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

Chapter 1398 Oscar's Opening Success and Double Blow!

The Dolby Theatre was brightly lit, and a dazzling array of stars shone amidst elegant attire.

When Chen Fei and his group entered the venue, the crowd, which had been talking in hushed tones, suddenly fell silent for a moment, and countless eyes turned toward them.

There was curiosity, admiration, and a hint of barely concealed wariness.

Chen Fei, dressed in a dark blue suit with subtle patterns, stood tall and straight, a composed smile on his face, as if he was born to stand in the center of such an occasion and become the focus of everyone's attention.

He had only taken two steps forward when he ran into Christopher Nolan, the director of Oppenheimer.

The other person extended their hand, their tone full of sincere admiration: "Fei, your screenplay for 'Parasite' is truly amazing. I've watched it three times, and each time I find it incredibly enjoyable."

“Oppenheimer is also fantastic,” Chen Fei replied with a smile.

To be honest, this film really should have been directed by Nolan.

Because what he excels at is using non-linear narratives and interwoven storylines to present complex themes.

Oppenheimer's life was undoubtedly full of contradictions.

He was both a scientific hero and a morally conflicted figure due to the devastation of the atomic bomb. Only Nolan's narrative style could accurately portray this inner conflict and the weight of history.

As the two were chatting, Spielberg suddenly smiled and waved in their direction from a short distance away.

Chen Fei nodded in response.

As we walked slowly, we were surrounded by greetings and polite salutations.

Even those Hollywood bigwigs who are usually arrogant and aloof look at Chen Fei with obvious respect.

A director who can win the three major European film festival awards and the Oscar grand slam before the age of forty is unique in the world!
He is like a dragon lurking in the abyss, seemingly low-key, yet possessing an aura that can shake the entire audience.

Wen Muye, Han Jianu, and the others followed behind, watching the spectacle and couldn't help but mutter to themselves.

"Is this Director Chen's influence in the international film industry? He was just making a normal entrance, but he made it look like a 'protagonist's entrance'!"

"What do you think? His status at the Oscars is even higher than at the three major European cinemas!"

Hearing the voices behind her, Liu Yifei took Chen Fei's arm, a polite smile on her face, feeling very proud of her partner.

This is her man!
A prominent figure in the global film industry!
Fortunately, tonight, no one but her is worthy to stand next to him!
……

More than half an hour later, as all the lights suddenly went out, deafening applause erupted in the Dolby Theatre.

The 96th Academy Awards ceremony has officially begun!

As is customary, this year's awards ceremony was broadcast live on ABC.

Globally, more than 200 countries and regions are also broadcasting the program simultaneously via television or online platforms.

It is no exaggeration to say that the eyes of hundreds of millions of viewers from Asia to Europe, from Africa to the Americas, are now focused on this stage.

Since the outbreak of the pandemic, this year's Oscars have been the highest-rated ever.

In previous years, the awards ceremony was often criticized for its "lack of star power" because it lacked blockbuster films that could generate buzz across the United States and even the world, and its popularity remained lukewarm.

But this year is completely different, because the candidate list contains too many "controversial figures":
Nolan's "Oppenheimer" swept the awards in the early stages of the awards season with its grand narrative and explosive acting, almost becoming the number one seed for "Best Picture".

Barbie, with its strong feminist themes, swept the global box office with a pink storm, and its social significance was discussed by film critics and ordinary viewers alike.

"The Trial of Fallen Women" explores marriage and truth with a calm and restrained style, and its popularity has soared.

There's also the epic Napoleon, the American Novel focusing on racial issues, and the stylistically bizarre Poor Thing...

Each film has a large following, and each one has the potential to win major awards.

The film that cannot be ignored is "Parasite," which came from Asia across the ocean and had already won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival!
On stage, the host was using humorous anecdotes to connect the segments, occasionally making fun of popular movies, which drew laughter from the audience.

Chen Fei sat in his seat, his gaze sweeping over his surroundings.

On the left is the cast and crew of "Oppenheimer," where Nolan is talking quietly with Cillian Murphy.

Not far to the right, Margot Robbie, the star of "Barbie," is making a heart shape with her hands towards the camera.

Although the air was thick with competitive tension, it also carried a festive atmosphere belonging to filmmakers.

He turned to Han Jianu beside him and smiled: "How about it? Pretty good this year, right? Whether you win an award or not, it's worth it just to join in the fun."

Han Jianu nodded in agreement, clutching the program she had received upon entry tightly in her hand.

The screen lists the six awards nominated for "Parasite": Best International Feature Film, Best Film, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best Editing, and Best Production Design.

As the presentation of the first award drew near, the atmosphere in the venue gradually heated up, and even breathing seemed to quicken in sync with the rhythm.

As is customary in previous years, the opening segment of the awards ceremony focused primarily on technical awards and short film awards.

The Science and Engineering Award and the Technological Achievement Award were presented in turn, with the winners mostly being behind-the-scenes technical personnel.

The applause from the audience was enthusiastic, but it had not yet reached its true climax.

The subsequent announcement of awards for documentary short films, animated short films, and other categories only steadily increased the atmosphere in the venue.

The audience's attention was suddenly drawn when the nominees for Best Animated Feature Film were displayed on the big screen.

"Crazy Elements City" has garnered considerable attention for its stunning visual effects, while "Robot Dream" has moved many judges with its heartwarming story. Hayao Miyazaki's "How Do You Live?" has been considered a "seed candidate" since its nomination.

When the presenter opened the envelope and read out the name "Hayao Miyazaki," the entire audience erupted in thunderous applause!
This animation master, born in 1941, is now 82 years old, yet he still insists on sitting in front of his drawing board, using delicate strokes to tell stories about growth and courage.

The camera panned across the audience, and Miyazaki Hayao slowly rose to his feet. Although his figure was somewhat hunched, his eyes remained clear.

He bowed to those around him, a gentle smile on his face.

"That's amazing... He's still creating at 82!?" Zhao Jinmai exclaimed softly, his eyes filled with admiration.

Peng Yuchang nodded slightly beside him: "Perhaps this is what a true film enthusiast is like, it has nothing to do with age."

Looking at Hayao Miyazaki on the stage, Chen Fei felt a sense of respect.

This elderly man has dedicated almost his entire life to embodying the "spirit of craftsmanship".

From "My Neighbor Totoro" to "Spirited Away" and now "How Do You Live?", each of his works carries his unique gentleness and power.

This dedication to creation is enough to move any filmmaker.

With Miyazaki Hayao winning the award, the entire audience experienced its first real sensation.

The applause lasted for nearly a minute, and many people stood up to applaud.

This award has nothing to do with commerce, popularity, or nationality; it's solely about the purest love for animated films, and Hayao Miyazaki absolutely deserves it.

Soon, the ceremony moved on to the presentation of the core technology awards.

The Best Costume Design award was announced first, with "The Poor Thing" taking the top spot thanks to its retro yet absurd costume style.

Interestingly, when the costume design team came on stage, they were holding up a model of the iconic tutu from the show, which drew a lot of laughter from the audience.

Following that, Oppenheimer won the Best Art Direction award.

The judges commented: "The minimalist setting effectively conveyed the suffocating feeling before a nuclear explosion!"

When Nolan's team representative went on stage to accept the award, they specifically mentioned that every instrument in the laboratory scene was meticulously recreated historically, demonstrating their attention to detail.

The subsequent awards for Best Editing and Best Cinematography almost became a tug-of-war between Oppenheimer and Poor Things.

The former won Best Editing with its tight and sharp editing, while the latter won Best Cinematography with its dazzling and varied visual language.

When it came to the Best Adapted Screenplay award, "American Fiction" unexpectedly emerged victorious, taking home the award, but this did not change the overall landscape.

By this point, Oppenheimer and Poor Things had swept nearly half of the technical awards, becoming the most anticipated "twin stars" of the night.

A murmur of discussion gradually rose from the audience.

Wen Muye, sitting in the back row, leaned closer to Chen Fei and whispered, "At this rate, will the big prize be split between these two films?" Everyone in the industry knows that the Oscar's technical awards are always a "weathervane."

The allocation of these basic awards often foreshadows the outcome of the final grand prize.

In previous years, many Best Picture winners had swept up key technical awards such as editing and cinematography in the early stages to build up their "popularity".

"You'll find out soon enough," Chen Fei said without adding anything further.

Meanwhile, viewers in the Douyin livestream room, who were watching the awards ceremony from China, also noticed something amiss:
"Is Oppenheimer going to sweep the charts? They've won the editing, cinematography, and art direction awards..."

"The Poor Thing is not bad either. The costumes and cinematography are excellent. I feel it is on par with Oppenheimer."

"What about Parasite? It hasn't even opened yet. Will it just be a runner-up?"

"Don't rush, the awards for Best International Feature Film and Best Original Screenplay haven't been given out yet; those are Parasite's strengths."

While everyone was speculating, the award presenter on stage had already picked up the next envelope.

Best Original Screenplay Award!

This is one of the awards that Parasite was nominated for.

The entire room fell silent instantly.

Chen Fei tapped his fingertips lightly on the armrest of his chair, his gaze fixed on the scrolling list of nominees on the big screen. He knew very well that the next few awards would be the real "battles".

Just then, Clint Eastwood, the award presenter on stage, suddenly cleared his throat and opened the envelope in his hand.

The next second, under everyone's gaze, he swept his eyes across the entire room and said loudly:

"The winner of the 96th Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay is—Parasite, please welcome Chen Fei!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the entire audience erupted in thunderous applause, more enthusiastic than the cheers for any previous award!
Han Jianu suddenly grabbed Chen Fei's arm, her voice trembling with excitement: "Senior brother! A great start! We won our first prize!"

Chen Fei smiled and patted her hand: "I heard you."

He calmly stood up, straightened the hem of his suit jacket, hugged Liu Yifei beside him, and then walked towards the podium.

The spotlight followed his figure, highlighting his tall and straight posture.

Taking the familiar golden statuette, Chen Fei walked to the microphone, his gaze sweeping across the audience, his tone relaxed as if chatting with an old friend:
"It's quite interesting, actually. I've won quite a few Oscars, but I've only won a handful of original screenplay awards."

He smiled, raised the trophy and shook it: "It seems this story really resonated with everyone."

“Here, I want to thank the Academy and all the judges,” he said more sincerely. “At the same time, I would like to thank the entire screenwriting team of Parasite. Being recognized is the greatest affirmation for us.”

Finally, he added in Chinese: "Thank you to the audience in China who supported us. This award belongs to you all!"

The brief speech, devoid of flowery language, exuded a confident and effortless air.

He stood on the stage, neither deliberately sentimental nor overly excited, as if he were just visiting an acquaintance and casually receiving a gift.

The Hollywood directors in the audience looked at him with envy in their eyes.

This composure isn't feigned; it comes from winning awards so often that it becomes commonplace!

The chat room on Douyin was flooded with comments:

"Holy crap! Director Chen's aura is amazing! Winning the award looks like drinking water to him!"

"'Having won quite a few Oscars' is such a Versailles statement, but I like it!"

"An original screenplay award! That's real talent! The screenplay for 'Parasite' is truly amazing, no doubt about it!"

"A great director is a great director. Accepting the award is like strolling in his own backyard. He's so composed!"

As Chen Fei walked off the stage with the golden statuette in his hand, he was immediately surrounded by congratulatory shouts as he returned to his seat.

Han Jianu had received the trophy and was very envious.

At that moment, another award presenter walked onto the stage, holding an envelope that was particularly eye-catching, which clearly showed the list of winners for Best International Feature Film (formerly Best Foreign Language Film).

Just then, Chen Fei suddenly turned to the side and gently nudged Han Jianu beside him with his elbow, his tone leaving no room for doubt: "You go and accept this award."

Han Jianu was stunned, her eyes widening, and she subconsciously said, "This... I don't even know if it will work..."

Before the speaker could finish speaking, the award presenter on stage had already opened the envelope, and his clear voice carried throughout the venue through the microphone:
"The winner of the 96th Academy Award for Best International Feature Film is—Parasite!"

Double blast!
The moment he finished speaking, the applause in the audience was even more enthusiastic than before, and many Hollywood directors even stood up to applaud.

Han Jianu remained frozen in her seat, as if she hadn't reacted yet, until Wen Muye pushed her from behind: "What are you standing there for? Go and claim your prize!"

She snapped back to reality, her face instantly flushing with excitement. She hurriedly straightened her dress, took a deep breath, and stood up.

Chen Fei nodded at her, his eyes filled with an encouraging smile.

Han Jianu walked onto the stage in a daze, her fingertips still trembling slightly as she accepted the trophy.

Looking at the many faces below, both unfamiliar and familiar, she spoke into the microphone, her voice trembling slightly, yet exceptionally clear:
"Thank you to the Academy! Thank you to the judges! And a special thank you to Director Chen Fei, thank you to Zhang Yi, Zhou Xun, Yi Fei... thank you to everyone who contributed to 'Parasite'..."

When we were making this film, we never imagined we'd be standing here. It tells a story from our own lives, and we never expected it to be seen by the world… This isn't just my honor; it belongs to the entire team!

After her brief speech, she held the trophy and bowed deeply, receiving a long and enthusiastic round of applause from the audience.

As she walked off the stage, she practically ran back to her seat, still somewhat dazed as she sat down: "Best Foreign Language Film? We won that?"

Chen Fei chuckled softly beside him, "I told you long ago, this award is a sure thing; all the competitors are novices."

At this moment, Chinese netizens are already in an uproar:

"A double win! Parasite is amazing! Best Original Screenplay + Best International Feature Film, this is a huge win!"

"It must have been very difficult to make this film..."

"Now we're just waiting for Best Picture! Go Parasite!"

At this very moment, many directors in China are also watching their screens, their eyes glued to the Oscars broadcast.

When the award for "Best International Feature Film" was given to "Parasite," the light from the screen shone on their faces, revealing different expressions, yet all conveying an indescribable complexity.

Zhang Yimou had just finished the post-production review of "Man Jiang Hong" and was sitting on the sofa watching the broadcast with a teacup in his hand.

Upon seeing the result, he gently blew on the steam rising from the cup, his fingertips tracing the rim, unable to conceal his emotions.

He once tried to win an Oscar, but the result was disappointing.

Looking at the award-winning film "Parasite" at this moment, he couldn't help but wonder if this kind of "down-to-earth" profundity is the kind of expression that the international film scene prefers today.

Meanwhile, Chen Kaige was watching the broadcast in his study.

When he heard that "Parasite" had won an award, he frowned slightly, and a sense of melancholy inevitably crossed his mind.

His recent works have always oscillated between "sentiment" and "innovation," but he has never been able to reach new heights.

In contrast, Chen Fei had already reached a level that Chen Fei could only dream of.

Feng Xiaogang is currently worried about the negative reviews of "Echo," but he hasn't missed the Oscar broadcast.

When he saw that "Parasite" had won two awards, he gripped the mouse tightly.

By this morning, the Douban rating for "Echoes" had dropped to 5.8. Seeing Chen Fei's composed demeanor on the Oscar stage, he felt as if something was blocking his heart.

Both of them were making realistic films, but his own drama was criticized for being "unrealistic" and "out of touch," while other people's movies were able to conquer judges around the world. This difference was so disheartening that he was devastated!
He reached for the cigarette case and lit a cigarette in frustration.

Amidst the swirling smoke, his eyes were filled with resentment, yet also concealed a hint of helplessness that he had to admit.

At this moment, with the awarding of the Best International Feature Film, the atmosphere inside the Oscars venue was completely ignited!

Because the real highlight is yet to come!
The Oscars' true glory moment comes when Best Actress, Best Actor, Best Director, Best Picture... the explosion of these awards!
Looking at the excited crowd around him, Chen Fei recalled his conversation with Natasha yesterday and knew very well that the surprises for "Parasite" tonight were far from over!
(End of this chapter)