The Best Actor in the Vase of Meiyu

Chapter 1310 Fans Gathering
Step, step, step——

The sound of high heels hitting the ground echoed in the corridor, a little hurriedly, until it reached the office door, where knocks took over. The knocks one after another further highlighted the inner anxiety and urgency.

"Come in!"

After finally getting permission, he pushed the door open with a jerk. Before the door was even completely opened, a voice calling out had already sounded.

"Ripley!"

"There's a queue outside. I mean, it's not the usual audience that comes to the cinema, but the queue for the preview of 'The Sun Is Shining'..."

Ripley Flor, who was sitting behind the desk, was stunned. She couldn't wrap her mind around it. As the cinema manager of Angelica Film Center, she didn't even know about this.

“Have we arranged for an on-site application?”

Lisa-Temple shook her head. “We don’t.”

Ripley was stunned.

Lisa, "After we closed the website application, those audiences refused to accept reality and thought about whether they could come to the film center in person to try their luck, but they didn't expect..."

There are more than one or two people who have the same idea.

Ripley had a headache. "You didn't tell them that they could watch the movie the next day. There was no need to rush to watch it the night before."

Lisa, “I said it.”

Ripley, "Didn't you tell them that we closed the online application because we were overwhelmed by the number of applicants?"

Lisa, "Believe me, I said it. But they said that since we are already overloaded, we might as well accept more applications. There is no need to set a cap. In the end, it's all a matter of luck in the lottery, unless we have already reserved the quota and are ready to operate behind the scenes."

Ripley just laughed, "What kind of perverse logic is this?"

Lisa shrugged. “Yes, I told them that it made no sense, but they didn’t listen. They said we should just keep the application open anyway.”

Ripley opened her mouth and was about to explain, but she found that she was powerless. The matter was not that simple and could not be explained in a few words.

"The Warmth of the Heart" chose to hold its preview at the Angelica Film Center, which is a recognition of the work and influence of the Angelica Film Center in the industry. Previously, the preview of "The Elephant" was a huge success here.

Ripley was particularly happy about this.

Taking into account Anson's popularity and the topicality of "The Light Inside", Ripley believed that after opening the official website for online applications, the number of applicants might easily exceed one thousand, or even two thousand, and the competition would be fierce.

Angelica Film Center focuses entirely on independent films and art films. They only have six screening halls in total, and there is no large screening hall. The largest venue can only accommodate more than 200 people.

In other words, if 2,000 people apply, the probability is ten to one.

In Ripley's opinion, the competition is already fierce enough.

So, what about reality?

Two hundred thousand!
It is not 2,000 or 20,000. In just one week, the number of applicants has surpassed 200,000 in an overwhelming manner and is still rising.

Ripley: ...

Even though she was experienced and knowledgeable, Ripley was frightened.

After "Elephant", they once again deeply felt Anson's appeal. If the preview of "Elephant" was crazy enough, then the grand occasion of "The Warmth of the Heart" was far beyond the scope of what words can describe.

Sure enough, the waves created by the band August 31st in these three months were even more exaggerated than expected.

But now?

Two hundred thousand people applying for two hundred spots? Ripley couldn't imagine it, so she issued a notice that the online application channel would be closed in a week to give the fanatical fans some buffer time.

In the end, the number of online applicants unexpectedly exceeded 300,000, and even the New York Times reported on it and paid close attention to the event.

And then, this scene appeared again?
If there is no online option, why not just apply offline?
So, what to do?
After a brief shock and impact, Ripley became uncontrollably excited.

The marketing of independent art films has always faced numerous challenges, and it is precisely because of this that the status of the Oscars has suddenly become prominent. Not to mention being nominated or even winning, even if it just makes it into the awards season frenzy, marketing can reap many benefits.

However, Oscar-winning films have their own set of artistic language styles. Outside of the Oscars, there are many other types of art films and independent films, and their marketing still faces many challenges and tests.

Works like "The Elephant" and "Eternal Love of Dreams" that deviate from the aesthetics of the award season can continue to receive such attention, boosting the vitality of the art film market.

This is a good thing, a very good thing.

The point is, how should they make the best of the current situation and create as many opportunities as possible for independent art films?

Not just the Angelica Film Center, but all independent films.

Ripley let out a long breath, with countless thoughts surging in her mind, which she couldn't sort out for a while. She looked at Lisa.

"Let's go out and check the situation first."

Lisa was not exaggerating. There was indeed a commotion in front of the Angelica Film Center, and the long queue had at least a hundred people in it.

Under normal circumstances, there are only a hundred people, which is nothing and not worth mentioning.

But now, with the number of online applicants having broken expectations for consecutive years, it is shocking that so many people are still coming to the Angelica Film Center to try their luck with the same idea.

Moreover, more and more people came in groups of three or four.

Obviously, they didn't understand what was going on. After talking and asking the people in the queue, one by one they joined the end of the line excitedly.

This scene made Ripley's blood boil——

How could a Charlie Kaufman movie have such an effect?

It's all because of Anson.

The academy's top brass were self-righteous and arrogant, refusing to give Anson recognition, labeling him as a mere figurehead and then refusing to change their prejudices.

But it doesn't matter, they are willing to welcome Anson with open arms.

They really should seize the opportunity.

Ripley looked at Lisa. "Tell them that we can accept their application, but the Film Center still chooses the online lottery method. We still need to discuss whether the current application method can be accepted and come up with a plan. If they don't mind, then accept the application. Otherwise, we can only hope that we will have a chance to meet again in the future."

Lisa nodded confusedly, "What about you?"

Ripley took a deep breath and looked at the enthusiastic team in front of her. "We should strive to create opportunities for these enthusiastic fans and let more people feel the charm of independent films. Movies are not limited to commercial popcorn and Oscar-season movies."

After saying that, Ripley clenched her fists, secretly cheered herself up, turned around and strode forward—

Why did she join the Angelica Film Center in the first place and why did she work in this job for so many years? Wasn't it all for a dream?

That passion is burning again. Although there are many difficulties ahead, it also represents infinite possibilities.

She liked the possibility.

(End of this chapter)