It's reasonable for me, a stuntman, to live a crazy life, right?

Chapter 1350 Who is the No. 1 in the Capital Region?!
Chen Kaige's temper is quite frightening.

At this moment, the script that was originally on the coffee table was slammed onto the carpet, the kraft paper cover was shaken open and the pages fluttered down.

His neck veins bulged, and he cursed and swore:

"From 'Blossoms in the Dust' to 'Boyhood,' a third of the dialogue was cut, and even the filter was adjusted to the most conservative color tone... What exactly did those people want me to change it into? A model opera with singing and dancing?"

"Calm down first." Chen Hong sighed, squatted down to pick up the scattered scripts, and patiently tidied them up.

Every page clearly shows the deleted paragraphs circled in red.

"How can I not be anxious?" Chen Kai abruptly shook off her hand and paced back and forth in the living room. "Years of hard work, just stuck at the approval stage..."

With the Cannes Film Festival application deadline fast approaching, how can we compete for awards if we don't submit our entries soon? How will we recoup the costs, time, and effort we've invested?

As he vented his frustrations, he also reflected on the efforts he had made to make this film.

He spent countless hours collecting old objects from all over the country to recreate the feel of that era.

The thought that all his efforts would be in vain made his throat tighten instantly.

Chen Hong quickly poured a glass of warm water and handed it over, continuing to persuade her, "Tomorrow I'll go ask my old friends at the Film and Television Association which line has run into trouble."

Don't worry, getting angry won't help. Even "Farewell My Concubine" faced its share of setbacks back then. As long as the film's quality remains, there's always a way out.

Chen Kai gripped the glass tightly, his knuckles turning slightly white.

The warm water slid down my throat, but it couldn't warm the chill in my heart.

He subconsciously glanced at the stills from the film "The Emperor's Shadow" hanging on the wall, and suddenly remembered the time twenty years ago when he was also struggling with censorship.

Back then, I was young and impetuous; now, my temples are streaked with white, yet I still cannot escape the struggle against censorship.

Back then, his father was still alive and could speak up for him, but now he has to stand on his own.

"Sigh, I hope this wasn't all for nothing."

He muttered to himself, his mind racing as he pondered who he should ask for help to resolve this matter.

In the past, the people on the review side were all his father's old friends. Going over and asking around would have been no problem, and getting things done through connections would have been easy.

But now, the reviewers have changed batch after batch, and they are no longer the same group of people.

Han Sanping can speak on his behalf, but the review department isn't solely under his control. The main issue is that there's no one to vouch for him, and the policies are quite strict.

"Hmm? Reciting a text!"

Chen Kaige suddenly looked up, a glint of inspiration flashing in his eyes, and slammed his hand heavily on the mahogany coffee table.

"That's right! I can get a state-owned enterprise to endorse it!"

He suddenly stood up, his mind racing.

The former leader of China Film Group, whom my father introduced twenty years ago, has long since retired. However, nowadays, private companies like Bona Film Group, Alibaba, and Tencent often seek cooperation with state-owned institutions before undergoing review.

Just like "The Wandering Earth" was affiliated with Xi'an Film Studio and Shanghai Film Studio, "Operation Red Sea" was supported by the Political Work Department of the Navy.

"Where's my phone?"

"At this!"

Seeing her husband perk up again, Chen Hong quickly handed him her phone.

Without hesitation, Chen Kaige quickly found Fu Ruoqing's phone number in his contacts.

Jiao Hongfen has retired, and now the head of China Film Group is this chairman who once worked at China Film Group Corporation.

It just so happens that Chen Kaige and he have a good relationship, and the two have collaborated many times before.

The phone rang three times before being answered. Fu Ruoqing's usual calm voice came from the other end: "Old Chen? What's up? Why aren't you resting so late?"

"Chairman Fu, I need your help with something!"

Chen Kaige quickly recounted the experience of "Boyhood" being rejected six times during its submission for review, deliberately omitting the specific content of sensitive sections and only emphasizing the controversy surrounding the historical accuracy of period dramas.

He then stated frankly, "I want the film to be co-produced by China Film Group. Do you think it's possible to do so during the review process..."

After a moment of silence, Fu Ruoqing replied, "Old Chen, you may not know, but the film censorship standards are indeed stricter this year."

He paused, his tone revealing difficulty, "Co-production with China Film Group is not out of the question, but I need to see the finished film first, especially the parts involving that special era. They must be changed to a narrative that conforms to the latest policy guidelines."

Chen Kaige's palms were sweaty as he held his phone.

But in order to get the film approved as soon as possible and participate in the Cannes Film Festival selection, he blurted out: "I can adjust the final cut! As long as it passes the review, I will cooperate with any modifications!"

“How about this,” Fu Ruoqing’s voice softened, “come to China Film Group tomorrow morning, and I’ll watch the finished film with you…”

Chen Kaige quickly replied, "Okay, I'll go first thing tomorrow morning."

However, the next second, Fu Ruoqing added seriously: "Let's be clear from the start, if the content crosses the red line, even if it's affiliated with China Film Group, it won't help. Nowadays, the review of art films is not about who has the most influence, but about the political security of the project itself."

"OK, I see."

After hanging up the phone, Chen Kai slumped onto the sofa, lost in thought.

He recalled his father's dying words: "To make movies, you need to understand the nuances of life."

Only now did he truly understand that on this land, even the sharpest blade of art must learn to dance on a tightrope.

He used to enjoy too many privileges thanks to the benefits of the times, but from today onwards, these will probably gradually drift away from him.

……

The night passed, and it was February 19th.

Chen Fei had just finished breakfast and was heading to the company when he suddenly received a call from Wang Changtian.

"Director Chen! I feel like I've been cursed this year!"

"Huh? Cast a curse? What does that mean?" Chen Fei didn't react for a moment.

"Sigh!" Wang Changtian sighed, "With that official document issued at the beginning of the year, all the talent shows went down the drain. The compensation for trainees terminating their contracts alone will swallow up eight figures!"
Then the movie released on Valentine's Day flopped again. It grossed 1.43 million yuan on its opening day, but the next day it plummeted to 1306 million yuan, and now it's down to a mere 100 million yuan – it's completely finished.

Chen Fei connected his phone to Bluetooth and started the car: "I told you long ago, the traffic economy is a castle in the air, and it will run into problems sooner or later."

And your company's production, "Ten Years of Loving You," I saw some promotional clips on Douyin. They used all three tropes: car accident, cancer, and amnesia. Viewers can practically recite the lines from memory now that they see these formulas.

“These kinds of movies used to be so popular!” Wang Changtian’s voice was tinged with helplessness. “They even broke 1 million yuan on the opening day, but who would have thought they would plummet like this afterward…”

"Wake up, Lao Wang." Chen Fei stepped on the gas and merged into the traffic, his expression serious. "Short videos have already cut all the highlights of romance movies to pieces."

Netizens can watch a movie's entire tearjerker moment in 30 seconds on their phones, so who would pay to go to the cinema? Besides, today's audiences crave novelty, not just repackaged 20-year-old tropes.

The sound of papers rustling could be heard from the other end of the phone; Wang Changtian seemed to be searching for reports.

A moment later, his voice came through: "So what do you think we should do? Could you please give me some advice? The company's stock price keeps falling, this can't go on!"

“Transform.” Chen Fei said decisively, “Go and make realistic themes, dig into social pain points, or do hard science fiction. Don’t get bogged down in romance. Audiences need good stories that they can savor, not artificial sweeteners.”

Wang Changtian remained silent for a long time before finally sighing, "Okay, I'll listen to you. Let's hold a planning meeting right away."

“Remember,” Chen Fei continued, “the film and television industry has always been about survival of the fittest. Hurry up and send those screenwriters who can only write domineering CEO stories to do research, or they’ll miss out on even the best opportunities.”

"it is good!"

If it were someone else's opinion, Wang Changtian might refute it.

But faced with Chen Fei's suggestion, he chose to do it without thinking.

With the Spring Festival film season already halfway through, the production companies of three films—"The Killer Is Not Calm," "Miracle Kid," and "Boonie Bears: Return to Earth"—have become the biggest winners this year, reaping both fame and fortune!
A closer look reveals that Feiyue Films is listed as the production company for all three films.

This also means that Feiyue Films made a fortune during this year's Spring Festival!

Therefore, Wang Changtian dared not disbelieve Chen Fei's words at all.

At least in terms of predicting the future of the industry, he is far inferior to Chen Fei!
Meanwhile, upon arriving at the company, Chen Fei immediately got to work. He still had one-third of the script for "Detective Chinatown 1990" left to complete, and he needed to finish it as soon as possible.

After Zhong Lifang and Su Guohai reviewed the initial drafts of the project proposals for "The Long Way Home" and "Sicario 2", they were both sent to his office by his secretary.

The project can only proceed with his signature...

At the same time, while he was busy, Chen Kaige had already arrived at China Film Group with the finished film of "Blossoms in the Dust (Boyhood)".

Fu Ruoqing warmly welcomed his arrival.

After exchanging pleasantries, the two went to the screening room together and began watching the film.

At first, Fu Ruoqing didn't think there was anything wrong with the movie.

But as he looked at it, he couldn't help but frown.

On screen, a long shot of a boy running through a hutong (alleyway) sweeps past a mottled red brick wall, then suddenly cuts to a blurry flashback about a special era...

He subconsciously flipped to the script for comparison, only to find that the newly added metaphorical passage was not marked in the version submitted for review.

"Old Chen, keep this shot..."

Just as Fu Ruoqing was about to speak, Chen Kaige interrupted, saying, "We deliberately preserved some historical weight. Artistic creation always needs some realistic texture; otherwise, how could it be called an art film?"

"..."

Fu Ruoqing was speechless, the light and shadow from the projector flickering on his face.

Staring at the images flashing across the screen, he couldn't help but fall into deep thought.

Having read this far, he could probably guess why Chen Kaige's movie had been unable to pass censorship for so long.

The message it conveys is completely out of touch with the present.

"This film..."

He was just about to say that he was powerless to help when he suddenly remembered that at last week's group meeting, the leader had given the instruction to "create works with international influence".

If this film, "Blossoms in the Dust (Boyhood)," can be successfully submitted for review after internal adjustments, and then work its way into the main competition at Cannes...

It goes without saying that the nomination alone will be a significant achievement for China Film Group in its annual summary!
More importantly, the favor Chen Kai owes has the potential to unlock immeasurable resources in the future.

"How about... we give it a try?!"

Thinking of this, the words he was about to blurt out suddenly changed, and a perfectly timed smile appeared on his face:
"This film truly captures the spirit of the era, especially in its overall structure and artistic quality. It has the potential to win international awards. However, you should be aware of the censorship standards, and some details may still need to be adjusted."

Upon hearing this, Chen Kaige turned his head sharply, a look of surprise flashing in his eyes: "You mean..."

"China Film Group is willing to set up a special team to assist in the revision from two directions: policy interpretation and artistic balance."

As she spoke, Fu Ruoqing suddenly picked up the remote and paused the video, the screen freezing on the boy's profile as he looked up at the sky: "I heard that the Cannes Film Festival committee is paying special attention to Asian humanities themes this year. If we can complete the adjustments before the submission deadline..."

He deliberately left himself an out, and the next second he saw Chen Kaige's eyes light up completely.

"As long as it passes censorship, I can cooperate with the subsequent editing and soundtrack. If I can make it to Cannes, I'll remember this favor!"

“Okay.” Fu Ruoqing stood up and immediately instructed, “Arrange for the Arts Committee to conduct a preliminary review first, and I will give you a detailed revised plan by next week.”

"Thank you very much, Chairman Fu!" Chen Kaige quickly expressed his gratitude.

Fu Ruoqing smiled and said, "Your talent shouldn't be buried in the review process."

In an instant, Chen Kaige felt as if he had met a kindred spirit.

He didn't rush to leave, but followed Fu Ruoqing straight to her office, where they chatted for the entire morning.

He reluctantly said goodbye and left after having lunch at the canteen of China Film Group.

Watching his figure disappear behind the door, Fu Ruoqing took out her phone, pulled up her calendar, and calculated the time points.

March is fast approaching, but he is confident that he can get the film's submission process completed before the Cannes deadline.

Holding all the authority of China Film Group, the power he wields is far greater than outsiders imagine!

The afternoon sunlight shone on his glasses, refracting the calculations in his eyes into tiny spots of light.

If this deal goes through, it will not only fulfill Chen Kaige's artistic ambitions but also become an important bargaining chip for his career advancement.

This win-win situation is exactly what he wants!

He closed the office door, sat back in his leather chair, stroked the edge of his phone for a moment, and then found Huang Jianxin's number.

As soon as the call connected, the sound of typing and mixed conversation came from the other end, indicating that they were still busy.

"Old Huang, it's me, Ruoqing." Fu Ruoqing tapped her fingertips lightly on the table, her tone carrying just the right amount of concern. "How's the script for 'The Volunteer Army' coming along?"

Last year, the movie "The Battle at Lake Changjin" was released and grossed more than 60 billion yuan at the box office, which drew a lot of attention to it.

Yu Dong values ​​the future of films with patriotic themes, so he is working with Lin Chaoxian on "Operation Jiaolong".

However, Fu Ruoqing noticed the theme of "Resisting America and Aiding Korea".

He then went to Huang Jianxin, hoping that Huang could write a film script on a similar theme.

Thus, after numerous discussions, the project "The Chinese People's Volunteer Army" came into being.

"Sigh, don't even mention it!" Huang Jianxin's voice was tinged with exhaustion and anxiety. "The historical details of the Korean War alone are enough to drive us crazy. We have to respect the historical facts while also making the story dramatic."

I've been spending a lot of time in the archives with my screenwriting team lately, and I've even gotten a few gray hairs!

Fu Ruoqing immediately laughed and said, "Thank you for your hard work. I'll throw you a celebration banquet once the script is finished."

"That's not necessary." Huang Jianxin chuckled. "The framework is almost complete; all that's left is to polish the scenes of a few key battles."

Upon hearing this, Fu Ruoqing smiled and said in a gentle but urging tone, "Thank you for your hard work, but time waits for no one. China Film Group is holding a project progress meeting next month, so it would be best if you could bring the complete script with you."

We need to finalize the cast and filming schedule before summer. If we can catch the wave of this year's... oh wait! I mean next year's National Day holiday box office, the box office and word-of-mouth will be amazing..."

He deliberately dragged out the last syllable, trying to make Huang Jianxin understand the deeper meaning behind it.

If it were Jiao Hongfen, he might have rushed to finish making this movie during this year's National Day holiday.

However, this would certainly compromise the quality.

Facts have proven that anthology-style filmmaking is completely wrong and unacceptable, and we must never continue down this wrong path.

Huang Jianxin pondered for a moment and replied, "I understand. The biggest challenge now is how to balance the grand war scenes with the emotional storylines of individual characters. As you know, if this kind of subject matter is not filmed well, it can easily become didactic."

“This is exactly where you need to use your expertise.” Fu Ruoqing leaned back in her chair, her gaze sweeping over the posters of the year’s box office champions hanging on the wall. “You’ve worked on films like ‘The Founding of a Republic’ and ‘The Founding of the Party,’ so you’re perfectly suited to handling mainstream commercial films.”

If "The Volunteer Army" can offer something new, it might not only be a box office hit, but also a contender for next year's Golden Rooster Awards.

Huang Jianxin couldn't help but laugh out loud: "You're putting a tight rein on me! Fine, I'll go back and urge the scriptwriting team to finish ahead of schedule."

"However," he suddenly changed the subject, "I won't be in charge of the subsequent filming. You'll have to find another director. I can't do it anymore. I'm almost 70 years old, and I really can't handle the high workload."

Directors like Zhang Yimou, who get better with age, are extremely rare in the industry.

Huang Jianxin believed that he was absolutely incapable.

"Haha, okay, I'll go find the director." Fu Ruoqing laughed heartily, but in her heart she was thinking about Chen Kai, who had left not long ago.

If we can ensure that "Blossoms in the Dust" passes censorship smoothly, then Chen Kaige will owe him a huge favor.

Taking this opportunity, inviting him to be the director would be a piece of cake.
After hanging up the phone, Fu Ruoqing began to make plans in her mind.

Chen Kaige's "Blossoms in the Dust," Huang Jianxin's "The Volunteer Army," and several other projects of various genres currently in preparation...

He believes that these carefully laid-out pieces will eventually create waves in the film and television market!
At that time, he will stand in the center of the chessboard, waiting for his own "checkmate" moment.

Who says China Film Group can't function without Feiyue Films?
He was determined to prove that China Film Group was the king of the capital's entertainment circle!

(End of this chapter)