Chapter 780 praised me, saying that although I was overly cautious, at least I wasn't reckless.

While Lu Yanhe's photos with fans sparked controversy on social media, he had already undergone a "makeover" with the help of a stylist.

Throughout the entire process, Anna White sat beside him, observing him.

As for his look on the red carpet, almost everything Lu Yanhe wore was endorsed by a brand.

The room was therefore quite crowded.

This was done in the house that Zou Dong and Wang Biao rented.

There were too many people, and it was too easy for Anna's house to get messy and dirty, even though Anna kept saying it was okay and she could clean it up later.

After Lu Yanhe was completely dressed from head to toe, Anna White said with some surprise, "You don't seem to have much to say about your look."

Lu Yanhe nodded and said, "Unless it's something I really can't stand, I'll usually leave it to them."

Anna White said, "Why are you so much less of yourself in this aspect? Generally speaking, every celebrity has almost demanding requirements for their image."

This has nothing to do with gender.

Lu Yanhe said, "Because I have to do it according to my own preferences, and every appearance is the same, I am quite happy to show a different look. On the red carpet, I don't want to be dressed in a suit and tie every time, like a model."

Anna White: "Okay."

This time, he even had to carry a scepter on the red carpet.

This was borrowed from the jewelry brand he endorses, and it's worth hundreds of millions.

Among the many people in the room, four were the bodyguards of this scepter.

The scepter is in their hands now, and will be given to them later.

That's why the brands he endorses want him to attend the Carlo Film Festival.

There are only so many events of this caliber throughout the year. If Lu Yanhe doesn't come this time, the next one might be the Golden Globe or the Oscars, but it's not appropriate for him to enter with a scepter in those situations. It depends on the occasion.

The more occasions Lu Yanhe attends, the more diverse the types of products brands can showcase through him.

Undoubtedly, this scepter is not intended to be sold through his hands.

This kind of thing is purely used by brands to enhance their brand image and value.

When Lu Yanhe appeared with this scepter, OK, this exposure will give the brand an impression of "nobility, mystery, and lineage".

Third-rate celebrities help brands sell products, while top-tier celebrities help brands consolidate their overall value.

None of the brands that collaborate with Lu Yanhe are actually hoping he can help promote their products.

Their value lies elsewhere.

Those are all things that internet celebrities and traffic-generating individuals do.

Lu Yanhe's styling was relatively easy to do, taking only about half an hour in total.

In particular, when a brand wanted to add some accessories to his clothes, Lu Yanhe refused outright.

“I already have a scepter. With a few more accessories, I can go straight to the masquerade ball.” This was the only suggestion Lu Yanhe rejected today.

-

Lu Yanhe was seated near the middle to late part of the red carpet at the opening ceremony of the Picardo Film Festival.

It was the noisiest and most chaotic time on the red carpet.

But how could the Picardo Film Festival allow Lu Yanhe to appear among a group of people?

They want to do this, but the media won't allow it.

If this currently hottest celebrity were to appear, everyone else on the red carpet would stay put, and no one would bother taking pictures of them.

So when Lu Yanhe got out of the car and arrived at the entrance to the red carpet, the security guards on site began to control the flow of people and prepare to clear the area.

This is something that top film festivals often do.

This is the courtesy they give to the big shots.

Many people mistakenly believe that big shots receive this kind of treatment every time.

That's not actually the case.

We need to see what kind of person this big shot is and what they're here for.

For example, Lu Yanhe was an officially invited guest, and since no film crew was nominated this time, he came in his personal capacity. In that case, the nature of the event was purely "inviting a big-name guest." The film festival organizers would most likely clear the area for him.

Otherwise, it would be disrespectful to the film festival itself.

The crew of "Hesitant View of Life" was walking the red carpet right behind Lu Yanhe.

Lu Yanhe greeted them happily.

Then, the staff guided Lu Yanhe to walk onto the red carpet.

Lu Yanhe slowly walked up with his scepter, smiling and waving to the media and photographers on both sides with a lazy and composed demeanor.

The music suddenly changed, and the soundtrack of "Tropical Rainy Season" started playing.

Melodious, slow.

Lu Yanhe performed his mime on the red carpet, perfectly timed to the music.

He has never been so "diverse" on the red carpet.

He seemed like a young gentleman who had stepped out of the old century—handsome, elegant, and relaxed.

After walking about a third of the way, the music suddenly switched back to the cheerful and exciting soundtrack from "Home Alone".

The entire audience recognized it and erupted in cheers and screams.

Lu Yanhe simply picked up the scepter in his hand and began to make some lighthearted and funny movements to the rhythm of the music.

The crowd erupted in screams and cheers.

Lu Yanhe really gave the Carlo Film Festival a lot of face; this was the first time he had ever done something so daring on the red carpet.

Suddenly, he thought of something, turned around, and walked briskly to the music, to the entrance of the red carpet. He said to Director Wang Shuai, Yu Mengling, Jiang Yue, and the others, "Come on."

They were all taken aback.

Lu Yanhe directly faced Meng Ling and made a gesture inviting the lady to dance.

Yu Mengling smiled with delight and then somewhat reservedly offered her hand.

Lu Yanhe held Yu Mengling's hand and, to the accompaniment of "Home Alone," casually danced a cha-cha.

The applause, cheers, and screams at the scene reached a climax.

This was something they hadn't discussed beforehand; it was something Lu Yanhe came up with on a whim.

He danced with Yu Mengling for about ten seconds before smiling and letting go of her hand. He gave Yu Mengling an elegant bow and gestured for her to leave, then waved to Wang Shuai, Jiang Yue, and the others who hadn't followed. Afterward, he took Yu Mengling's hand again, led her back to the entrance of the red carpet, and placed her hand in Director Wang Shuai's hand.

"Director, shall we take a picture together?"

Lu Yanhe invited everyone from "Hesitant View of Life" to walk the red carpet with him. After taking a group photo, he said, "I'm leaving, see you inside!" He strode forward and waved to the photographers on both sides of the red carpet. He stopped at the very end, let the photographers take pictures for a while, and then entered the cinema.

-

Lu Yanhe's performance on the red carpet became the subject of frenzied reporting and dissemination by major media outlets.

The "cha-cha" between him and Yu Mengling on the red carpet became one of the most popular GIFs on social media that day.

While everyone else was behaving normally, he went all out on the red carpet.

The red carpet is always the place where things tend to go viral and attract the most attention.

An actor of Lu Yanhe's caliber would be reported by media outlets around the world if he did anything out of the ordinary.

Yu Mengling's fame also increased as a result.

The actress who danced the cha-cha with Lu Yanhe on the red carpet at the Picardo Film Festival.

Every media outlet that reported this news mentioned Yu Mengling's name.

-

By doing this, Lu Yanhe was not only creating a huge buzz for the BiCarlo Film Festival, but also helping Yu Mengling and the crew of "Hesitant View of Life" gain a lot of exposure and traffic.

A win-win-win situation.

In fact, every time Lu Yanhe comes to an international film festival, he brings it tremendous exposure and popularity.

Such exposure and popularity do not rely on risky moves or exaggerated words and actions to attract attention or stand out. On the contrary, every topic he generates is very consistent with his identity and public image, which not only brings traffic and attention to all parties, but also increases his popularity among the public.

This is a talent.

"Wasn't this all arranged in advance?" A familiar media reporter met Lu Yanhe inside the cinema and asked in surprise about what happened on the red carpet earlier.

Lu Yanhe shook his head and said, "There was no communication; it was just a spur-of-the-moment decision."

Of course, this reporter wasn't the only one with this idea.

Many people assumed that Lu Yanhe and Yu Mengling's appearance on the red carpet was pre-arranged. Many people Lu Yanhe encountered took this view for granted.

"Looks like it's working well," Lu Yanhe said with a smile when he saw Yu Mengling again.

Yu Mengling: "You startled me. I was completely unprepared. I was totally stunned. You didn't even give me a heads-up."

“I didn’t plan any of this. The atmosphere was just right,” Lu Yanhe said. “I wanted to invite all of you to join me for a cha-cha, but when I came out holding your hand, they just stood there.”

Jiang Yue pouted and said, "Back then, who could have reacted so quickly? I just rushed over without thinking, only to find out that they hadn't actually invited me at all. Wouldn't I have just become a clown trying to crash the red carpet?"

“You’re being reserved now. Weren’t you quite bold before?” Lu Yanhe said with a smile. “Even if I really didn’t mean it that way, and you misunderstood and followed along, would I kick you off? You missed out on such a huge media exposure.”

Jiang Yue: "I would rather not have this exposure than be misunderstood by you as a shameless, scheming woman who tries to ride the red carpet."

Lu Yanhe: "...I don't know what to say for a moment."

Jiang Yue: "Praise me for being overly cautious but at least not reckless."

“My deepest impression of you is that you are cheerful and bold. Don’t let the mold of celebrities limit your true personality,” Lu Yanhe said. “You are an actor, not an idol. There is no need for you to be so perfect. At worst, you will be scolded. What’s there to be afraid of?”

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yue said, "It's very unpleasant to be scolded. How can you not be afraid?"

Yu Mengling grabbed Jiang Yue's hand, "Alright, stop arguing with him. He's just deliberately provoking you. Haven't you realized it yet?"

Jiang Yue's eyes widened.

Lu Yanhe smiled broadly, "You're most lively when you're fighting with someone and having a little temper. I saw you acting so ladylike on the red carpet just now, it was boring."

Jiang Yue: "..."

-

Lu Yanhe saw a bit of Wang Jing in Jiang Yue.

Of course, Wang Jing's wildness and tendency to go crazy at any moment are much stronger than Jiang Yue's.

Jiang Yue has the kind of temperament that every class has: a passionate, slightly tomboyish girl.

This is precisely what makes her most recognizable as an actress.

Compared to uniform beauty, unique characteristics are more memorable on the red carpet.

Lu Yanhe felt that newcomers like Jiang Yue shouldn't miss out on such exposure opportunities. If they could get a good moment in the spotlight, they might catch the eye of a director and be given a role.

Many people feel that the opportunity to be noticed by a director is too illusory and too slim.

But in fact, actors need to constantly create such opportunities for themselves.

Just like Liu Ye, who went to the director of "Postmen in the Mountains" and pretended to be playing basketball in order to make an impression on the director.

-

Lu Yanhe understands everyone's unease and caution when they first arrive, but after experiencing many such occasions, Lu Yanhe's advice is: don't be afraid, it's better to be a little reckless than to be timid and invisible.

The bigger the stage, the more it can accommodate a person's sincere recklessness. In fact, sincere recklessness is the most innocent and touching embellishment of this stage, and no one will laugh at it.

-

"Ah, Sister Meng Ling, I'm so envious."

Jiang Yue whispered in Meng Ling's ear.

"Are you envious that he can be so at ease and comfortable in a foreign country like this?" Yu Mengling and Jiang Yue asked with a smile as they watched Lu Yanhe exchanging pleasantries with the foreign filmmakers around him.

“No, I envy his composure,” Jiang Yue said. “I’m so nervous and excited. I know I should stay calm, but I just can’t.”

"Why do you need to calm down?" Yu Mengling held Jiang Yue's hand. "Just be yourself. Isn't that what Yan He meant just now?"

Jiang Yue: "I know, but I just can't control myself. I'm afraid of embarrassing myself, so I envy Brother Lu's composure. It seems that he has performed very well since his first appearance at this kind of international film festival."

"Have you seen the video of his first time attending an international film festival?"

“Yes, it was when ‘Three Mountains’ went to the Citour Film Festival,” Jiang Yue said. “I’ve seen many videos of him there.”

“That only proves one thing: his acting skills are much better than yours.” Yu Mengling chuckled and said gently to Jiang Yue, “No one would be nervous or excited when attending such a top film festival for the first time. Actually, your performance in front of Yan He was very good. Because you were familiar with him, even if you were excited and nervous, it was still very vivid. He is right. He does have a good eye for people.”

Jiang Yue heard Yu Mengling speak like this, as if she were a woman from the water towns of Jiangnan, gentle and soft, yet with a clear and melodious voice.

"Sister Meng Ling, I want to be like you too."

She pressed her whole body against him.

Yu Mengling's eyebrows curved into a smile.

"You're fine as you are; you don't need to become like me."

-

From the opening film onwards, Lu Yanhe spent the next few days mainly watching movies.

But this time was different; he was watching it with Anna White, a professional film magazine editor and film critic.

He and Anna White also spent their days watching movies and engaging in endless exchanges, discussions, and even debates about the films and the various topics that arose from them.

After watching Liu Teli's film "On the Xunyang River," Anna White said, "This film is too imitative; you can hardly see the director's own expression. It's just an exquisite copy."

Clearly, Anna White doesn't quite approve of the film.

"A dozen or so of these kinds of movies are produced every year, and none of them are particularly outstanding."

“Your requirements are too high. Although the film itself has many imitative stylistic features, the overall quality of the film is very high. It uses a fisherman’s family to illustrate profound truths, and you can feel the subtle flow of time through the changes in their family. It has a sense of immersion that makes you forget real time and space and enter a cinematic space,” Lu Yanhe said. “Moreover, the male lead in this film gave a very sophisticated and restrained performance.”

Anna White: "The actors' performances were indeed very good, but I also felt that there were traces in them."

Is there such a thing as a truly seamless performance?

“No, but there are performances that allow us to overlook the traces,” Anna White stated frankly.

Lu Yanhe was speechless for a moment.

Anna White wasn't that harsh on "On the Xunyang River".

Her harshness applies to all films.

From the opening film to now, she hasn't praised a single movie.

This woman, who usually appears warm, gentle, and polite, suddenly became mean, sharp-tongued, and nitpicky at this moment.

However, you still can't refute her.

You can only say that she is using the highest and most idealistic standard to judge these films, but you can't say that she's talking nonsense.

Moreover, after talking with her for several days, Lu Yanhe realized that for a critic like Anna, the technical aspects of filmmaking were second-rate, while the worldview and philosophy reflected by the author were first-rate, and having a style and characteristics that others did not have was what made a film top-notch.

In short, Anna White is evaluating a work that is actually a collaborative creation by many people from the perspective of measuring "individual works." She knows this is a paradox, but she still regards the film as the director's personal work, and other roles, including actors, are just tools in the director's hands, "paintbrushes."

It is extreme, yet...pure. It is irrational, but its criticisms are incisive.

Lu Yanhe thought to himself that film critics are just film critics, they can only ever build castles in the air, but at the same time he was slowly being influenced by some of Anna's theories, ideas and attitudes.

Because no matter how many objective reasons he finds for himself, he knows what is right and what is good from a creative perspective.

(End of this chapter)