Chapter 375 Man is an animal suspended in a web of meaning he himself has woven.
Lu Yanhe sat in his chair, intently watching the movie "Late Spring," which was also the first film in which he played the lead role.
Although my acting career has been quite smooth so far, and I haven't experienced the stage where many actors can only play supporting roles and can't get the lead role, my mindset towards playing a lead or supporting role is not much different.
But the main character always gets more screen time.
The entire film is primarily told from the perspective of his character.
This feeling is still different.
As the movie begins, in the very first shot, Lu Yanhe sees himself standing in a narrow bathroom, silently washing his hair.
In the play, his mother's voice came through, saying, "I've enrolled you in a tutoring class."
He paused in his showering.
The camera was filming from his side and rear.
On the big screen, his facial expression was almost invisible, but his silhouette revealed some information.
This boy doesn't seem very happy. But of course, teenagers are often melancholic. That's common at this age.
In the dark space, Lu Yanhe saw himself, so close to reality, appear on such a large screen for the first time.
In "Three Mountains", his character's appearance was very different from his usual self. Because of this difference, he focused on the character's performance while watching the movie.
But "Late Spring" is different. The very first shot clearly reminds him that this is himself.
Lu Yanhe felt a sudden, inexplicable thrill of excitement.
By the time he came to his senses, the movie had already been playing for more than twenty minutes.
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Liu Bige's shots are clean and leisurely, without the hazy, dizzying, or gloomy shots often found in art films.
If asked to find a director he could compare to, Lu Yanhe thinks Hirokazu Kore-eda, who directed "Our Little Sister," is very similar.
However, Liu Bige's films are not as slow as those of director Hirokazu Kore-eda.
He switches between many shots very quickly, and most of the time he's not particularly fond of long takes.
This greatly reduces the difficulty of watching.
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Lu Yanhe was already very familiar with this story, but Liu Bige edited it in a way that gave Lu Yanhe a sense of "déjà vu" freshness.
Thinking of this, he couldn't help but smile.
Only actors would combine the words "déjà vu" and "novelty" together.
Filming is one thing, editing is another.
No wonder people say that a movie is the director's work. When Lu Yanhe looks at this film now, there are many things that are different from what he thought when he was making it.
Every boy and girl on the screen seemed more beautiful than the real people he met.
The appeal of this product doesn't refer to changes in their appearance or facial features, but rather to a certain atmosphere or ambiance.
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There are already many classic films in film history that deal with the theme of adolescence.
This is also a timeless theme.
In these kinds of films, almost all of them involve the dramatic changes and growing pains of growing up.
If we're talking about melodramatic plots, there's no such thing as one that isn't melodramatic.
But why do some movies become classics despite their melodramatic plots, while others are just a mess of melodrama?
The subtleties involved are difficult to explain in words.
But ultimately, it all boils down to the difference between seeing something and feeling it's good, and seeing something and feeling it's bad.
When Lu Yanhe ran out of his home and sprinted through the midnight streets, the scene on the big screen transformed into a flowing river of light and shadow as he ran.
His eyes, filled with sadness, anger, and confusion, mingled with the darkness of the night, looking over from the vast screen and down at everyone in the audience.
At that moment, his gaze seemed to transcend time and space, piercing through the silver screen.
The entire screening room was completely silent; everyone held their breath.
Even Lu Yanhe himself was surprised to see what was happening before him.
He had never seen this scene before and was completely unaware that Liu Bige had captured such a moment while he was acting.
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The golden, warm sunlight flowed across the world like a river.
As the film ended in the quiet after the commotion, in a sunlit classroom, the end credits began to roll, and the theme song sung by Song Linxin softly played, but the theater remained quiet.
The screening ended, and the lights in the screening room came on.
Lin Yu raised her hand and gently wiped away the tears that streamed down her face.
She didn't know if it was because of her own biases, but this film, which resembled a youthful essay, cruelly dissected her heart with a seemingly calm and poetic style, revealing the most hidden pain within her.
She turned to look at Tom Wayne and Marion Tucci, whose expressions remained serious as they wrote something in their notebooks with an unwavering focus.
Suddenly, applause erupted from somewhere.
Lin Yu turned her head in surprise, and in the short time it took her to turn her head, applause had already spread like wildfire.
Many people stood up and began to applaud.
Lin Yu knew that at film festivals, films often received applause from the audience after the screening.
This has almost become a ritualistic practice.
But at this moment, Lin Yu could clearly sense that this was not a formal applause.
She heard a white-haired man cup his hands in a megaphone shape and shout, "Bravo!"
Director Liu Bige and the other main creators, who were sitting in the first row, stood up, turned around, and faced the audience.
Lin Yu was the first to look at Lu Yanhe.
Lu Yanhe was the first to spot her with his eyes.
He mouthed, "How is it?"
Lin Yu pursed her lips, gave him a thumbs-up, and nodded, conveying her answer through her expression.
Lu Yanhe smiled with relief.
He turned to look at Yan Lingyu, Yu Lang, and the others. Each of them had a smile on their face that was a mixture of excitement, exhilaration, and disbelief, like a child visiting an amusement park for the first time, yet also like someone standing on a podium for the first time, unable to contain their shyness.
Memories of Liu Bige leading them on filming came to mind.
Many scenes, many moments of encouraging each other.
The audience expressed their love for the film with the most enthusiastic applause and cheers.
At this moment, the calm before the screening and the excitement afterward formed a stark contrast.
Lu Yanhe was finally relieved.
Ultimately, it's the film itself that speaks for itself, and its content.
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Li Bi, who came to the scene with Lin Yu, stood in a corner with a face full of excitement, doing his own live broadcast.
"Yes, 'Late Spring' just premiered at the Venice International Film Festival. How was the film? I can't comment, but just look at the reaction of the audience and listen to the applause and cheers!"
Li Bi moved his face away from the camera and pointed the camera at everyone present.
Since signing with Jump Up Company, Li Bi has been seizing this opportunity with all his might these past few months, wanting to prove himself and make a name for himself.
Many people in the industry said behind his back that he was incredibly lucky to be noticed by Lu Yanhe and receive such strong support.
Li Bi hears this sound almost everywhere he goes.
The more voices he heard, the harder he worked, sometimes posting as many as 32 short videos a day.
All of them are original videos he created himself.
Because of his hard work, he started making a profit in less than six months.
During this trip to Venice, Chen Siqi told him two things.
"First, since you're a short video creator, you need to leverage the advantages of short video media. In Venice, traditional media still dominate, so you need to use your strengths to break into the market."
"Second, don't think that just because you make short videos, you're inferior to other media. Remember, you're a short video media outlet that's jumping around, from one of the most influential media outlets in China today."
Chen Siqi did not interfere with what content he wanted to create; she simply gave him interview opportunities with several filmmakers they had contacted.
This isn't interference; it's feeding him.
Although Chen Siqi didn't say it, Li Bi knew that he had another very important task in coming to Venice this time, which was to promote Lu Yanhe and "Late Spring".
Li Bi pondered for a long time how he should leverage the advantages of short videos and how to differentiate himself from traditional media.
Upon arriving here and witnessing the working methods of traditional media, Li Bi suddenly had a breakthrough.
The biggest advantage of short videos here is their immediacy.
Therefore, Li Bi simply moved the live stream over.
Because of Lu Yanhe's connections, and because his video series now has a large following, the production team approved his application without much hesitation.
Thus, Li Bi was able to do a live broadcast from the scene.
As soon as Li Bi started his live stream, the number of viewers skyrocketed.
Just kidding, this is the only place where someone is doing a live broadcast from the screening room of "Late Spring".
Therefore, domestic film fans were able to see the audience's enthusiasm for "Late Spring" immediately.
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The press conference will follow the screening.
When walking the red carpet, many photographers' reactions gave Lu Yanhe the feeling that they were just there to complete a task.
However, at the press conference, you could sense the enthusiasm, excitement, and interest in every reporter's expression.
When Liu Bige and others appeared with actors such as Lu Yanhe, applause rang out again.
Yan Lingyu and the others stared wide-eyed, flattered.
They were all complete newcomers to the film festival for the first time. Lu Yanhe was slightly more experienced, but not by much.
However, Lu Yanhe never showed any fear in such situations, and waved to everyone with a bright smile.
The atmosphere at the scene was extremely enthusiastic.
Huang Zhongjing, Wen Zhimao, and Miao Yue sat next to Liu Bige, while Lu Yanhe and the actors sat on the other side of Liu Bige.
Artistic director Picasso personally hosted the event.
The first segment was for Liu Bige to share his thoughts after the premiere.
Lu Yanhe could see obvious excitement and agitation on Liu Bige's face. This infected Lu Yanhe as well.
Liu Bige has lived in France for so many years, his English is very good.
He said directly in English: "Being able to come here feels like a dream come true. It has been almost ten years since I entered the film industry and made my first film. I am very lucky to have the opportunity to make such a film. Many young directors have a script and then look for investment. I am different. I was invited back to China from France by Huang Zhongjing and Wen Zhimao, the bosses of Longyan Film Industry. They told me that I could make whatever I wanted and that they would support me. So, I got the support of the film company before I thought about what I wanted to make."
The media reporters at the scene expressed their surprise.
This experience was truly unique.
Other directors would probably be insanely jealous if they heard about this.
Huang Zhongjing and Wen Zhimao laughed after hearing the real-time translation through their earpieces.
"Later, I read Miao Yue's novel. She wrote it when she was in high school, and now she's a student at Zhenhua University. Oh, by the way, our movie's lead actor, Lu Yanhe, is also a student at Zhenhua University. Thank you, Zhenhua." Liu Bige seemed a little excited and nervous, and for some reason, he became incoherent for a moment before suddenly mentioning Zhenhua.
Lu Yanhe and Miao Yue burst out laughing.
“Then, our movie began,” Liu Bige said. “Miao Yue and I wrote the script together, and Lu Yanhe had agreed to act in the movie a long time ago. Many of you probably don’t know that Lu Yanhe is a very popular star in China. Because of his agreement to act, our project always had a strong backing, and we were confident that we could move forward no matter what problems we encountered.”
Lu Yanhe wore a look that was both funny and exasperated.
The Chinese media reporter smiled kindly.
"Also, the actors in this film, except for Lu Yanhe, are basically acting for the first time. I am not a very experienced director either, and I have no experience in teaching people to act. Fortunately, I met a group of actors with a great sense of performance. Their sensitivity to the characters is beyond my rational perception. I am grateful to them."
After Liu Bige finished speaking, the entire audience gave him a warm round of applause.
The Q&A session began immediately.
For many foreign media outlets, the cast of "Late Spring" didn't have any star figures; including Lu Yanhe, they were all newcomers.
Therefore, they did not focus their questions on any one person. Apart from director Liu Bige, all the other actors received questions from the media.
The issue that everyone is concerned about is the content of the film itself.
Some people asked what kind of emotion the film's ending was trying to express.
Some people asked why Meng Bai and Yin Yue weren't allowed to escape successfully.
etc.
Almost all the questions raised by everyone were related to the movie, and this atmosphere made Lu Yanhe feel inexplicably moved.
The enthusiastic response from the audience at the press conference gave them renewed confidence.
There will be other interviews and photo shoots to follow.
Lu Yanhe's journey ended here, separating him from the main group.
A total of eight media outlets requested interviews, each for fifteen minutes.
The interview with Shui'er took three hours, including the time spent in between.
Lu Yanhe spoke until his throat was dry.
Wang Biao quickly brought over throat lozenges and water.
After being interviewed and photographed by eight media outlets in a row, even the most dedicated Lu Yanhe felt exhausted.
On the one hand, these are already selected media outlets; some have powerful backgrounds, some have deep connections, and some have good relationships, so it's not easy to refuse any of them. On the other hand, as the lead actor and the only star in "Late Spring," he has the important responsibility of promoting the film. Longyan Film Industry invited him to participate in this film festival with such great sincerity, so it's only right that he do what he can.
After the promotional trip, Lu Yanhe had his own schedule to attend, which included a meeting with the head of Maxine's Asia-Pacific region.
Lu Yanhe never expected that he would come to the Venice International Film Festival.
Chen Ziyan said, "Why can't he come? Maxine is a streaming platform, not a drama series platform. Maxine, which he is backed by, is also a film buyer. Many films buy streaming rights from Maxine and are broadcast on Maxine."
Lu Yanhe: "I thought this was not a matter for the Asia-Pacific region."
“If you really think that large companies like this really work strictly according to the division of labor, then you are very wrong,” Chen Ziyan said. “Everyone is digging for gold. On the surface, plots of land are divided up and boundaries are established. Once you dig in and get underground, who cares about those boundaries on the surface?”
Chen Ziyan explained this principle very clearly using this analogy.
"Is there anything I need to do after I meet him?"
“You only need to do one thing: convince him that you are a creator who will help him create value in the future,” Chen Ziyan said. “In fact, you have already achieved this with your past works. Maxine is in talks with Beijing TV about the exclusive overseas release of ‘Friends’ and ‘The Seventeenth Floor’ on Maxine. These two shows have achieved such great success in China, so he must already know you and understand your resume. This time, you just need to reinforce that impression.”
"Is there anything else I need to say to him about my upcoming projects?"
“Just follow what I say,” Chen Ziyan said. “Tonight we don’t need to sort out anything, we just need to make a good impression on him.”
Lu Yanhe asked, "But what if he directly asked me to write a script for Maxine?"
“He will propose a collaboration to you, and you can respond with a similar response. However, believe me, no one signs a contract on the first meeting, especially at your level. You must first get to know each other and build familiarity and trust.” Chen Ziyan smiled.
Lu Yanhe understood.
It's getting late.
They went directly to the restaurant for their appointment.
The head of Maxine's Asia-Pacific region, Chung Bon-seok, is Korean.
In recent years, South Korean film and television dramas have developed rapidly. The domestic market was too small, and global streaming media opened doors for them, providing fertile ground for their growth. Their film and television production talent flocked to streaming services. And the streaming services have indeed been very effective, offering generous funding and minimal interference in production, resulting in a string of hit dramas with a large global audience.
In this respect, Chinese-language dramas are indeed not as successful as Korean dramas. So far, the most successful Chinese-language dramas exported overseas fall into two categories: historical romance dramas, especially fantasy-themed ones, and modern campus romance dramas. However, these two types of dramas are only popular in Southeast Asia and have not become global hits.
Jong Bon-seok was originally a producer at a traditional South Korean television station. When Maxine entered the South Korean market, he changed jobs. With several hit Korean dramas under his supervision, his performance was outstanding. When competing for the position of head of the Asia-Pacific region, he finally succeeded.
Having taken charge of the Asia-Pacific region, he naturally couldn't just focus on Korean dramas and films.
In the Asia-Pacific region, there has always been a major hurdle to overcome: the Chinese mainland market.
On one hand, there is the user market in mainland China, and on the other hand, there is the market for film and television production talent in mainland China.
The former is temporarily unable to break through due to some policy reasons, while the latter is because the treatment and conditions that mainland film and television production talents receive overseas are not as good as those in their own country, so they lack the motivation to go abroad.
Why did so many Chinese celebrities want to work in Hollywood in the past? One reason was their high status, and another was the higher pay. For a time, earning RMB and earning USD were two different things, and many people wanted to earn USD.
Why are fewer Chinese celebrities going to Hollywood these days? Because the domestic entertainment market is now comparable in size to Hollywood's, so why would they bother developing their careers in an unfamiliar place? Those who are already famous don't want to go, and those who aren't famous are even less inclined to go. They haven't even become famous in their own country, so why would they expect to become famous in Hollywood?
Chung Ben-shuo put in a lot of effort to secure the role in Chen Ling-ling's "The Silent River".
On one hand, relying on the names of Chen Lingling and Lu Yanhe, the purchase price from Chinese mainland video platforms alone could recoup most of the production cost, and even generate a profit, so Zhong Benshuo has no need to worry about losses. On the other hand, Zhong Benshuo hopes to use this opportunity to open up opportunities and encourage more creators in mainland China to collaborate with Maxine.
Once you have one successful work, other works will follow in quick succession. This is the experience he has accumulated over many years of work.
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When Zhong Benshuo learned about Lu Yanhe, his show "Friends" had not yet aired. He only knew that Lu Yanhe was very popular in mainland China, with a top-tier university education and high profile.
Soon after, Lu Yanhe suddenly produced three hit works within half a year.
Two TV series in which he starred, and a movie in which he made a cameo appearance but overshadowed the main characters.
In just six months, Lu Yanhe's status underwent a dramatic change.
The red is still the same red, but its status has risen rapidly.
Zhong Benshuo, who works in streaming media, understands this best.
Chung Ben-shuo has already watched *Friends* and *The Seventeenth Floor*. Both shows gave him a refreshing feeling. Actually, every country produces many high-quality dramas every year, but high quality doesn't guarantee popularity. To be honest, both shows surprised Chung Ben-shuo because they were quite different from the Chinese-language dramas he was familiar with. One was a sitcom more like an American drama, and the other was a "battle royale" themed series—a genre Chung Ben-shuo hadn't seen in Chinese-language dramas for many years.
The key point is that both dramas are very well made in their respective genres, so Jong Bon-seok wants to acquire their overseas streaming rights.
He had a vague feeling that these two shows would be popular with Maxine viewers.
Similarly, it was these two dramas that made him even more interested in Lu Yanhe.
An actor might be lucky to star in one hit show, but what about two or three?
Looking back on Lu Yanhe's past acting career, Zhong Benshuo was surprised to find that, whether as a lead or supporting actor, every role Lu Yanhe played achieved both commercial and critical success.
Including "Three Mountains".
This made Jong Ben-seok really take notice.
Especially after learning that Lu Yanhe was also a genius screenwriter.
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“There are actually many actors like you in the world who can both write screenplays and act.” Zhong Benshuo looked at Lu Yanhe sitting in front of him and said, “But there are very few who can do as well as you in such a short period of time. I think any film and television company or platform would like to work with you.”
Lu Yanhe politely said thank you.
Chen Ziyan said, "Indeed, many companies have come to Yan He to cooperate."
Zhong Benshuo looked at Chen Ziyan, "I heard you two also started a film and television production company together, right?"
“That’s right.” Chen Ziyan nodded again. “She is mainly responsible for the film and television projects that Yan He is involved in.”
Zhong Benshuo nodded, "Many big-name actors have now established their own production companies."
Chen Ziyan asked, "Is it like this in South Korea too?"
“Of course.” Zhong Benshuo nodded. “Big-name actors usually have their own production companies, which makes it easier for them to participate in the production of projects.”
Chen Ziyan nodded.
Zhong Benshuo then looked at Lu Yanhe and asked, "I heard that you have written a script with a similar theme to 'The Seventeenth Floor'?"
“Yes.” Lu Yanhe nodded, “but we’ve already prepared to collaborate with a domestic video platform on this script.”
Jong Bon-seok: "I've heard about it, but I'm still interested in the script. If possible, may I take a look at it?"
Lu Yanhe looked puzzled and said, "I've already signed a contract with someone else for this drama."
“But the copyright is in your own hands, right?” Zhong Benshuo said. “I’m not trying to steal the rights. Actually, we’ve been looking for a good script of this kind. We’ve asked screenwriters to write one before, but the scripts they gave us weren’t very good. I was thinking that if your story is suitable, I would like to acquire the adaptation rights and have Maxine film another version.”
"Huh?" Lu Yanhe was stunned and looked at Zhong Benshuo at a loss.
This was completely beyond his expectations.
Lu Yanhe subconsciously turned his head to look at Chen Ziyan.
Chen Ziyan also showed a somewhat surprised expression.
Jong Bon-seok: "In fact, not only this script you have, but I also plan to buy the rights to remake 'The Seventeenth Floor' and 'Friends'."
Remakes are a very common practice.
A good story may even have a dozen or more remakes.
However, it is extremely rare for someone like Jong Bon-seok to want to buy the remake rights to create another version of a drama before it has even started filming.
Chen Ziyan said, "Although the copyright of 'The Squid Game' is indeed in our hands, we Chinese also value morality. Before the version we collaborated on with Aurora Video aired, we still hoped that it would not have any other competitors, especially those from the same script. This may not violate the contract, but doing so would be unethical to Aurora Video. We should not sell to two different people."
She directly rejected Jong Bon-seok.
Lu Yanhe agreed with Chen Ziyan's judgment and nodded.
Zhong Benshuo seemed unsurprised and nodded.
“Okay.” He shrugged. “I’m always open to collaborating with creators like Yan He. Whenever you have a suitable project that you think you can work with Maxine, feel free to contact me.”
Lu Yanhe nodded.
Chen Ziyan smiled slightly.
We exchanged business cards and contact information, mainly email addresses, and that's how the meeting finally ended.
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As soon as she parted ways with Zhong Benshuo, Chen Ziyan looked at Lu Yanhe.
"I just rejected him, do you mind?"
“I don’t mind.” Lu Yanhe shook his head. “I think you’re right.”
“I can’t ask for your opinion in front of him, but this is something we absolutely cannot agree to,” Chen Ziyan said. “Otherwise, it will seriously damage your reputation.”
"Yes, I understand."
Chen Ziyan: "However, it seems that he is very satisfied with 'The Seventeenth Floor', otherwise he wouldn't be so eager to get the script of 'Squid Game' for evaluation."
"Is it because they're all battle royale themed, and I star in them all?"
“That’s right.” Chen Ziyan nodded. “He thinks that ‘The Seventeenth Floor’ will be popular on Maxine, so he wants to acquire the adaptation rights to ‘Squid Game’ in advance. That way, whether it’s adapted into a Korean drama or an American drama, it can get more attention on the shoulders of ‘The Seventeenth Floor’, especially… according to Maxine’s algorithm, their platform should be in great need of battle royale-themed films and television series.”
"algorithm?"
“Yes, many platforms now use big data to calculate what kind of films and TV series their audiences want to watch,” Chen Ziyan said. “Then they plan what kind of films and TV series to shoot next based on these calculations.”
"This is really... it feels like running a factory." Lu Yanhe found it somewhat amusing.
Chen Ziyan smiled too.
“It’s a product of the new era, but we’ll have to wait and see how effective it is,” Chen Ziyan said. “Isn’t that how it is? Yemai.com has a new executive in charge of publicity and public relations named Zuo Yu. Yemai.com has been advocating for the use of big data to reduce costs and increase efficiency. Xin Zixing wanted to increase the production budget for ‘City Travelogue,’ but he strongly opposed it and prevented the budget increase.”
"Huh? It's because of him?"
“Yeah,” Chen Ziyan said. “Anyway, these days, new ways of doing things and all sorts of concepts will pop up every few months. You never hear about them or see them before. You don’t know which ones are really new and which ones are just things that speculators have made up to scam money.”
Lu Yanhe said, "If algorithms can calculate what kind of content the audience likes to watch, then we should just make whatever is popular. It's obvious that following trends will not lead to success, but people don't take that seriously. They always think they can find a shortcut to success. To put it bluntly, they don't understand content and don't know what kind of content will be popular with the audience. They can only rely on other things."
Chen Ziyan nodded: "You're absolutely right. It's because there are more and more people who don't know the facts that we hear about unbelievable things every now and then."
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The reviews for "Late Spring" at the Venice International Film Festival contrasted sharply with those for "White Pearl".
With a score of 3.4 in the festival's daily publication, it ranks second among the films in the main competition that have already received their scores, and is hailed by many media outlets as a strong contender for awards at this year's Venice International Film Festival.
When the news reached China, it caused a huge uproar.
The film "White Pearl," directed by a renowned director and featuring top actors, received polarized reviews, while "Late Spring," directed by a new director and featuring a cast of new actors, was highly praised. This contrasting situation left many people bewildered.
The first commentary published by "Movie World" was titled: Lu Yanhe once again staged a miraculous comeback!
From the lukewarm reception of "Friends" before its premiere, to the shockingly low ratings of "Seventeen Floors," and then to "Late Spring," which was overshadowed by another film before its release, Lu Yanhe's starring roles seem to follow the same script: a comeback. I remember how many people questioned Lu Yanhe's decision when the news of his starring role in "Late Spring" first broke. Now, it seems we've been proven that our vision was far inferior to that of this young man who is only twenty years old—oh, no, he's almost twenty-one.
The hashtag #LuYanhe'sMiracleofComeback# thus became a trending topic, attracting countless eyes.
When Chen Ziliang saw this trending topic, his eyelids drooped, and he quickly scrolled down.
Out of sight, out of mind.
Lu Yanhe succeeded once again.
My fourth film this year.
Why him again?!
Before "The Seventeen Floors" had even finished airing and everyone was eagerly awaiting the finale, Lu Yanhe came into the public eye with "Late Spring" in a powerful fashion.
At this moment, all the agents and agencies working with young male actors felt a pang of bitterness and helplessness.
Given Lu Yanhe's current trajectory, who among male actors of the same age can rival him?
Only Li Zhibai laughed heartily twice, looking at Zhou Ping'an's melancholy face, and gloated as he rubbed salt into his wounds: "Are you particularly regretful? Such a brilliant genius, and you drove him away."
Zhou Ping'an: "Why are you gloating at a time like this! Lu Yanhe has taken the top position. What good do you think you can get? From now on, the best resources will all have to go through him first. Only what he doesn't want will flow into your hands."
"What's there to be afraid of? I'm famous too, and I'm a great actor." Li Zhibai said arrogantly, "He's my brother, and I'm happy that he's awesome, but I'm awesome too. Don't try to flatter me like that. I'll win an award sooner or later."
Li Zhibai looked at Zhou Ping'an with an arrogant expression.
His main principle is to avoid internal strife.
Zhou Ping'an slapped himself in the face.
What does it mean to be more worried than the emperor?!
-
Yan Liang sent a message in the three-person group chat: "I'll treat you when I get back!"
His heart was filled with pride and joy.
Lu Yanhe succeeded once again.
"Sorry, I just realized the ratings for 'Late Spring' were out because you reminded me. I just sent Yan He a congratulatory message."
Yan Liang snapped out of his daze, looked at the female reporter in front of him, smiled gently, and showed a hint of embarrassment.
"I didn't hear your question. Could you please repeat it?"
The female reporter blushed slightly as Yan Liang gazed at her with such tenderness.
She repeated her question.
Does your friend's remarkable achievement put pressure on you?
Yan Liang smiled, nodded, and said, "There might be a little bit. It would be a lie to say there isn't. But it gives me more motivation. I know I'm not as dazzling as Lao Li or Xiao Lu, but the world isn't just about the sun. I can be the moon, a star, or even a streetlamp shining in the night. I might be moving a little slower, but I'm always moving forward, and I believe that one day I'll reach them. In fact, I've always been by their side, haven't I?"
Yan Liang looked at the female reporter with a gentle expression and gave his answer.
-
The positive reviews "Late Spring" received from media outlets and film critics around the world caused its popularity at the Venice International Film Festival to skyrocket almost overnight.
Tickets for the following screenings became incredibly hard to come by overnight.
Even Wang Zhong had to come to Lu Yanhe for tickets, saying, "Several friends I've known for a long time have come to me, asking me to find a way to get tickets."
But the tickets were really all gone.
The sudden popularity of "Late Spring" brought smiles to the faces of the two owners, Huang Zhongjing and Wen Zhimao. Upon learning of this, they immediately contacted the film festival organizers to see if they could add a few more screenings.
After final coordination, three more sessions were added.
Lu Yanhe received ten tickets, which he could give to his friends.
He had Zou Dong deliver four tickets to Wang Zhong, and then gave the remaining tickets to Lin Yu.
Lin Yu is shouldering the important task of promoting "Jump Up" at the Venice International Film Festival, and there must be many relationships she needs to maintain.
After getting the tickets, Lin Yu messaged Lu Yanhe, saying: "Yanhe, Tom Wayne, a film critic and columnist for Variety magazine, wants to arrange a written interview with you, which will be published on his Variety website. He's a very influential film critic, and he also saw the premiere of 'Late Spring' and spoke highly of you. I suggest you accept his offer. His feature article on you will help introduce you to the American film industry; he's very influential."
Lin Yu emphasized twice that Tom Wayne was very influential, and Lu Yanhe naturally understood what Lin Yu meant.
Lu Yanhe replied: Okay, but why a written interview?
Lin Yu said: Tomorrow is the premiere of "Sophia's Adventures". He went back to the United States to attend the premiere. If you agree, he will interview you via email.
Lu Yanhe: Okay, send him my email address.
Linyu: Okay.
Lu Yanhe: You've worked so hard these past few days, running around with Li Bi all by yourself.
Lin Yu: I really didn't manage Li Bi. I was busy with my own things, and he was busy with his. We just sometimes collaborated. He was very hardworking. On the day of the premiere of "Late Spring," he conducted a live interview with seven audience members outside the screening room and also made special arrangements to meet with many audience members at a nearby coffee shop for further discussion. He edited all of these videos that night, added Chinese subtitles, and posted them on his video account. They had quite a bit of influence.
Lu Yanhe: You guys are really reliable. Others might get good publicity after filming three movies and be seen by more people, but I only filmed one movie and you guys can promote it as if I've filmed three movies.
Lin Yu: That's because Siqi has intentionally deployed significant resources in the film and television industry. We can't offer you any other assistance, we can only do what we can. And I'm also very proud. You don't know, but after watching *Late Spring*, Tom Wayne and Marion Tucci's attitudes towards me changed. Before, when they knew I was your high school classmate, they thought I was unprofessional and not objective. After watching the film, their attitudes towards me became much warmer. This is all because *Late Spring* is a good film that moved them. You've made a good film and have good works. Our auxiliary promotional work is icing on the cake, adding to your glory and also to our own.
Lu Yanhe read the message Lin Yu sent him carefully, and a surge of indescribable emotion welled up in his heart.
Lin Yu's words made Lu Yanhe feel somewhat sentimental, realizing that his insistence on content, quality, and art had its significance.
It would be too easy for Lu Yanhe to make movies and earn money so easily.
Why would he take on a film like "Late Spring," whose success or failure was uncertain, when he clearly had a gold mine at his disposal?
Why would he choose to act in "The Silent River" and later "Rouge" when he was capable of writing scripts like "Lost in Thailand" and "Rouge"?
Success is just a fleeting moment; he still has the spirit of a young man and wants to do something different.
He admitted his hypocrisy, wanting to showcase his talent while simultaneously plagiarizing scripts like "Lost in Thailand".
He also admitted his cowardice, his reluctance to fully commit and take risks to replicate the miracles of another world in this one.
He acknowledged all his human weaknesses, but even with those weaknesses, he still wanted to do something different when he could.
For example, making a film like "Late Spring," creating a magazine like "Jump Up," or having a legitimate and open relationship.
Lu Yanhe once saw a quote from the philosopher Max Weber.
"Man is an animal suspended in a web of meaning he himself has woven."
He didn't quite understand the meaning of that sentence at the time, but now he roughly understands it.
Yes, when you're hungry, the first priority is to fill your stomach, but what happens after you've filled it?
Call him pretentious or hypocritical, but he still believes that if he doesn't pursue meaning, he wouldn't be himself.
(End of this chapter)
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