Huayu: Starting from joining the mainstream entertainment industry in 96

Chapter 411, Page 409: A Flowery Sedan Chair Carried by Many? (Part 1)
On the evening of April 21, 2002, the 21st Hong Kong Film Awards ceremony officially kicked off at the Grand Theatre of the Hong Kong Island Cultural Centre.

The stage lights were dazzling, and a large screen in the background played exciting clips from the nominated films.

The hosts, Zeng Aizi, Ye Tong, Zhang Daming, and Peng Jing, ignited the atmosphere with a self-deprecating and humorous opening remark about the current state of Hong Kong films.

Zeng Aizi's signature hoarse voice and quick wit drew bursts of laughter from the audience.

At this time, Hong Kong cinema was at a delicate historical juncture.

With CEPA yet to be signed, Hong Kong films still face numerous restrictions when entering the mainland market. Meanwhile, the local market has continued to shrink after the Asian financial crisis, piracy is rampant, and there is a serious brain drain, dimming the former glory of Hong Kong as the "Hollywood of the East."

However, Hong Kong films still possess a tenacious vitality. The films nominated that year, such as "Shaolin Soccer," "Men in Their Forties," "The Ghost," "Lan Yu," and "Fall in Love with Me," still demonstrate diverse genre explorations and artistic pursuits.

In particular, "Shaolin Soccer" achieved great commercial success with its combination of computer-generated special effects and Stephen Chow's nonsensical comedy, and was regarded as a savior of Hong Kong films.

The ceremony proceeded as planned.

One by one, the awards have found their rightful owners.

"Shaolin Soccer" was undoubtedly a big hit, winning awards for Best Director (Stephen Chow), Best Actor (Stephen Chow), Best Visual Effects, and Best Sound Effects.

Every time an award for "Kung Fu Soccer" was announced, the audience erupted in enthusiastic applause and cheers, and the camera frequently focused on Stephen Chow and Wang Sheng, who were sitting in the front row.

Every time Stephen Chow goes on stage to accept an award, he appears somewhat excited and incoherent. After thanking the film crew, he always makes sure to mention, "Thank you for Mr. Wang Sheng's support."

Wang Sheng nodded slightly from below the stage, with an encouraging smile on his face.

Anita Mui won Best Actress for her role in "July Rhapsody". The pop diva and film industry icon was deeply moved on stage, talking about the perseverance and legacy of filmmakers.

The Best Supporting Actor award was surprisingly won by Eric Kot for "You Shoot, I Shoot," showcasing another aspect of the Hong Kong Film Awards' encouragement of local innovation.

The atmosphere reached its climax when the Best Film award was presented.

This was the grand prize of the evening.

The award presenters were the highly respected director John Woo and Anita Mui, who had just won Best Actress.

The two had a brief interaction on stage, reviewing the glorious history of Hong Kong films and expressing their expectations for the future.

Clips from the five nominated films began playing on the big screen:

Kung Fu Soccer: The passion and laughter of a grassroots team playing soccer with kung fu.

"Men at Forty": A delicate portrayal of a middle-aged teacher facing family and emotional crises.

Lan Yu: A profound and tragic love story that transcends social classes.

"The Ghostly Human World": An urban tale that blends horror and warmth.

"Fall in Love with Me": A realistic depiction of youthful restlessness and confusion.

After the clip finished playing, the stage lights focused on John Woo and Anita Mui.

According to procedure, they should simply open the envelope and announce the results.

However, at that moment, the host, Zeng Aizi, suddenly walked to the front of the stage with a microphone.

"Wait a minute, John Woo, Anita Mui, just a moment." Zeng Aizi wore his usual slightly sly smile as he looked at Wang Sheng, who was sitting in the center of the first row below the stage.

All eyes immediately turned to them.

“As everyone knows,” Zeng Aizi said into the microphone in his slightly hoarse voice. This time, he switched to Mandarin, which was not very standard but still understandable, to show respect for the main guest. “Tonight we are very honored to have a special guest with us.”

He is not only the helmsman of Shengying Media, a giant in the mainland film and television industry, but also an exceptionally talented director!

The camera immediately zoomed in on Wang Sheng.

He maintained a composed smile, a hint of emotion flickering in the depths of his eyes, seemingly unsurprised by the host's impromptu performance.

"Director Wang Sheng's works, such as 'A Little Thing Called First Love' and 'My Sassy Girl,' are not only very popular in mainland China and Hong Kong, but also sweep across Asia!"

Zeng Aizi continued, "To film youth and love in such a moving way is truly remarkable."

He then shifted his focus, pointing to the five nominated films on the big screen: "So, before the final results are announced, I would like to invite director Wang Sheng, on behalf of everyone, to share his thoughts on these five films nominated for 'Best Film' from his professional director's perspective."
What makes their stories appealing or unique? And… in Director Wang's personal opinion, which film is most deserving of tonight's highest honor?

These words caused a slight commotion and whispers among the crowd.

This request, though seemingly generous, is actually quite tricky.

Asking a young director from mainland China, known for his commercial genre films, to publicly comment on some of the top films from Hong Kong (including sensitive works like "Lan Yu") and predict the winner of Best Picture is tantamount to putting him in a very difficult position.

If said well, it shows insightful perspective; if said poorly or inappropriately, it can easily spark controversy and be interpreted as "a mainland capital tycoon giving unsolicited advice," which can provoke resentment among people in Hong Kong circles.

Zhou Xingxing glanced at Wang Sheng with a slightly worried expression.

Li Xiaoran hadn't quite caught up yet, since she hadn't really had any conflicts with anyone since entering the industry.

Wang Sheng's smile remained unchanged. After Zeng Aizi made a "please" gesture, he calmly stood up and took a spare wireless microphone from the staff member.

He did not immediately walk to the stage, but stood in front of his seat, his gaze calmly sweeping over the many familiar and unfamiliar faces of Hong Kong filmmakers on and off the stage.

He spoke in clear and standard Mandarin, with perfect pronunciation and a subtle, steady strength.

"Thank you, Mr. Tsang, for the invitation, and thank you to the Hong Kong Film Awards organizing committee for their hospitality."

Wang Shengxian set a humble tone, saying, "As a filmmaker, it is my honor to participate in tonight's grand event and exchange ideas with so many outstanding colleagues."

Then, he turned his attention to the big screen.

"First, let's talk about 'Men at Forty'."

Wang Sheng began, speaking slowly, as if carefully choosing his words, "Director Xu Anhua's works are as delicate and restrained as ever."

She captured the spiritual dilemmas and emotional ripples of middle-aged intellectuals, and the performances of Mr. Zhang Xueyou and Ms. Anita Mui were incredibly vivid.

This exploration of the poetry and philosophy in everyday life is a very valuable tradition in Hong Kong cinema and a unique feature of Chinese-language films.

The evaluation was fair, pointing out the film's artistic value and the director's style, and Xu Anhua and others in the audience nodded slightly.

As for *Lan Yu*,

Wang Sheng paused, and his words seemed to freeze the air in the room for a moment. Everyone held their breath as they listened to his evaluation of this sensitive work: "Director Guan Jinpeng used a lot of courage to explore an emotion that transcends gender and class."

The film's narrative is steady, its emotions are deeply ingrained, and Hu Jun and Liu Ye's performances are highly convincing.

It is not just a romance film, but also a profound record of individual fates and emotional relationships under a specific historical context.

The power of film lies in its ability to confront the complexities of human nature and social realities.

(End of this chapter)