China Entertainment started from Nortel 2002

Chapter 336 Expensive Failure

This year, Li Mu made a special suggestion to the organizing committee that the 10 feature films and 13 short films that were authorized to be shortlisted for the Horizon section will be uploaded to the Internet for fans around the world to watch.

The organizing committee agreed.

In today's networked world, the old Venice has finally caught up with the fashion.

This is also the benefit Li Mu brings to the world’s audiences as Chairman of Horizon.

Movie fans will be able to see these films on the official Venice website.

This move brought huge traffic to Venice.

"Director Li is awesome, Venice is awesome."

"Huge good news, thanks Venice!"

“Let’s see what movies are on the horizon this year.”

Horizon, which was originally neglected, has become famous.

Film festival chairman Barbera is very excited. The traffic means Venice’s attention is rising.

And this year a major initiative was launched - the addition of a new film trading market.

Since then, Venice has finally been on an equal footing with Berlin, Cannes and Toronto in terms of parade trading platforms, but this does not mean that it is also on an equal footing in terms of traffic.

Especially the Toronto Film Festival, which opens immediately after Venice. Because the latter is backed by the North American market, Venice has always been overwhelmed in terms of market competitiveness.

If it wants to develop into a global film trading market, it must attract more film producers and audiences.

"Lee, that's great advice."

Barbera said happily.

"I just want to make the selection more fair. Everyone has seen it, so there will be less doubts about the award-winning films selected this way."

Li Mu smiled and said that his original intention was just this, but he didn't expect that it would attract so much attention to Venice.

"Unfortunately, it is difficult to do this for films in the main competition."

Barbera said with some regret that the main issue was the copyright fee. The main competition sections were all masterpieces or fine works of art, so it was unlikely that they would be authorized to be screened in Venice.

In addition to the screenings of films in various competition units, the festival's tribute award ceremony has also begun.

The famous American director Michael Cimino, who is famous all over the world for "The Deer Hunter", also appeared at the event and received the Lifetime Achievement Award sponsored by Persol.

In addition, the complete digital restoration of director Cimino's important masterpiece "Heaven's Gate" also had its world premiere at the festival.

Li Mu and Michael Mann applauded and congratulated in the audience.

The two also chatted casually. Although they didn't have much contact, they were no strangers to each other.

As a director, Michael Mann has directed films such as "The Wire", "Borrowed Man", "Miami Vice" and "Public Enemies".

The showdown between cops and robbers played by Al Pacino and Robert De Niro in "The Wire" is a classic.

Of course, the relationship between the two goes back to seven years ago, when Michael Mann was the producer of "The Aviator" in 2005.

"The Pursuit of Happiness" and "The Aviator" competed against each other during the Christmas period, and also competed for awards at the Oscars.

After the award ceremony, Michael Cimino sat with the audience in the screening hall in Venice and reviewed the 216-minute standard digital version that he personally supervised the restoration.

"Another movie that lasts more than 3 hours."

Li Mu didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He was sick of watching these feature films these days.

"Hahaha, Li, me too"

Michael Mann laughed very much. He was also the chairman of an international film festival for the first time, and he also vomited after watching the film this time.

"Expensive failure"

When talking about "Heaven's Gate" with Li Mu, Michael Mann felt quite regretful.

"Heaven's Gate" is not only an expensive failure, but a waste of time and money created by a self-proclaimed cinematic artist overindulging in style.

Li Mu nodded. Of course he knew about this film, which is known as one of the biggest losers in history. You must know that this film also became one of the reasons for the bankruptcy of the distributor American Artists Alliance due to time issues and huge costs.

In the 80s, director Michael Cimino, who had just won the 51st Academy Award for Best Picture for the Vietnam War film "The Deer Hunter," successfully got the director of the film "Heaven's Gate."

When the film premiered in New York in a 225-minute version, it received disastrous reviews.

However, due to the intervention of the distributor, the 1980 screening version was shortened to 149 minutes.

But it doesn't save the movie.

In the end, this blockbuster, which cost $80 million in the 4400s, only made less than $350 million at the North American box office.

This film company, which came from the Golden Age of Hollywood and was established by Chaplin, Mary Pickford, and Douglas Fairbanks, could only be sold to MGM, which stopped film production and was only responsible for distribution.

The film not only ruined the American Artists Association, but also ruined Michael Cimino, who has since become a loner, a reclusive Howard Hughes among directors, stopped filming, and disappeared.

While serving as the chairman of the judging panel, Li Mu also called Zhang Yi to inquire about some matters. After all, Zhang Yi had served as the chairman of the main competition unit a few years ago.

Thinking of the messages Mengying Media sent him these days, Li Mu subconsciously asked.

"Brother, I heard that New Picture Company is facing dissolution."

Talking about this matter, Zhang Yimou sighed.

This should actually be his company.

"It should not be disbanded. Zhang Weiping will probably find another opportunity."

"That's also true. Zhang Weiping made money with "No One Less", "Happy Days", "Hero", "House of Flying Daggers", "Three Guns", "Hawthorn Tree Love" and "Jinling Thirteen Beauties". The global copyright fee is enough to last the rest of my life.”

Li Mu laughed and said that these copyrights are not in the hands of Zhang Yimou, but are new pictures.

"These are all small things. The movie can still be made in the future, mainly the actors who have signed a contract with New Picture. I have to talk to him." People like Zhou Dongyu, Ni Ni and others are not under Zhang Yi's name. If Zhang Weiping wants to keep it cold, the actor's The golden age may have been wasted.

Jinling.

The crew of "To Youth".

"Director Liu, I'm asking for leave." Tong Liya said embarrassedly.

"Oh, you told me two days ago that you were going to participate in Charity Bazaar, right?"

Liu Yifei smiled and said, "It's okay, go ahead and shoot other scenes first."

Tong Liya was very happy.

"She is attending an event with her lover."

Shu Chang looked at Tong Liya's leaving expression and roughly guessed it.

These days, the relationship between Tong Liya and Chen Sicheng is very hot.

Everyone inside and outside the circle already knows everything.

"You're not going this time?" Shu Chang asked rhetorically. Logically speaking, Charity Harper's Bazaar would not let Li Mu and Liu Yifei go.

"I don't want to go. I just have a reason."

"Then I'll go shopping tonight. I've checked out all the places that sell antiques. I'll see if I can find anything this time."

Shu Chang said enthusiastically.

"Come on, don't be fooled."

Shu Chang said confidently: "That's definitely not the case. I don't know what I think. You can also choose a gift for Li Mu. It's the best of both worlds."

"He doesn't like those things."

"This is my intention, you are so stupid."

"."

Li Mu didn’t know what the discussion between Zhang Yi and Zhang Weiping was like, but Zhang Weiping, president of New Picture Pictures, said in an interview with the media on September 9

"Zhang Yimou Studio is an illegal company, and the managers who manage these artists have no qualifications."

Another lawyer's statement was issued directly.

The statement emphasized that its contracted actors cannot carry out performing arts activities without the consent of the company, and seemed to warn its artists to "behave themselves".

Zhang Yimou was not to be outdone. Pu Lun first stated that he was the actual manager of artists such as Zhou Dongyu and Ni Ni.

When it comes to the name Pu Lun, many people may not be familiar with it.

She has been filming movies with Zhang Yimou since 2003, and has served as an assistant director in Zhang Yimou's films. She can be said to be Zhang Yimou's right-hand man.

In addition to selecting actors and busy with filming, in recent years, Pu Lun has also taken over the management of artists under New Picture Pictures such as Zhou Dongyu and Ni Ni.

When facing the media, she has always regarded herself as the agent of these artists.

The conflict between the two became acute again, and neither one accepted the other.

At this time, the crew of "A Feast for the King" is preparing to fly to Toronto to build momentum for the world premiere of "A Feast for the King". The film has been shortlisted for the special screening section of the 37th Toronto International Film Festival.

Lu Xun was preparing to make a big announcement and even gave an interview at the airport.

"Director Lu, why wasn't "The King's Feast" cast in Venice?"

The reporters were very excited. Venice has its own judges and already pays more attention to domestic films. It is easier to be selected if you vote for Venice.

Moreover, most domestic filmmakers will not participate in the Toronto International Film Festival. It just so happens that these two film festivals are so close. If you don’t choose Venice, you must be thinking carefully.

Besides, it’s not like reporters don’t know what happened between Li Mu and Lu Xun.

Qin Lan stood aside and broke into a cold sweat because of Lu Xun. This reporter's question was really tricky.

"The post-production of "The King's Feast" has gone through a long period of polishing. It happened to miss Venice and had to be filmed in Toronto."

Lu Xun found a reason to justify moving his movie schedule to the Lunar New Year slot.

The reporters were very dissatisfied. This was obviously a cliché and they dared not say it clearly.

"So, are you confident that "The King's Feast" can compete with "1942" at the box office?"

Lu Xun wanted to scold him after hearing this. The reporters asked him questions one after another, trying to trick him no matter what.

"I believe that "The King's Feast" will not be bad at the box office."

After Lu Xun finished speaking, he quickly led the crew to get rid of these reporters. He wanted to show off, but he didn't expect that each of these reporters' questions was more tricky than the last.

The time has come to September 9th, and the ten-day Venice has also come to its closing ceremony.

The red carpet at the closing ceremony was much grander than the opening ceremony.

Filmmakers are waiting for tonight’s Venice feast.

The judges appeared first one by one.

"Lee, look here."

"Director Li, here."

When Li Mu appeared, reporters rushed to take pictures.

This is one of the hot spots in Venice this year, the youngest President of the Venice Jury.

All the stars appeared on the red carpet, and the actresses looked glamorous.

(End of this chapter)