Huayu: Starting from joining the mainstream entertainment industry in 96

Chapter 431, Page 429: Who are the surrender faction?
In June, the heat in Beijing gradually intensifies.

Although the flames of the Korea-Japan World Cup are still burning, for most Chinese fans, the passion has long been cooled by the reality of the national team losing all three games and failing to score a single goal.

After the initial resentment and disappointment, a sense of numbness and detachment begins to spread, and people's attention begins to shift from the green field to other areas that can provide emotional value.

It was at this juncture that China Film Import & Export Corporation, the core subsidiary of China Film Group responsible for the distribution of imported films, quietly launched a series of high-profile pre-release promotions in several authoritative and urban media outlets, including the China Film News and the Beijing Youth Daily.

The core of the layout is a catchy slogan: "A colorful summer, Hollywood blockbusters accompany you!"

Below the slogan, the titles and main release dates of nine Hollywood blockbusters scheduled to hit mainland cinemas from June to August are listed, like a military formation:

《星球大战前传二：克隆人的进攻》（6月21日）、《少数派报告》（6月28日）、《冰川时代》（7月5日）、《精灵鼠小弟2》（7月19日）、《南极大冒险》（7月26日）、《星际宝贝》（8月2日）、《怪物史莱克》（8月9日）、《风语者》（8月16日）、《蜘蛛侠》（8月26日）。

The promotional materials heavily emphasized the films' global box office success, top-notch special effects, and star power, claiming that this summer would be a "carnival for Chinese movie fans" and "an excellent opportunity to experience the world's top film industry standards up close."

In the period when the World Cup fever has subsided and the public's entertainment needs are in dire need of filling a vacuum, this combination of films has indeed attracted the attention of many young viewers and movie fans.

Initially, this "Hollywood fever" sparked by official channels did not cause much of a stir.

After all, there are imported blockbusters every year, but there are just an unusually large number this year.

Most people simply see it as a routine marketing tactic by the film studio.

However, to those with ulterior motives, this promotional material was nothing more than a pebble thrown into a calm lake.

……

Zhang Weiping's office at New Pictures Film Company.

The air was thick with the strong smell of cigars. Zhang Weiping slammed the newspaper with the slogan "Blockbuster Revenue Sharing Accompanying You" onto the mahogany desk with a dull thud.

His face was gloomy, and his chest heaved slightly with anger.

"Hero" is currently in the midst of intense post-production.

Zhang Weiping has staked almost his entire fortune on this film, hoping it will be a resounding success during the year-end holiday season, not only recouping its costs but also crushing all competitors, including Wang Sheng, who suddenly emerged and dominated him in every way, as well as Wang Sheng's supposedly even bigger-budget film, "Night at the Museum."

But China Film Group's actions made him feel disgusted, as if he had swallowed a fly.

“Han Sanping… Wang Sheng…” Zhang Weiping squeezed out these two names through gritted teeth, a hint of resentment flashing in his eyes.

He had long harbored resentment towards China Film Group's clear preference for "Night at the Museum" over "Hero".

Whether it's the priority of resource allocation or the expectations expressed privately, Han Sanping, that old fox, clearly has higher hopes for the "fantasy comedy" that Wang Sheng is working on.

Now, China Film Group's import and export company is so loudly promoting Hollywood blockbusters, which in his view is simply "boosting the morale of others while diminishing our own," completely disregarding the upcoming domestic blockbuster "Hero"!
"We still need to rely on their distribution network...we can't just break ties directly..."

Zhang Weiping was well aware that the mainland distribution of "Hero" was inseparable from China Film Group, and he could not offend Wang Sheng, who was closely connected with other cinema chains.

A small leak will sink a great ship.

But his gaze fell back on the newspaper, fixed on the glaring headline "Hollywood blockbuster with you," and a sinister idea began to form in his mind. He couldn't directly attack China Film Group, much less openly criticize Wang Sheng, but he could use this as an excuse to muddy the waters!
He immediately picked up the internal phone and summoned his trusted confidant, a vice president skilled in media operations and public opinion guidance.

"See this?" Zhang Weiping pointed to the slogan in the newspaper. "Go, immediately contact those writers from the Southern Media Group who always disagree, as well as those freelance writers in Beijing who are known for their 'concern for the country and its people'."

Tell them I have some juicy gossip that concerns the very survival of Chinese films!

He sneered, a calculating glint in his eyes: "The theme is—Hollywood imports are flooding the market, and the end is nigh for domestic films! We need to emphasize the sense of crisis and create a tragic atmosphere!"

The focus should be on those 'internal forces' that, instead of resisting the influx of Hollywood capital, cheered it on and even mingled closely with foreign capital...

Remember, don't be too explicit, but make sure everyone knows who you're talking about! Especially that company that started with wedding planning and now has connections with Disney and New Line Cinema!

He specifically emphasized: "Find a few influential people to write. For example, Ms. Hu, who often writes film reviews for the Lingnan Culture Daily, and Mr. Yan, who is known for his sharp essays. Give them a generous fee and let them raise their voices! Money is not a problem!"

"..."

……

Under the reward, there must be a brave man.

Less than a week after China Film Group's "Blockbuster Accompaniment" promotion was published, a completely opposite wave of voices suddenly erupted in several influential Southern Metropolis Daily and Cultural Review Weekly.

The first to fire was the *Lingnan Culture Daily*, which published a commentary titled "With 'Blockbuster' Films Approaching, Where is the Road for Domestic Films?" The author wrote with a worried tone:
"When our film regulatory authorities' affiliated companies proudly announced that nine Hollywood blockbusters would 'accompany' Chinese audiences throughout the summer, I felt not joy, but a chill."

These nine aircraft carriers from Hollywood, with their powerful industrial strength and cultural influence, will almost monopolize cinema screens in major Chinese cities over the next three months.

Against this backdrop, how will our domestically produced, still in its infancy, position itself? Where will it find its space to survive?

Following this, the *West China Cultural Review* published an article by freelance writer Mr. Yan entitled "Who is Hollywood's 'Guide'?", which used even stronger language:
"We can't help but ask, who is opening the door wide for this surging Hollywood torrent?"

Beneath the glamorous guise of 'cultural exchange,' does it conceal the blind worship of Western culture by certain interest groups and their easy abandonment of their local cultural territories?
Even worse, some rapidly rising film and television capital in China rely heavily on cooperation with Hollywood (such as co-productions, copyright imports, and even accepting its investment) for their development path. Have they lost their cultural autonomy and willingly become Hollywood's "insiders" and "guides" in conquering the Chinese market?
When our children spend their entire summer vacation seeing only Spider-Man, Jedi Knights, and talking animals in theaters, where will our cultural identity go? This is not alarmist; it is an imminent cultural security crisis!

These articles, like drops of water thrown into a hot oil pan, completely ignited public opinion within just a few days.

People in the intellectual and cultural circles who were already wary of Hollywood's cultural infiltration followed suit, and various seminars and symposiums were held one after another, all revolving around the topic of "Hollywood Invasion and Cultural Autonomy".

Terms such as "cultural security" and "the end of Chinese films" have frequently appeared in newspapers.

Although the article did not name names directly, it was clear to anyone with a discerning eye that the "rapidly rising" and "heavily reliant on cooperation with Hollywood" film and television capital was aimed directly at Sheng Ying Media and Wang Sheng, who were currently enjoying the most attention.

After all, Wang Sheng had just returned from the United States from finalizing a co-production project with Disney, and the success of his collaboration with New Line Cinema on "Shaolin Soccer" was well-known.

The labels of "guide" and "insider" loomed over Wang Sheng and Shengying Media.

Online, similar arguments have begun to appear on some active forums, associating Shengying Media with terms such as "capitulationists" and "compradors".

Although Wang Sheng and Shengying Media have a large following of young fans, their voices have been temporarily suppressed amid a somber atmosphere of "concern for the country and its people."

(End of this chapter)