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

Chapter 1399 Oscar Lifetime Achievement Award!
"The winner of the 96th Academy Award for Best Actress is Emma Stone for 'The Poor Thing'!"

"The winner of the 96th Academy Award for Best Actor is Cillian Murphy for *Oppenheimer*!"

As the presenter announced the name, Emma Stone excitedly covered her face and screamed, while Cillian Murphy stood up with a calm smile and hugged Nolan.

The two Best Actor and Best Actress winners took to the stage one after the other, taking home their respective trophies.

The awarding of these two major awards seems to have established the competitive landscape between "The Poor Thing" and "Oppenheimer".

The murmurs from the audience grew louder.

Many filmmakers whispered among themselves, almost unanimously agreeing that the next major event would unfold in these two works.

"I think Oppenheimer is a shoo-in for the Best Director award, right? Nolan has been nominated for so many years, it's about time he won."

"The Poor Thing actually got the female lead? Is this a direct challenge to Oppenheimer?"

"Is 'Parasite' destined to stop here? That's a bit of a shame..."

Amidst the constant chatter around him, Chen Fei remained calmly seated, even peeling a chocolate for Liu Yifei.

He knew that the Oscar voting mechanism had always been complex, and that the acting awards were not necessarily completely tied to the directing and film awards.

When he won Best Director, the lead actors didn't win either, but he still won Best Picture.

At this moment, Spielberg, the presenter, had already taken the stage and began to introduce the nominees for Best Director.

The names of Nolan, Han Jianu, Greta Gerwig, and others flashed across the big screen in turn.

It was obvious that all of them were a little nervous.

All eyes were on Spielberg.

He slowly pulled the list of winners from the envelope.

At that moment, the entire venue fell silent, as if even the sound of breathing had been amplified countless times.

"The winner of the 96th Academy Award for Best Director is..." Spielberg paused deliberately, his gaze sweeping across the room, before slowly saying, "Christopher Nolan's *Oppenheimer*!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the entire audience erupted in thunderous applause!

Nolan sat in his seat, covered his face with his hands, and tears instantly welled up in his eyes.

He started preparing for an Oscar more than 10 years ago, but failed repeatedly.

Now, he has finally realized his dream of becoming an Oscar director with "Oppenheimer"!
He stood up, embraced his wife Emma affectionately, and then gave high-fives to the other members of the crew.

As he stepped onto the stage to accept the award, his voice choked with emotion: "Special thanks to Kay Bird and Martin Sherwin, whose 25 years of hard work made this book possible."

"Thank you to the producer for putting this book in my hands, giving me the opportunity to tell this story..."

The audience applauded continuously; no one felt that Oppenheimer didn't deserve the award.

A few minutes later, Nolan walked off the stage with a satisfied smile.

The presenter for Best Picture then walked out from backstage and onto the stage.

This is the most prestigious award of the night, and everyone is holding their breath, quietly waiting for the final result.

Clips of the 10 nominated films flashed across the big screen in turn.

When the scene from "Parasite" appeared, Chen Fei felt Liu Yifei gently holding his hand beside him.

He turned to look at her and saw a glimmer of expectation in her eyes.

Under the watchful eyes of the entire audience, the award presenter opened the envelope and began reading the award citation:
"There is a film that tears away the hidden veil of social class from a unique perspective, delicately weaving together the cruelty and warmth of reality."

In the film, each character seems to be a microcosm of life, and their struggles and desires allow us to see the common human emotions.

It transcends geographical and cultural barriers, resonating with a global audience through its exceptional narrative and profound insights.

It's not just a film, but a powerful critique of social phenomena and a profound exploration of the complexities of human nature!

Upon hearing this assessment, almost everyone in the room turned their gaze forward simultaneously.

Because the winner of the Best Picture award has already been announced tonight!
"I hereby announce that the winner of the 96th Academy Award for Best Picture is the Asian film, Parasite!"

The entire Dolby Theatre erupted in cheers!
Chen Fei stood up and hugged Liu Yifei tightly.

Han Jianu screamed and jumped up, hugging Wen Muye tightly and shouting, "We won an award! We won the grand prize!"

Zhang Yi, Zhou Xun, Peng Yuchang, Zhao Jinmai, Zhang Jingyi, and others also excitedly hugged each other.

This is only the second time in Oscar history that a non-English language film has won the Best Picture award, and it is another glorious moment for Asian cinema!
"Come on, let's go up on stage to receive the award."

Chen Fei led everyone onto the podium, where the applause from the audience was thunderous and prolonged.

He accepted the trophy, feeling its weight in his hands, and couldn't hide his emotions.

This is not just a trophy, but also recognition of the team's hard work and affirmation of Asian cinema!

"Thank you to the Academy! Thank you to all the judges!" Chen Fei's voice was firm and full of gratitude. "This film is the culmination of our team's hard work. We wanted to use it to tell a story about humanity, dreams, and survival. We also hope that through it, the world can see the power of Asian cinema and hear the voices of Asian filmmakers."

As he spoke, he turned to his team members behind him, his eyes sparkling with satisfaction: "This award belongs to everyone who contributed to Parasite. Without you, there would be no achievement today."

Especially our director, Han Jianu, your talent and hard work brought this film to life.

Han Jianu was too excited to speak, she just kept wiping away her tears, and Wen Muye held her hand tightly beside her, making no attempt to hide his love.

Chen Fei continued, "I also want to thank my family, my partners, and everyone who contributed to this film..."

Beside her, Liu Yifei had tears in her eyes, but her face was beaming with a happy smile.

At this moment, she didn't look at anyone else, but only at Chen Fei, feeling incredibly proud!

At this moment, a group of directors in China are witnessing this historic moment through live streaming.

Zhang Yimou sat at home, a look of amazement on his face.

Chen Kaige couldn't hide his envy, but a sense of powerlessness welled up inside him.

Feng Xiaogang sat in front of the computer, his face a complex mix of emotions, feeling as if he had been slapped hard in the face...

Meanwhile, the Douyin live stream room was completely buzzing!

"My God! Parasite actually won Best Picture! That's amazing!" "This is the pride of Chinese cinema! The glory of Asian cinema!"

"Han Jianu's crying just now was so touching, it brought tears to my eyes too."

"Director Chen Fei's acceptance speech was so insightful; he truly deserves to be a leading figure in Chinese cinema."

"This movie is really well made. It vividly portrays class and injustice. I really hope that more movies like this will be made in the future."

"I'm suddenly looking forward to director Chen Fei's next work, and I hope he can continue his efforts and create even greater glories!"

The barrage of comments flooded in, and the number of viewers watching online surged again and again!
The award won by "Parasite" is not only a victory for the film, but also an important milestone moment for Chinese culture to go global.

Back to the awards ceremony.

Chen Fei continued to share his thoughts: "I remember someone once said that once you overcome the one-inch barrier of subtitles, you will open the door to a new world and be exposed to many more wonderful movies."

Today, we opened this door with "Parasite," and we hope that more outstanding Asian films will be able to enter the Oscars in the future.

He raised the trophy high and saluted the audience: "This award is not only a recognition of 'Parasite,' but also an encouragement to all filmmakers who persist in their dreams and dare to innovate. Let us continue to tell more wonderful stories through film, connect more hearts, and create more miracles!"

Thunderous applause erupted from the audience once again!

Chen Fei led the group back to their seats under the watchful eyes of the entire audience.

The applause gradually subsided...

Logically, the awards ceremony, which lasted nearly three hours, should have ended after the presenter announced the Best Picture winner.

Many people in the audience had already gotten up and were tidying their clothes, preparing to go to the subsequent celebration banquet.

Even Chen Fei turned to Liu Yifei with a smile and said, "It's over, we should..."

However, before he could finish speaking, the curtain on the side of the stage suddenly opened.

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Yang Yanzi, the president of this year's Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, walked out.

She was dressed in a sharp black suit, holding an envelope in her hand, and wearing a solemn smile.

The entire room fell silent instantly. People who had just stood up sat back down, even unconsciously lowering their breathing.

"Is this... there are still awards that haven't been given out?" Han Jianu muttered softly, her eyes full of confusion.

Many people in the audience were puzzled.

The Best Picture award has already been given out, is there any special award coming up?
Under the astonished gazes of everyone present, Yang Yanzi walked to the microphone, her voice clearly carrying throughout the venue: "Everyone, I apologize for taking up a few minutes of your time."

According to the procedure, we have one last award to present: the Academy Award for Best Individual Achievement (Gold Medal).

Upon hearing this, the audience instantly came to their senses, and many even looked as if they had just realized something.

I almost forgot, this award hasn't been given out yet.

The so-called "Gold Award for the highest individual honor" is actually just a renamed Oscar Lifetime Achievement Award, which is specifically designed to recognize those who have made outstanding and lasting contributions to the art of film, and its prestige far exceeds that of ordinary awards.

In previous years, the awards were presented separately before the ceremony, but this year they were moved to the main venue, clearly to give the winners a grand reception.

Yang Yanzi held up the envelope in her hand, her gaze slowly sweeping across the audience before finally settling on Chen Fei's direction. Her tone was unequivocally solemn:
"After a unanimous vote by all the judges of the Academy, the winner of this year's highest individual honor, the Gold Award, is—Chen Fei!"

"Wow—"

The audience erupted in thunderous applause once again, more thunderous than any previous award cheer.

Even veteran directors like Nolan, Spielberg, Clint Eastwood, and James Cameron stood up to pay their respects, their eyes filled with admiration.

It's worth noting that this award has always been given to veterans who have worked in the industry for decades.

Chen Fei, who is under forty years old, has already earned this "lifetime achievement" level recognition based on his own strength, making him arguably the most outstanding and youngest winner in Oscar history!
Chen Fei himself was stunned in his seat, still holding the Best Film award trophy he had just received, and didn't react for a moment.

Liu Yifei nudged him, her eyes sparkling with excitement: "Go quickly, honey, you won the award!"

"Hey? I didn't expect there would be a prize tonight."

Chen Fei wasn't too excited and slowly stood up.

The spotlight above him shone on him again, and a "walk of stars" was illuminated in front of him.

As he walked step by step toward the stage, filmmakers along the way reached out to give him high-fives, and even the members of the "Oppenheimer" crew, who had previously been fiercely competing with him, paid tribute to him with applause.

As he walked up to Yang Yanzi, she smiled and handed him the unusually heavy gold medal: "Chen, this is what you deserve. You have proven with your work that the power of film is never limited by age or region."

Chen Fei accepted the trophy, his fingertips touching the cold metal, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

He walked to the microphone, looked at the countless familiar faces below the stage, and said in a steady and powerful voice: "To be honest, I am a little overwhelmed to receive this award."

Ultimately, in my heart, the term "lifetime achievement" should belong to those predecessors who dedicated their lives to film.

He paused, then raised the gold medal and smiled, "But since the academy has given me this honor, I will take it as a 'requirement to continue making films.' In the future, I will continue to make films and strive to live up to the expectations of this 'lifetime achievement.'"

A knowing laugh rippled through the audience, followed by thunderous applause.

It's worth noting that, to date, Jackie Chan is the only Chinese person to have received an Oscar Lifetime Achievement Award.

In 2016, he received the 89th Academy Honorary Award, becoming the first Chinese actor to receive this award.

He is also the fourth Asian to receive this honor, following Akira Kurosawa, Satyajit Ray, and Hayao Miyazaki.

Now, Chen Fei has become the second Chinese person and the fourth Asian person to win this award, making it a truly prestigious honor!
After delivering his acceptance speech, as he walked off the stage holding the trophy, the entire Dolby Theatre rose to their feet and gave him a cheer that lasted for several minutes.

Liu Yifei came up to him, stood on tiptoe and planted a kiss on his cheek: "Congratulations, my great director."

Chen Fei looked down at her, then at the little golden statue in his arms, and suddenly smiled: "Didn't our son want the little golden statue? Let's give this to him. Tonight was definitely worth it."

Meanwhile, the live stream chat on Douyin (TikTok) in China was already flooded with red comments:
"Lifetime Achievement Award? Holy crap! Director Chen has practically become a god!"

"To receive an Oscar Lifetime Achievement Award at the age of thirty-something, there has never been anyone like him before or ever again!"

"Those who say Chinese-language films are no good, just look at director Chen Fei! That's our confidence!"

"From Best Original Screenplay to Best Film, and then to the Lifetime Achievement Award... Is tonight Director Chen's personal showcase?"

"This award is absolutely well-deserved. Director Chen has won almost every major Oscar since he made his first film. He definitely deserves a lifetime achievement!"

(End of this chapter)