China Entertainment’s rescue plan is hard to come by

Chapter 945 The So-Called Right to Speak
The Cannes Film Festival is in full swing, and the final awards ceremony is just a few days away.

In contrast, Beijing in late May was already getting a bit hot, much like the growing anxiety of moviegoers.

Meanwhile, a certain international director has been in a wonderful mood these past two days, feeling a sense of exhilaration, as if the clouds have parted and the sun has shone through, sweeping away all obstacles.

On the 21st, Chen Kaige sat in his study, which was filled with various artworks and books and had a very artistic feel, gently stroking a beautifully made gold-embossed invitation that had just been delivered the day before.

The letter's heading prominently displayed Chinese and Japanese characters: "The 26th Tokyo International Film Festival".

Upon opening the letter, the most prominent feature was a line that stirred his emotions: "We cordially invite Director Chen Kaige to serve as the Chairman of the Jury for the 26th Tokyo International Film Festival."

It's about time for an official announcement.

Chen Kaige took a deep breath, trying to calm the complex emotions that had been surging in his chest for a long time, a mixture of pent-up frustration and finally being able to vent.

From the moment he received the invitation yesterday, he didn't even bother with the most basic reserve of an artist and immediately agreed, as if if he hesitated even a moment, the chairmanship would be replaced by someone else.

However, this is a minor matter and doesn't amount to much. In fact, it shows that he is actively promoting the overall development of Asian cinema.

Director Chen felt that he had not violated the integrity of an artist; on the contrary, he was of noble character.

To be honest, he hasn't had a good time these past two years, especially in his artistic career, which he is so proud of.

Last year's new film "Caught in the Web" was not a failure, but it fell far short of his envisioned standard of a "great work," receiving only lukewarm reviews. Going back further, which of his works, "Sacrifice" and "Forever Enthralled," wasn't a labor of love? Yet, those ignorant people outside always look at him with a critical eye, even comparing him to that already legendary peak that he himself cannot surpass.

Let's make comparisons if we want; after all, this peak moment is also our own.

But at some point, an absurd rumor began to circulate in the industry, claiming that the success of "Farewell My Concubine" was mainly due to his father, the then-living director Chen!
It's simply a horror of slipping the world!

It's one thing for things to circulate, after all, he can't control what other people say, but at the beginning of the year, someone actually brought this matter up in public, and even made it sound plausible.

Incomprehensible! Utter nonsense!

Yes, he admitted that during filming, his father, a veteran director, did offer many valuable suggestions and guidance, and discussions between father and son about artistic creation never ceased. But how can that equate to the film not being directed by Chen Kaige?!
Every shot, every line of dialogue, every carefully considered lighting and shadow was imbued with his heart and soul! This nonsense was like a poisonous thorn, deeply embedded in his pride, making him feel like he had a fishbone stuck in his throat.

And now, this invitation to serve as the jury president of the Tokyo International Film Festival is like the most powerful proof of my trust.

See? The international film industry has always recognized him, Chen Kaige! He is Chen Kaige as a complete director, capable of wielding the power of judging at international film festivals!

Isn't this the most direct affirmation of his status and ability? In comparison, the ordinary jury members at Cannes... ha.

As expected, the organizers of the 26th Tokyo International Film Festival announced the news that day, deliberately emphasizing that it was at the repeated invitation of the organizers that Chinese director Chen Kaige sacrificed his vacation to serve as the chairman of the jury for this film festival in order to promote the overall development of Asian films.

See, the organizers of this event really know how to handle people; this emotional value is off the charts.

The effect was also very good. While domestic film fans were still talking about the Cannes Film Festival and worrying about the "Chinese contingent" going to the festival, this news was like a stone thrown into a lake, causing a splash in domestic public opinion.

Wow, this year is amazing! Two international film festivals in a row have invited Chinese directors to be juries?

"He's the chairman of the jury. Experience counts! With Director Chen's qualifications and international reputation, he's truly deserving of the chairmanship. He's much better than so-and-so!"

"That can't be right! There's still a difference in the level between the Tokyo International Film Festival and the Cannes Film Festival, isn't there? Even though they are both A-list international film festivals, their actual prestige is different."

"Yes, Sun Yi is a jury member for the main competition at the Cannes Film Festival, so his credentials are quite prestigious."

"The judges and the jury chairman have the same say, just look at the public opinion in Cannes these days and the odds from the betting companies."

"What's the point of looking at these things? Until the awards ceremony is held and the results are announced, nothing matters."

This sudden news sparked heated discussions among netizens in China.

The media, like sharks smelling fish, quickly mobilized and made appointments with Director Chen for interviews.

Normally, a big director has his own pride; if you want to interview me, I'll accept.

But things are different now. He needs to speak out for himself and reverse the public opinion surrounding the "Farewell My Concubine" incident at the beginning of the year.

The two sides hit it off immediately and held a press conference.

At the meeting, Director Chen was in high spirits, every wrinkle on his face radiant, and he spoke eloquently in front of the reporters' cameras.

He first expressed his gratitude for the invitation from the Tokyo International Film Festival, then abruptly shifted the conversation to a grander narrative.

"Chinese-language films have always been an important part of world film art, and have produced many excellent works. I won't mention my own achievements, as that would be self-praise. Others, such as Yi Mou, Xie Fei, and Shao Hong, have won awards at the three major film festivals multiple times."

"Among the younger generation, there are Xiao Shuai, Lou Ye, Xiao Jia, and others. In short, there are countless excellent Chinese films, but in terms of results, we have many excellent works, but we have won very few major awards, especially in recent years."

"Here, I must mention that for Chinese-language films to go global, they need more than just participation; they also need to be strong themselves. On that basis, the most important thing is to have a voice!"

"That's why I accepted the Tokyo International Film Festival's invitation so readily. Of course, it's also because the organizers showed enough sincerity and respect for the art of film."

"The so-called right to speak means that we can be both players and referees."

"Like playing a game of chess, a judge might be one of the players making moves on the board, while the chairman of the judging panel is the chief referee who sets the rules, guides the direction, and ultimately decides the winner. There is a fundamental difference between the two; the responsibilities they bear and the influence they exert are incomparable."

Director Chen's press conference instantly dropped a bombshell in the domestic public opinion arena.

The first half of his speech was fine; he talked about how Chinese-language films should go global, actively engage with the international community, and be willing to participate. But the second half was a bit more intriguing.

Although Sun Yi was not directly named, at this juncture when the "Chinese contingent" is heading to the Cannes Film Festival, the metaphor of "chess player and referee" is self-evident in its implications.

Moreover, the contempt for the "mere judge" status in his words almost overflowed the screen.

These remarks stirred up a huge wave of "fish".

"Director Chen truly represents Chinese-language films standing at the center of the world stage!"

"So there's such a big difference between a jury member and the jury president? Does that mean Sun Yi doesn't really have much of a say in Cannes?"

"It seems that Director Chen is the one who truly holds the power; we misunderstood him before."

"Coach Chen is absolutely right. The Olympics is a perfect example. Our athletes are quite good, but there are referees who rig the games. We should also act as referees!"

A perfect "concept output" directly ignited public opinion in China.

The online uproar quickly reached Cannes, France, via radio waves and the internet.

It also brought a burst of joy to someone who was enjoying the happy moments of "521".

"Damn, damn it!"

"Honey~ I really want to hit someone!!!"

　Thank you to the reader "而我独缺丶你一生的了解" for the generous donation.

　　May the boss be happy every day!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)