Huayu: Director started with art films

Chapter 30 [First in Film Critic Weekly, "Love Affair" Monica] Please read and vote for the monthly ticket

"Ms. Xu, don't worry. I will make this movie well and will definitely not let you down."

Li Yishu was very excited. All the time she had spent was finally not in vain.

"Since we have chosen you, we must trust you."

Xu Su smiled and asked, "Then Director Li, when do you think we should start preparing?"

“As for the actors, I actually already have plans.”

"Oh? I wonder who Director Li has chosen."

"I would like to cast Zhang Fengyi from Emei Film Studio for the role of Duan Xiaolou. He has starred in "Camel Xiangzi". Both my parents work at Emei Film Studio and I have met him in person. I am optimistic about his appearance and acting skills. He is also very suitable for the role of Duan Xiaolou."

"Anyone else?" Xu Lu had never heard of this person, but since Li Yishu said so, he must be quite capable. Whether to select him or not would depend on after the audition.

Li Yishu continued, "I have already told Gong Lijie about Juxian, she will help with the performance."

"Gong Li is fine, but what about the role of Cheng Dieyi?"

Xu Suo actually already had a candidate in mind, and that was John Lone, who starred in "The Last Emperor".

Because she had seen a stage play starring Zun Long before, she felt that he was very suitable for the role of Cheng Dieyi.

"I think Zhang Guorong is very suitable. His appearance in Rouge has a bit of Cheng Dieyi's flavor."

"Zhang Guorong?" Xu Suo seemed a little surprised that it was him.

However, Li Bihua's eyes lit up, "Zhang Guorong is great, I like Zhang Guorong, a large part of my role was written based on him, there will be no problem letting Guorong play Cheng Dieyi."

"These are the actors I initially envisioned. Whether or not I'll use them will naturally only be known after the auditions."

Li Yishu noticed that Xu Xu seemed to have different ideas, so he smiled and said, "Ms. Xu, since we are going to shoot, we should start preparing now. Both Cheng Dieyi and Duan Xiaolou need to receive at least half a year of Peking Opera training."

"From now on, preparations will start, and next spring, when the flowers bloom, it will be the perfect time to start filming."

Xu Su nodded: "Okay, I will follow Director Li's invitation and send out audition invitations to these people first. As for whether to choose them at that time, we will see after the crew is ready."

"Ms. Xu, the sooner the roles of Duan Xiaolou and Cheng Dieyi are confirmed, the better. This play contains many Peking Opera plots."

"I know Director Li. We will go back to Hong Kong tomorrow and ask Zhang Guorong if he is interested in taking the role."

"it is good!"

Lee Yi-su knew that such a film would be extremely difficult to shoot and it certainly could not be compared to “The Mountain” in which he had four main roles.

Whether it is the schedule of the invited actors, the remuneration, or the crew members, it is a time-consuming and laborious task to get it all done.

You have to know that there are quite a few supporting roles in "Farewell My Concubine", there are also so many extras, and all kinds of costumes and props. The preparation alone took at least half a year.

This is also the reason why Li Yishu asked to confirm the main actors as soon as possible and let them seize the time to learn Peking Opera.

Crew preparation and actor training are carried out simultaneously.

The time is just right for next spring when flowers are in bloom, and some scenes can be better filmed in Yanjing.

In the blink of an eye, a few days passed by.

There are only three days left until the closing ceremony of the film festival.

The Venice Film Critics Weekly was also released on this day, and they gave varying degrees of comments and scores to the 23 films that participated in and were shortlisted this year.

The weekly magazine is released, but Lee Yi-su doesn’t know about it yet.

Because he is very busy these days, he has to receive film critics and film producers who come to watch movies every day.

The Japanese film producer Ichiro Tanaka was very optimistic about this movie and offered $20 to buy the copyright of this movie in Japan.

Compared with the cost of film production, this price is not low.

In addition to this Japanese film producer, there are also many European film producers, as well as the two North American film producers Mike and Thomas, who are negotiating copyright with him.

Li Yishu naturally tried to delay this as much as possible, thinking of discussing it after the film festival closed.

If this really wins an award, even a small one, the price of the film rights will skyrocket.

Li Yishu is naturally very positive about anything that can make more money.

"Yishu, come and see, Chairman Abraham wrote a film review about you!"

While Li Yishu was still thinking about the copyright transaction, Gong Li rushed to the entrance of the exhibition hall with a weekly magazine in her hand.

Ok?
Just as Li Yishu was about to ask, she saw Gong Li holding a note and starting to read aloud.

Her English was only good enough for simple oral communication, so she couldn't understand what was written on the note. She asked a translator to help her read the content.

"In the far east, there is a mountain..."

"And this film, which should be The Postman in the Mountain, evokes the hometown in each of our hearts..." "At the end of the article, I would like to quote what the young director said to me: I think everyone has a hometown called "the past" in their hearts that they can't let go of or return to."

"I want to say; yes, there is always a hometown in my heart that I can't let go of and can't go back to!"

Li Yishu was delighted. It seemed that the chairman of the film critics really liked her movie. The whole article was full of praise without any criticism.

Gong Li's face was filled with joy. "Yishu, it looks like you're almost certain to win the award this time!"

"Maybe, but I don't know what the award is."

Li Yishu naturally hopes to win the Golden Lion Award, but there are too many competitors this year. However, he should be able to win one or two awards in the International Film Critics Week section.

"If we're going to win, we're going to win the grand prize, and of course it has to be the Golden Lion!"

Facing Gong Li's passionate statement, Lee Yi-su smiled and asked back: "I won the Golden Lion Award, but what about Director Zhang?"

"he?"

Gong Li frowned and said, "I have a feeling that Director Zhang may not win the Golden Lion Award this time."

"Ah?" Li Yishu looked at her in surprise.

You know what, Gong Li’s premonition is quite accurate.

If Li Yishu remembers correctly, Zhang Yimou only won the Silver Lion Award this year.

As for who won the Golden Lion Award, he really didn't care.

Because most people only remember award-winning films from their own country.

"correct!"

Gong Li suddenly remembered, opened the Film Critics Weekly, pointed at it and said: "Film Critics Weekly has rated all 23 nominated works this year. Your film ranks first, and the second is "Mongolian Spirit", and the third is "Raise the Red Lantern" shot by Director Zhang and me."

"The Mongolian Spirit? The one we watched yesterday?"

"Yes, that's the one."

He, Gong Li and Mr. Qiu went to each other's exhibition hall to watch this movie together.

After watching the movie, Li Yishu felt it was quite funny. A French producer + a Soviet director + domestic actors made a movie about family planning in China.

Gong Li said: "Yishu, the critics are so optimistic about your movie, the chances of winning a big award this time are very high."

"It's hard to say."

"Why? So many film critics are optimistic about you. Even Chairman Abraham wrote a film review for you himself."

"Film critics are film critics, and judges are judges. If film critics can decide the final awards, then what are the judges for?"

Li Yishu scratched his head. He still understood what it meant that a hot favorite would be doomed to fail.

"That's not necessarily the case."

Gong Li shook her head and said, "This year's jury chairman is Randy. He and Abraham are good friends and they are both members of the Film Critics Association. They must have had some internal exchanges. If they say good things, they will naturally have a good impression."

"That's true."

Li Yishu nodded slightly. This year's jury chairman Randy is Italian, and it just so happened that no Italian film was shortlisted for this Venice Film Festival, so there was no favoritism.

Judging from the 23 films nominated this year, his work might actually win a big prize.

The films that currently make Lee Yi-su feel the most threatening are "Unfettered Sky", "Mississippi Graveyard" and "Mongolian Spirit".

There is also a film called "Deutschland 90" which tells the story of the fall of the Berlin Wall. It has also attracted much attention after being nominated.

But Li Yishu feels that the chances of winning are slim, after all, this is Italy.

Therefore, if Abraham strongly recommends it and Randy himself is also optimistic about it, he may be inclined to his own film when he is wavering in voting.

It seems I have to watch "Mongolian Spirit" again.

Lee Yi-su feels that the movie "Mongolian Spirit" may be the biggest threat to her. There are too many mixed contents in the movie, and there is also a hint of Catholic doctrine.

This is very much to the Italian taste.

Li Yishu also asked Gong Li to help call the translator Chen Ge to replace her for an afternoon, and then went to the "Mongolian Spirit" exhibition hall to look at it again and carefully.

When Li Yishu was thinking about the plot after leaving the exhibition hall, she suddenly heard someone in front of her say, "Sir, do you need a ticket?"

Li Yishu looked up.

Monica Bellucci?

There is a large poster standing on the side, with a photo of Monica alone and the words "La riffa" written on it. Love affair?

　Please give me monthly tickets during the double monthly ticket period, 100 monthly tickets + 1 update, now I have 147 monthly tickets, + 1 update!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)