Extracting skills from movies

The Venice Film Festival is entering its final day, with the closing ceremony and awards presentation about to begin.

In the hotel room, Du Sheng, who had rushed back from London, was changing clothes.

He was dressed in a sharp suit, wearing a new Cartier watch on his left wrist and holding a Sony Ericsson phone in his right, looking like he was about to discuss business.

Ma Yaowei pushed the door open and came in, saying:
"The car arranged by Mercedes is already waiting for you downstairs."

Hadds, who also came all the way from Los Angeles, added:
"The French branch of the Eight Extremes Association has organized a group of people, all dressed in 'secret agent uniforms,' who are waiting for you on the red carpet."

Du Sheng nodded and offered a reminder:
"Don't forget to order McDonald's too."

Ma Yaowei smiled and nodded, knowing that this was only to be expected.

Hades said as he walked with him outside:
"I have already reached agreements with several advertising sponsors. If I win the Best Actor award, the total prize money and gifts will be no less than $800 million."

Du Sheng said generously:

"Just send the items to Los Angeles; the car, watch, phone—it's up to you."

Hades grinned from ear to ear upon hearing this:

"Then I won't be polite."

The group arrived in the lobby, where public relations manager James was already waiting.

Upon seeing Du Sheng, she gave him these instructions:
"Let's skip the red carpet last, don't linger."

Du Sheng was a little confused:

"why?"

James explains:
"Amid the global crisis, the organizing committee is going to great lengths to make money."
We sold too many red carpet tickets this year, all for 'carpet stars' who paid for seats. We don't need to help them get attention."

Du Sheng understood and then took the opportunity to say a few words about the position arrangements for the members of the Bajiquan Association.

James nodded:
"Then you can just go there directly. We can talk about the rest after the awards ceremony."

Du Sheng nodded in agreement.

After Mai Shaohui and Teresa came downstairs, the three of them took separate vehicles to the Del Cinema Palace.

Although the distance was not far, they still chose to take a car.

After all, the production team has a sponsorship agreement with Mercedes-Benz, so even a short film has to maintain a certain level of prestige.

Many film crews that didn't win awards didn't come to join the fun today, so there were actually more "carpet stars" on the closing ceremony's red carpet than at the opening ceremony.

As Du Sheng walked, he mentally estimated:
The film festival organizing committee estimates that it can earn several million euros just from red carpet tickets alone.

In addition to brand sponsorships, public relations fees, and transaction commissions...

The three major European film festivals have stood the test of time for so many years not only because of their art, but also because of their substantial financial support.

Liu Yifei was unable to attend due to filming in China, so only Du Sheng, Teresa, and Mai Shaohui walked the red carpet this time.

Compared to the high-profile and flamboyant opening ceremony, they moved very quickly this time, and only took a few photos in the media area.

When taking photos, Du Sheng held up his watch and phone, giving the sponsors plenty of face.

Then, he walked straight to the group of Bajiquan Association members dressed in 'secret agent outfits' and signed autographs and took photos with each of them.

"The Eight Extremes Association!"

"Triple-Actor!"

"Long live Du Sheng!"

A series of neat and loud shouts instantly reverberated throughout the entire seaside area.

Meanwhile, in the hotel room on the other side, Brad Pitt sat on the sofa, staring blankly at Du Sheng walking up the stairs on the television screen.

"It definitely steals the spotlight!"

Harvey Weinstein suddenly chuckled, his fat face jiggling.

Director Andrew Dominic, on the other hand, seemed calm:

"We've been outmaneuvered."

Harvey sighed:
"This was truly due to carelessness."

Andrew pointed to Du Sheng on the television screen:

"The other side has been keeping an eye on us."

Brad said:
“He didn’t know Benila at all, but he managed to get her into the Sheraton, making it seem like we were in cahoots.”

Harvey checked the time:
"Go back first."

He knew Brad was in a bad mood and offered a word of comfort:
"You can't keep winning the lottery forever, just win it back next time."

Brad stood up and said calmly:
"I've noted this down."

He wasn't the type to give up easily; sooner or later, he would settle all old scores with Du Sheng.

But now, he could only watch helplessly as his opponent walked onto the podium and became the most dazzling actor at this year's Venice Film Festival.

His film, "Assassination of the Gunman," became nothing more than a backdrop in this grand spectacle.

The awards ceremony officially began.

One guest after another took the stage to speak.

Du Sheng got the general answer from Zhang Yimou, but didn't pay much attention to it.

My mind is already racing, wondering if there will be seafood at tonight's celebration banquet.

Awards were presented one by one, from the Un Certain Regard section to the main competition section, with almost every film winning a maximum of one award.

The three major European film festivals are known for their "sharing the spoils" approach, even more so than the Oscars.

After Cate Blanchett accepted the Best Actress award, Charlize Theron walked from backstage onto the stage.

Without saying a word, the beautiful woman named Wu Fei unpacked the package, glanced at it twice, then scanned the entire room, finally settling on Du Sheng, a smirk playing on her lips.
"Best Actor – Du Sheng!"

Applause erupted instantly.

Du Sheng smiled, stood up, hugged Mai Shaohui and Teresa, and then high-fived several actors who reached out to him before walking onto the stage.

Charlize handed him the box containing the trophy, along with a certificate tied with red ribbon.

After Du Sheng took it, he gave her a light hug and teased her in a low voice:

"Theron, you truly are my benefactor."

Charlize also jokingly added:
"Congratulations, one of the three best actors in Europe."

Actually, there's still a long way to go, but given Du Sheng's momentum, it's only a matter of time.

After saying that, she stepped aside and let Du Sheng stand in the award-receiving position.

Du Sheng placed the trophy on the table in front of the microphone, with the glass side facing the audience:

"Thank you to the organizing committee and the judging panel for their recognition, and thank you to director Mai Shaohui and every member of the crew for their hard work..."

His acceptance speech was very sincere.

The thank-you notes were simple and straightforward, but no one who needed to be mentioned was left out.

After all, having won the Venice Film Festival Best Actor award, it's basic etiquette to say a few good words to the organizers.

After he finished speaking, he and Charlize walked backstage together, chatting as they went, in a relaxed and natural atmosphere.

As the newly crowned Best Actor, he was naturally the focus of the entire event.

The camera lens followed Du Sheng the whole time, and also captured a lot of footage of Charlize.

The two went backstage and greeted Cate Blanchett, who had just won the Best Actress award.

However, Du Sheng didn't rush to leave. He stood in a corner backstage and continued to watch the remaining major awards being announced.

As expected, Li An's "Lust, Caution" won the Golden Lion Award;

Frances's "Millet and Mullet" won the Special Jury Prize.

The Best Director award went to Eric Rohmer for "Romance".

When Catherine presented him with the award, a discordant sound arose in the room.

The relationship between the two was no secret, so this award naturally became a topic of discussion.

……

After the awards ceremony, the film festival organizing committee held a celebration as usual.

As this year's Best Actor winner, Du Sheng was naturally one of the brightest stars of the night.

The judges also came to offer their congratulations, including Catherine Breya, and the group raised their glasses and exchanged a few pleasantries.

A screenwriter from India also secretly revealed an inside story:
"The only person who opposed you in this Best Actor vote was our old brother from India."

Du Sheng just smiled after hearing this and didn't say anything.

After the judges left, Zhang Haolong stared at the Indian judge for a long time, then muttered to himself:
"Should I prepare a bottle of glycerin suppository for him?"

Hades was somewhat bewildered:

"Why are you giving him something?" Zhang Haolong grinned.
"I think the lubricating effect of glycerin suppositories is especially suitable for him!"

Hades gave an awkward smile and moved a few steps away.

Du Sheng smiled and waved his hand:

"Haolong, we've always won people over with virtue, so let's stop with this mess."

He paused and added:

"Isn't there a pet shop over at Golden Beach?"
I remember they sold crocodiles there; they'd be perfect for keeping as pets at home.

Zhang Haolong's eyes lit up:
"Oh my, this is even more suitable than cattle or horses!"

Hades shook his head and smiled wryly.

These Chinese people are polite on the surface, but they have a lot of ulterior motives.

The party continued amidst the lively atmosphere, and Du Sheng raised his champagne glass in response.

Most of the people present were European directors and actors, with an artistic style, so the chances of them collaborating in the future are almost zero.

But as a man who just won the Venice Film Festival Best Actor award, even without taking the initiative to speak to him, he is still a hot commodity in the eyes of some European directors.

After all, these days, whoever can bring in a triple-crown Best Actor with strong box office appeal will find it easier to secure investment and publicity.

Besides, the other party is a very wealthy person.

Nikita Mikhalkov was one of them.

The Russian director waved to Du Sheng from afar.
"Du! Congratulations on winning Best Actor!"

Du Sheng recognized the person and responded with a smile:

"Congratulations to you as well, 12 Angry Men won the Special Gold Lion Award."

Nikita clapped his hands and laughed as he walked over:
"Look, we were both shortlisted for the competition and both won awards. What a coincidence!"

As he spoke, he casually picked up a glass of wine from the waiter's tray and clinked it against Du Sheng's glass:
"Cheers to this special occasion!"

The two took a sip, then Nikita put down his glass and changed the subject:
"Speaking of cinematic art, would you be interested in joining a completely new project?"

A true journey for the soul!

Du Sheng knew immediately that the other party was about to start promoting their project.

He remembered that Nikita later made "Burnt by the Sun," but that was two years later.

He assumed the other person was referring to this particular book, and was somewhat interested.

Nikita's next words completely killed his interest:

"This new film is called 'The Mystery of the Stalker,' and it's a purely art film."

To increase its appeal, he even specifically mentioned a North American actress:
"Kirsten Toby will play the female lead."

Du Sheng had never heard of it and had no intention of specializing in art films. He pointed to Haders next to him:
"Hollywood has a rule that work matters must be discussed with an agent."

Upon hearing this, Nikita couldn't help but curse:

"This is utterly ignorant, backward, and xenophobic!"

But he didn't give up and continued to manipulate the emotions:

"Du, this film will bring you a breakthrough in both acting skills and spirit, and it will be an important part of your career."

If we can really get Du Sheng into the production team, then not only will the investment be no problem, but even the later distribution won't be an issue.

He became more and more excited as he spoke, his voice rising several decibels:

"Forget all those rules and regulations, let's collaborate in Europe and make a truly great film!"

Du Sheng didn't say anything more, but glanced at Hades.

Hades, who had been with him for two years, already understood the implication and immediately picked up the conversation:

"Director Nikita, we can talk about collaboration, but we need to clarify the terms first."

Before the other party could speak, he had already revealed his trump card:

"Du Sheng's bottom line for salary is $1500 million. If it's lower than that, we'll pass on him immediately."

Nikita panicked upon hearing this:

"This is an art film, how can you measure it with money?"

Haders calmly responded:
Even the greatest art needs funding to thrive.

Seeing the two start arguing, Du Sheng and Ma Yaowei silently took a few steps back, pretending they didn't exist.

Ma Yaowei said in a low voice:
"These people just want to ride on your fame without spending any money."

Du Sheng shrugged:

"I'm not interested in these 'celebrities,' so if we can't reach an agreement, that's it."

This is Venice, not Los Angeles, so he doesn't need to worry about the opinions of European film critics.

If European media dare to smear China, North American media will retaliate with repeated criticism.

As for the so-called "artistic dream"?
Sorry, he only believes in money and contracts.

.........

Meanwhile, domestically...

China's time is a full 7 hours ahead of Venice's.

Around 4 a.m., Liu, the editor of the City Entertainment Daily, was half asleep when the phone suddenly rang, waking him up from his dream.

"Who is it? Can't a person get some sleep?!"

He complained as he fumbled for his phone.

A familiar and excited voice came from the other end of the phone:
"it's me!"

Editor Liu instantly regained his senses:
"Editor-in-Chief Zheng?!"

Zheng Ziyan's tone was hurried on the phone:

"Breaking news! I need to get back to the news agency first!"

"Editor-in-chief, what serious incident has occurred?"

Editor Liu asked while getting dressed.

Du Sheng won the Best Actor award at the Venice Film Festival!

Editor Liu almost put his slippers on backwards:
"What?! Didn't he just win the Oscar and Cannes Best Actor award? And now there's another one?!"

He couldn't help but wonder to himself, "Is this guy God's godson?"
"Yes! It's Venice!"

Zheng Ziyan urged:

"Go to the newspaper office right now and put together an article based on the information you've received. It has to be on the front page today!"

Editor Liu knew immediately that things were serious.

Today's newspapers were printed two hours ago. If we add news now, it means that hundreds of thousands of newspapers will be wasted and need to be re-typeset and reprinted!
It wasn't just them; media outlets like Hong Kong Entertainment Weekly, Macau Daily, and Wan Chai Times, which sent people to Venice, were also in an uproar.

Several editors-in-chief were making phone calls, their eyes red, to request additional staff.
"Reprint it if you want! This news story is worth the price!"

"All the original content online has been changed. Today's headline must be about Du Sheng!"

.........

In Hong Kong, after getting up in the morning, Xu's mother went to knock on her daughter Tongtong's bedroom door as usual.

Then I washed up, turned on the TV, and watched the morning news.

A female host on Phoenix TV was reporting the weather forecast when the camera suddenly switched, and she excitedly announced:

"Urgent! Breaking news!"

According to the latest reports, Mr. Du Sheng, a famous Chinese actor, won the Best Actor award at the Venice Film Festival last night for his role in the film "The Man from Nowhere," beating out many talented actors from Europe and America!

This is the first Chinese actor in history to win the Venice Film Festival Best Actor award (excluding the Volpi Cup)!
He also became the first Asian actor to win both the Cannes and Venice Film Festival Best Actor awards!

......"

The camera cuts to Du Sheng holding the trophy high on the awards stage, with thunderous applause in the background.

When Tongtong saw that it really was Du Sheng, she jumped up on the spot, screaming and stomping her feet on the floor like she was dancing in a disco.

Xu's mother stared wide-eyed at the television, muttering to herself:
"Isn't that Du Sheng, the billionaire with a net worth of over 10 billion?!"

Tongtong was so excited that she kept shaking her mother's hand:

"Brother Sheng is amazing! He's the first in Asia to do so! He even broke the record!"

She didn't even eat, rushed back to her room to change her clothes, shouting as she changed:

"I'm going to school to tell my sisters this great news!"

…(End of this chapter)