Huayu: Are you even sitting up straight? You're going to be the director?

Chapter 70 Triple Standards! The Slaughter Begins!
The editor-in-chief was thrilled when he saw the response that it should be true.

He continued looking down.

Ma: Why do you have such a guess?
Cao: Because I'm familiar with them. You know, I'm a student at the Beijing Film Academy. The school taught me a lot, including how to analyze films. I've analyzed a lot of films—European and American, Japanese and Korean, Chinese, and even Czech films. So I'm very familiar with the films in the three major European film competition sections.

Ma: Then tell me your opinion.

Cao: Actually, I think there are three criteria for selecting films for the main competition sections of the three major European film festivals. I've seen many people online define the selected films as "bitter, poor, and ugly," but this description and definition are very one-sided.

Ma: So what do you think the triple standard is?
Cao: I'll only talk about our country's film selection. First, we are good at choosing films that depict humanity in special historical contexts. Second, we are good at choosing films that depict suffering under certain specific policies. Third, we unconsciously present a sense of Western moral superiority.

Ma: What you said is very general, but why don't we usually feel it?
Cao: Because all of this has had its purpose reduced, the amount of information diminished, and even adhered to a single-blind principle. But I believe there are people actively moving towards this path. For example, Jia.

Ma: The single-blind principle? Can you give some examples?
Cao: For example, Zhang Ziyi's "Purple". Have you seen it? The narrative, characters, and ending of this movie are quite impactful.

Ma: I haven't seen this movie. Then, do you have any other evidence?
Cao: *The Good Man*! That's the most direct evidence. It's not a coincidence, but an inevitability. The selection criteria for films entering the main competition are based on certain standards. You can compare all the films: "closed-off, backward, ignorant, poor, petty, repressive, distorted, lacking individuality, lacking freedom"—these elements will inevitably be reflected in the details of any winning film, even in the nomination list. And this film takes pettiness to the extreme.

Ma: Your description is a bit scary. How about we talk about "Farewell My Concubine"? It's the only film to win the Palme d'Or.

Cao: Are you trying to drag me into this? The movie is still very good. But on a detailed level, let me just give you a small example: the different characters react differently to the opera, and you can see which side of the characters is more morally despicable. Moreover, the ending of the movie happens to incorporate one of the three standards I mentioned.

Ma: Isn't your viewpoint too extreme? So, in your opinion, all movies are manipulated?

Cao: At least in my opinion, that's the case. There aren't actually that many nominees from mainland China. Anyone interested can compare them one by one. I wouldn't mind doing a debate interview.

Ma: In your opinion, do these works contain positive elements of social life, the warmth of humanity, the charm of culture, and the changes of the times?

Cao: Of course it exists. Your question and my answer don't actually conflict; positive elements will certainly exist. They won't be too ostentatious, otherwise it would be too obvious. Returning to *Purple*, its main theme is expressing resistance, which is certainly a good thing. But that's not the case in *The Good Person*. I only saw criticism of this and that, metaphors implied in its narrative. In reality, the underlying motives are quite obvious.

Cao Zhong couldn't help but laugh when he got to this part of the conversation.

If he thinks Jia is bad, then the director of "Purple" is simply... a fool who appears wise.

For example, Cannes directly attacked someone's lungs, which made the editor-in-chief furious, and he kept cursing, resulting in a zero score.

After listening to Cao Zhong's explanation, Ma remained silent for a long time.

Ma: What about the others? Like those we're familiar with?
Cao: You can actually call me by my full name.

Ma: Zhang, Chen, Jiang...

Cao: They're all the same, no difference. This is a fabricated industry chain. There are bound to be certain selected details in the film, and filmmakers are made into targets. But my topic is limited to the film. They can be chosen as role models to subtly attract people, or they can be people who actively approach them, but I don't know. You should understand what I mean. They and the captain aren't necessarily the same; they're not just dogs stealing bones.

Ma: What about the two films that won awards at this year's Venice Film Festival?

Cao: I haven't seen it.

But I have read Eileen Chang's novel "Eileen Chang", which is a metaphor for herself.

Zhang is actually a very blatant cultural rarity; she cannot distinguish between loyalty and steadfastness, good and evil, and speaks of traitors with amusement. Her associates are rare, making her even more detestable than the courtesan. In her eyes, patriotism, national salvation, and unwavering loyalty are nonexistent. Moreover, she particularly enjoys using the metaphor of thieves to illustrate human nature. For example, that famous saying...

I also learned about the manuscript of the novel "Zhang Ailing". It was actually completed in the 50s, but it was not published for fear of being criticized. It was not published until almost thirty years later.

The main plot of this novel is completely identical to the actual historical events in terms of the time, location, target, method, and outcome of the assassination. The characters are even named and identified. This is her most egregious act, defaming heroic figures and glorifying the extraordinary.

From this perspective, if this movie were truly adapted from the original novel, and if it were made by Chinese filmmakers, I think it would be very deserving of awards. However, since the movie is ultimately American-made, the awards are perhaps hard to predict; it's just a high probability. As for *The Sun*, I haven't actually read the original novel either. But once it's released, everyone can go see for themselves whether it fits my three-tiered criteria. But just looking at the title, I think winning an award will be quite difficult, because it's a bit too bright.

Ma: But the chairman of the jury is Director Zhang.

Cao: You don't think he has the final say, do you? They value "fairness" and "freedom," and Director Zhang doesn't have veto power.

Cao Zhong continued: Actually, I understand some so-called art film directors. Art is like a dish; there are all kinds of tastes, so naturally, they can make all kinds of films.

My focus is on the film selection criteria, a standard that has quietly seeped into my mind over the years: films that win awards and are then heavily promoted. It's like it's become a habit.

But if you look at Japanese films, you'll find they're quite different.

The shortlists and even the winners of these works include those that embody the uplifting spirit of Bushido, supernatural tales of love between humans and ghosts, and animated films. You'll find that their films rarely contain the "closed-off, backward, ignorant, poor, petty, repressive, distorted, impersonal, and unfree" elements I described earlier. This is also reflected in the external promotion of Sino-Japanese culture.

In some people's eyes, the moon is rounder in foreign countries, and in the eyes of outsiders, China has a very backward stereotype.

However, when it comes to doujinshi culture, it's hard to understand why many people's memories of it aren't its blatantly aggressive and ugly nature, but rather the value liberation of anime and the cuteness of Pikachu.

From this simple comparison of external propaganda, you might be able to sense some of the malice behind the targeting.

However, in my opinion, this is all just embellishment. In my film "Nanjing Photo Studio," I expressed my views on the Bushido spirit of the other side. I consulted a lot of materials and incorporated their real kaishaku scenes into the film.

What kind of Bushido spirit is this? They're afraid of pain, and they still want to use guns.

So I don't know what pain point my film hit in other people's hearts?

……

The editor-in-chief saw this.

Then I saw Ma Yufei's personal reflections.

“When I interviewed Cao Zhong, I felt his confidence. Whether it was his prediction of the final outcome, his insightful views on the questions he was asked during the interview, or even his desire to promote his ‘Nanjing Photo Studio,’ he did not hide his true intentions.”

I could sense that he seemed to be very restrained.

But beneath that restrained expression lies a terrifying destructive power.

At the end, I asked him if I should publish excerpts from the interview, given its sharp content.

Cao Zhong, however, said to me,

It doesn't matter. Since they did it, they shouldn't be afraid of what people say. Since I spoke out, I'm naturally not afraid of being criticized. The reason I chose to become a director was purely because I couldn't stand by and watch, purely to fight a covert war. And now, it seems the time has come.

When I finished compiling this interview, it was already 2:30 a.m. I learned that Cao Zhong's "Nanjing Photo Studio" grossed 1667 million yuan on its second day and 3315 million yuan in two days.

I finally understood what he meant by "it's time".

The top-grossing domestic film of 2007 has raised his sword and gun.

(End of this chapter)