a core and irrefutable proposal.

There was a brief silence in the conference room.

"Everyone, thank you very much for attending this meeting today. Please keep the relevant content confidential. We still need to discuss your proposals before forwarding them to our superiors for approval. We will notify you of the results as soon as possible. Thank you!"

(End of this chapter)