A widower's entertainment

As Lin Zhaomei's first film, and one that won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival, Huayi Film & Television Company naturally held a grand celebration ceremony for the film, which also served as its premiere.

It's fair to say that many big names in the entertainment industry have come.

Leslie Cheung, Jiang Wen, Zhang Guoli, Pan Hong, Lü Xiaohe, Li Xuejian, Liu Xiaoqing, Chen Daoming, Chen Aige, Hou Xiaoxian, Tian Zhuangzhuang, Li Shaohong, Zhang Yimou, Zheng Xiaolong...

With these veteran actors present, it goes without saying that young actors like Zhou Xun, Tao Hong, Jiang Wenli, Yu Feihong, Duan Long, and Chen Jianbin also attended the premiere of Lin Zhaomei's "Our Millionaire".

Besides the entertainment industry, many people from the literary world also attended, such as Yu Hua, Zha Haisheng, Wang Xiaobo and his wife, Xu Huazhou, the editor-in-chief of People's Literature magazine, Zhang Wei, and some people from publishing houses and magazines.

These people were naturally all there for Lin Youcheng.

Actually, there are some people who couldn't attend because of work commitments; otherwise, people like Li An would have come too.

"Youcheng, congratulations! The younger generation is truly surpassing the older; your daughter is remarkable!"

Jiang Wen looked at Lin Youcheng with a smile. He admired Lin Zhaomei from the bottom of his heart. Regardless of luck, their film "Our Millionaire" won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival, which made him very impressed.

Although he had previously considered making "Our Millionaire," he felt that Lin Zhaomei was too young and might not be able to tell the story well.

The result was naturally not what he expected. The young female director, Lin Zhaomei, won the prestigious Palme d'Or, marking the pinnacle of her career right from the start.

Lin Youcheng smiled broadly upon hearing Jiang Wen's words. He was undoubtedly very proud of Lin Zhaomei, his daughter.

"Of course, she has always been excellent."

Lin Youcheng made no attempt to hide his joy and pride.

Looking at Lin Youcheng's pride and joy, Tian Zhuangzhuang felt that nothing else mattered. After all, Lin Zhaomei had won the Palme d'Or at the age of 21, which was historic. There might never be a director as young as Lin Zhaomei to win this award again.

It's safe to say that this award will likely remain in place for a very, very long time, and may never be broken.

In particular, Lin Zhaomei is also a female director.

"Zhao Mei is very talented, and more importantly, she has always worked very hard."

Tian Zhuangzhuang also knew that Lin Zhaomei was very talented. In addition to talent, she also worked hard. Lin Zhaomei was always very passionate about every shoot. Otherwise, she would not have been admitted to Yanjing Film Academy in advance. Moreover, she had gone to Li An's "Human Wonders" crew to learn.

Lin Youcheng smiled and nodded.

Lin Youcheng feels that no amount of praise for his daughter, Lin Zhaomei, is excessive, as it is all true.

Zhang Wei had read the amazing story of "Our Millionaire". At first, Zhang Wei thought that Lin Youcheng should write the story into a novel and publish it first, because the story was too amazing. However, Lin Youcheng refused, so that when Lin Zhaomei's movie was finally presented to the audience, it would be more fresh and impactful.

"Director Zhang, is the notebook that Youcheng wrote really that impressive?"

"Of course! If he wasn't good, how could he win such a prestigious international award? Besides, Lin Youcheng's scripts are all excellent. Didn't he just win another Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay?"

Before Zhang Wei could speak, someone else answered for him.

"That's true, how could a notebook written by Lin Youcheng be ordinary?"

Zhang Wei didn't say anything. He believed that if the film could win the Palme d'Or, then it must have been a very good film about Lin Youcheng's story. He was also looking forward to "Our Millionaire".

……

Naturally, people from Xinghua Hutong also came to watch the movie premiere.

The Lin Youcai family also came.

Of course, Lin Zhaoxi was also very sensible and did not think of causing trouble for Lin Zhaomei. He just quietly stood aside and prepared to watch the movie his sister was making.

Because Lin Zhaoman was about to take the college entrance examination, he did not go to the cinema to watch the movie and stayed at home to take care of his younger siblings.

Therefore, Lin Zhaoqing, Lin Zhaoxi, and their classmates were the only ones present, and Xie Shuhua also came.

"I never expected that Zhao Mei's movies would be released in theaters now."

"Yes!"

Lin Zhaoxi looked at Lin Zhaoqing and said with a smile, "Didn't you two act in the movie 'War Meridian' before? You were both actors back then, and now Zhaomei has become a director."

"Zhao Mei is still the best."

Lin Zhaoqing undoubtedly admired his younger sister greatly; he felt no jealousy, only admiration.

In truth, his older brother was far less capable than Lin Zhaomei. He lacked a clear and definite ideal and was quite ordinary, unlike Lin Zhaomei, who was a genius in filmmaking.

Lin Zhaoxi nodded; she had always thought Lin Zhaomei was very capable.

"You're all amazing!"

Lin Youcai, Lin Zhaomei's uncle, listened to Lin Zhaoqing and Lin Zhaoxi's words and couldn't help but smile and say, "You are both very capable."

Lin Zhaoxi felt a little embarrassed when he heard what his uncle Lin Youcai said, and smiled.

Zhou Chuanbai, who was standing next to Lin Zhaoxi, patted Lin Zhaoxi's hand and said in a low voice, "In my heart, you are the most amazing."

Regardless of who is the most talented, the most attention-grabbing figure in cinemas right now is still Lin Zhaomei, the director who achieved fame at a young age.

Many people from the film industry came to see the Palme d'Or-winning film directed by 21-year-old director Lin Zhaomei. They also watched the program "Millionaire Winner," witnessing Xu Qingshan's life and fate, the cruel sale of Bai Xuemei, the darkness of humanity beneath the mine, the death of Bus Route 44, Xu Qingshan's kindness, and the love between Xu Qingshan and Xiaoyu, and also...

That was amazing!
It was absolutely stunning! You could say that the audience was completely blown away by this movie.

It's worth noting that foreign audiences were also horrified after watching Lin Zhaomei's film. Now, domestic audiences are even more aware of these issues and understand them better. They truly understand why this film won the Palme d'Or.

Whether you're an ordinary viewer, someone in the literary world, or someone working in the entertainment industry, you know very well that this film is a scalpel that dissects the ills of society, piercing directly into everyone's heart.

The entire audience in the movie theater was utterly shocked!
The shock that penetrated to the bone was indescribable. Although the biting cold spread from the spine to the whole body, making everyone tremble uncontrollably, this trembling was only the beginning.

In the movie, Bai Xuemei suffers all kinds of humiliation and brutal beatings after being sold by the monster. The lives of people are openly priced and trampled on in the dark mine. Every scene constantly pushes the boundaries of morality, making the viewer feel cold and shudder.

How far can human evil sink to equate precious lives with money, committing such cruel acts of disregard for human life?

Before the chill had even faded, the selfishness deep within human nature was laid bare once again. Watching the indifferent passengers on the bus, each minding their own business, the audience's hearts were already churning with turmoil.

What is even more chilling is that in the end, none of the passengers survived. Only Xu Qingshan, who had witnessed all the darkness in the world but still held onto his original heart and retained his kindness, survived by sheer luck.

At that moment, everyone in the theater was stunned by the extreme reversal and shock, and they were unable to recover for a long time.

All the twists and turns and unexpected events erupted at the last moment, hitting everyone hard – no one expected that the female driver would make the extreme choice to perish together with the victims. This tragedy of the entire car being destroyed seemed to be unexpected, but upon closer inspection, it was actually an inevitable outcome that had been foreshadowed long ago.

The profound shock has not yet dissipated, and Xu Qingshan's story continues to resonate. Xiaoyu's chapter, on the other hand, is even more direct and sharp, tearing open the scars of class conflict between the rich and poor in real society without any concealment. It starkly presents the desperate situation of the lower class, who, under oppression, have no way out but to use knives as blades and fight with blood.

The knife that Xiaoyu gripped tightly in her hand had long transcended the tool itself, transforming into a silent roar of the underprivileged against injustice and oppression, a fierce resistance against the exploitation of those in power, and each swing carried with it a long-suppressed resentment.

The film's plot is fast-paced and engaging, with interconnected and logically closed storylines, and every suspenseful moment is answered precisely.

It was only at this point that the audience realized why Xu Qingshan fell silent when faced with the second question, "Which class leads the country?"

At this moment, the audience in front of the screen was equally speechless, unable to answer. This question, ostensibly a test for Xu Qingshan, was in reality a soul-searching inquiry into the lives of everyone present—is our country truly ruled by the working class?
Many film critics and literary workers are also very excited. They had actually heard rumors that the film was somewhat sensitive and should not be widely publicized, but now their hearts are pounding.

Some problems really should be seen, just like those dark news stories.

What makes the film even more moving is that, despite experiencing a dark and arduous life, witnessing the deepest evil of humanity and the cruelest poison of fate, Xu Qingshan still managed to preserve the purity and kindness in his heart.

He made the right choice on the last question, and finally he and Xiaoyu embraced tightly at the cinema entrance.

Was this ending a predetermined fate, or a calm acceptance of the answer he had already foreseen? This question lingers in the minds of every viewer, unable to dissipate for a long time.

The audience was still reeling from the shock of the film, their minds replaying its highlights, and they were filled with lingering emotions.

"This story is absolutely amazing! Every part is brilliant and completely exceeded my expectations!"

"It is indeed a masterpiece."

"Too good!"

The audience was left speechless with amazement. The film's impact was relentless, creating waves of emotion within them. They were particularly struck by the fact that the film's deeper meaning extended far beyond the plot itself. The stories, seemingly fictional narratives, possessed a palpable realism, as if they were snippets from real news reports, each containing intriguing metaphors.

The plight of trafficked women is a common occurrence in the news. The innocent souls buried in the dark mines are far more numerous than those of Xu Qingshan's father and the two villains who murdered for money. These are also cases that have appeared in the news, and they are even more cruel. There is also the tragedy of bus route 44. Even if it is not reported in the news, such humanity may have played out in reality.

As for Xiaoyu's defensive counterattack, similar scenarios can be found in reality.

This film seems to tell the legendary story of a person from the bottom of society striving to become a millionaire, but in fact it tells the story of the survival dilemma of every ordinary person. The more you think about it, the more intense the waves in the audience's heart become. Those details that were not noticed during the movie will now emerge, and they were all foreshadowing.

Undoubtedly, no one expected that this film would use a quiz show as a medium to connect Xu Qingshan's turbulent life. This narrative design is ingenious and leaves viewers in awe.

This is not just Xu Qingshan's story, but a reflection of the survival of the entire underprivileged.

Therefore, this is not a one-act play by Xu Qingshan, but a portrait of all ordinary people. In a reality of solidified class structure, it is an impossible dream for someone from the bottom class to cross class boundaries and become a millionaire.

Of course, the most important thing is that the protagonist, Xu Qingshan, always maintained a pure heart, love, and compassion in those dark environments. He had a kind heart and believed in miracles, beauty, love, and all other beautiful things. It is precisely because of this that the ending of the movie is so romantic and touching.

"Director Zhang, this movie is amazing! You should have had Youcheng publish it as a novel back then!"

"That's right, it's really amazing! No wonder!"

Listening to the people around him, Zhang Wei was equally shocked, because those words appeared on the screen, even more vivid and direct. He said, "It's the same now that movies are being released."

Not only were Zhang Wei and others shocked, but Lin Zhaoqing and Lin Zhaoxi also never expected that their sister Lin Zhaomei would create such a great work.

"Zhaoqing, your sister is amazing!"

Zhao Li excitedly grabbed Lin Zhaoqing's hand, her heart filled with shock.

Lin Zhaoqing nodded heavily in agreement.

Lin Zhaoxi never expected that the film Lin Zhaomei made in collaboration with her father, Lin Youcheng, would be so wonderful. No wonder the film won awards abroad. She felt a deep sense of pride and honor for Lin Zhaomei.

Amazing!
Yes, this is a truly remarkable film!
It's fair to say that everyone's heart was in turmoil, but at that moment they all clearly understood that this film, a blend of realistic darkness and romantic beauty, was truly brilliant.

The audience that has seen this wonderful and shocking film is far more than that, or rather, this storm of millionaires has only just begun.

Because the movie title contains two very important words—

我们!

This is our millionaire, and since it's our movie, it's naturally a movie everyone should see. (End of Chapter)