The Best Actor in the Vase of Meiyu

Chapter 2087 Insightful Views
Gus van Sant appeared quite pleased with himself.

He doesn't mind, really.

This isn't being stubborn or evasive; it's the absolute truth.

For him, filmmaking has always been a process of exploring both film and himself. Starting a few years ago, filmmaking has become a pure form of self-exploration.

"Gary," "The Elephant," and "The Last Days" are actually all connected. He doesn't pursue box office success, awards, or even artistic value; it's purely an adventure.

Therefore, the production costs of these films are generally not high, ranging from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars, which is even less than the salary of a TV actor for one episode. With Gus's connections and reputation, it would not be a problem for him to attract this amount of investment in the industry, and he can freely explore.

"The Elephant" wins the Palme d'Or?

It was a complete surprise. Although he was happy, after a brief moment of joy, Gus returned to reality and began to get back on his feet.

"The Last Days" has been nominated for the Cannes main competition again?

It was an unexpected bonus. He didn't have any expectations; he just hoped to meet some like-minded film fans and discuss the movie, and that would be enough for him.

Anyway, for Gus, his life and career have far exceeded expectations. He has experienced a wonderful journey and does not want to ask for more.

Faced with the lackluster atmosphere in the press conference room, Guss was neither disappointed nor regretful; to some extent, everything was within his expectations.

It's a pity about Michael Pitt.

This young man is an actor with ideas and determination, unlike Matt Damon and Casey Affleck in "Gary," and unlike the all-amateur cast in "The Elephant"—Anson was an unexpected surprise, and Michael Pitt's willingness to star in "The Last Days" must have been based on high expectations.

However, judging from the current situation, we are likely to be disappointed.

A torrent of thoughts surged through Gus's mind. He reminded himself not to get distracted. It was one thing for the reporters to be absent-minded, but it would be unacceptable for the director to be daydreaming as well.

Slightly regaining his senses, Gus heard the next question.

"Director, I'd like to ask if this film can be understood as a continuation of 'Gary' and 'The Elephant,' not just in terms of visual style, but also on a spiritual level, as an exploration of death?"

Gus's mind lit up slightly.

This was an interesting question. Gus raised his eyes, walked through the crowd, looked in the direction of the voice, and then saw that figure standing straight and tall.

A smile crept onto his lips. "Oh, why do you think so? What clue gave you such an inspiration?"

The press conference room was still somewhat dull. One by one, the reporters noticed the slight movement and sat up straight, turning their heads to look for the reporter.

The reporter made no attempt to conceal his presence, standing confidently in a light green hoodie paired with dark blue shorts—a typical retro color scheme from the 1980s. The vibrant and bright colors, however, exuded an elegant and classic charm amidst the clash of bright reds and purples. He wore a fisherman's hat, which added a touch of the comical.

But true journalists know the necessity of a bucket hat; if they don't want their cheeks to get sunburned under the scorching sun of the French Riviera, a bucket hat is their best friend.

This...this person is...

“Sound,” he said.

"The sound effects in this film are very special. In those long takes, it's frighteningly calm. Following his muttering and whispering, the silent noise in his brain affects us in front of the big screen in a strange way. The surrounding noise reaches an aesthetic height, forming a wonderful intertextuality."

"The director always keeps the camera at eye level with the characters, using the most unique shots to capture the darkest parts of their emotions. The key is those voices that others cannot hear."

“Sound played an important role in the previous ‘Elephant’ film, and it’s taken a step further this time. Can we interpret this as a continuation of that exploration?”

clap clap clap!
The applause came from Gus.

Alone, only Guts was clapping, but he clearly didn't mind; a smile spread across his face, blooming completely. "As expected of Anson Wood, noticing this detail," Guts laughed happily. "Indeed, this is an attempt."

"The film was inspired by Nirvana's lead singer, Kurt Cobain. I've always tried to imagine the struggle in endless darkness on the road from life to death. To outsiders, what we can't see or hear is as if it doesn't exist, but it does, right?"

"I'm trying, though I'm not sure if I've caught it."

The reporter in front of him flashed a big smile. "We should leave the judgment to the audience. Personally, I think this is the director's most auteur-driven work. Could the director share with us how the shots and sound are constructed?"

Buzz, buzz buzz buzz!
The press conference room was filled with noise and astonishment.

Finally, it could no longer be contained and began to boil over—

Anson!

That reporter was Anson, but Anson asked a question that made all film journalists feel ashamed and successfully brought the press conference back to life.

This is Cannes, not some random amateur film screening!

Although Anson has been seen in every corner of Cannes these past few days, this is the first time he has appeared at a press conference as a reporter.

And...and more!

Kurt Cobain! Gus had never mentioned this before, but the film was inspired by the Nirvana frontman.

In fact, in the movie, the protagonist played by Michael Pitt is named Blake.

God, who would have thought that Blake was Kurt Cobain?

Damn it!

Michael Pitt, who had been sitting there in a daze, finally noticed the commotion and looked up.

That one glance was enough to nearly stop my heart from beating: "Anson Wood!"

In an instant, the press conference room erupted in excitement.

Gus spread his hands. "It seems people aren't curious about this question."

Anson: "No, I'm just curious. Director, please answer my question, okay?"

“Ha.” Gus couldn’t help but laugh out loud, and then explained to Anson in detail, “Actually, the inspiration came from the filming of ‘The Elephant’…”

blah blah blah.

Gus himself seemed to thoroughly enjoy the long, dry technical explanation. When he finished and the host announced the next question, the entire audience's arms shot up in unison, like a forest of birch trees.

Gus peered through the trees, his gentle gaze carrying a hint of mockery, clearly saying: Let's guess, is it related to you?
Sure enough, "Director, could you please tell me why Anson wasn't cast in 'The Last Days'?"

Gus smiled, a smirk playing on his lips. "The person involved is right here. Aren't you going to ask them anything?"

The next second, Anson truly experienced the effect of an artificial spotlight, with all eyes focused on him, the effect being no less than that of a real spotlight.

When "The Last Days" started filming, the fact that Anson was not chosen sparked some discussion at the time, but because the film project itself had too little attention, it was quickly swallowed up by news traffic and no one mentioned it anymore.

With "The Last Days" making its debut in the main competition at Cannes, directly competing with "Singing Along," many industry insiders are eagerly awaiting the exciting show.

But even the bystanders didn't expect that they would actually have the opportunity to confront each other!
wonderful!
(End of this chapter)