Huayu Entertainment 1995 started with hijacking.

Chapter 179 The Tough Old Schemer

Wu Yuchen was receiving congratulations from the guests present at that moment:

"Director Wu, this film truly lives up to its Golden Bear accolade reputation; it's exceptionally well-made!"

Wu Yuchen naturally responded to all the congratulations and compliments with a smile.

A moment later, he saw Jiang Wen walk up, give Wu Yuchen a thumbs up, and say, "Great!"

Seeing Jiang Wen's expression, Wu Yuchen didn't reply immediately. After a moment, he asked, "Anything else?"

Jiang Wen was taken aback for a moment, then smiled and continued, "That's really brilliant!"

With a smile on his face, Wu Yuchen said to Jiang Wen, "Director Jiang, I've been waiting for you to say 'awesome' to me. I heard from Quentin that you've even spread our national treasures to the international stage!"

Jiang Wen burst into laughter upon hearing this. Years ago, after he met Quentin, Quentin learned the word "awesome" from him. Quentin was puzzled and asked why "awesome" was used in China to describe something cool and impressive. Jiang Wen gave him a shocking answer: "Because the coins of a bull are very large!"

Since then, Quentin has returned to Hollywood and has been spreading the use of "awesome" to people.

Jiang Wen laughed in his deep voice, "It's not impressive that I spread 'awesome' internationally; it's truly impressive that you, Director Wu, spread your films all over the world!"

Wu Yuchen's smile widened even more; the word "awesome" tasted even better coming from Jiang Wen's mouth!
At this moment, Zhang Yimou walked over and said, "Mr. Donkey is indeed wonderful!"

Wu Yuchen immediately replied modestly, "Senior Brother Zhang, we're all following the same path you've taken."

Zhang Yimou knew he was referring to the time he and Jiang Wen won the Golden Bear for "Red Sorghum" ten years ago, and he smiled and shook his head, saying:
“I really couldn’t make a film like yours. A couple of years ago, Jiang Wen and I collaborated on a dark comedy called ‘Keep Cool,’ which is in the same style, but the content and depth are far inferior to your ‘Mr. Donkey.’”

At this moment, Jiang Wen chuckled and said, "I have also benefited greatly today. The movie I'm currently filming, 'Devils on the Doorstep,' is also planned to be an absurd comedy. When the movie is released and premieres, I would like to invite you two to come and have a good look at it!"

"Then I'll have to wait for good news~" Wu Yuchen said with a smile, but in his heart he thought that there might not even be a premiere, after all, you've already had a hard time getting past the censorship!

Wu Yuchen didn't intend to remind Jiang Wen of anything; even if he did, it would be completely useless. Jiang Wen is an extremely individualistic person, very focused on his own expression. He just wants to film what he wants to film, and Wu Yuchen's words wouldn't change his mind. Even if he doesn't learn his lesson this time with "Devils on the Doorstep," he'll be banned sooner or later anyway.

Then Wu Yuchen turned to Zhang Yimou and asked, "Brother Zhang, are your two films, 'Not One Less' and 'The Road Home,' finished? Which film festivals do you plan to submit them to?"

He had reminded Zhang Weiping of the issue once before, but it's unclear whether Zhang Weiping ignored it or Zhang Weiping smoothed things over, as the two haven't separated yet. Wu Yuchen couldn't possibly bring it up a second time; everyone has their own destiny.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yimou frowned: "I originally planned to send 'Not One Less' to Cannes and 'My Father and Mother' to Venice, but now there have been some communication problems with Cannes."

"Oh, what's wrong?" Wu Yuchen and Jiang Wen were both curious.

"The Cannes Film Festival director, Jacob, felt that 'Not One Less' was suspected of political propaganda and glorifying the image of China, and wanted me to withdraw it and replace it with 'The Road Home'. I have already negotiated with him several times..." Zhang Yimou said briefly.

Upon hearing this, Wu Yuchen estimated that the negotiation was most likely unsuccessful, because in his memory, "Not One Less" was sent to Venice in his previous life, while "My Father and Mother" was sent to Berlin the following year.

Wu Yuchen shook his head and said, "There are still many people in Europe and America who have stereotypes about China. Even the director of Cannes has this impression. Senior Brother Zhang, if it really doesn't work out, you should consider switching to another film."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yimou sighed, his expression turning somewhat grave. He reasoned that unless absolutely necessary, it was best to avoid the situation of a film being temporarily withdrawn and resold to another company, as it would be a huge embarrassment.

It is well known that there is competition among the three major European film festivals.

Back in 1988, the 38th Berlin International Film Festival originally invited Chen Kaizi's film "King of the Children," which had already been submitted to the festival and was rumored to be highly regarded. However, the Cannes Film Festival representatives also noticed "King of the Children" and extended an invitation to Chen Kaizi.

Kai was extremely excited because Cannes had a greater influence than Berlin. In a moment of impulsiveness, he decided to withdraw "King of the Children" from Berlin and send it to Cannes instead. This was very offensive at the time, and the Berlin Film Festival organizers were very angry. China then urgently sent Zhang Yimou's "Red Sorghum" as a replacement.

As we all know, "Red Sorghum" won the Golden Bear, while Kaito Kid's "King of the Children" won the Golden Alarm Clock Award at Cannes. Don't think this is a great award; the Golden Alarm Clock Award means "the most boring and tedious film" at this year's film festival.

In stark contrast, Zhang Yimou was riding high, while Kevin Kelly was completely silenced. Kelly didn't attend the Berlin Film Festival for many years afterward because of this incident. It's easy to imagine that this event significantly impacted the relationship between Zhang Yimou and Kelly Kelly, and from that point on, Kelly Kelly harbored a deep-seated rivalry with Zhang Yimou.

Yes, the complicated relationship between Zhang Yimou and Kai is just that interesting.

Now, Zhang Yimou is also facing this dilemma: whether to withdraw his film from Cannes and submit it to another two film festivals. After congratulating Wu Yuchen and exchanging a few words, Zhang Yimou left with his thoughts on the matter. Jiang Wen, of course, also rushed back to the set of "Devils on the Doorstep" to continue filming.

Following the premiere of "Mr. Donkey," various newspapers and magazines published reviews of the film.

"Mr. Donkey: China's most profound dark absurd comedy!"

"A farce that's both funny and touching, a comedy that's tragic to the core!"

"Mr. Donkey, director Wu Yuchen's reflection on history and society."

"Mr. Donkey, a tragic elegy for intellectuals!"

Without a doubt, the story of "Mr. Donkey" is not lacking in depth and artistry, and there is so much to explore. This is exactly what this era has in common with the aesthetics of a large number of writers who are in control of their pens. Coupled with the Golden Bear award, it is bound to be praised to the skies!

After winning the Golden Bear and Best Actress awards, "Mr. Donkey" had already attracted public attention. This time, the media's spontaneous and overwhelming publicity has really piqued everyone's curiosity.

In addition, Wu Yuchen's reputation over the past two years led to a surge of moviegoers flocking to see "Mr. Donkey" on the night of its premiere.

Back in 95, "In the Heat of the Sun" only garnered Best Actor and a Golden Lion nomination, yet audiences flocked to see it, even though many were left confused afterward, it still grossed 5000 million yuan. This time, "Mr. Donkey" is a film where audiences are unlikely to have any trouble understanding it, and its dramatic tension is far greater than that of "In the Heat of the Sun."

Moreover, the characters in "Mr. Donkey" easily resonate with the audience. Whether it's the seemingly honest but hypocritical Principal Sun, the selfish Pei Kuishan who turns against and persecutes someone he can't have, the passionate but all-talking and incompetent Zhou Tienan, or the romantic and idealistic but weak and powerless Zhang Yiman, including the coppersmith, Sun Jia, the special envoy, and so on, if you think about it carefully, you'll realize that everyone has people like these around them.

Despite its absurdity, *Mr. Donkey* is actually based on realism. Its high level of production and vividly portrayed characters greatly evoke strong emotions in the audience. As a result, almost everyone who watches it is impacted and gains some insight.

After the audience finished watching, there was already a lot of discussion among those around them:

"Sigh, Zhang Yiman is just too pitiful..."

“Let me tell you, our unit leader is exactly the same as this Principal Sun. He calls on us to make sacrifices and contributions every day, and in the end, we all make sacrifices and contributions, while he reaps the benefits!”

"Zhou Tienan is a damn coward, it would have been better to just shoot him dead!"

"You make it sound so easy, but wouldn't you be scared if you actually encountered this situation?"

"Truly worthy of an internationally renowned director, truly worthy of a Golden Bear film! This is amazing!"

……

The high level of discussion among viewers after watching the film naturally further fueled the media's efforts, leading many newspapers to publish in-depth analyses of the film "Mr. Donkey" to attract readers.

"Mr. Donkey: Did you really understand it?"

"Analyzing the historical background of 'Mr. Donkey' and the characters and events it alludes to."

"On the subtle foreshadowing in 'Mr. Donkey'"

“The symbolic meaning and exploration of human nature of the various characters in ‘Mr. Donkey’”

"Mr. Donkey: How can the complexity of human nature be summarized by a single word like good and evil?"

Even after watching the movie, some university teachers and students have begun publishing articles about "Mr. Donkey":

"An Exploration of the Absurd Aesthetics of 'Mr. Donkey'"

"On the artistic features of 'Mr. Donkey'".

"Philosophical Reflections on 'Mr. Donkey'"

At the turn of the century, the prevailing atmosphere was such that a film with an interesting and profound plot, coupled with major awards, could spark widespread discussion across the country.

While Wu Yuchen's previous films, "My Brothers and Sisters" and "If Love Has a Destiny," achieved good box office results, many highbrow intellectuals looked down on them, considering them merely entertainment. Even though Wu Yuchen had two Hollywood films that grossed over $100 million, some people in China still felt they lacked artistry and depth. That's the prevailing sentiment these days; many people may not say it, but they secretly despise commercial films, prioritizing intellectual depth and intellectual content.

But this time, "Mr. Donkey" is different. It has sparked a comprehensive discussion in China, from the general public to the media and academia. It has made an unparalleled impact and has truly planted an impression in the hearts of people from all walks of life in China: Wu Yuchen, a great director!
Some people have even gone beyond calling him the leader of the sixth generation of directors, and have proposed that he is the most influential director in China.

This is essentially a veiled claim that Wu Yuchen is China's top director. However, this is done out of consideration for Chen Kaige and Zhang Yimou, and also because Wu Yuchen is still too young. In China's seniority-based system, bestowing the title of "China's top director" upon him would be highly controversial. Thus, the description "China's most influential director" came about, a claim that no one can refute.

With the full cooperation of China Film Group and Han Sanping in distribution, and amidst heated discussions among the media and the public, "Mr. Donkey" grossed over 100 million yuan in just three weeks after its release!
To be honest, Wu Yuchen didn't expect "Mr. Donkey" to have a high box office, since the style of dark absurd comedy is actually quite niche. However, the response to "Mr. Donkey" this time was indeed huge. Considering that "In the Heat of the Sun" was able to gross over 50 million yuan, it's reasonable for this film to break 100 million yuan.

Wu Yuchen didn't plan to pay attention to the subsequent box office results. At this time, he was attracted by something else: Zhang Yimou had broken ties with Cannes!
Zhang Yimou previously stated at the premiere of "Mr. Donkey" that negotiations were underway, but it seems those negotiations have failed. He has directly released a statement, which should be considered an open letter to Cannes Film Festival director Jacob:
Both of my films are about the theme of love.

"Not One Less" expresses our love for children and our concern for the current state and future of the overall cultural quality of our nation.

"My Father and Mother" celebrates the purest and truest love.

These are emotions that all humanity shares and celebrates. However, it is perplexing that you would criticize the film on 'political' grounds, which is undoubtedly a form of political or cultural prejudice!
Unfortunately, this prejudice has shaken my belief in your festival's commitment to valuing art, and my film has had to be withdrawn from the Cannes Film Festival.

After this open letter, which resembled a statement, was released, Wu Yuchen knew that Zhang Yimou and Cannes would probably be out of the running for the rest of the year. No wonder Zhang Yimou didn't participate in the Cannes Film Festival for more than a decade afterward.

It wasn't until 2014, when Gilles Jacob, the current director of the Cannes Film Festival who had been in charge for 37 years, retired, that Zhang Yimou returned to Cannes with "Coming Home".

Wu Yuchen immediately called Zhang Yimou and said, "Senior Brother Zhang, in short, I admire you!"

It has to be said that Zhang Yimou seems like an honest, quiet person who is easy to bully in China, but he is very fierce when dealing with foreign countries and his attitude has always been tough. He truly deserves to be called the "National Director"!

Zhang Yimou said calmly, "It's nothing. There are some matters of principle that cannot be compromised."

“Senior Brother Zhang, only you can stick to this principle. Many other people have done it, but none of them have done it.”

Think about it, it's just a matter of replacing "Not One Less" with "The Road Home" to compete. Many directors would not care, but Zhang Yimou went head-to-head with the big boss of the film festival. Not many people can do that.

Wu Yuchen then asked, "Senior Brother Zhang, what are your plans next?"

Zhang Yimou smiled and said, "The president of the Venice Film Festival, Kusturica, personally called to invite me to Venice, so I plan to send 'Not One Less' to Venice and 'My Father and Mother' to Berlin next year."

"That's good. I knew there was no need to worry with Senior Brother Zhang's talent. Cannes will suffer if you leave, while the other two companies will be trying to win you over!" Wu Yuchen was relieved to hear this.

Zhang Yimou's "Not One Less" went to Venice this time and won the Golden Lion. Wu Yuchen guessed that the Venice Film Festival president must have made some promises to Zhang Yimou this time.

This also shows that the three major film festivals are ultimately just a game within the industry. It all comes down to how much influence you have. For example, a director's word can decide the fate of your film and even promise you an award.

The movie isn't really about fighting and killing; it's all about human relationships and social interactions!

After speaking with Zhang Yimou on the phone, Wu Yuchen stopped worrying about him.

Wu Yuchen was at Miracle Films at the moment, looking through the company to see if there were any reliable projects that could attract investment.

While "Mr. Donkey" was undoubtedly a hit on the big screen recently, "Never Close Your Eyes" took over the ratings crown from "Yongzheng Dynasty" on the small screen, making Lu Yi a rising star.

To be honest, Lu Yi has a really good appearance, but unfortunately his acting skills are lacking! For example, in "Young Justice Bao II," where he took over from Zhou Jie, his acting skills were visibly a level or two below Zhou Jie's.

Speaking of "Young Justice Bao," Miracle Films has already begun preparations, and Zhou Jie has been cast as the male lead. This has displeased Qiong Yao, who felt that casting Zhou Jie as Justice Bao would ruin his career.

Haha, who does Qiong Yao think she is? Wu Yuchen doesn't even give her a second glance now. Anyway, Zhou Jie is determined to play Bao Zheng, and Qiong Yao can't stop her.

As for the female lead, Wu Yuchen had asked Jiang Qinqin and Li Xiaoran if they were willing to play the role, but they were vying for the role of Yu Jiaolong and had no interest in a TV series role.

Actually, Wu Yuchen wanted to tell Jiang Qinqin that she had no hope, but seeing how hard she was working, he decided against it. Besides, she wasn't interested in TV dramas anymore; she was only interested in movies.

Gao Yuanyuan, however, didn't seem to mind, so Wu Yuchen simply scheduled the filming for July or August, so it wouldn't interfere with Gao Yuanyuan's summer classes. Yuanyuan is so well-behaved; he doesn't have to worry about her!
As Wu Yuchen flipped through the scripts handed to him, he actually found some projects that he could invest in.

……

Outside Miracle Film Company, three young men walked inside. Interestingly, their heights formed an arithmetic sequence: one was over 1.9 meters tall, one was over 1.8 meters tall, and one was 1.7 meters tall.

The shortest of the three, who was 1.7 meters tall, scratched his head and said with a Shandong accent, "Director, why don't you find someone else? I've never acted before, and I'm afraid I'll mess it up for you."

The tall, 1.9-meter-tall fox looked down at the short man and said, "It's alright, your temperament is just right. Also, just keep speaking in your dialect, don't speak Mandarin!"

"Huh? If things go wrong, you can blame me!" Shorty Huang Bo gave him a warning.

Guan Hu waved his hand to reassure him. Actually, this kid was someone he had pulled in at the last minute, or more accurately, someone Gao Hu, the male lead who had been cast, had brought over at the last minute. Wu Yuchen suddenly called him and asked him to bring the male lead over, and Guan Hu, unable to find a suitable candidate, could only have Gao Hu bring his friend, who looked passable.

"Director, what should I do when I go in?" Huang Bo looked up at Guan Hu.

"They're probably just checking out your appearance. I'll answer any questions they have."

Huang Bo nodded hurriedly in agreement. He was both nervous and excited about meeting the renowned director Wu Yuchen, after all, he was currently the most outstanding director in China!
In his office, Wu Yuchen looked at the three men standing before him: Guan Hu, Gao Hu, and Huang Bo, then at the script in his hand, "Get in the Car, Let's Go!" He had actually seen this movie on the movie channel in his previous life; it was quite well-made. However, he wasn't investing in this film to make money, but rather to support young people in the industry!
Even if I lose money, I can just sell it to the movie channel for 50. I just wanted to meet these people on a whim.

Wu Yuchen opened the script, looked at Huang Bo, and asked, "Are you from the countryside?"

"what?"

Huang Bo was stunned for a moment, then remembered that Guan Hu had told him he was going to play a rural youth, so he grinned and said, "Yes, yes, I'm from the countryside!"

Guan Hu secretly gave him a thumbs up.

But the next moment, Wu Yuchen looked at Huang Bo and shook his head: "Doesn't seem like it."

Guan Hu was taken aback. This didn't seem like it? He had only brought Huang Bo here because he immediately recognized Huang Bo's rural youth appearance!

Wu Yuchen pointed at Huang Bo and said, "You don't look like a farmer, you look like an artist, you have the air of a bohemian."

Guan Hu kept glancing at Huang Bo. He had specially changed him into a farmer's outfit before coming here, but how could he look like an artistic youth at all?
Upon hearing this, Huang Bo couldn't hold back and his face lit up with a smile: "Director, you have a great eye for people! No, I mean you have a really nice way of speaking!"

Then Wu Yuchen said with a smile, "How about this, you sing me a song, and if you sing it well, I'll vote for you."

Upon hearing this, Guan Hu, Gao Hu, and Huang Bo exchanged bewildered glances, realizing that Huang Bo's true identity had been exposed.

Huang Bo chuckled and said to Wu Yuchen, "Director Wu, have you seen my performance before?"

After graduating from high school, Huang Bo chose to become a singer, and before that he had been performing in nightclubs.

Wu Yuchen, seemingly ignoring the question, laughed and said, "I heard from Zhou Xun that she used to know someone at a nightclub who even wrote songs for Aaron Kwok and Faye Wong~"

Huang Bo suddenly felt a little embarrassed and scratched his head, saying, "Director Wu, Zhou Xun mentioned me to you. I thought she had forgotten about me after becoming a big star..."

That's right, Huang Bo and Zhou Xun met at a karaoke bar a few years ago.

“Here’s what you’re going to do: sing me the song you wrote for Aaron Kwok,” Wu Yuchen said with a smile, raising his hand.

Seeing that neither Guan Hu nor Gao Hu objected, Huang Bo grinned broadly, "Alright then, I'll make a fool of myself for Director Wu!"

Huang Bo thought for a moment, then jogged outside to grab a broom and brought it back in. Wu Yuchen didn't stop him, just watched him with interest.

Huang Bo bent his knees, held a broom in one hand as a microphone, and began to sway his body, looking just like Aaron Kwok when he was singing and dancing.

In a corner of this world, there exists a kingdom called Loneliness.
Inside are frozen souls and a burning wildfire!

As Huang Bo sang, his head started bobbing up and down, giving off a really rustic, high-energy vibe.

Huang Bo sang while holding a broom, jumping and dancing. Although his voice and singing were quite good, Wu Yuchen still enjoyed watching it and tapped the script in rhythm with him.

After the song ended, Wu Yuchen waved his hand and said, "Just for your song, I'm voting!"

(End of this chapter)