Chapter 832 A movie like this, a spectacle like this

No wonder Sister Ziyan specifically told him that he should exclude himself from this matter.

Neither going head-to-head with Zhang Yuezhen nor trying to outmaneuver Yang Zhouli is a good thing.

Chen Ziyan said, "You must not have any psychological burden at this time. You need to know that so many of us, from Shihuo and Linghe to Tiaoqi, are doing well individually now, but the reason we have been able to improve at such a fast pace, completely exceeding the company's development pattern, is because of you. You need to understand one thing: if you are here, the company is here; if you are protected, the company can be protected. It's not that a wise person doesn't stand under a dangerous wall, but that driving force cannot be burned like coal."

Chen Ziyan's description left Lu Yanhe speechless, both amused and exasperated.

"I see."

Chen Ziyan always gave him the care and concern of an elder sister.

There's no need to say anything else.

Lu Yanhe said to Chen Ziyan, "Let's see when Chen Pinhe and Zhang Yuezhen will reap what they sow and prevent us from ever having any more trouble."

Chen Ziyan said, "There's no way around it. We live in a society governed by the rule of law now, and we can't just hire a hitman to assassinate them like in movies and TV dramas. Otherwise, it would be so simple."

Lu Yanhe: "..."

He was truly shocked by Chen Ziyan's astonishing statement.

Seeing the shock on Lu Yanhe's face, Chen Ziyan laughed, "Just kidding, can you not take it so seriously?"

Lu Yanhe: "Mainly, Sister Ziyan, I feel that if you could do it this way, you really intend to do it."

Chen Ziyan pondered for a moment.

“I don’t deny that.”

"..."

“I despise people like Chen Pinhe even more than you do.”

-

The Pianist was screened on the fifth day of the first week at the Venice International Film Festival.

This screening order is positioned relatively early in the main competition, which is a good position.

Because as the Venice International Film Festival usually enters its second half, some media and celebrities will leave to attend other events, such as the Toronto International Film Festival in North America.

After the screening of "The Pianist" ended, Lu Yanhe immediately went online to search for reviews of the film.

Many of the media figures and commentators he knew went to see the premiere.

Guan Suchen said: "The Pianist is a film that perfectly fits the aesthetic standards of awards. In fact, I felt that it was a film tailor-made for international film festivals to win awards. Chen Pinhe's acting is certainly very good. In fact, it is so good that every breath in the whole film follows his performance. It is superb and insightful. However, I'm sorry, the whole film is filled with the desire to "win awards", which makes it difficult for people to enter this world of pianists that should be pure.

Zhou Chen said: Chen Pinhe is still Chen Pinhe, but unfortunately, the director's ability is limited, and he made this movie too mediocre, with pretentious poetry and an incongruous pseudo-documentary feel.

...

Chen Pinhe's performance was generally well-received.

However, the film itself has received a lot of criticism.

This made Lu Yanhe quietly breathe a sigh of relief, but he wasn't completely at ease.

If the performance is outstanding enough, even if the film is of average quality, it is still possible to win an acting award.

What if Chen Pinhe really does win the award...?

Actually, winning an award isn't a big deal.

So what? Can he possibly stop Chen Pinhe from never winning an award again?

Chen Siqi understood best what Lu Yanhe was thinking.

As soon as she saw these comments, she knew that Lu Yanhe was probably in a bad mood.

That evening, she returned to Ziyuan Bridge, carrying the roast goose that Lu Yanhe usually liked to eat at, and also went to the cold dish stall near Zhenhua University that Lu Yanhe liked to eat at, and packed a portion to go.

When Lu Yanhe arrived home, he saw Chen Siqi wearing an apron and busy in the kitchen.

Lu Yanhe was very surprised.

Chen Siqi rarely goes into the kitchen.

The main reason is that her cooking skills are really just so-so, and except for special occasions, she would never "poison" Lu Yanhe in order to play the role of a "virtuous wife and loving mother".

However, Chen Siqi had practiced a few of the dishes.

"What is this?" Lu Yanhe asked in surprise as he approached Chen Siqi from behind.

“I brought back some pigeon soup from Juntian. Didn’t you like it when we went there last time? I’ll heat it up,” Chen Siqi said.

Lu Yanhe secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

It's good that it's not Chen Siqi who's figuring out cooking skills on her own.

He swore that he still loved Chen Siqi and hadn't changed his mind, but he really couldn't be like those characters in movies and TV dramas, where loving someone makes even the salty taste bland.

“Go wash your hands, we’ll be able to eat right away,” Chen Siqi said.

"good."

Lu Yanhe went to wash his hands.

"Would you like a drink?" Lu Yanhe asked. "Are you going back to Lingyang District tonight?"

Chen Siqi: "Okay, I won't go back. I'll sleep here tonight."

Lu Yanhe opened a bottle of champagne.

-

"If Chen Pinhe really wins Best Actor at the Venice International Film Festival this year, his momentum will skyrocket—"

"I can't get up," Chen Ziyan shook her head.

Lu Qingzhen looked surprised.

"Why?"

"The Best Actor award at the Venice International Film Festival might bring Chen Pinhe back to the top in China, but it won't significantly impact his international standing," said Chen Ziyan. "It's not as meaningful as 'Death Stranding,' unless he's prepared to dedicate himself to art films in Europe and America and not focus on China for the next few years. He thought he could replicate Yan He's path, but unfortunately, he's just an actor; he can't pursue both domestic and international careers simultaneously."

Lu Qingzhen: "He has already reached the top in China, so why does he need to take the domestic route?"

“He has a high status in China, but his commercial value has declined significantly. The Best Actor award at the Venice International Film Festival is the last thing that can bring him commercial value,” Chen Ziyan said. “Not to mention, middle-aged and older male actors such as Liu Teli, Jiang Jun, Jiang Mingzheng, and Li Songfan have all become popular. In terms of market appeal for their age group, Chen Pinhe has really already retired to the second tier.”

Like Yu Huatian in another parallel universe.

His status remains the same, but top-tier film and television projects will rarely give him priority anymore.

A host of actors of the same age have already occupied their niche in the market.

Conversely, the Mingxue guru of his generation, despite his fluctuating reputation, has consistently maintained his popularity, occasionally producing a decent work that demonstrates his market appeal.

Chen Ziyan: "Of course, to put it simply, this is just self-consolation. Winning a Best Actor award from one of the four major international film festivals, even if it's just a nominal title, will solidify Chen Pinhe's position among the top male actors in China. As long as he stops insisting on playing leading roles, all the top projects will open their doors to him."

“Chen Pinhe has lost his niche now. It’s because the domestic entertainment industry was too complacent before. The awards he won in his early years and the works he accumulated were enough for him to live comfortably until retirement. It’s not that he shouldn’t have done it. Who would have thought…” Lu Qingzhen smiled, but it was a sneer. “Then Lu Yanhe came along and turned the entire entertainment industry upside down. Ecosystem restructuring, awards, commercial value, professional skills, audience popularity… Tsk tsk. Actually, it wouldn’t have been bad if Chen Pinhe had continued to lie low like this. If he hadn’t tried to snatch ‘Destruction Day’ in the first place, and then we snatched it back, who would have paid any attention to him?”

Chen Ziyan: "Having come this far, who would sit idly by and wait for their doom?"

-

"Was the outstanding performance of 'Calm Wind No. 1' overseas this year within your expectations?" Chen Siqi asked with a smile.

Her smile, illuminated by candlelight, had a gentle, glazed quality, like that of an oil painting.

It's beautiful.

Lu Yanhe shook his head, "However, the success of 'Dingfeng No. 1' has made me realize once again why Sister Ziyan told me early on that I must act in big productions and continuously increase my popularity globally, especially my fan loyalty. If it weren't for the previous accumulation, 'Dingfeng No. 1' would not have been able to achieve such results."

"Yes." Chen Siqi nodded.

“If it weren’t for your strong box office performance over the past few years, even if ‘Windbreaker’ had the potential to achieve this level of box office success, it wouldn’t have been able to prove itself because theaters in various regions didn’t trust it enough and didn’t give it enough screenings,” Chen Siqi said. “Are you a little anxious today?”

"What are you anxious about?" Lu Yanhe asked.

“Chen Pinhe,” Chen Siqi said, “The film ‘The Pianist’ premiered in Venice today.”

"Oh, I've followed it." Lu Yanhe hesitated for a moment, then said, "But, anxiety? Why do you say that?"

Chen Siqi smiled and said, "Stop pretending."

Lu Yanhe also smiled.

"I'm not pretending anymore."

Chen Siqi: "Even if he wins the award, it doesn't matter. We have everything, we lack nothing, and we don't have to worry about anything."

Chen Siqi's words were unclear, but Lu Yanhe understood them perfectly.

"Why do you think he's been a slacker for so many years, and then suddenly started making movies and TV shows again?" Chen Siqi winked at Lu Yanhe, her eyes full of charm. "Because he's scared."

-

What is Chen Pinhe afraid of?

Zhang Yuezhen knew very well.

Zhang Yuezhen was just as afraid.

In the unlikely event that Chen Pinhe and Lu Yanhe's relationship is ever exposed, it will not be Lu Yanhe who is ruined.

Why is Chen Pinhe now pursuing awards and expanding his international resources?

Why did Zhang Yuezhen start her own company, leveraging Chen Pinhe's current power in the domestic entertainment industry to actively expand her network and accumulate resources?

Zhang Yue knew very well that although she and Chen Pinhe had never discussed this matter, they were both preparing for the worst.

Lu Yanhe was pregnant with Chen Pinhe's child before Chen Pinhe and Zhang Yuezhen got together.

Zhang Yuezhen was very clear about this.

Later, in order to be with her, Chen Pinhe drove away Lu Yanhe's mother, ending their relationship.

Chen Pinhe thought she knew nothing.

How could she not know anything?

Before marrying him, she would naturally investigate everything about him.

But then, a child was born...

I only found out about this later.

If only I had known sooner.

If she had known earlier, she definitely wouldn't have let the child be born.

Zhang Yuezhen frowned deeply.

She took a deep breath.

After a while, she took off her sunglasses, got out of the car, and walked towards Chen Pinhe, who was shooting a magazine photoshoot on the streets of Venice.

-

"How about we ask Director Luo to direct the movie 'The Boat'?" Lu Yanhe asked.

Yu Mengling looked surprised.

"Director Luo Yuzhong?"

Lu Yanhe nodded.

"Director Luo...has he never directed a film before?"

“Yes.” Lu Yanhe nodded. “But his artistic aesthetics are more than sufficient. When he shoots TV series, many shots and segments are shot in the same way as movies.”

Yu Mengling hesitated for a moment and said, "This movie doesn't have a very large budget. If Director Luo were to direct it, his salary would be very high, right?"

“I can add some investment to cover Director Luo’s salary,” Lu Yanhe said. “Sister Meng Ling, Director Luo is my teacher, but that’s not why I want to invite him to be the director. Let me make it clear first, you are the producer of this film. I will trust you and support your decisions on many of the final film decisions. So, if you think Director Luo is not suitable in the end, I will definitely respect your opinion.”

Upon hearing Lu Yanhe's words, Yu Mengling immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

"The reason I thought of inviting Director Luo to direct this film is precisely because of the subject matter," Lu Yanhe said. "Actually, like Raise the Red Lantern, The Boat is a film with a very solid text and focuses on the relationships between the characters. In this film, the visual language and aesthetics take a backseat. Its core lies in whether it can capture the subtle details of the 'surface and the interior' between the characters, right?"

“Yes.” Yu Mengling nodded. “We are filming a family that appears to be loving, natural, and harmonious, but in reality, it is not like that at all.”

“This kind of complex family ethics and interpersonal relationships is exactly what Director Luo excels at,” Lu Yanhe said. “Moreover, this film has dramatic tension within it. It’s a kind of anti-dramatic tension. It seems like a daily record, but in fact, no part is superfluous. Every part has its hidden side. Such subtlety requires an experienced director to handle the film. Otherwise, it’s impossible to control. Even director Liu Bige couldn’t do it with ease. It requires life experience.”

Yu Mengling fell into deep thought.

-

The preparation of any film is bound to be filled with debates and back-and-forth communication in the early stages.

Lu Yanhe and Yu Mengling respected and acknowledged each other, so Lu Yanhe could speak his mind freely.

He clearly stated his opinion, and now it was up to Yu Mengling to decide whether to accept it.

If Yu Mengling ultimately doesn't accept it, then there's nothing that can be done.

Lu Yanhe could not forcefully demand that Yu Mengling accept his opinion.

Lu Yanhe also did not believe that his opinion was necessarily the most correct.

Perhaps Yu Mengling can find a more suitable director.

Lu Yanhe does not deny this.

In this world, there is certainly no single person who can do this.

"Then... would Director Luo be willing to direct this movie?" Yu Mengling asked after a moment of thought.

Lu Yanhe shook his head.

“He is my teacher. If I invite him in advance and you don’t agree in the end, it would be bad to apologize to him. So, I need to ask for your opinion first. You have to agree.”

Yu Mengling said, "I want to talk to Director Luo and see what his understanding of this film is."

"Yan He, I'm also worried that such a great director might end up rewriting the script and altering the original intent of this film."

This is what Yu Mengling is most worried about.

Lu Yanhe understood.

This script is Yu Mengling's posthumous work, fulfilling a long-cherished wish.

Yu Mengling did not want the film script to be completely altered—even if it made it better.

Lu Yanhe said, "Of course, Sister Meng, on this matter, I definitely agree with you."

-

Luo Yuzhong's first reaction upon receiving Lu Yanhe's call was one of surprise.

We want him to direct a movie?

Luo Yuzhong had never directed a film before; he had always worked on television dramas.

Subsequently, Lu Yanhe delivered the script to Luo Yuzhong.

"Teacher, after I finished reading the script and decided to take the role, I thought about it for a long time. After much consideration, I feel that you are the most suitable director. Please take a look at the script first. If you are not interested, then that's fine."

After Lu Yanhe said that, Luo Yuzhong temporarily swallowed his other words.

In fact, Luo Yuzhong had already heard about the script of "The Boat" and the story behind it.

When the news first broke that Lu Yanhe was going to be cast, Luo Yuzhong was quite surprised.

The film "The Boat" is very different from the roles Lu Yanhe has taken in recent years.

For this reason, Luo Yuzhong specifically asked someone for the script of "The Boat".

Therefore, Luo Yuzhong already knew what kind of script "The Boat" was.

Directors like Luo Yuzhong have read countless scripts in their lifetime.

It's fair to say he reads scripts every single day.

A script like "The Boat," which has a "prototype story" or "source of inspiration," is very attractive to Luo Yuzhong.

One's aesthetic sense and preferred subjects for photography are closely related to one's growth, education, and career.

The huge success of "Chinese Paladin" has led major companies in the industry to discover that director Luo Yuzhong, who is passionate about shooting serious subjects, can also shoot youth-oriented and fantasy-oriented films and television dramas. A large number of similar types of films and television dramas have come to him.

But Luo Yuzhong still plunged headlong into the subjects and fields he loved most to shoot.

It's realistic, serious, character-driven, and down-to-earth about life.

The story type and character relationships in "The Boat" align with Luo Yuzhong's aesthetic.

This is also one of the topics that Luo Yuzhong himself is most interested in.

-

"The father figure in 'The Boat' is played by Wen Shengming, Liu Teli, and Li Songfan..."

Lu Yanhe said to Meng Ling.

"I think any of these people are suitable."

Yu Mengling asked in surprise, "Can they be hired? Their fees are not low. Even though we have already reduced our fees, the budget is still very tight."

Lu Yanhe said, "If you think they are suitable, then I can talk to them. Actually, the salary is negotiable. These actors don't prioritize salary when it comes to acting. I can lower my salary a bit, or even share my salary directly. I won't take the salary, I'll just take the investment dividends."

Lu Yanhe's attitude greatly surprised Yu Mengling.

Yu Mengling's salary for filming the TV series "Rouge" was far higher than her salary for filming movies.

She was told at the time that it was Lu Yanhe's side that proposed that the money used to pay Meng Ling's film salary could not be used for her work.

Basically, the filming time of "Rouge" is the same as the filming time of two of Yu Mengling's films.

However, the combined salary of Yu Mengling for filming two movies may not even be as high as the salary for filming four episodes of a TV series.

At the time, Yu Mengling thought that Lu Yanhe was someone who cared a lot about market prices.

That's why we specifically helped her secure a better price in the TV drama market.

There was actually no price standard. At that time, she had not starred in any TV series, so there was no so-called market price.

"That's not right," Yu Mengling instinctively thought. "How can I let you suffer a loss?"

“I won’t lose out.” Lu Yanhe shook his head. “Sister Meng Ling, the salary is just a number. What I care more about now is to create a good work.”

Yu Mengling was deeply moved.

Lu Yanhe said, "Moreover, since you and I are playing the roles of siblings in this movie, we must find an actor of a similar caliber to play our father so that he can overshadow us in terms of audience perception. I know that there is no distinction between ranks for truly good actors, but the presentation of the audience is objective. If a big star appears in a movie, it will unfairly draw everyone's attention away from the film."

Yu Mengling nodded.

"I see."

Yu Mengling herself was not a very famous actress before.

She had encountered this situation many times before.

Later, she won awards both domestically and internationally, gradually building up her star power.

-

"Without realizing it, I've become more assertive." Lu Yanhe himself remarked to Chen Siqi, "Although this isn't my movie anymore, I can't help but express my thoughts on every choice, and I'll try my best to turn those thoughts into reality."

“That’s how it is. All talented, capable, and successful people, more or less, have this desire for control.” Chen Siqi was not surprised at all. “You have already managed so many film and television projects, and you have your own set of thinking logic. You know what kind of choices are best for the project.”

“Moreover, Yu Mengling herself hasn’t offered any suggestions,” Chen Siqi said. “The key issue is that if she had her own choice, the two of you would have a conflict, and in that conflict, how would you choose? Right now, there’s no conflict between you two, so it wouldn’t be a problem for you to be a little more assertive.”

Lu Yanhe: "I'm afraid that Sister Meng Ling has her own choices, but she's just too embarrassed to tell me."

“But you can’t just shut up and say nothing because you’re worried about that,” Chen Siqi said. “You’ve already told her that you’re just making a suggestion, and if she has a different opinion, you’ll take hers.”

Lu Yanhe: "Yes."

“However, with such a large production scale for ‘The Boat,’ I feel that Chen Pinhe and Zhang Yuezhen are even more nervous,” Chen Siqi laughed. “Such a movie, such a large production scale.”

(End of this chapter)