Global Film Emperor

Chapter 500: The Results of the Palme d'Or

Lu Ze had read The Decameron many times. He wouldn't say he liked it that much. Compared to works that criticize society and human nature, he preferred something more mundane. But he still respected it, since most people crave the mundane things in life, while only a few can achieve lasting fame.

The people written in textbooks cannot be said to be ignorant of the true meaning of life just because they like the mundane details of daily life. On the contrary, these people who are busy with food, clothing, housing and other necessities every day should remember those who have promoted the progress of world history. Lu Ze's admiration for them stems from this.

Perhaps one day, Lu Ze will be written into the textbooks of the performing arts department, but that will be his only achievement. He will be remembered by the times, but the next era may not have a place for him on paper.

This is not the first time "The Decameron" has been adapted into a film. Back in 1971, the famous Italian director, Pablo Passoni, who also directed "The 120 Days of Sodom," brought this work to the big screen as the first film in his life trilogy.

However, the film depicts too much "sex" and has too many explicit scenes. Even though many people praise the "sex" scenes for highlighting the power and beauty of life, Lu Ze does not quite agree with this view. A small amount of scenes unsuitable for children can indeed enhance a film in some cases, but excessive depiction does make people wonder if the director has some strange fetish.

On the contrary, this latest version of "The Decameron" surprised Lu Ze after he learned about it through a short trailer. This was not only because it included two of Lu Ze's favorite stories, the flowerpot with a human head and the nun with underwear on her head, but also because, judging from the trailer, the film was well-made and recreated the medieval European style. In addition, the transitions were very well done, unlike the rough version from 1971.

Hearing so many movie fans praising it so enthusiastically, Lu Ze was pretty sure that Paramount would make a splash this year, and at least in terms of reputation, it would definitely rank among the top six film studios.

After anticipating the release of "The Decameron," Lu Ze turned his attention back to the Cannes Film Festival. By then, the reporters had stopped their interviews, the festival banquet was in full swing, and the scene shifted to the theater entrance, where guests were already walking on the 40-meter-long red carpet.

First to appear were YouTube influencers, mostly from the fashion and beauty industries, with a few entertainment bloggers as well. Judging from the cheers at the scene, they were quite popular, with many fans seeking to take photos with them. Following them were well-known internet celebrities from all over the world and from various platforms, including some of China's top internet celebrities.

However, compared to the YouTube bloggers just now, their red carpet appearance may not have been as pleasant. Many influencers from non-mainstream European platforms were clearly not popular, leading to a somewhat awkward atmosphere. It is estimated that many viewers in front of their TVs had already dug out three bedrooms and a living room with their toes, their embarrassment began to kick in, and some had even switched to other channels.

As a commercial film festival, it's understandable to give away or sell tickets to non-industry members who can also generate economic value. However, for professionals or seasoned film enthusiasts, this practice is hard to understand and accept. The gathering of diverse people from various industries creates a chaotic mess, completely altering the atmosphere that a film festival should have. This is the fundamental reason why many celebrities, including Lu Ze, have started refusing to walk the red carpet.

In the short term, this will indeed increase the film festival's attention and revenue. However, in the long run, it will damage the film festival's brand value. The organizers must be aware of this, yet they still did it, leaving many film fans and even guests confused about what the organizers were trying to do.

Lu Ze's viewing source was YouTube, so he could see many comments complaining that the pre-Cannes Film Festival red carpet setup was rather low-end. Many internet celebrities appeared flustered on the red carpet, unsure of what to do with their hands, becoming the target of ridicule and even attacks in the comments. Lu Ze did not comment on this.

Half an hour later, the celebrity lineup began to appear. Although they were just relatively unknown actors, their personal image and demeanor were generally better than those of internet celebrities. Their relaxed and composed demeanor in front of the camera made many netizens say that this was the kind of ceremony they wanted to see, even though they took far fewer steps than the internet celebrities.

However, celebrities are not without their problems. There are far more celebrities who cause trouble than internet celebrities. In just one and a half hours, three men fell and two women fell. Because they were wearing low-cut dresses, quite a few of them exposed their nipples, giving the audience a feast for the eyes. In the eyes of Lu Ze, an expert in body control, 80% of the actors who fell were too exaggerated.

Time always flies when watching the witty banter and live comments. Another half hour has passed, and the arrival of the next guest has completely changed the atmosphere of the Cannes event...

"Now disembarking are the Mendeleev brothers from Vladivostok Oblast, Russia. On the left is the elder brother, Lucas Cherskov Mendeleev, and on the right is the younger brother, Kyshar Cherskov Mendeleev. They are here with their film 'Exile,' which is in the main competition. Lucas is the chief cinematographer and assistant director, while Kyshar is the director and art director of the film. Cannes welcomes them."

As the reporter introduced them, the two behemoths slowly stepped out of the car. The moment their feet touched the ground, the shock absorbers of the Phantom visibly lifted up. Due to years of fitness training, their back problems flared up at this moment, making their waists appear even more robust and muscular, making the fans around them look several sizes smaller. This visual effect... saying they looked like people would be an understatement.

The two directors are in a similar awkward situation to other directors. Due to their limited number of works, their presence is practically nonexistent compared to their films or the actors who star in them. Before attending this red carpet event, few film fans knew them, but this time, the situation has changed slightly.

"A bald, muscular man with a long beard and covered in tattoos—are you sure these two are directors and not gang thugs?"

"The two of them reminded me of some local arms dealers I've seen in the Far East. You know, members of these gangs don't wear Adidas."

"It's hard to imagine that they are artists, rather than just 'people who do some art.' If I met them in real life, I would definitely go around them."

"Screwdriver! Screwdriver! Keep installing the floor!" (in Chinese)

The comments on the webpage kept scrolling by, and what they said seemed to be the impressions that the audience had of the two. Even though many audience members supported "Exile", they were still unwilling to get close to these two humanoid monsters. Only a few people nervously handed over autographed boards, hoping that the creators of the works they believed were good could leave them a message.

To the surprise of fans, the two burly men, who didn't seem like good guys, displayed a patience and gentleness completely contrary to their image. This wasn't a persona suggested by Mickey or Lu Ze; it was their true nature, related to their years of fitness training. As a result, more autograph boards were handed out. This is a good sign, allowing the two to break free from the stereotypes imposed on them by the outside world. This is equally important in the art world. While people can accept the eccentricities of artists, who do people prefer: a cheerful artist or a quirky artist? The answer is self-evident.

After signing their names on the bulletin board and passing the security guards who were two sizes smaller than the brothers, the two entered the theater and disappeared from the camera's view. Lu Ze turned off the video, and the break was over. During work hours, he still needed to review the script every day, even though he had mastered the plot perfectly. Before the awards ceremony began, he also had his work to do.

……

"A glass of champagne, please."

He accepted the champagne, stood in the center of the venue, looked around, took a sip, and displayed an elegance that was quite different from his physique. Lucas next to him was scrolling through his phone, occasionally smiling. He didn't disturb him, and no one else would either.

Even when he attended the ceremony as a participant in the main competition, no one greeted him in a friendly manner. Only when passing by them would someone nod and say hello out of fear of their fierce faces.

Was it because he was Russian? Or because he worked for Mickey, whom everyone there hated? Probably both. In any case, he had already prepared himself for a life without social interaction. Having his brother there was enough for him. With family around, even if he was isolated, he wouldn't feel lonely.

"Lucas, shall we go in first?"

After communicating in his native language, he got Lucas's permission. Lucas had been wanting to find a place to sit down and have a serious chat with his girlfriend, so he put away his phone and walked with Kesha to their seats. When the guests next to them saw the two of them coming, they swallowed hard and made some space for them. At that moment, the person next to them was probably also secretly complaining about his bad luck.

For a while after he sat down, the surroundings remained quiet, which seemed somewhat out of place compared to the lively environment. Lucas next to him typed rapidly and occasionally sent a voice message. He watched coldly until he got a little annoyed, then leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes to rest.

"Lucas."

"Ah."

"Are you going to marry that Italian girl?"

"...Why not if I like it?"

Upon hearing his brother's question, Lucas suddenly fell silent. He rubbed his thumb against the smooth screen, leaving a fragmented fingerprint. With each swipe, the fingerprint stretched into long lines, making the glossy screen appear somewhat messy and cloudy.

Surely no one really thinks that a 20-year-old girl wouldn't like handsome men but would prefer a fierce-looking, muscular guy?

He understood, Kesha understood, everyone understood, it just so happened that she was exactly what Lucas wanted, so everyone worked together to weave a beautiful dream for Lucas that he should have had but didn't because of the arranged marriage. The dream could continue, as long as Lucas wanted it to continue, as long as she could give Lucas loyalty, then her beautiful dream had only just begun.

The two brothers were grateful for the strong bodies their parents had given them, but in some ways, these strong bodies became barriers to their pursuit of certain feelings. Both of them saw through this, but... Kesha preferred to be more direct in his demands, while Lucas preferred to cloak a deal in a beautiful guise.

The ceremony began, and the first winner was announced. On such an important occasion, Lucas did not use his phone. The two sat upright, their eyes fixed on the stage, watching the trophies being taken away one by one. Until the Palme d'Or was awarded, the host opened the envelope, followed the procedure, and deliberately created some mystery before finally announcing the winner's name.

"The 82nd Palme d'Or, Best Film! The winner is... Keishal Cherskov Mendeleev!"

"..."

Let me sort out my thoughts first...

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(End of this chapter)