Generation Z Artists

Chapter 285 The Cowardly Yet Playful Review Committee
The whole world is buzzing with excitement for Brother Fang.

Live broadcast hosts around the world are interpreting his announcement.

The calm, mellow voice of the ABC studio host resonated throughout American homes, and this is how he defended Fang Xinghe—

"In most cases, arrogance is a very annoying personality trait."

There is only one exception—

When someone is so powerful that you can only look up to them, their arrogance, which is not directed at any one person but is completely genuine and natural, will not arouse our disgust or hatred.

On the contrary, we will admire such people and regard them as idols.

Star River is this kind of person. His arrogance can no longer be described as rebellion; it's on another level, which is why he has gained the admiration of most American teenagers.

He is not just a kung fu superstar, but is becoming a global cultural phenomenon…

On TV Tokyo, the two hosts were shouting and yelling.

"Si Guoyi!"

"Truly worthy of being Prince Fang Xinghe..."

"Every statement he makes is a true divine pronouncement!"

"Even an Oscar can't stop his unwavering courage and spirit. He deserves an award, the true overlord Zhang!"

"It's the kind of thing that would inspire all of Asia..."

Let's wish him all the best!

"Hey! I can't wait to see him on the podium, it'll definitely make everyone want to clench their legs!"

"..."

The KBS television station in Seoul was filled with shouts and cheers in the live broadcast studio.

"As expected of our Crown Prince Han, if he's this powerful, even if Danjun were alive today, he probably wouldn't be able to suppress his charisma."

"Absolutely unstoppable!"

"Fang Xinghe is always like this, always able to bring us one amazing surprise after another. He's a national treasure!"

"That's right, 'a role model for young Asian actors' is not enough to describe him. He's a national treasure-level actor, director, screenwriter, artist... Damn it, what is the Cultural Center doing? Why isn't it pushing for him to return to his home country?"

“Oh dear, that’s not easy. Fang Xinghe only has Korean ancestry in theory, making him our compatriot with the same roots, but his nationality is still clear and indisputable. I only hope to have more opportunities to collaborate and lead our outstanding actors from the Republic of Korea to break out of Asia…”

"There will definitely be opportunities! The probability of Fang Xinghe's next few films being co-productions between China and South Korea, China and Japan, or China and the United States is very high. Our outstanding actors in Chungmuro ​​will definitely live up to their expectations!"

The outstanding actors of Chungmuro ​​were immediately disgusted by such exaggerated praise.

But they had no choice but to endure it.

South Korea is not a large film market at present, and the number of moviegoers has not yet officially entered the era of tens of millions. Korean films also lack the reputation of later generations, and there is a blank in terms of classic figures.

Therefore, from any perspective, Fang Xinghe has completely surpassed the level of Chungmuro.

If Lee Byung-hun, who only has minor roles in Hollywood, has the highest status and privileges in the Korean film industry, then why can't Fang Xinghe dominate an entire country?
At least in the eyes of the South Korean public, Fang Ge is already a superstar among international superstars.

However, in the country, Fang Ge's status is not as unique as it is in South Korea.

In the eyes of mainland Chinese people, An Zi, Kai Zi, and Zhang Yimou are all world-class directors, and Fang and Li are all world-class superstars. Gong Li and Maggie Cheung are slightly inferior, but not by much...

Therefore, the hosts on Channel 6 were both excited and worried about Fang Xinghe, and subconsciously wanted to make amends.

"Well, what Fang Xinghe means is that we are the most competitive for these two awards. As long as the voting itself is fair, then we have the highest probability of winning."

However, from an artistic perspective, aesthetics are subjective; there are as many interpretations of Hamlet as there are people. Whether one likes it or not is not actually related to fairness.

His confidence is based on his personal abilities, but the outcome can be affected by many unexpected factors. We respect the objective existence of these factors and at the same time hope for the best result…

Blah blah blah, I'm so guilty.

There's nothing that can be done; if he can't stand up for himself, no matter how much Fang Xinghe flaunts or tries to impress others, it's useless.

However, on the other hand, Chinese culture has always been flexible in its outward expression. At this stage, we are weak, so our outward expression is mainly humble, low-key, gentle, and tolerant. Quietly developing is not entirely a bad thing.

Releasing aggression towards the outside world requires qualifications, and China's image abroad is temporarily supported by a super troublemaker like Fang Biwang.

Well, maybe it's not just enough, it's way too much...

Anyway, most of the young viewers felt inspired, so we can just ignore the rest of the whining middle-aged people.

Americans have put up with it, so what can you do if you don't?
As Brother Fang walked into the inner area, everyone watched him wherever he went.

He doesn't know many people, and among male celebrities, almost none of them took the initiative to greet him, except for the "Cat and Mouse" crew who came in the previous batch.

Leonardo DiCaprio is a really nice guy. He didn't care at all about his image being ruined, and he waited patiently to the side to hug him.

Hanks, being a kind person, smiled and offered his blessing: "SR, I sincerely hope you can win Best Supporting Actor this year; your performance deserves it."

"thanks, thanks."

After hugging them, Fang Xinghe introduced them to the crew of the film "Hero".

The "Catch Me If You Can" crew is almost in a state of indifference today. They have received very few nominations, and Leonardo DiCaprio is even just watching the show.

But he himself doesn't find it annoying: "This is all necessary accumulation, and you will also go through this stage, SR."

Leonardo shrugged, and Fang Xinghe shrugged back.

"No, rather than being a runner-up again and again, I'd rather create the moment when they actively invite me to come."

"Okay, you're always so unique. Well then, good luck!"

Same here, good luck.

After separating in front of his seat, Fang Xinghe glanced around and found the organizing committee's arrangement quite interesting.

The cast and crew of "Hero" occupied a large area on the right side of the third and fourth rows. Undoubtedly, this was a prestigious area, suitable for receiving awards on stage and also for being photographed by the cameras.

Zhang Weiping had also inquired about the unspoken rules and was invigorated: "It seems we're definitely going to get a prize!"

Yes, there will definitely be a prize, but it's too hard to guess exactly what it will be right now.

Fang Ge wasn't confident at all.

I've done everything I could and should have done; now all that's left is to maintain a facade.

He wasn't nervous, but Sister Li was incredibly nervous for him.

"Brother, you're being too confident. If we don't get the core award, the public opinion tomorrow will be really bad..."

"What's there to be afraid of in public opinion?"

Fang Xinghe chuckled to himself.

"If I don't win the awards I deserve and it sparks ridicule, there will be fans who feel sorry for me, moviegoers who feel sorry for me, and rebellious teenagers who will shout and curse on my behalf. It can also create an atmosphere of tragic heroism and assimilate the image of Prince Yu... What can I lose?"

After today's exposure and performance, it's either a big win or a small victory; there's no possibility of losing.

The artist route isn't working out for now, so let me show you the pure traffic-driven approach. Scared? Who's really afraid of whom?

Hopefully, these academy members will be sensible. Let's all be friendly and get along well – that's the right way...

Amidst laughter and chatter, the casts of "Chicago" and "The Lord of the Rings" entered the venue. Host Steve Martin hopped to the front of the stage, officially kicking off today's ceremony.

Martin is a very interesting host. Today, he took the lead and immediately went all out, paying tribute to each and every one of them.

When the name of the "Hero" film crew was mentioned, he exaggeratedly widened his eyes.

"Wow, look, our Superhero is so easy to find. Among thousands of drab men, I spot him at a glance—he's the one who's showing the most skin..."

"Hahahaha!"

The audience burst into laughter. This person's mouth was really sharp, but the offense was subtle and insignificant, only making people laugh.

Fang Xinghe didn't mind, looked up at the camera, and chuckled and clapped.

He is very accepting of this kind of teasing that is not specifically targeted, but he will not particularly cooperate.

Do you even know what an idol is?
I'm not on the same wavelength as you bunch of funny guys...

Seeing Fang Xinghe's reaction, Martin immediately began to improvise.

"Ladies and gentlemen, be glad for me! The Crown Prince is in a very good mood today. Look, he's smiling instead of pulling a big spear out of his clothes and stabbing me!"

If he decides to lose his temper, even Aragorn and Legolas combined can't stop him. The Dwarf King might be able to jump up and smash his knee. The moment Legolas draws his bow, he'll question his existence: Which of us is the elf?
Hey Galadriel (Queen of the Elves), aren't you really going to consider pursuing an SR?
The children you two have can inherit both the Central Plains and China. Perhaps Japan, South Korea, and Southeast Asia would also be happy to annex your territory—what are SR's nicknames in those countries again?

Your Highness, is that right?
I don't know if His Highness can play the piano, but he can definitely dance, so Galadriel, if you don't hurry, I think Renée Zellweger will be on the scene...

Of all the ladies in the front row, she drooled the second most, swallowing hard every time she turned to look at SR.

Who has the most? Is there even a question?
"Director, immediately cut the camera to Nicole Kidman!"

The camera cut to Nicole amidst the laughter of everyone, who covered her mouth and laughed so hard she was doubled over.

Not far from her was Renée Zellweger, the lead actress of "Chicago," who was also smiling, but she was openly licking her lips while smiling, showing a high level of cooperation.

American audiences absolutely loved the talk show, and the audience erupted in enthusiastic applause. Leonardo DiCaprio turned his head and winked at Fang Xinghe...

Anne Hathaway was the only one who was extremely annoyed. She was sitting in a relatively far back seat and was so angry that she was gritting her teeth.

But that's the Oscars. There's never a shortage of big stars here. Only the nominees have the right to be teased and become the focus of everyone's attention.

As the talk show drew to a close, Martin became a little more serious.

"Alright guys, the fun times always pass too quickly. I need to get down to business. Let me see what the script is all about next..."

He pretended to look at the host card, then suddenly realized. "Oh, they said the ratings are high right now, and they want me to stall for a few more minutes, especially to give SR more screen time... Hey, SR, is there anything else you'd like to share with everyone?"

When called upon again, Fang Xinghe tactfully waved his hand.

It's not his stage yet; we'll just have to wait and see.

Martin then officially wrapped things up.

"Okay, I know what kind of films you like best. Today's biggest suspense mainly revolves around these films—"

Chicago, The Pianist, The Lord of the Rings, Heroes, New York Gangsters, The Hours...

2002 was a fruitful year for the film world. We truly witnessed so many miraculous and wonderful movies that year. As a host who doesn't have the right to vote, I liked every single one of the movies mentioned above.

I sincerely hope you all achieve something. Of course, if you insist on asking me who I wish best for the most...

Without a doubt, Star River!

The reason is simple: my mother often tells me to hang out with the most popular people.

So, I'm sorry, Leonardo, you're no longer my best friend..."

"Hahaha, what a bastard!"

Leonardo DiCaprio gave the middle finger to the camera, and the prelude to the ceremony was frozen in time. The 75th Academy Awards officially kicked off in a joyful atmosphere that the whole world could understand.

The first batch of awards is for short films.

This has nothing to do with "Hero," but the crew members are already starting to feel nervous.

Not long after, the first nomination came in: Best Makeup.

"The film that won the Best Makeup award is... Frida Kahlo!"

"Ugh……"

A deep sigh escaped the crew, and the expressions of everyone in the makeup department instantly crumbled.

This may have been their only chance to touch the Oscars, but now, it's all gone.

But the bad luck of "Hero" was not over yet; it missed out on the next nomination and the one after that.

"The film that won the Best Sound Award is... Chicago!"

"The film that won the Best Visual Effects award is... The Lord of the Rings!"

With its main competitors all making gains, the crew of "Hero," who had been nominated three times but failed to win any awards, began to feel uneasy.

On the other side of the ocean, the hosts in the studio were even more panicked.

"Logically speaking, these technical awards should be evenly distributed among all the top contenders; it's impossible for none of them to win..."

Well, the sound effects are definitely fine for "Chicago," after all, it's a musical.

Giving the visual effects credit to "The Lord of the Rings" is also quite fitting; it's a fantasy film, and the special effects are exceptionally outstanding...

Don't worry, everyone, just wait a little longer. The chances of winning Best Original Score and Best Editing are very high. The soundtrack for *Hero* is both grand and poetic…

Just as things were getting tactful, the Best Original Score award was finally given to Frida Kahlo.

Now, not only was the host in a bind, but the viewers in front of their TVs were also completely outraged.

"What's going on? Are we going to get nothing?"

Yang's parents were very puzzled and pressed Yang Mi for an answer: "Weren't you always following the news from the front lines in the United States, saying that Director Fang was sure to win the award this time?"

Yang Xiaomi panicked even more, threw down a sentence, and ran back to her bedroom to open the StarNet.

In the official fan cafe, the fans were almost in an uproar.

"Is the Oscars really discriminating against our brother? Why didn't they give him even one of these most promising minor awards?!"

These days, practically no one in China understands the rules of the Oscars.

They were simply making their judgment based on the most basic logic—if "Hero" were truly loved by the judges, it shouldn't be in its current state.

"What kind of garbage movie can steal our awards now?"

"Frida? Chicago? What are these? I've never even heard of them!"

"Shady! Shady!"

"Hollywood treats Fang Fang like an enemy. He's worked so hard and is so pitiful!"

Fans on StarNet were in chaos, the general public in China was in chaos, and even the awards ceremony itself was somewhat chaotic—those who experienced it firsthand were also a little confused about the current situation.

Mou Zi clenched his fists tightly, Wei Ping kept wiping his sweat, Li Jie grabbed Fang Xinghe's arm, and Zhang Ziyi was filled with despair.

"Are we being completely boycotted?"

At this point, Fang Xinghe was the only one who could remain calm.

"impossible!"

He's stubborn and refuses to accept reality; he just can't believe Hollywood would be so bold.

Or rather, Hollywood, comprised of hundreds of thousands of professionals, has never been a cohesive entity with a strong sense of unity.

Otherwise, there should be no left-right division, let alone oscillating back and forth in the quagmire of political correctness.

"Something big must have happened. Let's wait and see."

Fang Xinghe's attitude calmed everyone down a bit.

But this wait lasted until the end of the technical awards season.

Best Editing: Chicago

Best Soundtrack: Chicago

Best Production Design: *Chicago*

Best sound editing: The Lord of the Rings

Best Cinematography: Road to Perdition

Best Adapted Screenplay: The Pianist

……

All nominations failed miserably!
On set, the way people looked at the "Hero" crew was tinged with a hint of mockery and schadenfreude.

As a phenomenal foreign film, no one could help but be envious of its box office success, but that was completely meaningless. The popularity of "Hero" left them with no room to even complain.

But now, the moment to finally stand tall has arrived.

What good is high commercial value?

Our Oscars are the highest art awards on Earth. If we say you're not qualified, then you're not qualified!

The footage from the scene began to focus on Fang Xinghe more frequently.

—This has happened frequently before, but we always follow the basic principle and only cut to the camera for a second at the appropriate time.

Now, it's almost a lock-up; heaven knows how much ABC wants to see Fang Xinghe break through.

but……

Fang Xinghe remained the same.

Be calm and composed. Clap when you should clap, laugh when you should laugh, and when you feel bored, gently prop your cheek up with your hand and tilt your head to daydream.

Camera? Take pictures however you want, I am still me, always me.

This kind of stability is admirable, but it also makes Mantianxing feel sorry for him.

As a result, when the award for Best Original Screenplay was presented, the viewership ratings, already high, rose again to 4350 million, which is 170 million higher than last year's peak. And the awards ceremony is still far from reaching its climax.

"The film that won the Best Original Screenplay award is..."

""hero"!"

"Fenglee, Star River!"

The hero finally won his first award after a hard-fought battle, causing a sensation across Asia, while North America was filled with either cheers or curses.

"Holy crap! We did it! We won the award! Holy crap! Holy crap!"

Li Feng jumped up and hugged Fang Xinghe tightly, completely ignoring the reasons for the award that were still being given on stage.

The award presenter, veteran screenwriter O'Keeffe, mumbled the comments.

"The script of 'Hero' has left a unique mark on the history of world cinema with its distinctive philosophy. It neither glorifies assassins who use violence to suppress violence, nor kings who use violence to promote peace. Instead, it glorifies every individual in a grand era who fights and sacrifices for their ideals in their own position. No matter what they do, courage and perseverance make them heroes..."

"If the visuals of 'Hero' represent the pinnacle of beauty, then its philosophy represents the pinnacle of balance, the pinnacle of restraint, and the pinnacle of a prudent expression of history..."

Fang Xinghe listened intently, and a thought suddenly struck him.

He seemed to know exactly what these conflicted judges were up to.

balance?

Isn't he just a coward who wants to stay independent?!
If you guys play like this, then I'll really have to raise my expectations...

This award is by no means an exception, but just the beginning!
　Happy Mid-Autumn Festival, my dear book lovers! My love for you is boundless and cannot be fully expressed. I wish you health, happiness, wisdom, and intelligence.
　　
　
(End of this chapter)