Huayu Entertainment 1995 started with hijacking.

Chapter 213 The Leader of Chinese Cinema!
The Great Hall of the People, a wide red carpet, and a gathering of celebrities, though most weren't even allowed front-row seats. Those seats were reserved for the truly influential figures. But nobody cared; everyone was there to ride the wave of the Oscars and soak up their festive spirit. It's no exaggeration to say that the event was far more extravagant than the Golden Rooster Awards a few months prior!
Today is the release date of "Amour". Actually, "Amour" already had a premiere before, so there was no need for this. But now that "Amour" has won an Oscar, can things be the same?

This has to be done again! Even though many people who came before wanted to come again, Wu Yuchen couldn't refuse their kind requests and had to grant everyone's wish!
In fact, Wu Yuchen had no expectations for the box office of "Love". The movie had little box office potential. In terms of drama and plot twists, it was far inferior to "Mr. Donkey". Unless you are an art film enthusiast, most viewers will not like to watch this kind of movie.

But didn't this coincide with China's first Oscar-winning film? Even those who weren't initially interested in the subject matter went to the theater because of the Oscars.

The plot of the movie *Amour* is actually very simple and easy to understand. It avoids the confusion many viewers experienced after the release of *Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon*. Frankly speaking, *Amour* is simply dry. Normally, many young people might have given up halfway through and left. But now, with the added aura of an Oscar, no one has that thought anymore.

Although many people in later generations know that the Oscars are not actually that artistic, at that time, public opinion in China basically portrayed the Oscars as the undisputed number one in the world. Under such circumstances, even if some people find it boring, they think it is their own problem.

Moreover, this film resonates deeply with viewers who have life experience, especially those who are older or have elderly or sick family members. Some sentimental viewers, while watching the film, thought about their own parents' experiences and even couldn't help but shed tears.

As expected of a film by a great director, and as expected of an Oscar winner, it has depth!

Inside the Great Hall of the People, thunderous applause erupted. The applause only subsided slowly when Wu Yuchen took the stage.

Wu Yuchen picked up the microphone:
"Thank you all for coming. Actually, everything I wanted to say has already been expressed in the movie, but everyone wanted to hear me say a few more words."

Upon hearing this, the people below burst into friendly laughter.

"The Oscars are certainly a good thing, especially for the film itself. It doesn't mean that it makes my film so great or high-class, but it allows more people to see 'Love' and also makes more people pay attention to the issues of the elderly."

I just wanted to express my personal views on aging, death, and love through the film. If it can inspire more people to think about these issues and raise awareness of the elderly around them, then I think my film will be a success.

Thanks! "

Especially at times like these, it's crucial to maintain a proper balance and avoid becoming overconfident. He's already received enough praise; there's no need for him to flaunt his achievements further.

When it was time to leave, people kept coming up to congratulate Wu Yuchen. Even top-tier actors in China lined up one by one.

Not only Wu Yuchen, but also veteran actors Ge Cunzhuang and Wang Danfeng were constantly socializing. Ge Cunzhuang was accompanied by Ge You. A friend of Ge Cunzhuang joked with the father and son:
“A few years ago, when you won the Best Actor award at Cannes, Lao Ge told us that his son had surpassed him. But just a few years later, he brought home an Oscar himself!”

Before Ge Cunzhuang could speak, Ge You said with a smile, "Uncle, please don't praise me. My dad always taught me to be humble, cautious, and to avoid arrogance and impetuosity!"

Ge Cunzhuang waved his hand at his son in an annoyed manner, trying to shoo Ge You away. His old friend pointed at them and laughed, "You two, father and son, are really something!"

Gong Li constantly receives envious glances from both male and female actors around her. In terms of awards, Gong Li can be considered the top actress in China, having won all three major European awards: the Golden Bear for "Red Sorghum" and "Mr. Donkey," the Golden Lion for "The Story of Qiu Ju" and "Amour," the Palme d'Or for "Farewell My Concubine," and now "Amour" has won an Oscar, although she only played a supporting role, she still deserves recognition.

With her award-winning prowess, who in China can compare? She's utterly alone!
Huang Lei was all smiles, his mouth never closing. From the moment he flew to America for the Oscars, he felt like he was dreaming. He was only playing a supporting role for a few minutes, and winning the Golden Lion last year had already made him quite happy; he never expected to win an Oscar just a few months later!
When he returned to school yesterday, the teachers and students were already calling him an Oscar-winning actor. The first Chinese actor to win an Oscar for Best Second Actor—does the size of the role matter? This is going to be recorded in Chinese film history!
However, Jiang Wen, Zhang Yimou, and Chen Kaige did not come today.

Jiang Wen had come to the premiere before and called Wu Yuchen. He was in a tough spot right now. "Devils on the Doorstep" had finally been completed, but it was blocked by the big cuts. Now he was running to the big cuts every day, trying his best to save his own film.

Zhang Yimou had actually communicated with Wu Yuchen at the Venice Film Festival last year and had also called to congratulate him. He is currently busy with his new film "Happy Times," and has already confirmed that Uncle Benshan will play the male lead, while Dong Jie has been chosen as the female lead, making her the newest "Zhang Yimou Girl."

Zhang Ziyi had originally volunteered for the role, but Zhang Yimou completely ignored her. The two had a minor disagreement at the Berlin Film Festival in February this year, specifically when they went to the awards ceremony. In an attempt to attract attention, Zhang Ziyi wore a red halter top instead of a traditional Chinese undergarment.

Zhang Yimou was immediately displeased, saying, "What kind of outfit is that?" He even specifically told Zhang Ziyi not to go on stage with him to accept the award. But Zhang Ziyi ignored him. When "The Road Home" won its award, she insisted on going on stage with Zhang Yimou to accept the award, raising the Silver Bear trophy with him, beaming with joy. This infuriated Zhang Yimou, and he berated her after the ceremony.

As for Chen Kaizi? Don't ask, the answer is his wife is about to give birth to Arthur, so he can't come!

At this moment, several elderly people were surrounding Wu Yuchen. They were none other than the same group of veterans who had worked with Wu Yuchen in the documentary "Dance of Martial Arts".

"Xiao Wu, you made a really good movie!" an old lady said, giving a thumbs up.

Another person chimed in, "Don't call him Little Wu anymore, he's become an internationally renowned director!"

Wu Yuchen quickly said, "Teacher He, please don't say that. In your eyes, I'll always be Little Wu~"

"Look at you, Old He, you're so old and still so cunning,"

"Alright, Xiao Wu, we old guys won't take up any more of your time. Keep up the good work next time!"

Thank you for your blessings, teachers!

As they left, the group continued to chat: "When we first met him, we just thought he was a talented young man. We never imagined that in just over four years, he would have achieved this much!"

"Yes, it's rare that Xiao Wu, having reached this position, still has the mindset to make a film that focuses on our elderly population!"

"Back when he made 'We Two,' his insightful observations and delicate emotions were already evident. He portrayed the emotional changes of the old lady very well. Although the style of 'Love' has become more austere, it is even more delicate and sharp!"

The group consisted of elderly people who deeply resonated with the themes of "Love" and engaged in a lively discussion.

As it was time to part, the old lady smiled and said, "Old Luo, aren't you going to put pen to paper this time? Share your thoughts?"

A thin old man with his hands behind his back smiled upon hearing this: "I really want to praise him, but if I actually write it, don't say I'm flattering him to death."

"Haha, now that Xiao Wu has won an Oscar, you can't praise him too much!"

After the release of "Love", it naturally generated a lot of buzz and discussion, and all kinds of film reviews and analyses came out like a rainstorm.

At the same time, the topic of caring for the elderly was also raised, with the official newspaper Guangming Daily taking the lead:
"Caring for the spiritual and cultural needs of the elderly and improving their well-being must be put into practice and done meticulously!"

This naturally added fuel to the fire for "Amour". However, this was all expected, after all, it won an Oscar, so this treatment is normal.

Two days later, a newly published article in the China Film News shocked everyone who saw it.

Wu Yuchen: A Success Story in Both Commercial and Artistic Cinema, a Leader in Chinese Cinema!

The article not only mentions the recent film "Love" and the Oscars, but also details Wu Yuchen's various achievements since his debut. It provides a detailed analysis of three aspects: artistic achievements represented by awards, commercial success and audience popularity represented by box office revenue, and international influence. Finally, it leads to the article's title: Wu Yuchen has now become a banner and leading figure in Chinese cinema!

Actually, this wasn't uncommon before, but a year or two ago, various media outlets, when evaluating Wu Yuchen as a leading figure, would always prefix him with "Sixth Generation" to distinguish him from Chen Kaige and Zhang Yimou's generation. But this article doesn't emphasize "Fifth Generation" or "Sixth Generation" at all; it simply refers to "Chinese cinema"!
Many industry insiders were shocked or surprised upon seeing this headline not because they thought Wu Yuchen was unworthy, but because they felt he was too young. There's a lingering feeling that it's premature to label Wu Yuchen as a leading figure in Chinese cinema.
And putting box office results aside, Wu Yuchen's awards aren't exactly ahead of Zhang Yimou's. But this time is different; this is the Oscars!

A few days ago, after Wu Yuchen won two Oscars, some people already wanted to write about it, but dared not publish it. Especially since many media outlets had to consider Chen Kaizi's feelings, since everyone had previously been praising Kaizi. Who knew if being the first to stand up and say that Wu Yuchen had surpassed Chen Kaizi would incur his wrath and retaliation?

But now look at the author's name on this article: Luo Yijun.

He's the former president of the Film Critics Association, a veteran with decades of experience in film industry research. Others might be wary of Chen Kaizi, but he has no reason to be.

When everyone sees this, what does it mean? It means that the older generation has fully recognized that Wu Yuchen is capable of bearing this title!

With the veterans leading the charge, what scruples could these media outlets possibly have left? They all began to cheer and shout their support.

"China's No. 1 Director truly deserves the title!"

Wu Yuchen, a leading figure in Chinese cinema

"On Wu Yuchen's global influence."

How prestigious is Wu Yuchen's Oscar for "Love"? How high is Wu Yuchen's status in Hollywood?

"Wu Yuchen's appeal to actors."

Instantly, these articles sprang up like mushrooms after rain, and one media outlet even conducted an anonymous survey among many actors to select the director they most wanted to work with. The survey results showed that Wu Yuchen received the most votes, far ahead of the others!
Compared to those within the industry, the general public outside the industry actually accepts it much faster.

This is an inevitable result. Take Chen Kaige and Zhang Yimou's movies, for example. They are good and have artistic value, but do their works have the same popularity and reach as Wu Yuchen's?

Putting aside the award-winning films, the high box office of movies like "My Sassy Girl," "The Classic," and "My Brothers and Sisters" clearly shows which films the general public prefers to watch!

Therefore, the general public highly recognizes Wu Yuchen as China's number one director, as he is both an award-winning and beloved director!

Chen Kaizi stared at the newspaper articles; the glaring titles like "The Leader," "The Commander," and "China's Number One Guide" were particularly irritating. His hand unconsciously gripped the newspaper so tightly it creaked. These were the titles that had always been used to describe him, Chen Kaige!
But now, it has been taken away by someone else...

Thinking about this, Chen Kaizi couldn't help but feel distressed. What was the reason for all of this?
Oscars! Oscars! Oscars!
Chen Kaizi felt a fire burning in his bitter chest. It was time to set off for Hollywood and take back everything that belonged to him!
……

Many reporters wanted to interview Wu Yuchen, but they couldn't catch him. Instead, they ran into Cai Yinong. Cai Yinong casually remarked:
"Director Wu has always been low-key and humble, and he doesn't care about these empty titles. He has the time to think about the script and the creative process!"

Cai Yinong wasn't lying. After Wu Yuchen came back, he spent his free time writing scripts, determined to finish all the valuable scripts related to Disney within the next few years.

However, some interviews can be declined, while others are difficult to decline, such as those with CCTV.

The host immediately asked about this recent hot topic:

"Director Wu, many people now call you the number one director in China. What do you think of this title?"

Wu Yuchen quickly shook his head:
"I am deeply grateful for the kindness of my seniors, the support of my colleagues, and the love and support of my film fans. However, I have always believed that there is not so much distinction between high and low in the field of art. As the saying goes, there is no first place in literature. It is really unnecessary to argue about who is better or worse and to determine who is the best."

The host smiled and then changed the subject:

"Could you tell me how you got into directing? Or rather, what made you want to become a director?"

"It's not that complicated, it's all about the desire to express myself. My father is an editor and writer, so I was influenced by him from a young age and also did some creative work. Later, I found that film and television could better inspire my personal desire to express myself, so I applied to the Beijing Film Academy."

Did the Beijing Film Academy greatly help your path to becoming a director?

Wu Yuchen nodded: "Yes, without Beijing Film Academy, I wouldn't be who I am today. My first film, from equipment and crew to actors, all came from the school."

"As far as we know, your first short film, 'Car 44,' which won the Golden Bear, was completed just two or three months after you entered the school. How could you manage to assemble a film crew and produce such an amazing work when others were still learning theoretical knowledge? Did you find it difficult at the time?"

Wu Yuchen smiled upon hearing this, pondered for a moment, and then said:
"That's how it is. There were definitely difficulties, mainly due to funding and equipment at the time. Fortunately, my classmates, teachers, and the school were very supportive and provided a lot of help."

Speaking of the filming process, I actually think it went quite smoothly. When I make a film, I usually go through all the scenes in the script in my mind before filming, and then I just shoot according to them.”

The host was taken aback: "You mean all the footage?"

Wu Yuchen nodded: "More or less."

When did you discover this talent of yours?

Wu Yuchen made an innocent expression: "I actually always thought that's how everyone makes movies..."

In a CCTV interview, Wu Yuchen talked a lot, from his childhood to his filmmaking journey and the stories of winning an Oscar. He embellished and polished these stories to make them more appealing to the audience.

He also revealed his "talent" to satisfy the audience's curiosity, because one must have this kind of talent to fit everyone's perception!

In fact, Wu Yuchen didn't deliberately strive for the title of "China's No. 1 Director," otherwise he would have had the ability to find people to market himself. He believed that the awards and box office results speak for themselves, and people's eyes are discerning; once a certain level was reached, this title would naturally follow.

However, I didn't expect that it was a few senior figures I had met back then who gave me a hand and brought up this topic.

Thinking of this, Wu Yuchen couldn't help but smile. Since that was the case, he wouldn't let down the kindness of the seniors and would just wear this title for a few decades.

In fact, it's not just on the mainland; Hong Kong, Taiwan, and other places have also raised this topic, directly calling Wu Yuchen "the number one Chinese director."

A few years ago, this title was bestowed upon Wu Baige, but after Wu Yuchen's two Hollywood films became box office hits a couple of years ago, controversy began to emerge. Now, with "The Sixth Sense" achieving phenomenal box office success and approaching 8 million yuan, and Wu Yuchen winning two Oscars, what controversy is there left?
Wu Baige was directly ousted, and Wu Yuchen successfully took over. Even though some fans in Taiwan who supported Wu Baige were unwilling, they couldn't argue with her. They could only pray that "Mission: Impossible 2," which Wu Baige co-starred in with Tom Cruise, would have a huge box office success, and then they could compete again.

Wu Yuchen was aware of this, after all, Tom Cruise is a huge star, and he even attended the Oscars. Mission: Impossible 2 did indeed perform quite well at the box office, grossing over $5 million worldwide, propelling Wu Baige to the pinnacle of her career.

However, its box office performance is not impressive compared to "The Sixth Sense"!
Wu Yuchen doesn't seem to care much about Wu Baige. She certainly has talent, but it's fair to say she hasn't improved much, constantly repeating the same old routine. Hollywood and audience tastes are constantly changing; if you don't keep up with the times, you'll just be left out in the dust!
Wu Baige's past life experiences perfectly prove this point. Many people thought he couldn't make it after just one film, "Windtalkers," but in reality, he had another chance later, making a $6000 million film, "Paycheck," which flopped again, leading to his expulsion from Hollywood. The key point is that after returning to the Chinese-speaking world, he not only failed to improve at all but also regressed, making himself a laughingstock.

In stark contrast to Wu Baige was Li An, who was standing in front of Wu Yuchen at that moment.

"Director Wu, it's such a pity that I couldn't be there to witness you win the first Oscar for a Chinese-language film!"

Wu Yuchen smiled upon hearing this: "Director Li, it's alright, I'll be there to witness you win next year!"

Li An shook his head with a wry smile: "Director Wu is too kind to me. Filming 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' really exhausted me. I don't even know if everyone will like it..."

"Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" finished filming at the end of last year, and post-production is now complete. Li An came to Wu Yuchen to discuss the follow-up arrangements.

At this moment, Jiang Zhiqiang asked, "Mr. Wu, you just won an Oscar this time, so you have more experience. How is Disney's public relations team? If possible, could you please introduce me?"

Having learned from the success of "Love", Jiang Zhiqiang and Li An naturally wanted to collaborate with Disney.

Upon hearing this, Wu Yuchen revealed a mocking smile: "Disney's team is so good, so good that they even handed over my Best Director award to someone else!"

The two were taken aback and quickly asked what had happened.

Wu Yuchen didn't hide anything. This kind of thing wasn't suitable to talk about in a big way, but it was fine to chat about it in private.

Jiang Zhiqiang was stunned upon hearing this, and Li An also sighed deeply:

"Director Wu, it's such a pity! When I heard you won the union award, I thought you were a shoo-in. Then I saw the results and thought it was a close call where you were overturned. I never imagined there was such a thing behind the scenes. The first Best Director award for a Chinese-language film! Sigh..."

Jiang Zhiqiang immediately assured Wu Yuchen, "Don't worry, Mr. Wu, we will absolutely not cooperate with Disney this time!"

Wu Yuchen smiled upon hearing this, and then said, "I've collaborated with Sony and Fox before, so I can introduce you to them. You should go to Cannes next month first. Most of your work will be concentrated in the second half of the year, so take good care of yourselves and recharge. Public relations is quite taxing on both your body and mind!"

In fact, Li An, who had been in Hollywood for so many years, knew this, but he still smiled and accepted Wu Yuchen's well-intentioned advice.

In comparison, Han Sanping's reaction was much more intense.

(End of this chapter)