Best Director in Literature Department of Huayu

Chapter 107: Filming Wraps Up and the Pride of the Chinese (4K, Seeking Monthly Tickets)

After 24 days of intense filming, the crew had already blended into the dilapidated local environment, and no one cared about their image anymore.

On the last morning of February, sunlight streamed through the morning mist over the Mississippi River and onto the corridor.

Jeff had replaced the last spare battery in his digital camera. His eyes were bloodshot from nearly a month of intense work, but his gaze through the viewfinder revealed an almost pathological excitement.

"Attention everyone, this is the last scene of the film."

When Lin Ruiyang shouted these words through a portable megaphone, the entire corridor erupted in an uncontrollable cheer.

Especially the burly men in charge of photography and props, who were usually quite worn out, were so excited that they whistled loudly on the spot, "Thank God!"

"I can finally go home!"

"I'm going to sleep for three days straight!"

"I need to tell my wife that this movie didn't kill me!"

Lin Ruiyang stood behind the monitor and couldn't help but laugh as he watched this scene.

Strictly speaking, filming "Dallas Buyers Club" wasn't exactly easy. The camera crew was exhausted, carrying equipment and filming blindly behind the actors every day; the actors were even thinner than ghosts.

Compared to large-scale productions that often involve thousands of people, at least they don't have to deal with mountains of equipment and complicated scheduling every day.

This final scene belongs not only to Matthew McConaughey, but also to another "madman" young master in the crew.

At that moment, the peeling wooden door of the guest room was slowly pushed open.

Jared Leto walked out unsteadily, wearing a pair of cheap high heels.

To portray the transgender character who suffers from AIDS yet maintains a certain pride, Jared Leto never took off his female attire during the 24 days of filming, even off-screen.

At first, everyone found it amusing, but later the entire crew became numb to it.

One day, a new employee sent by the union, unaware of the situation, opened the door of the makeup cart early in the morning and saw Jared sitting in front of the mirror wearing a sundress and applying lipstick. She froze on the spot for a full ten seconds.

Finally, he stammered an apology: "I'm sorry, ma'am, I went to the wrong place."

Before he could finish speaking, everyone in the makeup van nearly rolled over with laughter.

At this moment, Jared walked in front of the camera in high heels, habitually flipped his wig, and waited for instructions.

With a shout of "Action!", the camera slowly pans in, following the actors.

Matthew sat on a plastic chair outside the motel, his thin body looking as if he might be blown away by the wind at any moment.

Jared slowly walked down the corridor. The two didn't exchange a word; they simply sat down together quietly.

Five minutes later, Lin Ruiyang raised his hand and said, "Cut."

Jeff then quickly replayed the footage, and everyone gathered around.

Jeff played the scene twice: "I hate you, Lin."

"What?" Lin Ruiyang was stunned for a moment.

"Because I know that when I make other movies in the future, I will miss these kinds of shots."

"Then remember this feeling, Jeff." Lin Ruiyang patted Jeff's shoulder, which was covered in sweat and mud.

Jeff then looked down at the monitor screen again. There was no designed lighting, no precisely calculated tracks, and even the composition had a kind of randomness that was almost out of control.

But it was precisely this feeling that made him feel like he was back when he first entered the industry. Back then, making movies wasn't just a job; it was a genuine passion from the bottom of his heart.

"Alright." Lin Ruiyang turned to look at the script supervisor.

"Let me confirm."

The script supervisor quickly flipped to the schedule.

One page, two pages, three pages... As he turned to the last page, he slowly raised his head, his expression becoming somewhat dazed.

"it's over."

"It's all over."

The entire film set erupted in chaos.

"Filming wrapped—!!"

Applause, whistles, and cheers nearly lifted the roof off the motel's dilapidated building, and several burly security guards threw their helmets into the air.

The black man in charge of the lighting rushed over and hugged Jeff tightly: "Dude, you finally don't have to chase people around the streets with that damn machine anymore!"

Jeff laughed and yelled, "Get lost!"

But he couldn't suppress the urge to smile.

The entire filming was completed in just 25 days, which is simply unbelievable in Hollywood.

On the other side, Ma Xiuzheng, who had just finished removing his makeup, slowly stood up while holding onto the chair. He felt a slight dizziness as soon as he stood up.

The assistant next to him immediately handed him a bottle of energy drink. Matthew took it, took a sip, and then looked at Lin Ruiyang.

"it's over?"

"it's over."

"That was fast."

Lin Ruiyang nodded with a smile: "Because you're starving yourself to death."

Matthew joined the others in bursting into laughter, but as he laughed, he suddenly became somewhat lost in thought.

The character Ron has been with him for too long.

Losing weight, researching, interacting with patients, changing my lifestyle... Now that it's all over, I feel an indescribable emptiness or a sense of unease.

Actors often experience this: it's painful to get into character, but even more painful to get out of character.

Jared, on the other hand, didn't have such worries. As soon as the news of the wrap-up was confirmed, the first thing he did was rush into the makeup truck.

Ten minutes later, everyone heard a relieved shout from inside: "0MFG God!"

"I finally don't have to wear high heels anymore!"

Jared walked out carrying the pair of worn-out, cheap high heels, then tossed them into the trash can like bombs, his movements as devout as if performing some kind of religious ritual.

Goodbye, and hopefully we'll never meet again in this lifetime.

Jared's words drew a good-natured chorus of teasing from several girls nearby who were packing their makeup cases.

This "mad young master," who wore stockings and heavy makeup throughout the 24 days on set and even habitually crossed his legs when using the toilet, was now barefoot on the cold cement floor of the motel, completely lacking any sense of decorum.

The unique femininity and sensitivity of transgender Ryan vanished like a tide as he threw off his high heels, while the eccentricity and roughness of a rock lead singer returned to his brow.

For their evening dinner, the film crew booked out a local restaurant in New Orleans.

Before the first serving of fried chicken had even settled in the kitchen, Matthew had already reached out and grabbed it.

Jared, standing nearby, stared in disbelief: "Wait a minute, no one's going to take it from you."

Matthew, his mouth full of food, mumbled, "You have no idea how hungry I am, or how long it's been since I've had any of this food. To hell with vegetables, to hell with coffee, I could eat a whole cow right now!"

"Eat slowly, Matthew. There are plenty of calories in New Orleans tonight."

Just as the cast and crew of "Dallas Buyers Club" were completely relaxed, the Oscars ceremony was already in its final countdown.

As the date draws closer, discussions about the awards are becoming increasingly heated.

All media outlets are releasing their own predictions, along with ongoing public relations reports.

However, at that very moment, a message was suddenly released on the college's official website.

On March 3, Jill Gates, producer of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) live broadcast, announced seven new additions to the list.

List of award presenters.

One name quickly attracted the full attention of the Chinese-language media—Zhang Ziyi.

Less than ten minutes after the news broke, major websites updated their homepages with the headline: "A Shining Star of Chinese Cinema! Zhang Ziyi Wins Oscar for the Second Consecutive Time; Eastern Aesthetics Conquer Hollywood Once Again!"

"From 'Memoirs of a Geisha' to the Kodak Theatre: Zhang Ziyi's Unshakeable Top Position in Hollywood!"

"Although she wasn't nominated, Zhang Ziyi still received recognition from the Academy!"

Within a day, related reports flooded the media.

The previously somewhat subdued public opinion due to the nomination failure was almost instantly reversed, and various press releases began to flood in.

"The only Chinese actress invited."

"Its international influence has been proven once again."

"The most successful Asian actress in Hollywood."

Zhang Ziyi quickly gave an interview to the media after the list was announced: "I am very honored to be invited by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to be a presenter at the 78th Academy Awards again."

This is not only a recognition of me personally, but also an affirmation of all Chinese filmmakers striving to reach an international audience. I will dedicate myself fully to preparations in the coming period, hoping to present our best performance on the Kodak Theatre stage.

However, this extremely official and impeccable statement, once it reached China, was used by major entertainment media outlets as fodder for a new round of gossip and entertainment.

The headlines of the press releases are becoming increasingly exaggerated, even showing a tendency to portray the award presenters as more illustrious than the official nominees.

On the forum, various pseudonyms and online trolls had already started a war of words: "Ziyi is amazing! She went all out to prepare, that's the aura of an international superstar! Those who are jealous of her not being nominated can shut up now."

"That's enough, upstairs. The award presenters are basically just a consolation prize for the organizers to cater to the Asian market. If they really recognized acting skills, why didn't they give a proper Best Actress nomination?"

"The fact that you can present an award even without being nominated speaks volumes about your status."

"At least he's better than most actors these days. Just being able to stand on that stage is already a huge achievement."

On the evening of March 5th, the 3th Academy Awards were officially held, and the red carpet on Hollywood Boulevard was dazzling with stars.

Major domestic portal websites set up special live broadcast pages early on, and countless movie fans waited in front of their computers for the final result.

While ordinary viewers focus on celebrities and the red carpet, industry insiders are united in their focus: whether Li An can bring home the Best Director award.

Inside the room in Beverly Hills, the television was broadcasting ABC's live Oscars.

Lin Ruiyang sat cross-legged on the sofa, with a freshly bought hamburger and a Coke beside him.

The red carpet segment on TV was coming to an end, with one familiar name after another walking past the camera.

George Clooney, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Reese Witherspoon... and Zhang Ziyi, who appeared on camera in a silver-gray dress.

The host's introduction was as enthusiastic as ever, and the camera gave several close-ups.

Lin Ruiyang glanced at it and then looked away. He knew very well that for the domestic media, this would probably be another round of material for a frenzy that could last for several days.

But for the academy, award presenters are ultimately just that—presenters. What truly determines historical standing has always been the nominations and the trophies.

Time passed slowly, and the awards began to be announced one after another.

Best Supporting Actor, Best Original Screenplay, Best Adapted Screenplay... Applause echoed across the television screen.

Meanwhile, countless movie fans across the country who stayed up all night in front of their computers gradually became nervous, because everyone knew that the real highlight was coming soon.

At the Kodak Theatre, as the Best Director award ceremony began, the camera cut to the nominees below:

Li An's *Brokeback Mountain*, Steven Spielberg's *Munich*, Paul Haggis' *Crash*, George Clooney's *Good Night and Good Luck*, and Bennett Miller's *Capote*.

At this moment, the Chinese-language internet almost collectively held its breath, and countless forums suddenly accelerated their refresh rates.

"Here it comes!"

"Holy crap, it's finally here!"

"Go, Director Li!"

"A historic moment!"

Lin Ruiyang put down his Coke in front of the television.

Even though the outcome was already known, the arrival of that moment still evoked a unique emotion.

Tom Hanks slowly opened the envelope, and after a brief pause, his voice carried throughout the room via the television:

'

And the Oscar goes to... Ang Lee, Brokeback Mountain."

A thunderous applause erupted at the Kodak Theatre, and on the television screen, Li An smiled as he walked toward the stage that symbolized the highest honor in the world of film.

At the same time, the Chinese-language internet on the other side of the ocean went completely into a frenzy.

The homepages of major portal websites almost simultaneously experienced slowdowns due to the massive influx of traffic, and headlines in bold red instantly flooded the screens: "A Chinese Epic! Li An Wins the Oscar for Best Director!"

The servers of Tianya Forum and Mop Community experienced brief outages, with countless posts refreshing like an avalanche: "Holy crap!!!"

"Got it!!!"

"Li An is awesome!!!"

"The first Chinese director!"

"history!!!"

"This is truly historic!"

Countless domestic movie fans watching online cheered with joy, as if this little golden statuette carried half of their own pride.

Lin Ruiyang watched Li An giving a smiling speech on TV and clapped lightly as well.

However, before the domestic celebrations could reach their peak, the announcement of the final Best Film was a cold shower for all the expectant Eastern film fans and a minority group.

When Jack Nicholson opened the final envelope and read out the title "Crash" instead of "Brokeback Mountain," an eerie silence fell over the entire Kodak Theatre.

Domestic online forums were in an uproar, with countless people vehemently denouncing the academy's shady dealings and hypocrisy.

Lin Ruiyang didn't show much surprise; he simply leaned back on the sofa and quietly watched history repeat itself.

As a newcomer, he certainly knew what the biggest controversy of this year's Oscars was.

Li An won Best Director, but Brokeback Mountain lost Best Picture.

Many years later, this will still be mentioned repeatedly by countless movie fans. Some believe that the Academy backed down at the last minute, while others believe that Crash hit the most sensitive topic in American society at that time.

But in any case, history has already provided the answer.