Huayu: Director started with art films

Chapter 27 [Film Critic, International Film Critics Week] Please read
After more than an hour, the movie ended.

Several people at the scene had already stood up and prepared to leave. Most of them were tourists or students and citizens from the surrounding areas of Venice.

It is a good deal to come here and watch a foreign film of a very different style at a very cheap price.

“It’s a good song, how come I’ve never heard of it before?”

Mike was thinking back to the movie he had just watched, and the song was what impressed him most.

Thomas responded, "Didn't you see the subtitles at the back? The director sang it, and he wrote it."

"Wow, it seems this director has a talent for music."

Mike raised his eyebrows. A music director from the East? Perhaps it would be a good hype gimmick.

Thomas asked in return, "How does the movie feel?"

"Not bad. It makes me want to go back to my hometown farm, where there are also vast green rice fields every spring."

As Mike spoke, he couldn't help but recall the happy times of his childhood in his hometown. The green rice fields were his favorite place to go during his childhood, simply because he could catch a lot of small animals from the rice fields.

“Yeah, I feel like I’m back in the fields too,” Thomas nodded.

The two of them suddenly looked at each other and smiled.

"It seems we are thinking the same thing!"

"Yeah, we can all think of our childhood through this movie, so others can think of it even more."

While the two were still talking, a gray-haired man who was sitting behind them couldn't help but interrupt and asked, "Are you the film distributor from North America?"

“Yes, you’re a film critic?”

Mike looked back and saw the other party holding a pen and paper, and he had a guess in his mind.

"Well, my name is David."

"My name is Mike."

"Mike, what do you think of this movie?"

"It's a qualified independent film. I think it has certain market value, but I'm not a professional film critic, so I can't see anything else."

Mike shrugged his shoulders simply. He had only one purpose in choosing movies, which was to make a big profit with a small investment. The lower the cost, the better, and it should have a certain audience.

This movie meets his needs very well, and you can tell from the film that the production cost is not high.

It is also a rare Chinese film in North America. On the surface, it is a story about a postman, but its core is about the relationship between father and son. It is also a very good rural theme.

Mike thinks this movie should have great market potential in North America.

Not to mention whether white people and black people can accept it, but at least Asians, especially Chinese living in Chinatown, should like such a rural-themed movie because it will remind them of their hometown.

Every country and every nation has homesickness, because in everyone's memory, there is always an extra filter for their hometown.

Even if you thought a place was very bad in the past, once you have been away from your hometown for many years, under the filter of sentiment, you will feel that it is the incomplete beauty of your hometown.

“This is more than just a decent independent film.”

David looked at the screen that had completely finished showing the movie, and said with a twinkling gaze, "I think I have to watch it again."

Ok?
Mike was surprised by David's evaluation. Although he didn't know him, most of the film critics who could come to the film festival were very capable.

How about watching it again? Mike and Thomas looked at each other and decided to watch it again completely and carefully.

"You want to see more?" Li Yishu looked at the three people in surprise. They had just come out of the exhibition hall, and now they wanted to buy tickets to see again?
"Yes!" David nodded. Looking at Li Yishu's youthful appearance, he couldn't help but ask, "Are you the lead actor in the film?"

Li Yishu smiled and said, "It's me, and I'm also the director of this movie."

"Wow!" Mike and Thomas were surprised. They didn't expect that such a good rural art film was shot by the young man in front of them.

David didn't expect that this young man was the director, and asked quickly:
"This movie is very well made. Can you tell me how you came up with the idea of ​​adding a foreign song to a movie about Chinese rural areas? And from the subtitles, it seems that you wrote and sang this song?"

"I'm sorry, I'm afraid I don't have much time right now. As you can see, I'm the only one here. I have to collect tickets, show the show, and clean the exhibition hall."

Li Yishu glanced at his watch. There were only about twenty minutes left before the next screening. He also had to go in and clean the exhibition hall to prevent the previous wave of viewers from leaving behind garbage and causing a bad experience for subsequent viewers.

"It's okay, I can wait for you, this is my business card." David took out his business card from his pocket.

Li Yishu took it and looked at it. His English was pretty good. He recognized the film critic behind him and asked in surprise, "Sir, are you a film critic?"

David nodded. "Yes, I'm a film critic for Italian Film Weekly. I like your movie very much. If possible, I hope to have a good chat with you about this movie after you finish your work today."

"No problem Mr. David, I'll probably finish around eight o'clock in the evening." Li Yishu's eyes lit up.

The Venice Film Festival usually lasts about a week from opening to closing.

If the other party is optimistic about your movie and writes a good review, regardless of whether it can influence the judges, it can at least influence the film producers.

in the afternoon.

"Director Zhang, President Qiu, welcome, welcome, please come in!"

When Li Yishu saw Zhang Yimou, Gong Li, Qiu Fusheng and others arriving, she immediately and warmly invited them into the exhibition hall.

Gong Li stayed at the end and apologized: "I wanted to come in the morning, but Director Zhang had to communicate with many film critics and film producers in the morning, so I had to postpone it to the afternoon."

Zhang Yimou is no unknown figure. He has won awards at the Berlin and Cannes Film Festivals, and was shortlisted for the Venice Film Festival this year. Naturally, this attracted a large number of film critics and major film producers to watch his films.

"It's okay, Sister Gong Li. I'm very grateful that Director Zhang can come today. I originally thought he would come tomorrow."

Li Yishu smiled. He really thought that Zhang Yimou and others would come tomorrow. After all, today was the first day, and they would definitely receive many foreign film producers and professional film critics.

"At first we were preparing for tomorrow, but I urged them to come in the afternoon."

Gong Li suddenly stopped and pointed at the foreigner in front of her and beside Zhang Yimou and said, "That's Abraham, the chairman of the Film Critics Week unit. This unit is sponsored by the Italian National Film Critics Union and is specially set up for directors who are directing feature films for the first time. It is also an independent unit outside of the Venice Film Festival..."

At this point, Gong Li whispered, "But I heard from President Qiu this morning that this unit can still affect the main competition unit, and Chairman Abraham is a friend of Chairman Randy, and they are both members of the Italian Film Critics Union."

"Director Zhang didn't tell you just now because he was afraid that you would be under too much psychological pressure."

Originally, Chairman Abraham had not thought about watching Lee Yi-su's movie so early. After all, there are many excellent works and well-known directors in the films nominated this time.

It was only after the screening in the morning that Gong Li learned the identity of this person. During the conversation, she took the initiative to mention another Chinese film on the shortlist and invited the other party to watch the movie together.

It would be very rude to refuse an invitation in person, so since we had to watch all the nominated films anyway, Chairman Abraham agreed to watch them together in the afternoon.

"I know."

Just as Li Yishu was about to say something.

"Ms. Gong Li!"

At this moment, a voice calling Gong Li suddenly came from behind.

She turned around and was surprised to see the person coming: "Ms. Xu, why are you here?"

Li Yishu glanced back and saw two middle-aged women walking towards him.

"We heard that there were two domestic films shortlisted for this year's Venice Film Festival, so we came to take a look out of curiosity."

As Xu Lu spoke, he also looked at the young man next to Gong Li, and couldn't help but wonder if this could be Li Yishu?
　Thanks to the reward from I am the Great Great Demon King, and thanks to everyone for the monthly tickets. I will try to push it at 12 o'clock tonight, asking for a wave of follow-up reading, monthly tickets and various data! Thank you all!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)