During my years at China Entertainment

Chapter 793 Public Rebellion and Plunging Prices: The Surprise Prepared by the 'Big' Sister!

Sometimes it must be admitted that major film and television festivals in China really like to pull off some outrageous stunts.

I still remember the Magnolia Awards last year, which caused quite a stir.

The wildly popular TV series "Parents' Love" received almost no awards and was ridiculed by Mei Ting for quite some time.

Unexpectedly, an even bigger scandal has emerged this year – the final judges publicly rebelled at the awards ceremony, criticizing the organizing committee!

Good heavens, this is the first time in China that this has ever happened before, it's practically history!

As for the cause of the matter, it's actually quite simple.

Li Xuejian, a top artist widely recognized online for delivering a peak performance in the TV series "Hey, Old Man!", was not nominated.

That's fine, at worst we'll be mocked for unfair nominations, and after a bit of a fuss, it'll all be over. After all, this kind of situation is not uncommon in China!

However, to everyone's dismay, on the day of the awards ceremony, the organizing committee unexpectedly arranged for a "Magnolia Outstanding Contribution Award" that had never been presented before to Mr. Li Xuejian.

This enraged Guo Jingyu, the award presenter and final judge, who launched a scathing attack that could not be stopped despite repeated interruptions from the host.

"I want to ask, if the preliminary nomination votes were not rigged, why are you burying your head in the sand like this? Is it to salvage the dignity of the organizing committee? Where does this leave us, the final judges?"
On behalf of the entire final judging committee, including the committee chair, I request the organizing committee to release the preliminary judges' ballots to clear up our doubts!
Otherwise, we have reason to question whether the Magnolia Awards are truly the most authoritative television drama award in China, or merely a tool that can be manipulated at will by certain individuals.

Because it was a live broadcast, the incident at the Magnolia Awards ceremony caused quite a stir.

After a night of fermentation, it had already dominated the headlines of major portal websites and trending topics on Weibo, but the organizing committee had not responded at all.

To be honest, aside from the matter concerning Mr. Li Xuejian, the winners of many of the major awards at this year's Magnolia Awards were quite remarkable.

For example, "Ordinary World" and "No War in Beiping" won the Best Director and Best TV Series Gold Awards respectively;

Best Actor: Chen Baoguo; Best Actress: Zhou Xun; Best Supporting Actor: Feng Yuanzhen; Best Supporting Actress: Qin Hailu.
Without exception, they were all the people's wish!
Unfortunately, this blunder has created a huge mess and even seriously damaged the authority and credibility of the Magnolia Awards. What can be done?

In the evening, the 18th Shanghai International Film Festival held its opening ceremony.

Compared to last year, this year's Shanghai Film Festival is much larger in scale, with a record 1808 films on display!
This also means that today's red carpet event is much grander, with more guests and film crews in attendance!
Sure enough, when Wei Jin arrived at the scene with Jing Tian, ​​who was dressed in her finest attire, they were surprised to find that the starlight was dazzling.

The cast includes Jackie Chan, Gong Li, Zhao Yanzi, Leung Ka-fai, Leung Cho-wai, Stephen Chow, Aaron Kwok, Zhang Ziyi, Li Bingbing, and Huang Xiaoming.
Many top international actors were also present, including Nicolas Cage, Jason Statham, and Sophie Marceau.

It's a pity Liu Yifei didn't come; otherwise, she could have chatted with this French beauty for a while, since they worked together on "Inception."

As for the directors, quite a few were present, including Zhang Yimou, Tian Zhuangzhuang, Feng Xiaogang, Hou Xiaoxian, Xu Guangtou, and Ning Hao.
Basically, 80% of the big stars in the domestic film and television industry are here.

While the red carpet was dazzling with stars, the entire opening ceremony was rather dull and uninteresting.

The opening ceremony film, "I Am Somebody," was particularly bad. Its mechanical, exaggerated, and absurd performances were completely unimmersive and made people laugh out loud!

"Is Derek Yee out of his mind? Are the actors really just ordinary people?" Ning Hao looked completely bewildered.

"Yeah, I heard it was a massive audition with thousands of applicants, and the final selection was made from 21 winning extras. But honestly, with that kind of acting skill... well, it'll only keep me an extra."

Wei Jin made a judgment about these main actors: very few of the extras could stand out.

Even if there are any, they wouldn't be the few from this show.

The atmosphere at the banquet that followed was quite pleasant, with many industry professionals exchanging information and resources.

But the most talked-about topic was the recently booming stock market, and almost everyone had a big smile on their face.

At this moment, Wang Zhonglei of Huayi Brothers, whose market value is about to break through 90 billion, is the center of attention in the industry and appears to be in high spirits.

Zhao Yanzi, who bought Ali shares at the beginning of the year and recently cashed out over a billion yuan at a high price, is also the subject of much praise.

Many people have even dubbed her the "female Buffett," and the fact that Zhao Yanzi tacitly accepted it makes it all the more ridiculous!

"Hey junior brother, you said Nuclear Power Pictures would resume trading, but why haven't we heard anything yet? I'm so worried!"

Seeing Ning Hao's expression as if he had missed out on hundreds of millions, Wei Jin couldn't help but laugh.

"Senior, are Hong Kong stocks and A-shares the same thing? They've only risen less than 10% in the last six months, you're missing out on this opportunity."

That being said, Wei Jin had to admit that the prosperity of the capital market could indeed make people restless.

Ning Hao wasn't the only one anxious; when he chatted with Guo Fan at the "Bad Genius" booth yesterday, he also inquired about this matter quite a bit.

On the contrary, Wei Jin himself was not in a hurry at all, and was even somewhat relieved.

After all, a large-scale avalanche is coming. Even though Hong Kong stocks are not closely related to the mainland, the losses will still be significant. It would be best to avoid it if possible.

As for why there had been no news for nearly three months, he did know something about it, because backdoor listings in Hong Kong stocks had become commonplace since last year.

This year, an entire industry chain has been formed, and Hong Kong regulators are tightening their grip, so it will probably take some more time.

However, at this point, Wei Jin remembered something and changed the subject.

"Senior brother, how's 'Mr. Donkey' coming along? It's been two or three months already, hasn't it?"

"The script is almost finished, and the storyboard is also quite simple. I estimate it will be ready by the end of this month or the beginning of next month."

"That works too. 'Fame and Fortune' will be released during the Lunar New Year season, so there's still plenty of time."

As he spoke, Wei Jin glanced in Wang Zhonglei's direction and saw Ye Ning and Zhou Xingxing, feeling somewhat uneasy.

"How did they end up together? Could it be..."

After the opening ceremony, Shanghai became incredibly lively, with various industry forums and film summits of all sizes every day, creating a vibrant and bustling atmosphere.

Ning Hao was having a blast, participating in one event after another, keeping himself incredibly busy.

No wonder, as a director with a billion-dollar box office, he is always a guest of honor wherever he goes, and is praised and flattered in all sorts of ways. Who wouldn't be confused by that?

However, Wei Jin was not interested in this. He would decline most events if he could, and only occasionally attend those that he could not avoid.

For example, the activities of the first "Jackie Chan Action Movie Week" section.

It has to be said that the big brother's influence is really huge. It's already the second day of the event, and there are still dozens or even hundreds of media people at the scene.

Moreover, to be able to co-organize an action film week with the film festival organizing committee and have it named after oneself, one must be the first person in China to do so.

Even in the history of international film festivals, this honor is quite rare!
This shows that no matter how much other kung fu emperors and superstars boast, Jackie Chan is still a Chinese icon in the action genre!

"Director Wei, why are you all alone? Where's Tian Tian?"

Having shaken off the reporters' attention, Jackie Chan, dressed in a traditional Chinese suit, walked over with a smile.

It must be admitted that Jackie Chan has really good emotional intelligence; he was completely unaware that Wei Jin didn't believe in the "Monk Comes Down the Mountain" story.

But she hasn't called me even once, clearly not wanting to waste the little friendship we have left. "She's busy promoting her movie. By the way, brother, please do me the honor of attending the premiere on the 18th."

In fact, invitations to the premiere of "Bad Genius" had already been sent out throughout the industry.

Wei Jin brought it up again because he was worried that with so many activities during the film festival, Jackie Chan might have been overlooked.

"no problem."

Jackie Chan readily agreed, then pointed to the banner that read "Action Film Week" and said, "Director Wei, speaking of which, your action films are quite good too."

I heard from Mr. Ren that you have a script about ancient warfare? Do you think there's a chance we could collaborate again?

"Brother, that movie will probably be in about two years. As for the role, it's hard to say right now."

"It's alright, just consider me first when the time comes. I'm really looking forward to working with you again; last time wasn't quite enough, hahaha."

After laughing, the older brother's face showed signs of fatigue. "Sigh, that's what I say, but I'm already 61 this year. I don't know if I'll still be able to fight in a couple of years."

"."

Wei Jin found it difficult to respond to this, because his elder brother had indeed aged considerably in the past six months due to the matter of the Crown Prince, and the wrinkles on his face could no longer be concealed.

Moreover, it is foreseeable that the eldest brother will not have an easy time in the future either, and will have to continue to pay off debts. Sigh!
During the half hour that Wei Jin was attending the "Jackie Chan Action Movie Week," the stock market crash I remember began.

Starting around 11 a.m. on the 15th and ending at the midday close, in less than half an hour, the A-shares market plunged by 2%, with all stocks turning green.

Although the overall market only fell by two percentage points, all listed companies in the film and television industry are currently listed on the ChiNext and the National Equities Exchange and Quotations (NEEQ), so they have suffered a heavy blow!

Among them, several companies with high market value, such as Huayi, Fiber Optics, and Huace, were hit the hardest, with their market value plummeting and losses ranging from several billion to nearly 10 billion yuan, which is terrifying!
Other listed companies with assets under 10 billion yuan, such as Huace, Meitao Entertainment, and Hairun, have also suffered significant losses.

Even so, Huayi maintained a very high standard during the afternoon corporate forum.

Wang Zhonglei even quoted the comments made by a "financial expert" at noon, saying that this was just a simple technical adjustment and was preparing for the market to break through 6,000 points!
Unfortunately, the reality check came quickly. The next day, the A-shares market still plummeted, with a drop of as much as 3.47%!

The situation was even worse for companies listed on the ChiNext and the National Equities Exchange and Quotations (NEEQ), with declines exceeding 4%, leaving the entire film and television industry in a state of utter despair.

In just two days, the theme of the Shanghai International Film Festival was passively changed from "film" to "stock market".

Even many foreign filmmakers are paying attention to this matter.

Meanwhile, the CEOs of major listed companies in Shanghai have all fallen silent, abandoning their usual arrogance and adopting a remarkably low-key demeanor.

Faced with the swarm of media, everyone's response was unusually unified: refuse all interviews!
"Is this crazy? We were just a hair's breadth away from breaking 100 billion, and then they pull this stunt? How long is this going to keep falling?"

Wang Zhonglei's face turned a terrifying green, just like Huayi's stock.

"Well, who knew it would turn out like this? But it's alright, those fiber optic companies aren't doing much better, at least we're still the industry leader."

Although he said comforting words, Wang Zhongjun's expression was not much better. After all, his net worth had evaporated by tens of billions in just two days. Who could withstand that?

"Brother, I think we could join Stephen Chow's project. With Ali's scale, leading the charge should be able to push the stock price up again."

“Okay, arrange another meeting with him, but you must make sure we are one of the main parties in control.”

"Okay, I'll do it right away."

Compared to the lamentations within the industry and the impatience of Huayi Brothers, Wei Jin was much more relaxed, even having time to enjoy a candlelight dinner with Yang Rong.

"Aren't you worried at all? I see Shanhe Cinemas' stock price has dropped quite a bit too."

In the dimly lit private room of the Western restaurant, Yang Rong swallowed a small piece of steak and asked with some curiosity.

She had no talent for financial management. Although she bought shares in Shanhe Cinema Line, she sold them at a high price after the lock-up period ended, making a fortune.

At this moment, he was incredibly relaxed and even had the leisure to concern himself with matters concerning the Wei and Jin dynasties.

"Let it fall, I'm not planning to sell my shares anyway, and compared to Sister Rong's birthday, none of this matters!"

Wei Jin put down the Western-style knife in his hand, looked at Sister Da Nai with deep affection, and spoke firmly.

In fact, a long time ago, he arranged for Xiang Wenlong to make a move, and those who could cash out had already quietly cashed out at high prices.

As for the portion that cannot be cashed out, it must be held long-term to ensure a controlling stake.

He even planned to thoroughly investigate the bottom at what he considered the lowest point.

But these flattering words made Yang Rong feel very happy, and a blush appeared on her fair face.

"You're quite considerate; you even remembered my lunar birthday."

At this point, Yang Rong picked up her wine glass, winked at Wei Jin with her big eyes, and said, "Thank you, you naughty little brother~"

Wei Jin stretched out his leg and, under the long tablecloth, stroked the black stockings on the beauty's leg, teasingly saying, "Good sister, is this how you express your gratitude?"

"Disgusting~"

Yang Rong gave Wei Jin a coquettish glare and bit her red lips. "My family has prepared a surprise for you, okay?"

"Oh? Then I'll have to examine it properly tonight."

More than half an hour later, Wei Jin and Yang Rong left the Western restaurant and arrived at the Cuihu Tiandi Grand Apartment with great anticipation.

As soon as the door opened, a deep and magnetic voice rang out, "Master, welcome home."

Wei Jin's eyes widened as he looked at Wan Qian, who was kneeling in front of him in a semi-transparent black maid outfit, helping him change his shoes.

He had expected a surprise involving some special prop or costume, but to his surprise, it turned out to be a lively and beautiful woman!
"How is it? Are you satisfied?"

Yang Rong blinked, her face full of arrogance, while Wan Qian kept her head down, completely devoted to her role.

"I'm satisfied, but Sister Rong, what brings you two together?"

"Isn't it all your fault, you heartless wretch? Tell me, how long has it been since you showed any affection for Qianqian?"

Hearing this, Wei Jin knew he was in the wrong. He put one arm around Yang Rong's slender waist and touched Wan Qian's cheek with the other.

"Sister Rong, Sister Qian, it's my fault. I'll make it up to you tonight."

As soon as she finished speaking, Wan Qian seemed to receive a command. Her small hands immediately began to caress Wei Jin, freeing him from his restraints and giving him boundless warmth.

"Hmm~"

(End of this chapter)