I am a historical film director in the entertainment industry.

Chapter 29 Failed?

A picture of Zheng Guolin and Fu Dalong standing on the award stage, raising their trophies high with both hands.

"Two Best Actor winners."

Ning Hao secretly swallowed, this was unprecedented!
In China, the first person to win the Venice Film Festival's Best Actor award was Xia Yu. In 1994, he won the Best Actor award at the 51st Venice International Film Festival for his role in the film "In the Heat of the Sun," becoming the youngest Best Actor in the festival's history.

Zheng Guolin and Fu Dalong both achieved legendary status with a single film, a feat that even Xia Yu cannot match.

"Terrifying, absolutely terrifying! Is Director Cheng Sheng making a historical film or an art film? How could he produce two Best Actor winners from this?" Ning Hao exclaimed, somewhat astonished.

This kind of miracle is probably impossible to replicate in China in the future!

There is no comparison!

Director Cheng Sheng is amazing.

They're great at attracting investment and making movies; they're simply unbeatable.

"That's not all! There's also Best Director and Best Film coming up later. If Director Cheng can win one of them, I'm afraid that apart from Zhang Yimou and Chen Kaige, there really isn't anyone in China who can compare to him," Xing Aina said.

Ning Hao shook her head and said, "Impossible. Although the three major European awards seem fair, they are actually just a matter of dividing up the spoils. They gave two Best Actor awards to 'The Great Tang Dynasty - Origins,' and he probably won't get any more."

After listening, Xing Aina thought about it and realized it made sense. After all, these were unspoken rules in the industry. Domestic awards were similar to international ones; everyone shared the spoils, and it was impossible for one person to monopolize the big prize.

……

After Fu Dalong and Zheng Guolin finished their acceptance speeches and stepped down from the stage, the remaining three awards were theoretically to be presented.

These three awards are Best Director, Grand Jury Prize, and Golden Lion for Best Film.

The Best Director award is, of course, half an award for an individual, and it reflects the director's ability. The Jury Prize is considered the second best film, and it carries more weight than the Best Director award, but they are actually quite similar.

The highest honor at Venice is the Best Film award, also known as the Golden Lion.

Winning this award would be incredible.

"Director Cheng, the Best Director award is definitely yours," Su Chang whispered to Cheng Sheng.

Cheng Sheng smiled. He was already satisfied with winning two Best Actor awards and a Best Newcomer award.

He had high hopes for the remaining three major awards, but he also knew that the chances were slim.

After all, it's impossible for Venice to award all the prizes to one person.

Even though Cheng Sheng was a newcomer, he knew a little about some of the unspoken rules of film festivals.

Therefore, only naive young girls like Su Chang have expectations for the upcoming awards, but Cheng Sheng has already given up.

All I need to do is wait for the awards ceremony to end, then sell the overseas distribution rights for the film, and immediately return to China to find Master Han and arrange the film's domestic premiere.

"Acquired... Kim Ki-duk's '3-Iron'".

The National Award for Older Women!
Cheng Sheng frowned; he was extremely displeased with this shameless country.

Cheng Sheng hadn't seen the movie "Empty Room" and didn't know what it was like, but given the moral character of his country, the only thing they could produce was an ethical drama.

Empty Room!
The name itself sounds a bit frivolous, perhaps even suggestive!
No wonder it's popular with Westerners.

This is entirely aimed at Western virtues.

Although he was unhappy that the middle-aged woman, a national director, had won the award, Cheng Sheng still had to put on a smile and then join in the applause.

Cheng Sheng's failure to win Best Director left the crew slightly disappointed, and Su Chang even offered him a few words of comfort.

Cheng Sheng didn't take it to heart at all. Instead, he held Su Chang's Silver Lion Award in his hand and played with it, thinking about how to sell his movie for a high price.

After Kim Ki-duk finished his rambling, it was time for the Grand Jury Prize. "Alejandro Amenábar, The Sea Inside."

When Cheng Sheng heard the award presenter announce the winner of the Jury Grand Prize, he slightly raised his head.

Because of interference from his own film, "The Sea Inside" failed to win the Best Actor award, but the Jury Prize still went to the film. It seems that the film is really good, otherwise it could have won both Best Actor and the Jury Prize in another timeline.

Cheng Sheng sighed and then clapped.

"The winner of Best Picture is: Mike Lee's *Vera Drake*..."

The Golden Lion award still went to "Vera Drake," which Cheng Sheng had expected, but he was still slightly disappointed.

After all, this is the highest award in Venice. Being shortlisted this time is already a stroke of luck. I wonder if I can compete for it again next time.

"Pity."

Liu Meng, the film's assistant director, looked somewhat dejected and muttered something under his breath.

"Director Cheng..."

Su Chang originally wanted to comfort Cheng Sheng, but she was taken aback when she saw that Cheng Sheng did not seem very frustrated, but instead appeared very calm.

"Director Cheng, if it doesn't work this time, we'll try again next time. We'll invest in any movie you make."

The coal mine owner sitting on the other side of Cheng Sheng said magnanimously.

"Thanks, everyone. I won't be polite then. I'll definitely come back to you for my next investment," Cheng Sheng said with a smile.

On the set of "A World Without Thieves" thousands of kilometers away in China.

Upon hearing that Cheng Sheng hadn't won any awards, Feng Dapao was overjoyed and immediately swung his fist at the air.

If there hadn't been so many people on set, he would have loved to pop in some champagne to celebrate.

"What a pity." Liu Dehua shook his head inwardly. If this new director could win the Golden Lion Award, he would definitely become an overnight sensation.

Even if he didn't win the Golden Lion Award, he wouldn't doubt Cheng Sheng's ability. He secretly thought that he would find an opportunity to collaborate with Cheng Sheng on a film.

"Cheng Sheng isn't capable either! Su Chang won Best Newcomer, and Zheng Guolin and Fu Dalong won Best Actor, which was due to their own abilities, not Cheng Sheng's. If he were capable, why didn't he win Best Picture?"

Liu Naicha is good at reading people's expressions. Seeing Feng Dapao's happy look, she immediately had an idea and started to belittle Cheng Sheng.

“That’s right, what ability does that brat Cheng Sheng have? He only made it into the main competition at Venice because he was lucky. Look at him, he’s just a runner-up.” Feng Dapao grinned and said.

He was also thinking that after filming was over, he would post a message to mock Cheng Sheng.

Upon hearing this, both Liu Dehua and Wang Baobao's lips twitched. One movie produced two Best Actor winners and a Best Newcomer. This isn't considered talent? This is too much talent.

If they could star in this movie, it would definitely be a huge boost to their careers.

Liu Dehua, who has acted for half his life, won the Hong Kong Film Award for Best Actor in 2000 for his role in "Running Out of Time".

But the Hong Kong Film Awards Best Actor award is nothing compared to the Venice Film Festival Best Actor award; one is heaven and the other is earth.

The Hong Kong Film Awards are only somewhat famous domestically; internationally, they can't compare to the Venice Film Festival's Best Actor award.

No, even within China, the Hong Kong Film Awards don't have the same influence as the Venice Film Festival.

It seems that if I want to win international awards in the future, I'll still have to find Cheng Sheng.

After all, if he can produce two international film stars, then he can also produce a third and a fourth...

(End of this chapter)