Huayu: Director started with art films

Chapter 312: 323 [No longer participating in the European Big Three? Eastern Nuwa and Western Madonna]

Li Yishu noticed Gong Li's playful expression and couldn't help but ask, "What's that look in your eyes? Don't you believe me?"

"no!"

Gong Li chuckled: "I just think what you said makes sense, ordinary is the only answer!"

Seeing her hypocritical look, Li Yishu shook her head slightly. Why is it so difficult to pretend to be cool?

After the Silver Lion Award for the Special Jury Prize was presented, it was soon the turn of the Silver Lion Award for Best Director. The winner was Gianni Amelio, the director of "America".

The director is Italian and made a Canadian-funded film about Albania.

Lee Ye-su watched this movie during the film festival. It is a movie with a lot of BUFFs. Not only did it win the Silver Lion Award for Best Director, it also won the International Catholic Film and Audiovisual Association Award.

After director Gianni Amelio walked down from the stage, the host began to invite the guests who would present the Golden Lion Award.

"The winners of the Golden Lion Award for Best Film at the 51st Venice International Film Festival are... Tsai Ming-liang's "Viva la Amour" and Mirko Manchevsky's "The Rains Are Coming"!"

Double yolk eggs!
Another double yolk egg.

There was thunderous applause at the scene. Li Yishu clapped and squinted her eyes as she watched Tsai Ming-liang excitedly walk onto the stage.

"That's a shame dear."

Monica looked disappointed. She didn't expect that this year's Venice Film Festival would have a double yolk egg, and Li Yishu didn't even get one.

"That's not a pity."

Li Yishu smiled and said, "Double yolk eggs are not very valuable, and this year's competitors are indeed very strong."

If he could win a prize, he would be happy with a triple yolk egg, not to mention a double yolk egg.

But again, he's been too popular this year, and even if the jury at the Venice Film Festival chooses him, the organizers will probably call a halt.

From Berlin in February to Cannes in May, Lee Yi-su won the Golden Bear Award and Cannes Best Director Award alone.

If he can still win a Golden Lion or Best Director in Venice in August, the outside world will not think that it is a fair and just result of the Venice Film Festival.

But given Lee Yi-su's fame and the quality of the film, it would be unreasonable not to give her an award, so it's better to just give her a Special Jury Award to appease the public.

After the closing ceremony of the 51st Venice Film Festival came to a successful conclusion, as usual, all award winners will attend the party hosted by the organizers of the film festival.

Li Yishu gladly accepted the invitation, but Gong Li and Monica did not go. Neither of them had any works participating, and they went to the closing ceremony just to cheer each other up. Now that the dust has settled, there is naturally no need for them to go.

As soon as she arrived at the hotel, Li Yishu was surrounded by reporters.

There is only one person who shines the brightest at this year's three major European film festivals, and that is Lee Yi-su.

Berlin Golden Bear, Cannes Best Director, Venice Silver Lion.

It is the first time in the history of world cinema that three films were shortlisted for three film festivals in one year and won three important "awards".

Not to mention that Lee Yi-shu has won three gold medals. Reporters have never had the chance to interview him before, but now that they have finally caught him, they will naturally ask him endless questions.

An Italian reporter asked: "Lee, this is your third time participating in the European Film Festival this year and your third time winning an award. Will you continue to participate in the festival next year?"

Li Yishu smiled and said, "I have several film projects on hand. Next year, I might consider participating in the Locarno International Film Festival or the San Sebastian International Film Festival..."

As soon as this was said, the reporters at the scene were in an uproar. Someone immediately shouted, "Lee, do you think that the three major European film festivals have already achieved the gold medal, so you choose to participate in other film festivals?"

Someone else shouted: "Is it because you were disappointed that the Venice Film Festival only gave you one Special Jury Prize that you have such thoughts?"

"..."

Faced with reporters' questions, Li Yishu smiled but did not say a word, and just ignored their questions.

After a while, they seemed to understand and quieted down one by one.

Seeing that no one was arguing anymore, Li Yishu said, "The reason I want to participate in other film festivals is just because I want to try more international A-level film festivals. There is no other reason."

The reason why he wanted to participate in the Locarno International Film Festival and the San Sebastian International Film Festival was mainly because he felt that it was difficult for him to improve in the three major European film festivals.

The consequence of the high threshold is that no matter which of the three major film festivals Lee Yi-su participates in next year, it is almost impossible for her to win the gold medal or the best director award.

It might even be used as a stepping stone.

Instead of continuing to participate in the three major festivals, it is better to change direction and participate in other international A-class film festivals.

Locarno is an international film festival held in Switzerland. The Golden Leopard Award is still very famous nowadays. Although it is not as good as the three major European ones, there is an achievement that Lee Yi-su can accomplish.

That is the first Golden Leopard Award for Chinese people in China and even in the world.

So far, no Chinese director has won the Golden Leopard Award, and Li Yishu can definitely be the pioneer.

The same is true for the Golden Shell Award at the San Sebastian International Film Festival.

Since the three major film festivals are not giving out major awards now, there is no need for Li Yishu to fight hard. It would be better for her to participate in other international A-level film festivals first and wait a few years before making a decision.

The interview lasted for seven or eight minutes, and Li Yishu waved and left. The reporters also left satisfied, as they had gotten some big news from him this time.

China's Li announced that he might no longer participate in the three major European film festivals in the future!

This news is more talked-about than the two directors who won the Golden Lion Award this year.

After all, the Golden Lion Award is given out every year, but you can’t always meet a triple-gold Grand Slam director whenever you want, let alone if he announces it.

"Director Li, I'm a reporter from Xinhua News Agency. Can I be interviewed?"

Li Yishu heard someone speaking Mandarin behind her, turned around, and saw two black-haired reporters.

He smiled and nodded in agreement: "Okay, but I have something else to do later, can I just take ten minutes?"

"That's enough, thank you Director Li."

The Xinhua News Agency reporter in the lead nodded repeatedly and said, "First of all, congratulations to Director Li for winning the Silver Lion Award, which brings glory to the country!"

Li Yishu said politely, “Thank you.”

"Director Li, I just heard you say that you are not going to participate in the three major European film festivals next year. Is there any inside story behind this?"

"There is no inside information. I just made it clear that I want to try more international A-level film festivals." "Then has Director Li considered participating in the Shanghai International Film Festival next year? They have also obtained the qualification for international A-level film festivals."

"Did the Shanghai Film Festival get the international A label?"

Li Yishu looked at the other party in surprise. He really couldn't remember when the Shanghai Film Festival was awarded as a Class A international film festival.

"Last year, the Secretary General of the International Association of Film Producers was invited to attend the first Shanghai International Film Festival in 1993 and conducted a strict on-site inspection of the Shanghai Film Festival in accordance with various international standards. Half a month ago, the International Association of Film Producers officially recognized Shanghai as the venue for the international A-level film festival..."

The Xinhua News Agency reporter was obviously well prepared and talked incessantly about the Shanghai International Film Festival.

Hearing this, Li Yishu seemed to be thinking about something. He didn't expect that the Shanghai Film Festival would be awarded as an international A-level film festival so early.

"I may participate, I may not. The main reason is that the films I have on hand have already been planned, and I haven't considered anything else for the time being."

"Then Director Li..."

The two asked and answered questions, and ten minutes passed quickly. The reporter thanked him, "Thank you, Director Li, for accepting the interview."

"You're welcome. I'll leave first then?"

"Okay, okay. Director Li, take care!"

After watching Li Yishu leave, a new reporter who had been silent all this time sighed, "Director Li is really young. I didn't think much of him when I saw him in the newspaper before, but I realized how young he is when I met him in person."

"Yes!"

The leading reporter agreed, "It's hard to find a young and promising director like Director Li in the whole country... no, it's hard to find a director as young and promising as Director Li in the whole world. Okay, let's not talk about Director Li anymore, let's go interview Jiang Wen. He has already produced an actor in his first film. When the news gets back to China, there will definitely be a stir again."

"Will the 18-year-old actor be the next Lee Yi-su?"

"Not likely. Director Li is truly talented, and he is the director. As long as he makes a good movie, it's fine. As for the actors, it still depends on the quality of the script and the director."

Around ten o'clock that evening, Li Yishu returned to the hotel, packed up, and prepared to take the nearest flight back to Los Angeles.

Monica and Gong Li stayed.

Monica wants to participate in the subsequent copyright transactions of "The Reader" and become familiar with the transaction rules and procedures of international film producers.

Gong Li was about to start filming Zhang Yimou's new movie, so she took advantage of her free time to come to Venice. She also got along well with Monica, so they decided to travel in Italy together for a few days and then go to the fashion capital Milan to buy some nice clothes.

In the hotel, Monica and Gong Li were lying on the same bed. They felt very good about each other and chatted happily with each other.

One is the Oriental Nuwa, a tree deeply rooted in the earth, bursting with life; the other is the Western Virgin Mary, a cold sculpture forged from marble, shedding tears of compassion for all living beings.

Unfortunately, Li Yishu had already hurriedly taken a boat to the airport. If she had stayed and seen the two of them talking and laughing in their pajamas, she would probably have been unable to resist joining in and immersing herself in the difference between Nuwa and the Virgin Mary.

Gong Li looked curious: "Monica, I seem to have seen you somewhere, have we met before?"

"Probably not?" Monica shook her head and smiled, "But I also feel like I've seen you somewhere, not in a movie, but in real life."

Gong Li smiled and said, "Maybe this is fate."

"Yes, it's fate!" Monica agreed deeply. She also felt familiar with Gong Li, but she just couldn't remember where she had seen her.

It is only natural for two women with the temperament of Mother Earth to be attracted to each other when they get together.

Well, actually it was during the 1991 Venice Film Festival that Lee Yi-su met Monica by chance. Then Monica went to watch The Mountain and happened to meet Gong Li.

But that was three years ago. No matter how fleeting a glimpse it was, it is not something I can still remember vividly.

It takes about 15 hours to fly from Venice to New York, and when Li Yishu arrived in New York, it was only seven in the morning.

There was definitely no way to restart filming today, so Li Yishu called Harvey to inform him of her return, and at the same time asked assistant director Mars to tell him to notify the main creative team of the crew to start filming at 8 am tomorrow.

On the way to the hotel, the assistant who came to pick me up said, "Boss, Manager Amy called this morning and said that a fax was sent from mainland China, and the Shanghai Radio, Film and Television Bureau invited you to attend the Shanghai International Film Festival seminar in October."

Hearing this, Li Yishu asked in surprise: "When did it happen?"

The assistant said, "Yongmei sent it this morning, and the invitation should have been sent this afternoon, Yanjing time."

"April..."

Li Yishu frowned. He was not opposed to attending this seminar, but he was mainly worried that he might not have time in October.

This kind of official seminar, which is related to the Shanghai International Film Festival becoming the first A-category film festival in the country, will definitely last for several days.

"Please reply to my message and tell me I agree."

He pondered for a moment and finally decided to agree to participate.

Last year's Shanghai Film Festival was held in October. Li Yishu was in the United States at the time. Although she received an invitation, she did not attend. But after reading the newspaper, she realized that the event was not very successful.

There were only 16 producers setting up booths at the International Film Trading Market, and the transaction volume was just over 2700 million RMB. Fortunately, the RMB had not depreciated last year, and the exchange rate with the US dollar was only 1:5.7, but when converted, it was only over 500 million US dollars.

A film festival with a turnover of only 500 million US dollars, you can imagine how poorly it was run.

Fortunately, it was just a pilot project last year, and its main purpose was to become an international A-class film festival. This year, it successfully obtained the A mark. For next year’s Shanghai International Film Festival, the organizers naturally want it to be a big hit.

If you want to become an overnight success, the best way is to increase the popularity of the film festival and invite big-name directors and big-name actors.

Only when there are more celebrities will reporters from all over the world come to participate, and international film producers will also be happy to participate.

"Okay, boss." The assistant nodded and took out a notebook to write it down, preparing to call Manager Amy later.

Inside the Hilton Hotel.

"Go back first and talk to Mars about starting the filming tomorrow morning. I don't want anyone to be late tomorrow!"

"understand!"

Li Yishu opened the car door, got out, and walked straight into the hotel.

After he returned to his room, he took a cold shower, changed into a robe, and went to bed and fell asleep.

After sitting on the flight for more than ten hours, even though I was in first class or business class and the flight attendants were very caring and provided first-class service, I was still very tired from sitting in the chair all the time.

(End of this chapter)