The only sun in Huayu

The original story is dark and powerful enough.

Shen Shandeng preserved all the oppositions between civilization and barbarity, humanity and bestiality.

It is even more brutal and desperate than the original in some ways.

The original No Man's Land game included police characters, which he removed.

It also uses magical realism techniques, blurring the lines between time and space in the "eight countries" gas station.

The characters are like ghosts emerging from the cracks of different times and spaces; these treatments elevate the film's form and meaning to an astonishing level.

The only change was to the ending.

Shen Shandeng only changed the ending, but it completely altered the tone of the entire film, if not entirely.

The uncle wearing a Party badge, the road sign that reads "1949 to 2009", the Hope Primary School, and the sound of children reading aloud completely changed the tone of the entire film!
It is no longer a dark allegory about the eternal nature of humanity, but has become a modern historical story with a clear focus.

The world depicted in the film, that "no man's land" where the strong prey on the weak, the law is absent, and violence reigns supreme, is, in a sense, a true reflection of this land before 1949.

Shen Shandeng simply separated that world from this world.

In fact, this is reality.

Before 1949, it was a "no man's land," and even the elites of this land were not considered human in the eyes of the Western "civilized" world.

Later generations did great things in other places, such as the messes that Japan and South Korea did, and they did a lot of things in China during the Republic of China era.

The question Academician Ding asked, "Are Chinese people considered human beings?", can be refused now because of carbon taxes, but before 49, various compensation payments could not be refused.

From a purely technical standpoint, the original "No Man's Land" was perfect.

The world in question is not contemporary China, but the one from before.

Just like in some TV dramas and movies, the glamorous ones are the National Revolutionary Army, while the ragged ones are the Eighth Route Army.

However, in real history, it was the Eighth Route Army soldiers who wore cloth shoes, while the Nationalist soldiers were barefoot or wore straw sandals.

Shen Shandeng's radical alterations are not only not abrupt, but also respect history.

Shen Shandeng asked him, "Is it artistic enough?"

Marco Müller nodded: "Mr. Shen, I must admit that your film 'No Man's Land' is of a very high artistic quality."

Shen Shandeng said, "It seems we have reached our first consensus."

“But this is not just a matter of art!” Marco Müller sighed.

Shen Shandeng's radical alterations are indeed self-consistent in terms of artistic logic, and are even more impactful due to their strong symbolic meaning.

But it was precisely this impact that made him uneasy.

Marco Müller said, "Take away the ending, and based on the beginning alone, I'm even confident I can win you the Golden Lion."

He smiled wryly and shrugged, "With that ending, with that Party emblem, with that road sign, let alone the Golden Lion Award, it wouldn't even be able to get into the main competition section."

"You know the rules; there are certain red lines that no one can cross."

Shen Shandeng gestured, "You can make the decision; Chalperic is about to leave office."

Marco Müller instinctively resisted: "No, I can't!"

Shen Shandeng interrupted him, his gaze sharp, and said, "What are you worried about? Are you worried about being held accountable later?"

Marco Müller opened his mouth, but couldn't answer immediately.

The shackles of reality are incredibly heavy.

Shen Shandeng observed his shifting expression and slowly said, "How much longer can you stay in Venice? The film festival is adjusting, and European public opinion is shifting. But your greatest asset, Marco Müller, has never been catering to those shifts, but rather in China!"

“You understand Chinese cinema better than anyone else. The connections and resources you have here are the foundation of your livelihood.”

Is it worth giving up a film that could go down in history, and the opportunity to solidify your position in the Chinese film industry?

Mark Müller's heart skipped a beat.

All I can say is, give it a try.

Marco Müller finally managed to utter those words, feeling his throat go dry.

"You know our environment is very regulated. I can't guarantee anything."

Shen Shandeng nodded, having already anticipated this outcome: "Do your best."

He knew that relying solely on Mark Müller was not enough to completely pry open that heavy door.

Some contests take place outside of art.

Fortunately, he didn't make this film to win awards.

Almost at the same time.

Chalperic is gradually handing over his work to a white woman, and it will be some time before he officially leaves.

Smith gritted his teeth.

He was furious. He was still an assistant, his work was still there, but he had no chance of being promoted.

Moreover, the new white female commissioner is even more of an idiot than that bastard Chalperic.

Chalperic was in a good mood; his next job had been secured, and the salary met his expectations.

That's what it means to work in China; it's a land of opportunity.

Chalperic packed books, documents, and some souvenirs with Chinese characteristics into a cardboard box.

After receiving the email from Mark Müller, Chalperic thought about it and decided to continue his friendship with Shen Shandeng.

Since I'm leaving anyway, I might as well use some of these privileges.

Taking advantage of this last bit of time, it wouldn't hurt to "let loose" a bit and get some favors from Shen Shandeng.

He picked up the internal phone and connected the line. However, he was quickly warned.

Chalperik, a Union Jack native, was shocked when he inquired about it.

Then I checked the recent trends and media hype.

"Damn it, are you guys crazy?"

9 month 27 day.

Beijing.

The atmosphere was lively in front of a luxury cinema near the Olympic Sports Center.

A huge poster of "No Man's Land" hangs at the entrance, its cold color scheme and desolate Gobi Desert feel immediately striking.

Tonight is the premiere of "No Man's Land".

Shen Shandeng stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window in the cinema's lounge, looking down at the bustling crowd below.

His decision to release this film during the National Day holiday was clearly intentional.

From the perspective of an artwork, it should play a practical role in shattering the illusions of certain Western forces.

This is also the role that movies should play.

Jiang Wen also arrived. With "Let the Bullets Fly" entering its final preparation stage, he sat in the guest section wearing his signature stand-up collar jacket.

After completing the formalities, we proceeded to the most important part: the screening.

Jiang Wen sat in his seat, and after watching the movie, he was unusually absent-minded.

Compared to his preference for metaphors, Shen Shandeng took photos openly and generously.

The world depicted in "No Man's Land" is not merely a geographical concept, but a precise reflection of a historical state.

There, the strong prey on the weak, violence is the only license to go anywhere, and the law is a mere formality.

This is no ordinary Western.
This is clearly a true reflection of old China, especially during the Republic of China period!
With a weak government, local warlords, bandits, and powerful clans held sway, and the safety of life and property was completely unprotected; the whole society was a barbaric jungle.

Every character in the film, from lawyer Pan Xiao who believes in the spirit of contracts, to the poaching boss who glorifies violence, to the black shop owner at the gas station, is struggling and degenerating for survival or profit.

This symbolizes the full release of the "beastly" side of human nature when the old order collapses and the new order has not yet been established.

Jiang Wen still shared a common ground with Shen Shandeng. He was well aware that what certain Western forces hoped to see was China returning to a "no man's land" where "the law does not apply in the wilderness."

A China where internal strife makes it easy for them to seize benefits.

In Jiang Wen's view, the film's narrative thread, from "decline" to "redemption" and "return," is itself a microcosm of modern Chinese history.

Pan Xiao's initial belief in the "spirit of contract" and legal skills completely failed in the "no man's land".

He hit people, was chased, and witnessed death. In the end, he gave up his car, which he relied on for survival, and chose to set fire to a fuel tanker truck, completing his redemption in a heroic way of self-sacrifice.

This symbolizes that in the face of the ultimate test of defending home and life, individualism and sophisticated egoism are ineffective, and only sacrifice and dedication can bring about new life.

The prostitute named Jiaojiao is undoubtedly a symbol of "the people"—she is weak, passive, and suffers endless bullying.

Her eventual rescue was not due to a lone hero, but to the "Uncle with the Party Emblem" who represented grassroots order and the glory of Party spirit.

The appearance of the uncle, and the slogans "Hope Primary School" and "60th Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China" that gradually appeared behind him, clearly pointed out the path to redemption.

The shot of sailing from "1949" to "2009" is a stroke of genius, directly pointing out that the founding of the People's Republic of China was the historical dividing line for China to leave the "no man's land".

Any attempt to make China "go back" is going against the tide of history!

The final shot pulls back, revealing the sound of students reading in a Hope Primary School and a vibrant city, creating a echo and resonance with the cold scene at the beginning where eagles hunt Tibetan antelopes in the wasteland.

This is also the best response to certain external forces!

The host invited the main creators to the stage.

"The movie's over, how did everyone feel?"

Shen Shandeng said, "Some friends felt that the film was too dark and too depressing, and were surprised by its scale."

"But I want to say that the film shows the true state of affairs during the Republic of China era. Many people, including some of today's citizens, have a romanticized view of that period of history, thinking it was all about romance and talented men and beautiful women. But that's not the case."

"I used magical realism in this film. This literary technique originated from some Latin American literary works. In fact, it is just a reflection of reality in Latin America."

"Of course, as a film, 'No Man's Land' is still just a consumer product."

"Consumer products, in the final analysis, are meant to give people a certain experience, or even happiness."

"And we, after a century of suffering, finally emerged from that real 'no man's land' and built our own orderly and hopeful homeland."

"Today, we are able to sit here, enjoy a movie, and experience the joy of leisure and entertainment. This right to 'consume' and this peaceful life are the fruits of our hard work."

"Any force, whether it's a poaching boss in a movie or some real-world power, that wants us to 'go back,' back to that chaotic and dark 'no man's land,' will face our most resolute counterattack!"

10 month 1 day.

To celebrate the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, the film "No Man's Land" was released nationwide.

The market's reaction has provided the answer.

As an art-house film, it easily surpassed 100 million yuan at the box office in its opening weekend.

Countless viewers entered the cinema and were shocked by the cold Gobi Desert and its darkness.

Without the ending, the movie would have been very depressing, but the ending gave many viewers a sense of emotional release.

online.

Discussions about the film's themes are going on and on.

Many viewers suddenly realized that art films can be very entertaining!
It's not that art films have to be incomprehensible or unpleasant to watch, but rather that some so-called art directors simply can't make them well.

Of course, with the opening week box office results for "No Man's Land" released, some people quietly removed it from the ranks of art-house films. (End of Chapter)