Entertainment: I am the peak

Chapter 18 Anger!
It is customary at the film festival that, unless the film is truly unpalatable, the audience will stand up and applaud the film and its creators after the entire film is screened.

Li Qiutang also received this treatment. The audience of 100 people stood up and applauded him and his movie. Li Qiutang sat in the middle of the theater and stood up. Although he didn't know them, he still shook hands and hugged the audience and guests around him and accepted their cheers.

The applause lasted for a long time. Li Qiutang did not sit down. He slowly walked towards the screen and shook hands with the audience along the way.

“Lee, amazing!”

“Good job, Lee!”

"Lee, I'm..." Li Qiutang didn't hear the rest of the words because it was too noisy.

At 22 that year, I stood alone under the screen in Montreal and accepted the applause of the audience.

Li Qiutang opened his arms and bowed to the audience.

At the media gathering after the screening, only Li Qiutang and the translator sat at the long table.

"Lee, from the premiere just now, it's obvious that the audience likes your film very much. First of all, congratulations. What I want to ask is, as we all know that China is a desert of science fiction culture, why did you choose science fiction as your first feature film? What difficulties did you encounter in creating a science fiction film in such a cultural environment?"

The reporter's question was very unfriendly, and it was obvious that he thought a young director had come to the crew of "The Night the Comet Came" and was easy to bully.

Chinese science fiction? Does China have science fiction?
Li Qiutang approached the microphone and said, "First of all, I strongly disagree with your statement that China is a science fiction desert. This is just your personal opinion, not 'well-known'. China had its own science fiction movies a long time ago. The earliest Chinese science fiction movies can be traced back to the 20s and s. After the founding of New China, many excellent science fiction movies were produced, such as "Little Sun", "Death Light on Coral Island" and "Pili Beibei". I think you must not have seen them, but it doesn't matter. If you have the opportunity to come to China, I can invite you to watch them. In Sichuan, my country, there is a magazine called "Science Fiction World", which specializes in publishing science fiction novels and introducing science fiction culture. The monthly circulation exceeds , making it the world's largest science fiction magazine. How can you say that China is a science fiction desert?"

Li Qiutang refuted the reporter's erroneous remarks without giving in, and then began to answer his two questions:
"I have been watching Science Fiction World since I was a child. It was natural for me to choose science fiction when I grew up. There is no special reason. I just like it and want to make science fiction. As for whether I encountered any difficulties, of course I did. I also encountered most of the difficulties that other crews encountered, such as budget problems, actor problems, props and venue problems, and shooting problems. There are many problems, but these problems are very specific and have nothing to do with the cultural environment. My teachers, my friends, even my parents, the environment around me are very supportive of me making science fiction movies. Merci."

The translator translated Li Qiutang's words into English word for word for the reporters present. As soon as they heard it, the reporters knew that this young director was not someone to be trifled with.

But the more difficult a person is to deal with, the more reporters want to provoke him. If they don't provoke you, how can they write the article when they go back?

Another English reporter stood up and asked, "Artistic creation requires a free soil, especially fantasy films. You have created such an excellent work as "Coherence" in an authoritarian environment like China. Will you go to Hollywood, which is a freer soil?"

No matter how well-mannered Li Qiutang is, he can hardly control his temper at this moment. I come here to talk to you about movies, and you come here to attack me with sarcasm.

The translator at the side also realized that Li Qiutang's expression was not right. He knew the arrogance of this group of white reporters, and they just wanted to provoke you, so the translator kicked Li Qiutang's feet under the table, signaling him to calm down and not be fooled.

But if you are not energetic, can you still be called a young person? !
Li Qiutang held the microphone with one hand and tapped the table with the other hand, saying, "I really don't like your question! You arbitrarily labeled my country as a dictatorship, which I think is a great disrespect to me. You are journalists, and the freedom of speech you advocate is to label people in this way! I flew 13000 kilometers to Montreal to communicate with outstanding film artists from all over the world, not to be humiliated by you here! I remind you that Hollywood is not even as free as Paris, France, and it is full of restrictions on artists. I am a director, I have studied American culture, and I may know more about Hollywood than you, an American! "I came to Montreal with my film, hoping to gain artistic exchanges. Please ask questions about the film, and don't ask any questions other than insinuating or satirizing the film. "

"Hello, director," Li Qiutang heard the familiar Mandarin, "I am a reporter from City TV, a Canadian New Era TV station. First of all, I would like to congratulate the director for being shortlisted for the film festival competition unit."

The reporter originally wanted to ask Li Qiutang questions in English, but Li Qiutang's previous speech made him a little scared, so he decided to use Mandarin.

"Thank you." Li Qiutang felt very friendly towards this Canadian Mandarin reporter.

"What I want to ask is that the concept of science fiction originated in the West after all, and the creation of science fiction films is more or less influenced by Western culture and values. Do you think science fiction needs to be divided into Eastern and Western? If so, what do you think is the difference between the two?"

This question is the most sophisticated one so far, and Li Qiutang is willing to answer it well: "There are indeed many differences between the East and the West in culture and values. For the same value, the East and the West also have their own different understandings. But there are some things that both the East and the West recognize, such as loving children, loving couples, working hard, being friendly to others, and being happy and healthy. These are the same for everyone. Science fiction movies can convey these things that everyone recognizes. In this regard, science fiction movies do not need to distinguish between the East and the West.

"The East and the West have different understandings in some aspects. We pursue harmony in diversity. If you understand A, you shoot A; if you understand B, you shoot B. We are just different, not a life-and-death confrontation. Let a hundred flowers bloom."

Li Qiutang's temper tantrum in public was effective. In subsequent interviews, reporters did not want to offend this oriental boy, and most of their questions were standard. Occasionally, there were one or two high-level questions, and Li Qiutang was willing to say a few more words.

After the interview, Li Qiutang left the media area. As soon as she walked out of the venue, she was surrounded by several white men with big bellies, who were shouting, "Lee, I'm..." Li Qiutang didn't hear clearly and thought they were going to rape her.

But Li Qiutang could understand the business cards, they were all managers of film companies and employees of distribution departments.

The translator told him: “They want to buy your film.”

Li Qiutang dragged such a heavy box to Canada just for this.

"Okay, okay," Li Qiutang agreed, "Let's go to my hotel and have a good talk."

"OK, OK." Several white men with big bellies followed with a smile.

How weird.

(End of this chapter)