Full-time actor

Chapter 552 [117] I’ll be the one to open the Spring Festival season!

"I heard it's going to snow today?"

"is it?"

“Are they all credit card bills?”

"No, there's another letter!"

Liu Yifei took a stack of letters from the postman, took out a very different letter, and her plain expression suddenly froze.

The beautiful handwriting on it was a letter from her mother to him.

"I'm leaving!"

The postman smiled and spoke to Liu Yifei, but Liu Yifei seemed unaware and said calmly, "It's a letter from my mother!"

"..."

The scene suddenly returned to the house where Liu Yifei lived in the village.

The camera also froze on the two dishes and one soup on the table.

Steaming fragrant white rice, soup made from abalone, matsutake mushrooms and pork bones, bacon fried with dried bamboo shoots, and a simple portion of stir-fried shredded potatoes.

Dang Dang Dang~~
The super healing background music sounded, and the village with lush greenery and curling smoke was like a beautiful oil painting, unfolding again and appearing in front of every audience's eyes.

So beautiful, quiet and peaceful.

As the music became more cheerful, beautiful scenes of the countryside passed by, and Liu Yifei rode her bike happily on the country roads.

Director: Huo Jianqi
Starring: Liu Yifei

[To be continued]

clap clap clap!
When the subtitles popped up, the whole audience burst into unanimous applause.

“A beautiful movie!”

"After watching it, my heart felt cleansed and my restless mind was finally calmed down!"

"I want to go to China and try the food in the movies. It looks simple, but it's really appetizing!"

"Thumbs up!"

“It’s beautifully filmed, even more heartwarming than ‘Nuan’!”

"..."

Many audience members were talking about it, and Chen Yu was clapping his hands. He had to admire Huo Jianqi's use of film aesthetics. The colors and light and shadow of this movie surpassed those of the previous film "Little Forest". Every frame and every painting seemed like art.

As for Liu Yifei's performance, it can only be said that it is almost the same as Hashimoto Ai's, both of them appeared in their true colors without makeup.

The acting was good, but not outstanding.

But the movie is really well made, not in an aesthetic way, but in a realistic way; it shows the most authentic rural scenery in China, as poetic and picturesque as a painting, making people immersed in the countryside shown in the movie and unable to extricate themselves.

However, this "Village in Summer and Autumn" is only the first part, there is also another "Village in Winter and Spring"!
In fact, the editing of "Winter and Spring" has been completed, but Huo Jianqi is preparing to participate in next year's Dongying to maximize his profits.

It would be better to release one this year to test the waters, and then release a sequel if the effect is good.

Watching Liu Yifei talking on the stage, Chen Yu, who made a guest appearance, did not go on stage. Such occasions should give Liu Yifei some training. It was her first time to participate in a film festival premiere. Although she was a little nervous, she was very confident and composed.

Different from some of the later generations who glowed all over, Liu Yifei now seemed very sincere and humble, and presented her first premiere with a hearty smile and a humble attitude.

This will undoubtedly win the favor of many media, film critics and audiences present.

"Lao Huo's use of images has improved a lot!"

“I’ve seen the previous film ‘Nuan’ and the visuals were very powerful, but this film ‘Village’ gave me the feeling of returning to nature at the master level!”

"..."

Zhang Yimou served as the guest of the premiere and the chairman of the jury. Together with Huo Jianqi, a classmate of the same class, he was the first to stand up and express his opinion.

And it was spoken in Chinese, with someone responsible for translating.

There was applause from the audience again.

As the previous leading actor of "Nuan", Chen Yu obviously also had to make a few remarks.

This is the routine ending of the premiere.

It can be seen that Zhang Yimou still admires his classmate very much; he is also a master of aesthetics, but the beauty of the films he and Huo Jianqi shoot are expressed in two completely different ways; in fact, he admires Huo Jianqi more.

Huo Jianqi's language of camera is very simple, but the colors are able to touch people's hearts; on the other hand, Zhang Yimou's films are characterized by the shocking pictures and great tension; you think it is beautiful, right? In fact, the pictures captured by the camera look very gorgeous and grand.

One of them studied fine arts and was a master of picture editing techniques; the other studied photography and was particular about gorgeous and strong sense of lens.

So both "A One Man's Journey" and "The Village" seem to be art films, but the scenery captured by the former gives people a visual impact, while the latter is a delicate and leisurely scroll that unfolds, making people feel as if they are in the world of the movie.

In this regard, Zhang Yimou is indeed ashamed of himself.

There was nothing boastful about his review.

"Whoo~~~"

After the guests finished their comments and watched the audience leave one by one, even Liu Yifei, who had a big heart, couldn't help but let out a long sigh.

She was afraid of making any mistakes on the stage just now, but fortunately, her advance preparation and the knowledge she had accumulated from reading allowed her to answer fluently and naturally.

This is the Liu Yifei that Chen Yu knows. No matter whether it is the image of her in the past life or this life, they seem to have merged together, overlapping in Chen Yu's heart, and cannot be distinguished from each other.

"excellent!"

Chen Yu couldn't help but stand up, walked up to her and praised her.

Liu Yifei was wearing a knee-length dress. She covered her chest and smiled slightly, "Is it a sincere compliment or a false one?"

"Of course I really do. Are you so unconfident?"

"Who can be confident in front of you?"

Liu Yifei subconsciously took Chen Yu's hand and greeted Huo Jianqi. The two of them would be interviewed by many domestic media later.

The premiere of "The Village" was very successful, and the premiere of "The Two of Us" will be held in two days.

"Director Huo asked me to ask you, when will this movie be released?"

"Domestic?"

The two people smiled at the people who came up to greet them and chatted with each other.

"Asia, don't you want to release it simultaneously?"

"I want to, but the domestic schedule is very tight, and it can't collide with our film!"

"As for Japan, the sooner it's released, the better!"

"I see both China Film Group and Bona Film Group are here this time? Do you want to go ask?"

Liu Yifei was giving advice, pointing at Zhang Yimou who was chatting with Huo Jian before he stood up… Bona’s CEO Yu Dong was actually standing there too.

Before, she would not take these things to heart, because she did not need to worry about them, nor would she think about them; but she could feel that Chen Yu seemed to be intentional and would discuss some doubts about the movie with her.

For example, when it came to Tom Cruise’s acquisition, they didn’t ask her to participate in the matter and deal with the business difficulties, but instead sought her opinion.

He just wanted to hear his opinion on the matter.

This made Liu Yifei feel a kind of mutual respect.

Deep down in Chen Yu's heart, he hoped that Liu Yifei would get involved and play the role of a good wife.

"That's fine!" "I just happened to be watching "Escape Plan" and wanted to talk to Bona about it!"

China Film Group certainly cannot distribute it.

China Film Corporation would not break some domestic regulations and release the film during the Spring Festival; but Bona, the first private distributor in China, dared to make such an attempt.

This is the difference between private and public enterprises.

I don’t know whether it was intentional or unintentional, but as soon as I mentioned Cao Cao, he appeared.

Yu Dong, who was obviously not as fat as he was in later generations, suddenly walked up to Chen Yu and Liu Yifei and said, "Brother Yu, Yifei, hello!"

"Hello, Mr. Yu!"

Chen Yu shook hands with Yu Dong, and Liu Yifei also smiled at him.

"Are you free later?"

Yu Dong asked Chen Yu, and Chen Yu thought for a moment and said, "Maybe in the afternoon, I have a few interviews to attend later!"

"Ok, let's exchange contact information, and I'll find a good place to give you the information!"

The two exchanged contact information, Yu Dong nodded at them, and walked out of the cinema.

Chen Yu still knew a lot about the dark history of this "big boss" who would dominate the Chinese film distribution circle in the future; leaving aside his family company, this guy was indeed a very capable person; in 99, with only 30 in start-up capital and the relationship with China Film, he was able to eventually become the number one film group in China and even Asia. He was definitely not an ordinary person.

Of course, it was he who abandoned his virtuous wife who had helped him build the empire, kicked out his brothers and partners, and took sole control of Bona.

Although China Film Group is Yu Dong’s former employer, in fact, the people who really helped him were his wife and his father-in-law and mother-in-law.

After graduating from the Management Department of Beijing Film Academy, Yu Dong joined China Film Group and met his current wife, Zang Lilu. The Zang family is the actual person in charge of film distribution in Jiangsu Province; they hold the distribution power of all theaters in Jiangsu Province and are also familiar with the person in charge of distribution in Shanghai.

A typical Phoenix man rising to prominence, Yu Dong’s family has no background and is from the working class.

Relying on his current wife, he achieved class transition.

The house that Yu Dong currently lives in was bought by his wife with a loan.

But Yu Dong was still very bold and daring in film distribution. He initially released several low-cost films and earned his first pot of gold of 50 yuan by relying on his father-in-law's connections. Later, he began to distribute films by major domestic directors such as Chen Kaige.

Of course, what really made him famous was the profit-sharing distribution of "Legend of Tianmai", which pioneered the model of guaranteed profit-sharing. This was his first battle that made a sensation in the industry.

The second battle is to take over the distribution business of Hong Kong films in mainland China.

"Infernal Affairs 3", "Handsome Couples", and "Initial D" starring Chen Yu are all films released by Bona.

He even adopted a full-year package model for some Hong Kong companies' films, buying the other party's full-year film distribution rights before the films were even produced.

The reason why all the filmmakers in Hong Kong want to work with him is because this guy really gives a lot.

He is very generous and has wide distribution channels, so of course the smart people in Hong Kong are willing to cooperate with him.

Yu Dong's success in his career has also brought him into the attention of some people; early last year, he took a key step towards the field of film production: the Bona Company he led cooperated with Poly Huayi, and the two parties were reorganized into Didu Poly Bona!
So now Yu Dong has power and money, and has begun to plan film investments and theater chains.

His personal development life goal is to become the Jiang Zhiqiang of the mainland.

"Yu Dong is now the number one private distributor in China. Since China Film Group didn't come to us, cooperating with him is the best choice!"

"Since he came to me, he must want to cooperate with me!"

After finishing the interview with Sina, Chen Yu and Liu Yifei randomly found a Japanese restaurant and had lunch there.

"So are you going to give all the films to him?"

"Not necessarily. It depends on whether China Film or Huaxia Film Group will come to us for "Departures". Bona Film Group cannot compare with these two in terms of distribution channels. Bona Film Group is good at commercial films because it can take the opportunity to ask China Film Group for screenings. If art films do not perform well at the box office, it will not get them!"

“But since China Film Group is distributing the film directly, we can fill up the screening schedule!”

Chen Yu has studied the distribution of movies for a long time. The differences in time and screening schedules have a great impact on the final box office.

At certain times, such as the summer vacation and New Year's Day periods, only China Film Group can get it.

For some high-schedule films, only China Film and Huaxia can guarantee it; what Bona can do is what state-owned enterprises such as China Film and Huaxia cannot do, such as the opening of the Spring Festival period. China Film will definitely not set such a precedent.

Chen Yu talked to Liu Yifei for a while, and she began to understand a little.

"Okay, go to the hotel and rest. I'll go talk to Yu Dong!"

“Try to finalize the schedule!”

Chen Yu had already received the message from Yu Dong, who was in a izakaya nearby.

Of course, there was a reason why Dongying came here in person this time.

By taking over the distribution of some films from Dongying and expanding its business, Dongying is now the most influential company in Asia; and Chen Yu is someone he has always wanted to cooperate with.

However, many of the previous films were not invested by Chen Yu, or the investment was also in cooperation with others, such as Huayi and Media Asia!
Huayi has its own distribution channels.

The previous "Blind Well" and "Nuan" were art films, and Chen Yu did not have much box office appeal at the time, so Yu Dong certainly would not look for him.

But now, Chen Yu is different.

In Asia, he symbolizes box office; apparently he has also started making movies independently, so Yu Dong must want to reach a long-term cooperation with him.

"Brother Yu!"

At the door of a pub, Yu Dong waved towards Chen Yu enthusiastically.

In these days of publishing, everyone is fighting alone, just like Jiang Zhiqiang is so famous, but his company is so small; Bona now has only more than 20 people; and the person who is mainly responsible for negotiating business is Yu Dong in front of him.

When he first started the company, there were only five people, his brother, his wife, his sister-in-law and a friend.

A friend helped manage the company, and the other four people carried copies and traveled by train to cinemas all over the country to do business.

His wife is no exception.

But now that he has a daughter and his brother also has a child, he left the responsibility of running around the theaters to his subordinates, and Yu Dong personally took charge of negotiating cooperation.

This is very similar to Chen Yu.

For matters like this that determine the box office of a movie, Chen Yu still prefers to talk to the person in charge of the other party in person; Chen Yu had not expected to meet Yu Dong at Dongying, but it was a good opportunity to finalize everything.

"Brother Yu, you should know why I'm here!"

"Yuxin Pictures has produced quite a few movies this year..."

Before coming, Yu Dong had obviously done some research; if we were to say which film company is currently the best in the country, it would have to be Yuxin Pictures.

Whether it's investment, filming, or winning awards, it seems that the movie has never lost money.

This year, there are more than a dozen movies coming out; plus everyone knows that the boss behind this film company is Chen Yu, which makes this company even more famous.

"Mr. Yu, if you help me accomplish one thing, I will agree to cooperate with you!"

Chen Yu’s directness still made Yu Dong a little stunned.

But he was also a person who was quite direct in conversation: "What's the matter?"

"Can you guarantee that cinemas across the country will be open during this Spring Festival?"

Chen Yu smiled and said nothing more.

Yu Dong was a little embarrassed now: "This... is not my business!"

"You can manage it!"

Chen Yu had already thought of something for him: "You should know the heads of the 36 cinema chains across the country, right?"

(End of this chapter)