Huayu: Director started with art films

Chapter 120 [Children are talking nonsense, and a war of public opinion is about to begin]

Xi'an Film Studio.

Looking at the monthly magazine "Popular Movies" in his hand, Chen Kai threw the magazine to the ground in frustration: "What leader? Is he qualified? I am the leader of domestic directors. When I won the Silver Leopard Award, this kid was still in junior high school!"

"What's wrong? Who made you angry again?"

Ni Ping, who was washing clothes outside, heard the noise in the house and walked in.

Seeing the magazine thrown on the ground, Ni Ping subconsciously walked over to pick it up, glanced at it casually, and couldn't help laughing: "Brother Kai, you are so old, why are you still arguing with a child?"

"That's why the review from Popular Movies is so unacceptable! It's too lax. After all, it's the top film magazine in the country, but the content of the article is so fabricated and unfounded!"

Brother Chen Kai was furious. He couldn't tolerate two people shitting and pissing on his head. The first one was Zhang Yimou, who was his photographer in the crew, and the other one was Li Yishu, who won the Golden Lion Award at the age of 21.

The former was because he was unhappy about the counterattack of Zhang Yimou, a loser who used to help him, and the latter was purely out of jealousy.

"Okay, don't be so angry. Look, you won the Silver Leopard Award at the Locarno International Film Festival in 84 with Yellow Earth, and also won the Tran Cup Director Award at the Edinburgh International Film Festival and the Grand Jury Award at the Montreal International Film Festival..."

"Later, the film King of Children was shortlisted for the Cannes International Film Festival, which is an honor that no Chinese in the world has ever received. And isn't your film Tree aimed at the Cannes Film Festival next May? You will definitely win the Palme d'Or this time."

Ni Ping coaxed Brother Chen Kai like she was coaxing a child, and when she saw the smug look on his face after being flattered, she smiled and said, "Brother Kai, I'll make you whatever you want to eat tonight."

"Just prepare a few dishes, and Chen Daoming and Gu Chang will come to my place to drink for them in the evening."

"Okay, I'll go buy some groceries now."

As Ni Ping spoke, she put the magazine on the table, then took out her wallet and basket, turned around and went out to the nearby vegetable market to buy vegetables.

Seeing Ni Ping closing the door and leaving, Brother Chen Kai's mood improved a lot.

On the one hand, he was comforted by Ni Ping. After all, she was a professional host and was very good at speaking and taking care of people's emotions. On the other hand, it was also an outburst of Chen Kai's machismo.

Ni Ping, the beautiful CCTV host who others desire but cannot get, the goddess who countless people are fascinated by, still has to work for her brother, director Chen Kai, in the end. He has to do the laundry, buy groceries and cook for her, and even have to find all kinds of ways to coax her.

So proud and satisfied!

"No, I have to write a letter to complain!"

But psychological satisfaction still couldn't vent Chen Kai's inner anger. He glanced at the "Popular Movies" magazine, gritted his teeth, went into the room, took out paper and pen, and began to write a letter of complaint.

He was going to complain about Popular Movies' imprecise language, exaggeration, and long-winded talk, and even the fact that it wrote some sensational and false content.

That’s right, Brother Chen Kai would never believe that Li Yishu’s movie could achieve a box office revenue of more than 1 million US dollars in Japan.

I don’t believe that the movie “That Mountain, That Man, That Dog” can cause a response in Japan.

As for CCTV's report on the old soldiers watching the movie in Taiwan...

Brother Chen Kai believes it, but he definitely does not think that this is the credit of "That Mountain" directed by Li Yishu. It is purely because it happened to be a special year.

Not long ago, in October, the two sides reached a verbal consensus in talks, which was later known as the 1992 Consensus.

It was precisely because of this consensus that Brother Chen Kai's slightly jealous heart was instantly relieved. What about breaking the box office record in Taiwan's decades of film history? To put it bluntly, it was an honor obtained with the blessing of politics.

For Chen Kaige, a great literary and artistic director, he is disdainful and will not use this method to break the so-called box office record.

"… I am deeply saddened… Popular films have had a good reputation for decades… But they are full of lies… They are like ants trying to shake a tree… They are ridiculous and have no self-esteem… People cannot be so shameless!"

An article in a casual and relaxed style.

After it was finished, Brother Chen Kai took a rough look at it. He was so passionate and touching in writing that it must have made the female editor Zhao Ni feel ashamed and regretful after reading it.

In fact.

It wasn't just Brother Chen Kai who felt angry after reading this report. There were also a bunch of older people who just wanted to rest on their laurels...

No, there are some people who don't even have a record of merit. Apart from relying on funding from the studios to make some self-entertainment movies within the system and having a little fame in the circle, they basically have no extra influence.

Seeing the high-profile evaluation of this young director by Popular Movies, it naturally attracted criticism from a group of old guys who judge success or failure by seniority. The first person to fire the gun was not Chen Kaige, who just wrote a letter to complain.

However, there was one person who was very dissatisfied with the high evaluation of Li Yishu by "Popular Movies" and felt that it hindered her own light. He was Teng Wenji, one of the many directors of Xi'an Film Studio.

Teng Wenji is somewhat famous in the current domestic film circle. In 83, he won the Best Director Award at the 88rd Golden Rooster Awards for "Symphony of Pots and Pans". In , he directed the mainland version of "The Chess King", which was shortlisted for the Venice International Film Festival.

Later, he filmed the musical film "Yellow River Ballad", which won the Best Director Award at the 14th Montreal International Film Festival in Canada.

He has won awards both at home and abroad, and as a veteran of the Xi'an Film Studio, he is naturally quite famous in the circle.

Like Chen Kai, Teng Wenji was naturally dissatisfied when he saw the magazine's high evaluation of Li Yishu. It happened that he was recently casting for his new movie "In That Faraway Place" and simply invited reporters from several film magazines.

Recruit a few girls for your movie who you can use as unspoken rules, and by the way, criticize Lee Ye-su, the young and ignorant new director!
A gossip entertainment reporter couldn't help but brighten up when he heard this: "Director Teng, are you saying that Director Li Yishu is not qualified to be a director?"

"That's right!"

Teng Wenji nodded, not caring at all about the excited looks of the reporters in front of him. With the mentality of a senior master, he began to give instructions:

"Some young people nowadays just shoot a few movies and think they are directors. I think they are still a little immature."

"You said you made hundreds of millions of dollars in box office abroad. You're just bragging without thinking. Let me tell you, the next movie I'm going to shoot is the romantic movie "In That Faraway Place"..."

He said a lot of things, but there were too many loopholes in his words.

Moreover, Li Yishu is a director who won the Golden Lion Award at the Venice Film Festival. You, Teng Wenji, are at best a shortlisted director. Why do you want to take advantage of others?

However, the three reporters would definitely not say such things. They all worked for some gossip and entertainment weekly magazines, so naturally they hoped that there would be as many shocking gimmicks as possible.

And the three of them have already thought of the title.

[Director Teng Wenji criticized Lee Yi-su for being unqualified! ]

[Young directors must learn to respect and be humble! ]

[Young directors must first learn morality before learning art. Director Teng is both virtuous and talented! ]

at this time.

A few days after arriving in Tokyo, Japan, Li Yishu, who was preparing to attend the film festival, suddenly received a cross-border call from Gong Li.

I learned that a director named Teng Wenji openly criticized him in magazines and newspapers, not only belittling him to nothing, but also positioning Li Yishu as someone who has talent but no morals.

What is this? He is disrespectful to his predecessors, clamoring that he is the leader of domestic film directors, and even boasting when he was interviewed. He is not humble enough and is young and frivolous...

"Teng Wenji..."

When hearing this name, the first thing that popped into Li Yishu's mind was not the other party's works, but the gossip about this person, and his son's "Magic City Cannon" which closed the door to domestic science fiction films!
"Yishu, this bastard really pissed me off. I've already contacted a few newspapers and will be interviewed tomorrow to help you scold him back. An old guy who made a few movies with no awards or box office and relied on staff to make a few movies actually dares to say that to you!"

Hearing Gong Li complaining about her injustice and even swearing, Li Yishu was moved and said with a smile, "Sister Gong Li, it's better for you to keep quiet about this matter."

"What do you mean? I'm your sister, how can I not help you curse back!"

"Haha, you can curse back, but just target him. Don't say anything like taking advantage of your age. I'll contact Emei Film Studio and Beijing Film Studio later!"

Li Yishu is abroad now, so it's not easy to scold her. Besides, there are still many people who take advantage of their seniority these days. Although no one knows why Teng Wenji suddenly caused trouble for her, Gong Li also said it was because of "Popular Movies".

So it seems that Editor-in-Chief Zhao Ni must have said a lot of good things about herself, and I guess it was a bit of an exaggeration.

I think the other party meant well, but I didn't expect that some old directors in the circle who usually looked kind and amiable would become so angry as if someone was strangling them when they saw these contents.

"Yes, we need to contact Emei Film Studio and Beijing Film Studio!"

Gong Li gritted her teeth and said angrily, "You are the child of an employee of Emei Film Studio, and you have collaborated with Beijing Film Studio on several films to help them make money. If you don't come out to speak for you, you are really a piece of shit."

(End of this chapter)