Millennium director

After attending the opening ceremony, the film week of this Venice International Film Festival has officially begun.

As in previous years, Wu Yuan received invitations to premiere 25 films shortlisted for the main competition on the opening day.

In the next ten days, these movies will premiere on Lido Island one after another, with an average of 2-3 shows per day!

Although Wu Yuan accepted invitations from all the films shortlisted for the main competition, and even more than these, there were many films that were not shortlisted but came to Venice to participate in this year's Venice Exhibition, he also sent invitations to Wu Yuan in a polite manner.

He has received invitations from nearly a hundred film crews, large and small.

You know, there are only about 200 crews who come to the Venice International Film Festival every year.

Putting aside some purely newcomer films that were too small to dare to invite Wu Yuan, it can be said that all the well-known crews have sent invitations to Wu Yuan.

Of course, he is too busy to attend so many film screenings.

After picking and choosing, he couldn't even participate in all the films that were shortlisted for the main competition. Except for the two Hong Kong Island films that he had to go to, he also picked ten more films with relatively well-known directors and seemed more Be prepared to attend screenings of potentially award-winning films.

What do you mean, do you want to go with me? Wu Yuan asked Liu Yifei, who was sitting in front of the dressing mirror to do her skin care, while making movie-watching plans for the next ten days.

Let's each see it ourselves. Liu Yifei shook her head and rejected Wu Yuan's invitation.

We are already an old couple, there is no need to stick together every day.

There are some differences between her and Wu Yuan's movie-watching preferences. There is no need for the two of them to choose movies that the other party likes but they don't like just to win over each other.

Instead of doing this, it would be more appropriate to choose the movies you want to watch separately.

If there happens to be a movie that we both want to watch, it's not too late to go together.

Well, I think so too. Wu Yuan nodded and said without surprise.

Liu Yifei has never been a romantic person, and she has no intention of tying Wu Yuan to her belt.

Wu Yuan is not the kind of person who is insecure, and he will not force Liu Yifei to keep in step with him.

The two of them left a lot of space for each other.

For example, Wu Yuan never paid attention to Liu Yifei's usual private gatherings and fun. She often went to karaoke, parties, or shopping with her best friends such as Wang Jia and Su Chang. Wu Yuan never interfered.

And Liu Yifei has never been very involved in Wu Yuan's circle. When Wu Yuan, Chen Kun, Xia Yu and his wife, Liu Ye and others occasionally get together, Liu Yifei usually won't actively ask to participate.

Both of their friendship circles are relatively independent.

Although many so-called love experts believe that love between a man and a woman is a fusion between two circles, and each must integrate into the other's circle for healthy love.

But Wu Yuan scoffed at this statement.

The circles are different, so there is no need to force integration.

Some of Liu Yifei's best friends are actresses in the industry, some are college classmates who did not enter the industry and chose to change careers after graduation, and some are even friends from her hometown in Jiangcheng that she has known since she was a child.

There is nothing in common between Wu Yuan and these three people.

Actors such as Yu Gong and Su Chang have access to resources or relationships that are far away from Wu Yuan's level. The topics they usually study and discuss are which TV series crews are short of people and which crews have suitable roles? them.

What Wu Yuan is thinking about is what movies he will make this year and what movies he will make next year. The work in the field of TV dramas has even been completely delegated to the company's TV drama department.

Privately, Wu Yuan has nothing in common with Liu Yifei's best friends. Even if he forcibly blends into their circle, it will only be very abrupt and uncomfortable.

On the other hand, in Wu Yuan's circle, Liu Yifei actually fit in quite easily.

After all, they are all actors. Although their status is a bit higher, they are often the three-time Best Actress, Venice Best Actor, etc. The worst Liu Ye is also the Golden Rooster, Golden Horse and Double Best Actor.

But at least they are all actors, essentially no different from Liu Yifei.

It's just that Wu Yuan didn't forcefully integrate into Liu Yifei's circle, so she didn't force the matter. She and Wu Yuan only remained friends and exchanged contact information with each other. They usually chatted about recent events when they met at events.

Maintaining such a social distance, both Liu Yifei and Wu Yuan felt that it was just right and they were very comfortable.

Liu Xiaoli sometimes jokes that the two of them are so sticky in some aspects, but sometimes they maintain a clear enough distance, which gives each other a lot of freedom, and the relationship is very healthy.

For two people who are used to getting along like this, there is no need for them to behave in the same way at Venice Film Week.

After checking out the movies that they were interested in each other, Wu Yuan and Liu Yifei just made three appointments to watch them together. Every day after that, they attended screenings separately.

Of course, the screenings of Along with the Gods and Painted Skin 2 in the age of light and shadow are absolutely not to be missed.

On the fourth day of the film week, Wu Yuan and Liu Yifei met up. At 2 p.m., they went to a cinema on Lido Island to attend the Venice screening of Along with the Gods.

He quietly entered the cinema through the safe passage in the back. Before he could get used to the darkness in front of him, Wu Yuan heard a greeting.

Director Wu, here we come.

The starring cast of Along with the Gods, who had arrived early, and led by director Zhang Guorong, greeted Wu Yuan and Liu Yifei in a hurry.

Smiling and hugging Zhang Guorong, Wu Yuan looked him up and down and sighed: Leslie, you are getting younger and younger as you live.

It seems that you have become a lot more relaxed after transitioning to being a director in the past two years.

Zhang Guorong, standing in front of Wu Yuan at this moment, looks even younger and more energetic than when Wu Yuan asked him to meet and talk about the movie The Embalmer.

After calculation, Zhang Guorong is already in his early fifties this year, but Wu Yuan looks like he is in his thirties or forties.

I can proudly say that the one who has changed his destiny the most in this time and space is Zhang Guorong, even more than Sandra Bullock who was unlucky enough to have three roles taken away from her.

Zhang Guorong, whose life would have stayed in 2003 when he took the leap, is not only living well, but also getting younger as he lives.

He no longer appears in movies and has not released records for a long time. He has completely transformed into a director behind the scenes.

And Zhang Guorong is indeed quite talented in directing.

At that time, he was able to make a smoking cessation promotional video into a masterpiece and became a leader in public welfare films in Hong Kong. After Wu Yuan's efforts to cultivate him, he had never had the opportunity to realize his talent as a director. In this time and space, he finally blossomed his brilliant directorial talent. .

To be honest, Wu Yuan's so-called full-scale cultivation is to provide him with a good script and sufficient filming funds.

But for Zhang Guorong, who is talented enough, this is enough.

Director Wu, you haven't seen the finished film of Along with the Gods since it was released, right?

Come on, come on, I've prepared the best viewing position in the whole venue for you, come and take care of your eyes.

You are the authority among domestic directors in terms of fantasy and magic movies!

I don't expect to be better than Director Kego, but I am quite satisfied with it.

Painted Skin 2 next door will be screened tomorrow, and the director of this film is Chen Kaige.

Zhang Guorong is very aware of Chen Kaige's directorial skills. He thinks that he is still not as good as Chen Kaige, but he also believes that he has given 100% of his level this time and should be able to get good results.

Wu Yuan smiled and nodded: Leslie, your current director level is already very good, I believe in you.

I'm ready for some fantasy movie adventure.

Wu Yuan raised his head and looked around the scene in the screening hall. Only then did he realize that the large screening hall, which could accommodate nearly 500 people, was already full.

And almost all of them are foreigners, with less than 20% Chinese or Asians with yellow skin and black hair.

Logically speaking, as a new director coming to Venice for the first time, Zhang Guorong should not have received such high attention and triggered such a good screening effect.

But Wu Yuan immediately figured out why Along with the Gods attracted so many people to the screening.

Zhang Guorong filmed Farewell My Concubine under Chen Kaige, which was regarded as a classic by the European film industry. This film has entered the top 100 films in film history. In the international status of Chinese-language films, it is equal to In the Mood for Love by King of Sunglasses. Regardless of top or bottom, they are all masterpieces of Chinese-language films in the world.

Although Zhang Guorong did not appear in In the Mood for Love, the sunglasses king won the best director in Cannes for another work Happy Together, in which Zhang Guorong was also the leading actor.

In addition, Wu Yuan's The Embalmer made Zhang Guorong win the Berlin Best Actor.

There is no doubt that Zhang Guorong is very well-known in Europe, especially in the three major European circles. He can be regarded as the number one Chinese actor overseas, even more famous than Gong Li.

Under this circumstance, even if Zhang Guorong comes to Venice not as an actor this time, but as a director with a movie to show in Venice, the local audiences and film critics in Venice will give him a lot of face. Came to watch.

This is the minimum respect a top Chinese-language filmmaker should receive.

Of course, if Zhang Guorong's movie is not good, he will still be scolded.

Even Wu Yuan can't get spray-free treatment.

Okay, today is your home court, so I won't overdo it.

After taking a look around the screening room, Wu Yuan took Liu Yifei and quietly came to the seat reserved for them in advance and sat down quietly waiting for the movie to be screened.

As he said, today is Zhang Guorong’s home court.

After confirming that all the guests who came to watch the screening were present, Zhang Guorong walked to the big screen with a microphone in high spirits.

Although he is in his early fifties, he still has a high-spirited spirit that only a young man can have.

Dear film critics, guests and friends, welcome to the Venice premiere of my new film Along with the Gods!

I know that most of the people here know me and know that I am an actor.

But please, for the next two hours, please forget about my identity as an actor.

I hope that after today, you will have a new label for me in your hearts.

I am not only an excellent actor, I will also become an excellent director. I am full of confidence in this!

Seeing the high-spirited Zhang Guorong at the front desk who wanted to refresh the impression of everyone present and remember his new identity as director, Wu Yuan smiled and was the first to applaud.

He was sincerely happy and relieved for the man whose destiny he had changed.

Ever since he invited Zhang Guorong to film The Embalmer and changed Zhang Guorong's original destiny, Wu Yuan had been a little uneasy, but now he finally let go.

At least the flapping of his butterfly wings eventually resulted in a good result, right? (End of chapter)