Chapter 412 You have accepted a good student

In the 1980s, it was not just the cultural sector that was opening up, but the entire country.

The discussion and struggle about the route has never stopped.

Lin Weimin is in the literary world, so he naturally knows something about these things.

However, he is not interested in politics and has always tried to avoid various activities, so he basically has nothing to do with the disturbances in the outside world.

The publication of "Burning" in China angered some pro-Western literati and intellectuals, but Lin Weimin was not surprised at all. What surprised him was that Cheng Zaochun and Bian Shu came to talk to him one by one.

The storm is coming!

Since the leader didn't say anything, Lin Weimin wouldn't ask any more questions. He just had to wait for the results. He just hoped that the problem wouldn't affect him.

Before November came, Lin Weimin moved from the Shichahai courtyard to the Tuanjiehu apartment.

That night, he was cleaning up when the phone rang.

I answered the phone and it was Teng Jinxian.

"Director Teng, how come you have time to call me?" Lin Weimin asked.

"We have something important to discuss with you. Please come to our office tomorrow."

The fewer words, the bigger the matter.

Lin Weimin and Teng Jinxian have a good relationship. When they were talking on the phone, he didn't even have time to make a joke, so this must be a big deal.

The next morning, Lin Weimin took a leave and went to the Film Bureau.

"What can't be said on the phone? You're making it seem like the sky is falling." Lin Weimin said.

"If it's not a big deal, I definitely can't bother you to come over. It's really inconvenient to talk about it over the phone."

Teng Jinxian explained to him and then told him the purpose of calling Lin Weimin this time.

Bernardo Bertolucci, chairman of the Venice Film Festival jury and famous Italian director, recently came to China.

Bernardo Bertolucci became famous in the 1960s, but in the 1980s, when he reached middle age, Bertolucci fell into a creative slump. Between 1982 and 1986, his works made almost no splash either in Italy or in the European market.

So Bernardo Bertolucci turned his attention to foreign countries, intending to find new inspiration from the fusion of different cultures.

This time when Bertolucci came to China, he successfully contacted people in government departments by virtue of his identity as the chairman of the jury of the Venice Film Festival and a member of the Communist Party, and proposed his idea of ​​making a movie about China.

The government was naturally very happy that a well-known Western director like Bertolucci wanted to shoot a movie in China. As the director of the Film Bureau, Teng Jinxian naturally came into contact with Bertolucci.

At the beginning, Bertolucci was planning to film "The Fate of Man", a novel by French writer Malraux. Malraux was not only a writer, but also a former French Minister of Culture. He had a special affection for China. Many of his works were based on the Chinese revolution and made great contributions to promoting cultural exchanges between France and China.

The work "The Fate of Man" is relatively famous in Europe, which is why Bertolucci chose this novel to adapt into a movie.

But during his contact with Teng Jinxian, Bertolucci heard about a script he wrote about the last emperor of China and became interested.

After reading the script, he was even more excited and proposed to Teng Jinxian the idea of ​​making a movie based on this script.

Teng Jinxian was naturally happy. Bertolucci's coming to China to make movies played a promotional role for the country.

Although "The Fate of Man" is also about China, it is a novel written by a Frenchman after all. It would be great if Bertolucci could shoot a script written by a Chinese.

But Teng Jinxian also knew that Lin Weimin made a great contribution to the script of "The Last Emperor". If Bertolucci wanted to shoot "The Last Emperor", Teng Jinxian would definitely communicate with Lin Weimin.

After listening to Teng Jinxian's explanation, Lin Weimin was a little surprised. He calculated the time and found that the movie "The Last Emperor" seemed to be released in 1988, so the time matched.

"I naturally welcome the fact that a great Western director like Bertolucci is willing to make a film about China."

Lin Weimin knew that Teng Jinxian had called him here today just to make a statement, and since it was indeed a good thing, he naturally agreed.

With Lin Weimin's statement, Teng Jinxian was very happy, "This is really great."

"But..." Lin Weimin said again.

"But what?" Teng Jinxian looked at Lin Weimin.

"Will our publicity and censorship departments be able to control the content of the film?"

Teng Jinxian was surprised that Lin Weimin would raise this question and asked, "Why do you ask that?"

Lin Weimin nodded and said, "I went to the United States some time ago."

“I’ve heard others talk about this.”

"When I was in New York, I met a Hollywood producer named Laurentius. He was planning to make a movie called 'The Big Boss'."

Teng Jinxian clapped his hands and said, "I was in charge of this film. They approached the government at the time, hoping that the government would agree to let them film in China and provide assistance. In the end, the matter was handed over to the Pearl River Film Studio."

He sighed again, "I didn't expect that you, Teacher Lin, have such a wide network of contacts abroad. You even know Hollywood producers."

"It was just a coincidence." Lin Weimin explained, and then said: "The reason why I mentioned the movie "The Taipan" is to remind you. I don't know Bertolucci's style of doing things, but when those Hollywood people make movies about our country, they still follow their own inherent thinking patterns and values, which may sometimes cause some unnecessary trouble."

Lin Weimin's words were obscure, but Teng Jinxian had already understood what he meant.

His face turned serious, and after a moment's silence, he said, "You are right in raising this question. We should be more careful in this regard."

Lin Weimin nodded. He was just fulfilling his duty to remind people, and he couldn't do anything else.

"Laurentis also talked to me about the adaptation of Farewell My Concubine, but I rejected it."

Teng Jinxian asked in confusion: "Why? Even if the way of thinking is different, it is a good thing to adapt the work and make it influential."

"If it were someone else, I might consider it. But I'm afraid Laurentius is not good enough for this subject. You'll know when The Tai-Pan is released."

After hearing what Lin Weimin said, Teng Jinxian felt a little worried.

At that time, they agreed to shoot "Big Class" in China because they hoped that the film could play a promotional role abroad. However, according to Lin Weimin, in the end, not only will it fail to play a promotional role, but it will also have a negative effect.

"The filming of 'Big Boss' is almost finished now!" Teng Jinxian said with some melancholy.

"It's okay. It's just a movie. No matter how big the impact is, it is ultimately limited. Every failure makes you wiser!" Lin Weimin said with a smile.

Teng Jinxian looked at Lin Weimin helplessly and said, “Why didn’t you tell me earlier?”

"In a few days, the bureau is planning to hold a symposium on The Last Emperor. You might as well come."

"Really? You guys are also holding seminars with foreigners?"

Teng Jinxian's expression was slightly awkward. "Of course we can't call it a symposium. We can call it a literary salon. We can find a conference room in the Yanjing Hotel and prepare some food. The actual nature is still the same."

"Director Teng, are you guys suspected of trying to flatter the famous director?" Lin Weimin teased.

Teng Jinxian glared at Lin Weimin and said, "You know nothing! Mr. Bertolucci is a revolutionary comrade and has the value of a barrel station."

"Yes, yes, you are right!"

This guy gets angry and embarrassed, so you must never confront him.

A few days later, at the Yanjing Hotel.

The small conference room was temporarily packed with something less administrative, but it looked acceptable.

Those who came today are all important figures in the domestic film and cultural circles.

The "two Xies" Xie Jin and Xie Tieli from the film industry were present. A Cheng's father, the famous film critic Zhong Dianyu also came, and even Mr. Wan was invited.

Lin Weimin was a little surprised to see Mr. Wan. He hadn't visited Mr. Wan recently, so he walked up to the old man and said hello.

Mr. Wan asked, "Why are you here?"

"Director Teng asked me to come. Bertolucci was going to make The Last Emperor, and I was the one who polished the script for him."

Mr. Wan looked surprised, as he had never heard Lin Weimin mention this before. He chatted with Lin Weimin for a few words about the specific content of the script. Before he could go any further, he saw Teng Jinxian walking over with a big-nosed foreigner wearing a beret.

"Mr. Bertolucci, this is our country's famous playwright Comrade Wan Jiabao, and this is his student Comrade Lin Weimin, who is also one of the screenwriters of The Last Emperor.

Although I wrote the first draft of The Last Emperor, it was Comrade Lin Weimin who really elevated the script. Many of the scenes you mentioned in the script were processed by him.

Like his teacher, Lin Weimin is also an outstanding playwright. Not only has he written many popular plays in our country, his works have also been performed on Broadway in the United States.

At the same time, in terms of film script creation, this year's film "The Lover", adapted from his work and written by him, won the Best Screenplay Award at the Cannes Film Festival."

Teng Jinxian was generous in praising Lin Weimin. The translator beside him repeated Teng Jinxian's words one by one, which made Bertolucci's eyes light up.

He fell in love with the story of "The Last Emperor" at the first sight of the script, otherwise he would not have given up his original plan and decided to shoot this script instead.

So he naturally admired Lin Weimin as a screenwriter. He didn't expect that Lin Weimin's resume was so rich and his creative tentacles even extended into the American theater industry.

After the greetings, Bertolucci couldn't wait to pull Lin Weimin aside to talk about the script of "The Last Emperor".

Teng Jinxian chatted with Mr. Wan and others. Mr. Wan did not feel ignored at all because of Teng Jinxian's lengthy introduction of Lin Weimin.

On the contrary, when Teng Jinxian introduced Lin Weimin, there was always a proud smile on his face.

"You have accepted a good student!" Teng Jinxian said flatteringly.

Mr. Wan smiled kindly, "People often say that!"

(End of this chapter)