Huayu Entertainment: You have been directing for three generations, are you comparing your qualifica

Backstage at Happy Camp.

The main cast and crew of "Palace" gathered for their final promotional event before the show's premiere.

Yang Mi just finished the promotional tour for "Brotherhood of Blades" and squeezed in some time to come over.

During a break, Feng Shaofeng came over to chat, his tone tinged with envy:
"Honey, congratulations on the box office success of your starring film."

"It's alright. The Hollywood movie I starred in has grossed over $1 million worldwide. That's what you call a good box office."

Yang Mi's face held a hint of arrogance, subtly showing off.

Feng Shaofeng chuckled awkwardly and flattered, "Your company has such great resources, succeeding both domestically and internationally. When you become an international superstar, don't forget to take care of your old friends."

He debuted much earlier than Yang Mi, but he only had access to TV drama resources. After Yang Mi changed her agency, her career took off immediately.

I was so envious, but unfortunately, Xiao Le Pictures has high entry requirements, and not just anyone can join.

During the filming of "Palace", he intentionally or unintentionally approached and flattered Yang Mi. Unable to get close to Xiao Le Pictures, he tried to curry favor with the actors under its umbrella.

There are countless male actors in the entertainment industry who fawn over older female figures.

Sun Honglei and Jin Dong are both excellent examples. Once their acting careers are on the right track, they can simply sever ties.

"Sure, sure," Yang Mi replied perfunctorily, finding it pointless to chat with these TV drama actors.

I can't be bothered with Feng Shaofeng's little schemes.

···
Tian Xiaole took Lao Tian to the airport; the Berlin Film Festival opening ceremony was just a few days away.

"Good luck, and may you win the grand prize."

"Let it go."

Old Tian, ​​carrying a backpack and accompanied by an assistant, headed towards the VIP lounge.

As the two disappeared into the crowd, Tian Xiaole turned to leave, only to be stopped by reporters who suddenly appeared.

"Director Tian, ​​are we sending Professor Tian to Berlin?"

"No, how could you recognize me dressed like this?"

Tian Xiaole was wearing a hat, a mask, and a black down jacket, covering herself up very thoroughly.

"Director Tian, ​​we know your license plate number by heart."

"Alright." Tian Xiaole nodded helplessly. It's nothing new for reporters to memorize the license plate numbers of all the cars owned by big directors.

It did serve as a reminder to him that he needed to change vehicles frequently, because he might be secretly photographed by these people one day.

"Alright, everyone disperse. What kind of news could there be during the Lunar New Year?"

"Director Tian, ​​could you tell us about your work plan for this year? It's so rare to meet you during the Chinese New Year, please give us a chance to make a living."

"That's what a reporter wearing glasses said."

Tian Xiaole stopped, thought for a moment, and said:

"This year, the focus will be on nurturing new directors. There are too few directors in mainland China who can make commercial films. During the entire Spring Festival film season, only one film, 'Brotherhood of Blades,' was a mainland film; the rest were Hong Kong films and imported films..."

Do you have any new film plans? How is the progress of [Pacific Rim 2]?

Tian Xiaole talked a lot, but they only cared about the new project and the "Pacific Rim," which was the big news that everyone wanted to hear.

"We haven't considered new projects yet, but the post-production of [Pacific Rim] is progressing well."

Since they didn't see eye to eye, Tian Xiaole gave a few perfunctory words and left.

Soon, the media reported the news.

"Professor Tian is off to the Berlin Film Festival. We wish him great success and a triumphant return!"

According to director Tian Xiaole, his work focus has shifted this year to cultivating mainland commercial film directors, and he frankly stated that the Spring Festival film season is "dominated" by Hong Kong films and imported films.

"It is reported that Pacific Rim 2 is progressing well and is expected to be released ahead of schedule..."

"..."

With the media adding fuel to the fire with their exaggerated reports, the industry was in an uproar.

Suddenly, many people inquired about the progress, which confused Tian Xiaole.

They appeared helpless after learning that the media had exaggerated the story for the sake of generating buzz.

Han Sanping was the most proactive and concerned, calling immediately to inquire, her words filled with anticipation.

"Xiao Le, how's the post-production work on the special effects for [Pacific Rim 2] going? Is it likely to be released this year?"

"Whether it will be released is uncertain. There are several grand scenes that require technical breakthroughs."
If we can develop new special effects models, the progress will be greatly accelerated, and there's hope that it will be released to the audience this year.

"I see. Let's take it slow and focus on quality."

Han Sanping also knew that she couldn't rush things; audiences across the country were eagerly anticipating this drama, and its quality couldn't be compromised.

He changed the subject and asked Tian Xiaole about his plans for the year: "With the new year approaching, there should be some progress on the new projects, right?"

"Not for now. I will focus on training directors. Guo Fan has good talent, and I'm considering sending him to Hollywood to gain experience."

"Oh, could China Film Group get involved?"

Tian Xiaole could imagine that Old Man Han's eyes were shining brightly on the other end of the phone.

"We'll see when the time comes; don't get your hopes up too high."

Knowing the chances were slim, Old Man Han was quite disappointed. From then on, he joined the [Museum] [Magic Thieves], and his ambition grew.

We chatted for a bit, wished each other a Happy New Year, and then hung up.

···
With the premiere of "Palace" imminent, Hunan TV is launching a massive promotional campaign, touting it as the first Qing Dynasty time-travel drama in China.

That's quite a gimmick!

This angered Cai Yinong, who was far away in Shanghai. Despite being menopausal, she was so angry that she started having her period again.

[Scarlet Heart] If you take one step too slowly, you will take every step too slowly.

Mango TV has a knack for promotion, and with its novel subject matter, this drama is sure to be a hit.

"Brotherhood of Blades" grossed over 100 million yuan in 7 days, with daily box office revenue remaining around 20 million yuan.

Meanwhile, the film "What Women Want" grossed 3100 million yuan in its opening week, but its momentum waned, ultimately settling between 5 and 6 million yuan.

Liu Dehua's reputation as a box office poison has been confirmed once again.

There are also quite a few movie fans who criticize Gong Li's styling.

The two actors portrayed a couple in a dry, unnatural way, lacking any sense of chemistry.

【The Amazing Couple】 fared even worse, only managing to score 2300 million.

The male and female leads are acting crazy and silly, which is annoying!

···
The drama "Palace" has started airing.

Many viewers tuned in because of Yang Mi, and were quickly captivated by the novel storyline.

It combines elements of time travel, palace intrigue, political maneuvering, and bittersweet romance, creating a clash between modern values ​​and the ancient court. The lighthearted comedic approach lowers the barrier to entry for viewers and precisely targets young audiences.

On its premiere day, it achieved a viewership rating of 1.99, ranking first in its time slot nationwide, with a market share exceeding 8 points.

The achievements of this drama go far beyond that.

It ranked first in its time slot for 16 consecutive days, with peak viewership exceeding 3% and online viewership surpassing 100 million in the shortest time.

Meanwhile, the theme song, "The Power of Love," was sung throughout the streets and alleys.

Even the dogs on the street will hum a few lines.

A novel and wildly popular drama series has been born, attracting widespread media attention.

Yang Mi was stunned. She had never thought highly of this drama, thinking it was poorly made, but she never expected it to become such a hit.

As a result, "Brotherhood of Blades" benefited from this, and its box office performance rebounded for several days, eventually breaking through 2 million amidst ups and downs.

In an instant, Yang Mi became the most popular actress.

Invitations to advertisements, magazines, commercial performances, and galas came pouring in.

Upon hearing Chen Zhixi's report, Tian Xiaole sighed, saying that an actor's rise to fame depends on fate.

Even if Yang Mi didn't join Xiaole Pictures, with her hard work, she would still become famous.

"When an endorsement is offered, the marketing department should screen it. We should reject any unknown endorsements. Actors need to know how to protect their reputation."

"Okay, I'll let her know."

Shanghai Sugar Man.

Cai Yinong has been looking really grumpy lately, and everyone knows why.

[Palace] is so popular.

All of this should have belonged to "Scarlet Heart".

To her relief, the costumes and styling for "Palace" were poorly made in order to save time, and could not compare to the meticulously crafted "Scarlet Heart".

The market has proven that this kind of Qing Dynasty time-travel drama has huge commercial value, and she is confident in "Scarlet Heart". "Yang Mi is so popular, Shi Shi, you can do it too. When the drama airs, you should be prepared to be a huge hit."

"Understood, Sister Cai."

Liu Shishi nodded wearily.

"You haven't been looking well lately. Have you not been getting enough rest?"

Cai Yinong asked with concern, noticing that Liu Shishi had been listless lately, looking like she hadn't had enough rest.

"I'm fine, I'll just go back and eat something."

"Alright, then you should get some rest. You'll be busy once the TV series airs."

"Well, I know."

Liu Shishi felt unwell and nauseous as soon as she left Cai Yinong's office.

She went to the bathroom, burped twice, and vomited up her breakfast, which made her feel better.

Looking up at her pale face in the mirror, she subconsciously touched her stomach. Could it be...?

"Sister Shishi."

"Ah."

I greeted the employees who came in, touched up my lipstick, and then hurriedly left Sugarman.

She's 23 years old; she's not clueless, and she's going to prove her conjecture.

On the other hand, Tian Xiaole received an invitation from the Berlin Film Festival, as the previous Golden Bear winner, to attend as an award presenter.

He initially refused, but the organizer's next words made him change his mind.

When we arrived in Berlin, everything was covered in white, even more so than the heavy snowfall of last year.

Official transportation was arranged to pick them up from the airport, and the group arrived at their hotel to await the closing ceremony red carpet the following day.

Tian Xiaole didn't inform Lao Tian that he had also arrived in Berlin, intending to give him a surprise.

Ask the assistant to find local newspapers to get reviews of this year's films.

The film "The Undertaker" has a good rating of 3.4 out of 4.

Its biggest competitor, the film "A Farewell," has the highest ratings and word-of-mouth.

The content is full of political correctness, making it a top contender for the Golden Bear.

Tian Xiaole wanted to do something, but there wasn't enough time.

Considering the information revealed by the organizers, its quality must be quite high, so I felt relieved.

The following day, the Berlin Film Festival closed.

The eyes of filmmakers worldwide are focused here.

Tian Xiaole reappeared in Berlin after a year's absence, instantly attracting the attention of local media.

As the director who won the Golden Bear last year, it is perfectly reasonable for him to attend the closing ceremony.

On the red carpet, many cameras were pointed at him.

As a double-golden director in Europe, he is well-known in the media.

The domestic media were taken aback, as they had not received any information that Tian Xiaole would attend the closing ceremony, and then they quickly took photos.

"Director Tian, ​​look this way."

Domestic viewers watching the live stream were completely bewildered.

The Berlin Film Festival has reached a strategic partnership with Weibo, and the entire awards ceremony will be broadcast live.

Many industry insiders were watching the live stream, and upon learning that Lao Tian had received a phone call about unspoken rules, they wanted to witness whether he could win the grand prize.

Everyone was stunned when they saw Tian Xiaole appear on the red carpet.

It's worth noting that it was trending in China not long ago, and now it's all over Berlin.

Old Tian also found out about Tian Xiaole's situation in Berlin and was quite puzzled as to why he hadn't been told.

"Professor Tian, ​​it's our turn."

Fu Dalong, the male lead in "The Undertaker," offers this advice.

Lao Tian straightened his Zhongshan suit and, together with the film's main cast and crew, walked onto the red carpet.

As one of the most popular movies, they're already quite far down the list.

Inside the venue, Tian Xiaole sat in the guest area, where he didn't recognize any filmmakers, which allowed him to enjoy some peace and quiet.

"Xiao Le..."

Hearing the shout, Tian Xiaole looked up.

Old Tian led Li Xuejian and Fu Dalong in and sat down near the center.

Tian Xiaole waved his hand as a greeting, indicating that now was not the time for idle chatter.

Soon after, the awards ceremony began.

The process is the same as in previous years: other sections first, and the main competition section last.

After a dull hour, the main event began, and Tian Xiaole adjusted her posture.

The first four honorary awards were kept locally.

The first truly prestigious award, Best Actress, was given to "A Separation".

Li Xuejian was nominated for Best Actor, but did not win; the award was also given to "A Separation".

Tian Xiaole glanced back and saw that the others were comforting Li Xuejian, who was smiling but couldn't hide her disappointment.

When it was time to present the Best Screenplay award, Tian Xiaole got nervous because "The Departed" was nominated.

At this moment, a staff member came over and reminded him to go backstage to prepare.

Tian Xiaole immediately realized that if he was told to prepare for the award presentation, then the Best Screenplay award wouldn't go to "The Departed".

Otherwise, they wouldn't have let him, the screenwriter, leave at this time.

Clearly, the mortician is likely to win at least one of the three major awards.

Many people noticed Tian Xiaole's departure, including Lao Tian's side.

"Xiao Le going backstage at this time, could it be that..."

Lao Tian and Li Xuejian guessed it immediately. Although the former was a little disappointed, he put on a smile.

When Tian Xiaole arrived backstage, it was bustling and noisy, with several members of the judging panel all there.

The jury chairman walked over and handed over an envelope: "You will present the Best Director award."

Tian Xiaole nodded, suppressing her curiosity to open the envelope, and walked to the waiting area.

On stage, the screenwriter who won the Best Screenplay award is giving his acceptance speech.

Soon after, rousing music began to play, and the host started introducing the award presenters.

"Next, please welcome Director Tian Xiaole, winner of the Golden Bear at the 60th Berlin International Film Festival, to present the Best Director Award!"

At this moment, viewers in China who were watching the live broadcast all considered a certain possibility.

This tactic is familiar; it's been used before at the Shanghai Film Festival.

At the awards ceremony, Tian Xiaole said a few words of thanks for the invitation, and then got down to business.

"Without further ado, let's reveal the winners."

Tian Xiaole opened the envelope, and just as he had guessed, he leaned close to the microphone and shouted:

"The Silver Bear for Best Director at the 61st Berlin International Film Festival goes to—Tian Zhuangzhuang, a director from China!"

The audience burst into applause.

Old Tian straightened his Zhongshan suit, got up, and walked onto the stage.

Tian Xiaole is reading the reasons given by the judges for awarding the prize:

"The film confronts the topic of death without feeling oppressive, using delicate cinematography to dismantle the public's taboos and prejudices about death, conveying reverence for life..."

···
Congratulations, Director Tian!

"It's because your script is so good, Director Tian."

Tian Xiaole gave him a hug and made room for him.

Lao Tian stood in front of the microphone, looked at the trophy in his hand, then glanced back at Tian Xiaole before beginning to express his feelings about winning the award.

"Originally, I had lost my passion for film, intending to dedicate my remaining years to teaching and nurturing students. It was my outstanding son who ignited, illuminated, and gave me courage..."

I want to say, what's wrong with having a famous director's son? Those who say I got awards because of my son, you're just jealous..."

Old Tian has a temper!
Domestically, filmmakers in the live-streaming room felt a mix of emotions. (End of Chapter)