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

Chapter 1419 The Golden Lion Award! Successful Transformation! Forever in the Center Stage!
Before winning the Best Actress award at the Venice Film Festival for "The Room Next Door," Gong Li and Maggie Cheung were already "regulars" at the three major European film festivals, each holding a wealth of prestigious honors.

Gong Li won the Best Actress award at the Berlin International Film Festival in 1992 for her role in "The Story of Qiu Ju".

In 2004, she was nominated for Best Actress at the Cannes Film Festival for her role in "2046".

Now, with another Venice Film Festival Best Actress award, she has become a rare "Berlin + Venice" double Best Actress in the Chinese film industry, just one step away from the "Grand Slam"!
In contrast, Maggie Cheung achieved her breakthrough much earlier.

In 1991, she won the Best Actress award at the Berlin International Film Festival for her role in "Center Stage".

In 2004, she won the Best Actress award at the Cannes Film Festival for her role in Clean, becoming the first Chinese actress to win both the Berlin and Cannes Film Festival awards.

This Best Actress win at Venice makes her one of the few actresses in the world to have achieved a "Grand Slam" of the three major European film festivals! She now holds Best Actress awards from Berlin, Cannes, and Venice!

This achievement is enough to leave a significant mark on film history.

For both of them, the Venice Film Festival Best Actress award is no longer a "breakthrough from zero," but rather an addition of a more substantial and weighty honor to their already brilliant resumes!

When the two stood side by side on the podium, holding the same trophy, even international media outlets exclaimed on camera: "This is absolutely a highlight moment for Chinese actresses!"

Liu Yifei, watching this scene from below the stage, couldn't hide her pride.

She actually nurtured two Best Actress winners; it's such an honor!
At this moment, under the spotlight on the stage, Gong Li and Zhang Manyu smiled at each other, and without the slightest hesitation, spoke almost in unison:
"First of all, we would like to give special thanks to Liu Yifei, the director of 'The Room Next Door'."

Holding the trophy, Gong Li turned her gaze to the audience and said sincerely, "When I first received this script, I was still hesitant, worried about whether I could portray this mother who struggles between tradition and self."

It was Yifei who talked to me about the character's inner world time and time again, helping me to sort out her growth trajectory and allowing me to slowly enter the world of this character.

As a director, she possesses both precise control over the story and a delicate understanding and tolerance for the actors; it was my good fortune to work with her.

Zhang Manyu then added with a gentle yet firm smile: "I haven't known Yifei for very long, but I had heard about her before. When I learned that she was going to be a director, I was both surprised and impressed."

During filming, she always managed to wake me up with a single sentence when I got stuck... She told us to 'use less technique and more feeling,' so much so that even now, when I think back on it, I can still feel the emotional resonance I had during filming.

Thank you, Liu Yifei, for showing us the power of female directors!

The cameras of the domestic media then turned to the audience.

Liu Yifei's face was beaming with joy, unable to hide her excitement.

After expressing their gratitude to Liu Yifei, the two shared their insights on their acting careers.

Gong Li gently stroked the trophy, her tone filled with maturity: "Over the years in the film industry, I have played many roles, from the persistent peasant woman in 'The Story of Qiu Ju' to the forbearing mother I am playing today. I have always believed that good roles can help actors grow."

"The Room Next Door made me realize that women's stories are not just about 'petty romances'; they can have a broader scope and a deeper power, as long as someone is willing to film and act with their heart."

Zhang Manyu said with a touch of sentimentality: "I used to think that when actors reach a certain stage, the roles they can choose from will become fewer and fewer."

But this time, "The Room Next Door" surprised me. My character is not a "decorative vase" or a "tool". She has her own pride, struggles and awakening. This kind of three-dimensional female image is what I have always longed for.

"All these years, I haven't given up acting; I've been waiting for stories like this, waiting for teams like this."

Although their speeches lacked flowery language, every word was sincere.

Applause rang out repeatedly from the audience, and even the judges nodded in approval.

When they bowed again to express their gratitude, many people clapped enthusiastically, unable to hide their admiration and respect!
This is what a true actor is, and this honor is something they deserve!

After giving their acceptance speeches, Gong Li and Zhang Manyu walked off the stage one after the other and headed straight for Liu Yifei.

The three of them hugged each other tightly.

Gong Li patted her on the back and said with a smile, "It's all thanks to you that we have the honor we have today."

Zhang Manyu whispered in her ear, "You deserve half the credit for this award."

Liu Yifei's smile grew even brighter as she humbly said, "It's mainly because you two acted so well. As a fledgling director, I actually have many shortcomings..."

Congratulations poured in from all directions, and filmmakers around cast approving glances their way.

On stage, the awards ceremony continued without pause.

Soon, a new jury member announced: "The winner of the Best Director Award at the 80th Venice Film Festival is Matteo Garrone, for *I Am the Captain*!"

Immediately afterwards, more news of awards came in:

"The winner of the Grand Jury Prize at the 80th Venice Film Festival is 'Evil Does Not Exist,' directed by Ryusuke Hamaguchi!"

With two major awards being won in quick succession, the atmosphere at the scene instantly heated up!
The continuous applause and cheers almost lifted the roof off.

Looking at the director accepting the award on stage, Liu Yifei's tense nerves completely relaxed, and she became more open-minded.

She leaned close to Chen Fei's ear and whispered, "Looks like I won't be winning the grand prize tonight."

After all, the film has already won two Best Actress awards, and now the Best Director and Jury Prizes have also been awarded. All that's left is the most prestigious Golden Lion Award for Best Film.

She simply couldn't believe that her directorial debut had won such a top honor.

Although there is a slight regret, there is even more pride!
Having personally nurtured two Best Actress winners, this trip to Venice has far exceeded expectations; it's a worthwhile investment no matter how you look at it.

Chen Fei gently squeezed her slightly cool hand and coaxed her softly, "Maybe there will be a surprise at the end? Don't be discouraged."

"I don't have that kind of luck..."

Liu Yifei had only spoken halfway when suddenly, the voice of jury chairman Damien Chazelle came through the microphone, clearly resounding throughout the entire venue:
Congratulations! The winner of the Golden Lion Award for Best Film at the 80th Venice International Film Festival is Liu Yifei's "The Room Next Door"!

These words struck Liu Yifei like a thunderbolt.

She looked up abruptly, her eyes filled with disbelief, and she even forgot to breathe properly!

Chen Fei, who was standing next to her, was the first to react. He grabbed her hand tightly, his voice filled with barely concealed excitement: "Wife, did you hear that? You won the Golden Lion Award!"

The applause and cheers from the audience reached their peak instantly, more enthusiastic than ever before!
Gong Li and Zhang Manyu immediately stood up and hugged Han Jianu to congratulate her.

Han Jianu smiled and gently nudged her: "Yifei, what are you standing there for? Go up and claim your award!"

Liu Yifei then seemed to wake up from her dream.

She took a deep breath, straightened her white suit, and walked step by step onto the stage under the watchful eyes of the entire audience.

A spotlight shone down from the room, fixing its light firmly on her. At this moment, she was not only actress Liu Yifei, but also director Liu Yifei!
As a Chinese female director who holds the Golden Lion Award, she has now successfully shone brightly on the international film stage!

He walked onto the stage and accepted the Golden Lion trophy from Damien Chazelle...

It wasn't until the cool metallic touch made Liu Yifei truly feel the reality of this honor.

After giving a soft thank you, she stepped forward to the microphone, her voice trembling slightly, yet exceptionally clear:

"First of all, thank you to the Venice Film Festival jury for recognizing 'The Room Next Door' and this story about women."

She paused, then glanced at the media and audience below the stage. "Thank you to all my fans, viewers and media friends who have supported me. It is your expectations that have given me the courage to complete this transformation."

I especially want to thank Sister Gong Li, Sister Manyu, and all the staff both in front of and behind the camera.

She looked at the two actresses in the audience, her smile genuine, "Without your unwavering cooperation, without everyone staying up all night polishing every detail, there would be no film, and I wouldn't be who I am today..."

After delivering a standard and sincere acceptance speech, she didn't immediately leave the stage. Instead, holding the trophy, her gaze pierced through the crowd and landed precisely on Chen Fei in the front row. Her eyes were both ardent and tender, making no attempt to conceal her affection:

"Here, I would also like to give special thanks to one person—my husband, Chen Fei."

The room fell silent for a moment, then bursts of soft laughter and applause broke out.

Liu Yifei's cheeks flushed slightly, but she still said firmly, "I have always wanted to transition from acting to directing. He has always encouraged and supported me, and even personally polished the script for me and helped me sort out the story's plot."

"I owe a great deal of credit to him for being able to stand here today and receive this Golden Lion Award."

At the end, she lowered her voice, but it was loud enough for everyone to hear: "Here, I want to say loudly—I love you, my husband!"

The moment he finished speaking, the scene erupted in cheers!
Applause, cheers, and whistles mingled together.

Even many of the foreign judges laughed and whistled, winking at Chen Fei in the audience.

Liu Yifei's ears turned bright red from the commotion, and she couldn't hold back any longer. Clutching her trophy, she quickly ran off the stage.

As soon as she stepped off the stage, Chen Fei pulled her into his arms.

She buried her head in his shoulder and muttered softly, "It's all your fault. You made me embarrass myself in front of so many people."

Chen Fei hugged her, his eyes full of tenderness as he smiled: "It's not embarrassing, it's really great."

The congratulations continued, and everyone looked at Liu Yifei holding the Golden Lion trophy, unable to hide their envy and emotion.

Meanwhile, the news had already caused a stir on major social media platforms in China.

One press release after another came back from the Venice International Film Festival, sparking heated discussions across the internet!

Congratulations to Gong Li and Maggie Cheung on winning the Best Actress award at the Venice Film Festival!

"Golden Lion Award – The Room Next Door: A Glorious Moment for Chinese-Language Cinema!"

"Liu Yifei's transformative work is a great success!"

"Liu Yifei confessed her love for Chen Fei on stage, thanking her beloved for his dedication, encouragement, and support!"

"..."

Although it was already late at night in China, countless people were still watching the Venice Film Festival on their screens.

When press releases, photos and videos from the event were released, major social media platforms erupted in excitement.

Looking around, trending topics surged one after another, completely shattering the silence of the night.

Liu Yifei's Weibo comment section was flooded with congratulatory messages from fans, with hundreds of thousands of comments pouring in within just half an hour.

"Ahhh, Sissi! Golden Lion Award! Two Best Actress awards! You're amazing! From actress to director, every step you've taken has been so steady, I'm so happy!"

"Wow! That on-the-spot confession to Director Chen was so sweet! 'He deserves a lot of credit'—who understands that! A double win in love and career, what an amazing life!"

"The Room Next Door deserves it! You've made such a powerful women's story shine at Venice! Congratulations on making Chinese-language films shine!"

"I used to like actress Liu Yifei, now I admire director Liu Yifei! You have proven with your strength that women can be top-notch in any field. Keep up the good work in the future!"

"It was totally worth staying up all night for the results! Seeing you win the Golden Lion made me even happier than if I had won the lottery myself! Sisi, enjoy this honor! We will always support you!"

Those in the film and television industry were filled with emotion upon seeing this news.

Many people privately discussed that Liu Yifei's ability to win the Golden Lion Award was inseparable from Chen Fei's strong support.

The script was tailor-made for her, perfectly suited to her career transition needs.

He assembled the entire production team from scratch, with top-notch expertise in everything from cinematography to post-production.

Even the public relations strategy was likely planned in advance by him, which is why the film received such high attention at the film festival.

Even Gong Li and Zhang Manyu were willing to take on this role, partly because of Chen Fei's extensive network and reputation built up over the years.

But no one would really question the value of this honor; on the contrary, there is more envy and recognition.
“They are a married couple. It’s only natural for the husband to be willing to do everything he can to help his wife realize her dreams and protect her from detours on her career transition.”

"That's right. Besides, Liu Yifei herself is quite capable. Her directing skills and control over the story are evident. Otherwise, she wouldn't have won the Golden Lion Award with just external help."

"Awesome! Absolutely amazing! Golden Lion Director! This career transition is just too successful!"

In the dead of night, the domestic film and television industry was both celebrating the international honors of Chinese-language films and feeling sentimental about this combination of "business partners and soulmates".

Good love is never a burden, but rather a mutual achievement. Chen Fei and Liu Yifei have clearly taken this to the extreme.

Just as the entire Chinese internet was cheering for Liu Yifei and "The Room Next Door," another news release suddenly appeared, bearing the watermark of the Venice Film Festival.

The title boldly proclaims:

"Warmest congratulations to Director Chen Fei on winning the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the Venice International Film Festival!"

This news was like a bombshell, instantly shattering the already heated trending topics!

Netizens who were originally discussing "Liu Yifei's transformation into a legendary actress" and "the iconic scene of two Best Actress winners" all turned their attention to Chen Fei, and the comment sections and topic pages of social media platforms were instantly filled with new discussions...

(End of this chapter)