Huayu: Starting from joining the mainstream entertainment industry in 96

Chapter 153, Section 151: Returning to the Capital in Triumph

November 28, 1997, morning.

The plaza in front of the Beijing Exhibition Center Theater was already packed with people.

Built in the 1950s and featuring a strong Soviet architectural style, this theater holds a unique position on Beijing's cultural map. It can host high-profile conferences and performances, and its capacity of nearly two thousand people and its solemn and grand style make it a preferred venue for large-scale events.

Today, this venue has been chosen as the main venue for the final battle of the national tour of "30 Days"—the national premiere.

The biting cold wind did not dampen people's enthusiasm.

A huge inflatable archway spanned the entrance, with an eye-catching banner hanging above it that read "National Premiere of '30 Days' - Beijing Station and Grand Premiere Ceremony".

The red carpet stretched from the curb all the way into the exhibition hall, with fans, reporters with cameras, and security personnel maintaining order on both sides. Many of them were elite members of the Beijing Film Studio's security department, dressed in uniform overcoats, their eyes alert, ensuring order at the scene.

A huge movie poster stands in the most prominent position in the theater. Stephen Chow and Li Xiaoran, who play "Chen Shi" and "Lin Weiwei", smile at each other against the backdrop of Beijing's hutongs and high-rise buildings, highlighting the film's positioning as a "Beijing-Hong Kong fusion, heartwarming comedy".

Next to the poster stood a signature board, where many early arrivals had already left their names.

Before six o'clock, the guests began to enter the venue one after another.

The first to walk the red carpet were core members of the Beijing Film Studio Alliance. Han Sanping, dressed in a dark Zhongshan suit, looked energetic and chatted with Zhang Heping, Wang Zhu, Lu Yao and others from Forbidden City Film Industry. Their appearance triggered the first wave of media flashes.

Following them were well-known figures from Beijing's cultural and artistic circles, as well as several young directors who had made a name for themselves in the Beijing Film Studio's alliance television film projects, such as Zhang Yang, Huo Jianqi, and Wu Yiyi, who also made a low-key appearance.

The starlight of today is far more than this.

When Andy Lau, dressed in a well-tailored black suit, walked onto the red carpet with a smile, the atmosphere at the scene was instantly ignited.

As a representative of Hong Kong stars who are close to the mainland and have a wholesome image, his invitation to attend is of great significance.

Accompanying him was Zhang Guorong, who also enjoys a high reputation in mainland China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. His refined demeanor drew screams from fans.

"Red Lovers," starring Zhang Guorong and Mei Ting, was released on July 22 this year, mainly in Beijing, where it did well at the box office and gained a considerable following.

When Wang Sheng extended invitations to a group of Hong Kong stars to attend the national premiere through the mainland cultural organization's branch office in Hong Kong, Andy Lau and Cheung Kwok-jung were among the Hong Kong stars who responded very enthusiastically.

The presence of these Hong Kong stars not only demonstrates the influence of Wang Sheng and the Beijing Film Studio alliance in the industry, but also symbolizes the increasingly close cooperation between filmmakers from both regions.

On the mainland, the appearance of Zhao Benshan and Song Dandan, whose popularity soared due to "Family Harmony Brings Prosperity," as well as comedy stars such as Guo Da and Fan Wei, brought a lot of down-to-earth joy.

The TV series "Harmony Brings Prosperity" has a high rebroadcast rate in some regions, which has solidified the image of "Grandma Yu" on screen.

As the female lead, Li Xiaoran wore an elegant white dress, linked arm in arm with Wang Sheng, and calmly faced the media's cameras, exuding a remarkable temperament.

Wang Sheng was still wearing a simple casual suit, but the composure and confidence in his eyes were more striking than any fancy clothes.

He kept nodding to familiar guests, and occasionally stopped to give brief interviews to mainstream media such as People's Daily, China Youth Daily, and Beijing TV. His words and actions showed both respect for his seniors and confidence in his grasp of the market.

In addition to the invited guests, there were also hundreds of ordinary audience members who were selected through open auditions conducted by the Beijing Evening News, the Youth Daily, and partner radio stations.

Holding their specially made admission tickets, their faces beamed with excitement and anticipation.

Being able to see Stephen Chow's new film at the premiere and get up close and personal with so many stars is a rare experience for many people.

Of course, there were also "insiders" who obtained tickets through various connections, forming a complex and subtle microcosm of Beijing's social circles.

At 7 p.m. sharp, the Beijing Exhibition Theater, which can accommodate nearly 2,000 people, was packed to capacity.

The stage was meticulously arranged, the huge screen was not yet lit, and a temporary interview area was set up in front of the stage.

The lights dimmed, and a spotlight shone on the center of the stage.

The emcee was a well-known host from Beijing TV, who opened the premiere with enthusiastic remarks.

The first guests invited to the stage were director Wang Sheng, lead actors Zhou Xingxing and Li Xiaoran.

The audience burst into warm applause.

Stephen Chow appeared somewhat shy, greeting everyone in his signature, slightly accented Mandarin, which elicited good-natured laughter.

He has always claimed to be socially awkward, but whether that's true or not is a matter of opinion.

Li Xiaoran was poised and generous, expressing her gratitude to the production team and the audience.

Wang Sheng's speech was concise and to the point. He thanked all the main creators, partners, and guests and audience members present, and emphasized that "30 Days" is a heartwarming attempt about love, marriage, and memory, hoping to bring laughter and reflection to everyone.

The National Film Work Conference held in Changsha in 1996 proposed three core standards for Chinese film creation: the principle of unifying ideological content, artistry, and entertainment value.

Visual appeal is ranked last.

After the interview segment, the host suddenly announced: "Next, we have a special segment. Let's give a warm round of applause to Director Wang Sheng, Mr. Stephen Chow, and Ms. Li Xiaoran, who will bring us a very familiar song—'The Chinese'!"

This is a task assigned from above.

This arrangement took everyone by surprise. The scene fell silent for a moment, then erupted into even louder applause and cheers.

The music began, a newly arranged and more exciting and grand accompaniment.

Wang Sheng was the first to pick up the microphone, his voice steady and powerful: "Five thousand years of wind and rain, how many dreams have they held..."

Then, to everyone's surprise, Stephen Chow also tried his best to keep up with the rhythm. Although his pronunciation wasn't perfect, he sang with exceptional seriousness: "Yellow face, black eyes, but the smile remains unchanged..." Li Xiaoran's clear and emotional voice joined in the chorus: "Same blood, same race, the future still holds dreams, let's explore it together..."

I've tried very hard to find the right tone, but it's just so-so.

The trio's duet may not have been perfect in terms of pure musicality, but the emotional power it contained instantly struck the audience.

Wang Sheng's composure, Zhou Xingxing's hard work, and Li Xiaoran's deep affection are just like the kind of integration and resonance that the film tries to convey.

Especially Stephen Chow, the "Master Star" who is deeply rooted in people's hearts with his comedic image, sang a patriotic song with such seriousness. The contrast and sincerity he brought won him a standing ovation.

During the second half of the song, Andy Lau, Zhang Guorong, and others in the audience spontaneously hummed along, bringing the atmosphere to a touching and exhilarating climax.

When the music ended, thunderous applause erupted and lasted for a long time.

The host excitedly concluded, "The song 'Chinese People' expresses our shared bloodline and foreshadows closer collaboration and a brighter future for Chinese-language filmmakers! Thank you to all three for your wonderful performances!"

……

Then, the main event began.

The stage lights went completely dark, and the screen slowly lit up.

First came the approval order from the Film Administration Bureau of Radio, Film and Television.

Next, the logos of Forbidden City Film Studio, Beijing Film Studio, and Sheng Ying Media flashed by in turn.

The film "30 Days" has officially begun its premiere in Beijing.

The theater fell silent, with only the sound of the film echoing in the air.

The audience was quickly drawn into the story of Chen Shi and Lin Weiwei.

Stephen Chow has toned down his extremely exaggerated performances, relying more on expressions and details to shape his characters. This down-to-earth approach feels fresh to audiences familiar with him.

Li Xiaoran's performance was natural and smooth, and her chemistry with Stephen Chow was unexpectedly harmonious.

The plot cleverly incorporates humorous moments about marital trivialities, the awkwardness of amnesia, and the gradually recovering emotions. These humorous moments often stem from everyday details rather than being forced or artificial, eliciting frequent bursts of knowing laughter from the audience.

In the latter half, when the two regain their memories at a familiar street corner and smile at each other, soft sobs can be heard.

For Beijing audiences who experienced the golden age of domestic films in the 1980s and have also witnessed the influx of Hong Kong and Western films through various channels in recent years, especially those in the arts and culture circles present, "30 Days" may not be the ultimate in depth and artistic exploration, but its production quality, mature genre storytelling, and keen capture of the emotional state of contemporary urbanites are all refreshing.

It successfully balanced commercial entertainment with emotional resonance, which was quite remarkable given the state of mainland Chinese cinema at the end of 97.

Many industry insiders nodded in approval as they watched, gaining a more intuitive understanding of Wang Sheng's ability to handle commercial genre films and his determination to promote this "Beijing-Hong Kong cooperation, market-oriented" model.

The film ends in a warm and joyful atmosphere, the credits roll, and the lights come on.

The applause rang out again, this time for the film itself, lasting and sincere.

The main creators returned to the stage to receive greetings from the audience.

During the interactive session, the audience actively asked questions.

When asked by an audience member why his performance this time was different from his previous ones, Stephen Chow sincerely expressed his hope to try more diverse roles and thanked director Wang Sheng for giving him this opportunity.

When a reporter asked Li Xiaoran about her experience working with Stephen Chow, she cleverly replied that she learned a lot from the senior actor, and more importantly, they worked together to create a great story.

Finally, the microphone was handed to Wang Sheng.

He stood in the center of the stage, his gaze sweeping across the entire venue, from the guest seats to the general audience area.

Thank you all for coming today.

His voice, transmitted clearly through the microphone, reached every corner of the theater: "From the conception to completion, and then to the national tour of '30 Days' over the past half month, and finally back to Beijing, standing here, I have many feelings."

He paused slightly before continuing, "Some say that movies are dreams. But we believe even more that movies are life reflected in a mirror, the laughter and tears of life."

What "30 Days" aims to create is a mirror that allows everyone to see themselves and those around them. It may not be perfect, but it is sincere.

“We’ve traveled to many cities and met many audiences. The feedback I’ve heard most often is ‘good,’ ‘funny,’ and ‘touching.’ It’s simple, but it’s also very important.”

For a movie to be successful, it must first and foremost be something that people want to watch, something they can get into, and something that resonates with them.

This is the direction we at Beijing Film Studio Alliance, Shengying Media, and myself have always strived for—to make movies that Chinese audiences enjoy watching.

"This road is long and difficult. But we have the best audience, partners willing to explore together, and a constantly changing and growing market."

Today's brilliance doesn't belong to any one person; it belongs to everyone who has worked hard for Chinese cinema, to each and every one of you here today, and to every ordinary person who is still willing to go to the cinema and believe in the power of film.

"30 Days is just the beginning. In the future, we will continue to move forward and repay everyone's trust and support with better works. Thank you!"

Wang Sheng's speech was not filled with flowery language, but it was steady and powerful, full of his thoughts on the industry and his confidence in the future.

He bowed again, and thunderous applause erupted from the audience…

(End of this chapter)