Chapter 158 [Winning four out of six awards, for sure next time]

“I’m sorry Miss Li, I don’t have much time these days. If you have any questions, please talk to me when you have the chance.”

Li Jiaxin may not be afraid of Jiang Qinqin, but Li Yishu can’t stand it. Although the little girl is young, she is still very jealous.

“Okay, then let’s wait until Director Li has time.”

Li Jiaxin glanced at Jiang Qinqin. She was a pretty girl, but she was more confident in herself. Seeing that Li Yishu didn’t seem to want to have a deeper communication today, she turned around and left.

Jiang Qinqin pouted and said, “Brother Yishu, this woman doesn’t look like a good person, don’t play with her.”

“Haha, don’t worry, I won’t play with her. I’ll only play with our Qinqin.”

Li Yishu found her jealous look very funny. The younger the girl is, the more jealous she is. It’s quite interesting sometimes.

Hearing Li Yishu’s words, Jiang Qinqin was delighted: “Yeah, it’s good to have me accompany Brother Yishu.”

While the two were talking, someone else soon came over to chat with Li Yishu.

Most of them are familiar faces in the Hong Kong circle. In addition to Zhang Manyu and Qingxia, there are also Liang Jiahui, Anita Mui and others who I have met before.

It was not until seven o’clock that the guests who had been chatting together gradually returned to their seats and began to prepare for the upcoming award ceremony.

As the emcees Fatty Shen Dianxia and Curly Cen Jianxun stepped onto the podium and began to introduce some of the nominees for this year’s Academy Awards, the 1993th Academy Awards ceremony in officially kicked off. (Curly in the Five Lucky Stars)

Gong Li couldn’t help but ask, “Do you think Qinqin and I have a chance to win the prize this time?”

Li Yishu shook her head: “Qinqin has hope, but you probably won’t. This time, Zhang Manyu is starring in “Ruan Lingyu”, which is an art film. She also won the Berlin Film Festival Best Actress Award for this film.”

“Yeah, I thought so too, what a pity.”

Gong Li sighed. The box office of “Sword Rain” was very high, and it was also a movie with a strong female lead, but it was a martial arts film. In terms of character fullness and performance tension, it really could not compete with Zhang Manyu’s “Ruan Lingyu”.

Even Gong Li herself was not optimistic that she could win the award. After all, she had seen Zhang Manyu’s “Ruan Lingyu” and her performance was quite good.

“Can I win a prize?” Jiang Qinqin beside her asked excitedly, “Brother Yishu, can I really win a prize?”

“There is definitely hope, and it’s a lot of hope.”

Li Yishu smiled and nodded. Most of the shortlisted newcomers were familiar faces, such as Anita Yuen, Athena Chu, Sammi Cheng, Xiong Xinxin and others.

Although Jiang Qinqin didn’t have many roles in the play, the box office of the movie and the support of the great director could not be ignored.

Nominated for a total of six awards, Lee Yi-su is expected to win at least three, and will definitely win one for Best Picture or Best Director.

“The next award is for Best Action Director. Let’s welcome the award presenters Cheng Long and Yang Ziqiong with applause.”

The current Academy Awards ceremony is not as direct as it was later. Instead, there is an action show first, where a group of martial artists perform various difficult martial arts moves on the stage, and then somersault out of a paper window.

This was also something that Li Yishu found very strange. In subsequent award ceremonies, apart from inviting a few singers to sing and warm up the audience, there were very few such performances.

Cheng Long and Yang Ziqiong spoke Cantonese on the stage at a very fast speed, which confused Li Yishu and others.

But when the list was officially announced, Cheng Long held up the card and said in Mandarin: “The winner is Yu Chenghui. Congratulations on his wonderful direction in “Sword Rain”.”

Li Yishu stood up and shook hands with Yu Chenghui with a smile: “Congratulations, Master Yu.”

“Thank you!” Yu Chenghui seemed a little excited. This was the first time he won an award.

Zhao Wenzhuo was very excited: “I knew you could do it, Master Yu.”

“Thank you, thank you everyone.”

Yu Chenghui was very happy and followed the staff onto the stage.

After chatting with Cheng Long and others for a few words, Yu Chenghui said to the guests below the stage:
“I am very grateful to Director Li Yishu for giving me the opportunity to direct an action film. During the filming, he supported almost all of my action designs and gave me a lot of inspiration. I think half of the credit for this award belongs to Director Li!”

At this time, the camera was aimed at Li Yishu who was sitting in the first row of the audience.

Feeling that the camera was filming him, Lee Yi-su naturally kept smiling and clapping throughout the whole process.

Gong Li smiled and said: “Master Yu won the award, which is a good start. I wonder how many awards our film can win.”

Li Yishu said, “There must be three.”

Jiang Qinqin immediately said: “That’s my best newcomer, and Brother Yishu is your best director~”

Lee Ye-seo asked with a smile, “Why isn’t it Director Cho’s best cinematography?”

Jiang Qinqin also looked at Zhao Fei at the edge: “Oh, by the way, I almost forgot about Coach Zhao.”

Hearing this, Zhao Fei didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. He was a behind-the-scenes worker and was not used to such occasions.

Soon after Yu Chenghui stepped down from the stage, everyone congratulated him again.

The next award ceremony has already begun on the stage.

After the awards for Best Action Direction, Best Film Score, Best Art Direction, and Best Editing were announced one after another, the Best Cinematography award soon came.

As expected by Li Yishu, Zhao Fei successfully won the Best Photography award.

I just thought bullet time was so stunning.

Although this technique and conception were thought up by Lee Yi-su, the person who actually directed the filming was Zhao Fei. After receiving this award, he seemed very happy. On the stage, like Yu Chenghui, he praised Lee Yi-su nonsensically and said that he was not qualified to receive this award, only Lee Yi-su had it~~
“The winner of the Best Newcomer Award is…”

Jiang Qinqin in the audience clenched her fists tightly, obviously very nervous and uneasy. Li Yishu tried to comfort her with a few words, but the effect was not very good.

This was the first time the little girl was nominated, and it was a once-in-a-lifetime Best Newcomer Award, so naturally she took it very seriously.

The award presenter, Li Xiang, smiled and said, “Congratulations to Jiang Qinqin!”

“Wow!!”

Hearing that she had won the award, Jiang Qinqin excitedly hugged Li Yishu beside her and said excitedly: “I won the award, Yishu brother, I won the award!”

Li Yishu smiled and said, “Okay, okay, there are so many people watching and there are cameras filming, so pay attention to your image. Get ready to go on stage to receive the award.”

“right.”

Jiang Qinqin took a deep breath, adjusted her dress, and followed the staff onto the stage.

As soon as she came on stage, Jiang Qinqin’s temperament changed. She went from being a girl next door to a majestic female warrior in Peking Opera in an instant.

The stage is Jiang Qinqin’s home court. She has studied Peking Opera for nearly seven or eight years and has been performing on stage for many years. Naturally, she is not unfamiliar with the stage. On the contrary, she feels very familiar with it.

Li Xiang smiled and said, “Congratulations, Miss Jiang.”

“Thank you, senior.”

Jiang Qinqin didn’t know the other person, but she could guess that he must be an older generation of Hong Kong filmmakers, so she respectfully accepted the Best Newcomer Award from him, then walked to the microphone, took a deep breath and said:
“I am very grateful for the recognition of the Academy Awards… The person I want to thank the most, besides my parents, is the film… Director Lee Ye-seo. Without his support, I would not have chosen the path of an actor. This year I will apply for the Film Academy, and I hope I will have the opportunity to stand on this stage in the future.”

“Clap clap-“

Regardless of whether it was out of politeness or recognition, there was thunderous applause.

Looking at Jiang Qinqin who was so graceful on the stage, Li Yishu smiled, as if she was pleased to see the child she had personally nurtured achieve success.

The girl next door is really growing up. “I won a prize.”

After Jiang Qinqin stepped down from the stage, she excitedly held the trophy in her hand.

Gong Li smiled and said, “Congratulations, Qinqin.”

Jiang Qinqin smiled happily, showing her white teeth: “Thank you, Sister Gong Li, you can do it too.”

“I don’t count on it.”

Gong Li shook her head: “Rather than counting on the Academy Awards, it’s better to count on the Berlin Film Festival next year.”

In “Central Station”, Gong Li thinks that her performance is very good. She dare not say that it is far better than her previous films, but she also put her whole heart into the performance.

Li Yishu patted the back of her hand and said, “Don’t worry, Sister Gong Li, I will help you with PR at the Berlin Film Festival next year.”

Jiang Qinqin looked curious: “Public relations? What does public relations mean?”

“Public relations means…” Gong Li explained to her.

Seeing the two chatting, Li Yishu also looked towards the stage.

The next award was for Best Supporting Actress, and the winner was Feng Baobao.

It was not Feng Baobao who was second only to others, but Feng Baobao who was known as the Seventh Princess of Shaw Brothers in the 92s. She won this award for her role as the obsessed and mentally ill Piaohong in “Black Rose vs. Black Rose “.

Next is the Best Supporting Actor award.

Soon it was the turn of the Best Actress award. Although Gong Li said that she didn’t care and didn’t expect it, she was obviously nervous when the award was presented.

“Zhang Manyu!”

When she heard that the voice was in Cantonese and that it was Zhang Manyu, Gong Li’s nervousness suddenly disappeared.

Before Li Yishu could speak, Jiang Qinqin immediately comforted her, “It’s okay, Sister Gong Li. Next time, let Brother Yishu make a movie for you. One that must win awards.”

“Haha, okay.” Gong Li was amused by Jiang Qinqin’s words. There is no such thing as a movie that must win an award. If there is really a must, then it must be an inside story.

Seeing that the two were chatting happily, Li Yishu did not disturb them but continued to watch the stage performance.

The one singing on the stage at this moment is Jacky Cheung. His song is “Goodbye Kiss”. The album of the same name was released on March 3th. Once it was released, it quickly broke the sales record in Hong Kong and Taiwan, and sold more than 5 million copies in just one month.

This also made Jacky Cheung quickly popular in Asia.

“Kiss Goodbye” is so popular that it’s really a headache. It has been released for more than a month, but now the album is selling in the tens of thousands every day.

Li Yishu is well aware that this album “Kiss Goodbye” completely established Jacky Cheung as the God of Songs, and also kicked off the year of Jacky Cheung, one of the Four Heavenly Kings.

“Let’s go, we’re on stage, Sister Gong Li.”

After watching the performance for a while, the staff came over to invite Li Yishu and Gong Li, and the organizer gave the Best Actor award to them.

The two walked onto the stage together.

Under the illumination of the stage spotlight, the two walked side by side to the podium in the center of the stage.

“Hello, hello~”

Shen Dianxia walked over with Cen Jianxun, smiling.

Li Yishu smiled and shook hands with the other party, “Hello Miss Shen, hello Mr. Cen.”

Cen Jianxun said awkwardly: “Hello Director Li, I’m sorry, my Mandarin is not very good…”

“It’s okay.” Li Yishu looked at Shen Dianxia with a smile: “Ms. Shen’s Mandarin should be very good, right?”

“It’s okay, it’s okay.”

Shen Dianxia said with a smile: “Director Li, I finally get to meet you in person. You are a big director with a box office of 30 billion Hong Kong dollars. I am so enviable. I wonder when I can work with you again.”

“Haha, of course there’s a chance.”

Li Yishu smiled cheerfully and said, “I just had an idea. I just talked to Mr. Cheng Long off stage about it. We are planning to cooperate with each other next year. If Ms. Shen is willing, we can work together next year.”

Shen Dianxia’s eyes lit up: “Of course, of course, I can do it.”

She didn’t expect that she would actually have a chance just by saying it casually, and it was with Cheng Long.

The camera was now also aimed at Cheng Long in the audience, and he was seen giving a thumbs up to show his approval.

After some polite greetings, Li Yishu gave the opportunity to broadcast to Gong Li.

Gong Li opened the envelope and said word by word into the microphone: “The winner of the Best Actor is… Liang Jiahui.”

After the award ceremony, Li Yishu brought Gong Li down.

After the Best Actor and Best Screenwriter awards, the next award comes is Best Director.

Li Yishu had already made preparations before going on stage. He had seen the shortlist before coming and thought that he had no hope of winning the Best Picture award because Zhang Zhiliang’s “Prisoners in Cages” was too suitable for the Hong Kong people of that era.

Last year at the Tokyo Film Festival, Lee Ye-su also met him and watched his film, which is a film with great contemporary significance. The so-called cage dwellers are actually poor people living in cage houses.
Since last year, housing prices in Hong Kong have been on the rise, and Hong Kong citizens are well aware of this, including some celebrity actors. Compared with housing prices that easily reach several million, their salaries and pay are also a bit overwhelming.

The award presenter, Michael Hui, said word by word in Mandarin: “The winner of the Best Director Award is… Director Lee Ye-su. Congratulations to him!”

Li Yishu walked onto the stage again, “Thank you, Mr. Xu.”

“Director Li, you’re too polite. I really like your film “Sword Rain” and the previous film “That Mountain, That Man, That Dog”. I would also like to work with you if there is a chance.”

As he spoke, Xu Guanwen deliberately made a face, as if echoing what Li Yishu had said to Shen Dianxia before.

There was a sudden burst of laughter from the audience.

Li Yishu smiled cheerfully: “Haha, of course no problem, I’ll definitely do it next time!”

“When will the next time be?”

“Next time.”

“When is the next time?”

“Definitely next time.”

The two asked serious questions and gave serious answers, and the audience burst into laughter.

“Haha, Director Li is very humorous. I hope he will be humorous next time.”

Xu Guanwen also laughed out loud. He didn’t expect Li Yishu to be so humorous. He thought that the director of such an art film would be very cold.

After receiving the trophy and Xu Guanwen leaving, Li Yishu thanked him into the microphone and then said with a smile: “Just now I told Mr. Xu that I will definitely do it next time, and it will definitely be next time. The specific time, next year or the year after, I can’t say, but I will definitely do it next time!”

The audience burst into laughter again, and Li Yishu turned around and walked off the stage with the trophy held high.

Unlike Zhou Xingchi’s strong nonsensical style and the deadpan comedian Xu Guanwen, Li Yishu still has great ideas for cooperation, but he definitely doesn’t have the time now, but there is hope next year or the year after.

(End of this chapter)