Huayu started as a substitute director

Chapter 756 Loyalty to the Country
After Liu Yifei won the Oscar, her status was elevated to an unprecedented level, and she received continuous coverage from mainstream domestic internet media and official sources for several days.

The hype didn't subside for days; it remained at a very high level.

The hype continued until March 2nd, the day before "The Martian" was to be released.

On that very day, Fang Hong and Liu Tianxian held a celebration banquet at the Kunlun Hotel to celebrate winning an Oscar.

The Kunlun Hotel is also a hotel open to the public, usually used for government receptions and embassy-related activities. This time, it was specially opened to them for a celebration banquet.

"welcome!"

Liu Tianxian and Fang Hong greeted them one by one at the door.

This celebration banquet will be attended by many well-known celebrities in the entertainment industry. Andy Lau, Zhao Liying, Li Xuejian, and other actors from the film will naturally be present.

Top stars such as Li Bailian, Fan Xiaopang, Huang Xiaoming, Gong Li, Huang Bo, and Shen Teng will also be present.

Liu Tianxian's friends Zhang Liangying, Shu Chang, Tang Yan and others were also present. In addition, directors and producers from Hong Kong and mainland China, such as Wang Jin, Tsui Hark, Guo Fan, Chen Sicheng, Xu Guangtou and Han Jianu, were also present.

The big and small bosses of the film and television industry, including Wang, Yu Pangzi, Wang Changtian, Jiang Zhiqiang, and Chen Zhixi, were all present, as was Fu Ruoqing from China Film Group.

Whether there were past grudges or not, just being there was a sign of respect, and all the unpleasantness and grudges from the past vanished during the banquet.

Liu Tianxian is no longer someone anyone can mess with. Not to mention the principal, Liu Tianxian has gained the approval of higher-ups and acts as their "spokesperson."

Their privileges and treatment are unmatched by anyone else.

"This has really made us proud!" Zhang Hongsen was also surprised, not expecting such a pleasant surprise during his term.

He was surrounded by a group of leaders, including Deputy Director Meng Xianglin, Deputy Director Tong Gang of the General Administration, and representatives from the Ministry of Culture, which showed how much importance Liu Tianxian was attached to her.

"It's all thanks to the leaders' cultivation," Liu Tianxian said with a smile.

“You’re being modest. This is all thanks to your own hard work; it has nothing to do with us,” Zhang Hongsen said with a smile, looking at the people around him.

The others nodded in agreement and smiled.

"Thank you for the compliment, boss. Please come in!" Liu Tianxian gestured politely.

Upon entering the banquet hall, one finds a vast space with multiple dazzling giant crystal chandeliers on the ceiling, soft carpets underfoot, and large round tables arranged in a staggered and orderly fashion.

The banquet hall was bustling with people, but it wasn't noisy; it had a moderate level of reverberation.

When the leaders entered, the noise in the banquet hall decreased somewhat, as if they were somewhat reserved, since they were the ones in charge.

When they arrived at Fang Hong's table, Fang Hong was chatting with the two CEOs, Mr. Wang and Mr. Yu. When he saw the leader arrive, he stood up to greet him.

"Hello, leaders! Hello, leaders! Thank you for gracing us with your presence." Fang Hong shook hands with them all, as they were all acquaintances.

The two Wangs, along with Fatty Yu and Jiang Zhiqiang, were quite familiar with the leaders. They were all from the cultural circle and had a say in the film and television industry.

"You're welcome. This is all thanks to your own hard work. We've benefited from your good fortune," Zhang Hongsen said with a smile, also happy today.

The others just smiled in agreement.

Zhang Hongsen looked at the film and television executives and said, "Yutu has taken the lead over you and nurtured an Oscar-winning actress. You all need to work hard and not fall behind!"

"Of course, we will definitely try our best to catch up," Mr. Wang complimented.

That's just talk; who can keep up with the principal and the Jade Rabbit's pace? They're all being suppressed.

Unless the policy is relaxed to the point of being loosened, meaning the censorship is lifted, allowing them to film whatever they want without worry, which is impossible.

"Director Zhang, why don't you go up and say a few words?" Fang Hong gestured for the leader to go up on stage and say a few words.

Since we're already here, we might as well show off a little.

“That works too.” Zhang Hongsen walked onto the stage.

The other leaders sat alone at one of the main tables.

When Zhang Hongsen stepped onto the stage and stood in the center, everyone in the audience fell silent, and countless eyes turned to him.

"Today is a very special day. It is the only time that a Chinese person has won an Oscar in a competitive format and won the Best Actress Oscar. This is something that Chinese people should be proud of and that all film and television colleagues should strive to achieve."

As Zhang Hongsen finished speaking, enthusiastic applause spontaneously erupted from the audience.

Leaders always speak in a pleasant way, and their choice of words is also very pleasing.

Hendrik Willem Van Loon's award wasn't a competition; it was a recognition of his decades of achievements and contributions to film, unlike Liu Yifei's.

"Liu Tianxian is a hardworking person with a tenacious spirit. This spirit is not innate, but a quality that she has developed through repeated setbacks, falling down and getting up again and again."

She never chose to give up, never chose to abandon herself, and strived to be the person she wanted to be and become. This is something we should all learn from. Zhang Hongsen spoke with great passion.

Applause erupted again; the leader, when praising someone, seemed oblivious to any sense of restraint.

Some people are already saying that Liu Yifei bought her Oscar, that the principal bought it for her.

Liu Tianxian's face flushed with embarrassment at the compliment, and she glanced at Fang Hong.

Fang Hong smiled gently and put his arm around her shoulder.

"Chinese films need to go global and become international, so that the world can get to know us. We can't just have one Liu Yifei and one Hendrik Willem Van Loon; we need more Liu Yifei and Hendrik Willem Van Loon. So please everyone work hard."

"We must strive to bring more of our films to the world, strive to improve ourselves, and let audiences around the world know us," Zhang Hongsen said.

The audience erupted in applause again. Whatever they said, whether it was good or bad, the applause came first; the higher-ups had very high expectations of them.

Zhang Hongsen finished speaking and stepped down from the stage. Liu Tianxian then went on stage, and the camera moved high in the air, capturing the scene.

This celebration banquet was not broadcast live, nor was it sold to any TV station; it was simply recorded as a memento.

"Thank you for your praise, Director Zhang. I am unworthy of it. I think everyone is an excellent individual, they just haven't encountered their own opportunity yet."

I am very grateful to everyone for coming to my celebration banquet today. Seeing your familiar faces makes me feel very gratified and excited.

I don't have much to say, just please enjoy the food and drinks! Don't be shy or reserved, just treat each other like good friends.

After speaking, Liu Tianxian stepped off the stage, took a glass of wine, raised it high, and then tilted her head back to drink it all in one gulp.

"Oh ho!" The crowd immediately erupted in cheers.

One by one, they stood up, raised their glasses, and toasted Liu Tianxian in the air, instantly making the scene lively. They didn't care whether the leaders were present or not; the leaders were there to eat and have fun.

Laughter and cheers filled the air as guests clinked glasses and offered their congratulations.

"Congratulations, Fairy! You won the Oscar for Best Actress! Don't forget me when you become rich and powerful!" Deng Chao joked.

Liu Tianxian laughed loudly, patted his shoulder, and raised her wine glass to clink with his.

Then Huang Xiaoming said, "Congratulations, your dream has finally come true."

"Thank you, you will too." Liu Tianxian nodded.

Afterwards, Andy Lau, Zhao Liying, Huang Bo, and others came over to congratulate her.

Even as everyone came to toast her, Liu Tianxian didn't get drunk. She even drank a few more cups with her friends and the leaders, mainly because she was happy and it was a lively occasion.

"Smoke rises, the land stretches northward, dragon banners unfurl, horses neigh, swords flash like frost, my heart is as vast as the Yellow River, for twenty years I have traversed the land, who can stand against me?"

The banquet hall was brightly lit, and Fang Hong took to the stage to sing, with the huge LED screen displaying the music video for "Serving the Country with Utmost Loyalty".

Zhang Hongsen leaned close to Tong Gang's ear and said, "This singing is wonderful!"

"It just doesn't sound good," Tong Gang laughed.

"It sounds good. As long as someone can sing and dares to sing, it sounds good," said the head of the Literature Department.

“That’s right.” The others nodded.

Upon hearing the song, all the celebrities present stood up in unison, some clapping, some singing along, though their lips barely moved.

"Hate runs wild, the long blade points, how many loyal brothers and sisters are buried in foreign lands, what is a hundred deaths for the country, I cannot bear to say a word, tears of blood fill my eyes."

Liu Tianxian got excited, took a bunch of pink tulips and went on stage, handed the flowers to Fang Hong, and then gave him a kiss on the cheek.

Fang Hong also kissed her on the cheek.

"Wow! Wow!" The people present exclaimed in surprise and burst into laughter.

On stage, the two stood shoulder to shoulder, head to head, singing together in a loud voice: "Horses gallop south, people look north; people look north, grass turns green and yellow, dust flies; I am willing to defend our land and expand our territory, a glorious China will have all directions come to congratulate us."

The two voices combined are quite powerful, mainly because one person shouts while the other, although having a soft, childlike voice, has some singing skills.

"woooooo"

"clap clap"

Cheers and applause filled the banquet hall.

After the two finished singing, they left the stage amidst cheers and jeers. Zhang Liangying then went on stage to sing "Rain Butterfly" to add to the festivities.

The banquet was lively and joyous, mainly for fun, with no other concerns.

The banquet lasted until late at night, and reporters were staking out the entrance of the Kunlun Hotel, resulting in a series of news reports appearing online.

"Zhang Liangying's drunken state steals the spotlight; she's unsteady on her feet and needs staff to help her!"

"Chen Xiao's drunken photos exposed!"

"Li Bailian was photographed drunk, in a highly agitated state, asking her assistant to light her cigarette, and staggering as she was stuffed into a train carriage!"

Several celebrities were photographed, but most of them simply checked into nearby hotels and waited until they sobered up the next day before going out to avoid being photographed and causing a lot of trouble.

This celebration banquet can be seen as a vindication of Liu Yifei, affirming her status and influence in the entertainment industry.

On March 3, The Martian was released simultaneously in 68 countries and regions around the world.

Thanks to the influence of the Oscars and the bombardment of two hundred million US dollars, this film had already gained global recognition and been widely publicized.

After all, Liu Yifei's personal hype alone cost 1 million US dollars. Whether it's the movie or her personal life, she has become a global sensation, with posters and promotional materials everywhere.

The Martian opened simultaneously in 3831 theaters across North America, grossing $1850 million on its opening day and $5460 million over the three-day weekend, ranking second at the box office that week.

It still didn't surpass "Logan," superhero IP movies are indeed amazing.

However, The Martian received excellent audience reviews, earning an A CinemaScore, and its momentum is strong.

In other parts of the world, it grossed $45.2 million over the weekend, bringing its international total to $99.8 million, just shy of $100 million.

(End of this chapter)