Back to 80: My literary life.

Chapter 654: Fourth Generation, Fifth Generation, Sixth Generation
After Wang Xiaoshuai left, Song Tangtang called Wu Tianming: "Mr. Wu? I'm Song Tangtang. Please come to my office. I have a movie script for you to take a look at."

Wu Tianmin has been very busy recently preparing for the filming of his new film "Face Off", but when Song Tangtang called him, he put down his work and went to Song Tangtang's office.

"Mr. Wu, this is a script written by a young director named Wang Xiaoshuai." Song Tangtang handed the script to Wu Tianmin and briefly introduced Wang Xiaoshuai's situation.

Wu Tianmin was secretly surprised when he heard this.

Why have so many outstanding young directors suddenly emerged in the past few years since I left China?

Going abroad to win big prizes is just like playing.

But he didn't say much and looked at the script carefully.

After looking at it for a while, Wu Tianmin suddenly sighed deeply and said to Song Tangtang who was looking at the report: "Mr. Song, I am really old."

"What's wrong with you? Why are you saying that? Mr. Wu, you are only in your early fifties, you are very young. Look at director Xie Jin, he is in his early seventies and is still making movies." Song Tangtang said half-jokingly and half-seriously.

Wu Tianmin laughed and said, "I mean the idea, specifically the understanding and knowledge of movies, as for this script? To be honest, I don't understand it. I don't know what this director named Wang Xiaoshuai wants to shoot? What's the point of shooting this?"

"Oh?"

"As for this script, unlike Yimou and Kaige, both Zhang Yimou and Chen Kaige have filmed grand narratives about national culture and historical fables, such as Yellow Earth, Red Sorghum, Raise the Red Lantern, etc.

"It is also different from our generation. The movies I made tell the stories of ordinary people, exploring the philosophy of society and life from the trivialities of ordinary people. But this script, although it is also about ordinary people, is actually about marginalized people in society, and it talks about personal feelings. Look at this line:"

Wu Tianmin turned to a page and pointed:

"It's mostly just mumbling to myself, just talking to myself, questioning myself, doubting myself."

"If I was the director of Xi'an Film Studio ten years ago, this script would definitely not have passed." Wu Tianmin said with a smile.

"What about now?" Song Tangtang asked.

"I think we can give it a try." Wu Tianmin gave his answer.

"Mr. Wu, your words are somewhat contradictory." Song Tangtang said with a smile.

"Yes, it's a bit contradictory, but now is not ten years ago. Society is developing, and film art is also developing. I don't understand it, but it doesn't mean it's bad. I think we should give the boy a chance."

Song Tangtang laughed after hearing this: "Boss Wu, when you insisted on letting the cinematographer Zhang Yimou direct Red Sorghum, was that also your idea?"

"Yes, that's right. We should let young people try it boldly."

In the evening, Song Tangtang returned home. When the whole family was having dinner together, Song Tangtang said, "Minghua, a young director came to my house this afternoon and asked me to invest in his new film."

"Who?"

"Wang Xiaoshuai, graduated from Yandian University, was assigned to the Fujian Film Studio and resigned."

"Him? Didn't he make a movie called "Winter and Spring Days" and win an award abroad?"

"Ah, you know him?" Song Tangtang was surprised.

"I don't know him." Fang Minghua quickly denied: "I only read about this in a movie magazine."

After saying that, he picked up a piece and put it in his mouth, chewing slowly, but thinking in his heart: Great. I actually attracted another representative of the Sixth Generation of directors.

As one of the sixth generation directors, Wang Xiaoshuai's representative work is the movie "Seventeen Years Old Bicycle" starring Gao Yuanyuan.

Song Tangtang didn't notice his expression and continued, "The script he brought today is called "Extreme Cold". I brought the script back. You can take a look at it too."

"Okay, let's talk about it after dinner."

After dinner, the nanny cleared the dishes. Fang Minghua first helped the two children with their homework. After completing the task, he went upstairs to his wife's study and picked up the script to read it carefully.

Before coming to this era, Fang Minghua had never seen this movie, or even Wang Xiaoshuai's debut film "Winter and Spring Days", because they were all banned films!
I just read the movie synopsis online.

In fact, Wang Xiaoshuai has shot many banned films, including his representative work "The Bicycle Thief", but this film was finally released from the ban.

Fang Minghua read the script carefully and asked, "Tangtang, what do you think?"

"I discussed this script specifically with Brother Wu today." Song Tangtang recounted the discussion process with Wu Tianmin.

"Well, Wu Tianmin's attitude is great! No wonder Xiying Studio can produce so many outstanding talents!" Fang Minghua couldn't help but sigh:
"In our traditional understanding, film directors and authors are behind the camera, pointing the camera outside to shoot the outside, workers, peasants, and soldiers, society, and so on. This is called a movie. But this script is exactly not like that. As Wu Tianmin said, the movie mumbling to itself, questioning itself, doubting itself, is actually also called a movie."

"So you mean we can invest in this movie?" Song Tangtang asked.

"Of course you can, but Tangtang, you overlooked one thing. Have you seen the film 'Winter and Spring Days' that he shot?"

"No. This movie was not shown in China last year. Could it be that his award certificates are fake?!" Song Tangtang thought of a possibility and stood up suddenly.

"You're mistaken." Fang Minghua said with a smile, "The magazine did report that this film won a foreign award, but it just wasn't released in China."

"Banned film? Didn't get the dragon mark?!" Song Tangtang understood all at once.

"Yes, and I suspect that even after the filming of "Extreme Cold" is finished, it will be difficult to obtain the Dragon Mark."

"what?!"

"Don't you think the story told in this script is crazy?" Fang Minghua asked back.

"It's a bit crazy." Song Tangtang thought about it carefully and realized that it was indeed as Fang Minghua said.

"Then? I refuse tomorrow? Anyway, I told Wang Xiaoshuai that I would give him an answer tomorrow." Song Tangtang said.

"Let him shoot it." Fang Minghua said with a smile: "A banned film is not necessarily a bad film. There are various factors involved. As for the fact that it cannot be shown in the mainland in the future without the dragon seal, forget it. Anyway, this kind of niche film will not do well at the box office. Fortunately, the cost is low and it will not lose much money."

"Losing money is one aspect. If we really cannot obtain the Dragon Mark and then submit the award abroad, will the relevant departments be angry with our company? You reminded me of this problem when we made the movie "To Live." Song Tangtang expressed her concerns.

"It is very common that a film cannot be shown in mainland China but can win awards or be shown abroad. Of course, even if it goes abroad to win awards, the consent of the relevant departments must be obtained. We must not cross this red line." Fang Minghua emphasized.

"But you don't have to worry. As far as this script is concerned, it doesn't involve politics or sensitive times. After filming, it is very likely that the higher-ups will agree to send it abroad for awards."

"Okay then, it would be good to win more awards and increase the reputation of our company." Song Tangtang agreed.

(End of this chapter)