Chapter 271-282 [Except for Wushan, there is no cloud, won the Cannes Best Director Award]

The Cannes Film Festival needs a balance. Lee Ye-seok has become a three-award winning director. If she continues to win a Palme d’Or, firstly, it doesn’t make much sense. Secondly, there are too many excellent films at this year’s Cannes.

“To Live”, “Pulp Fiction”, “Red of the Blue, White and Red Trilogy”, “Queen Margot”…

The quality of these films is not bad. It will be very difficult for Lee Yi-su’s “Nobody” to beat them and win the award.

So this time, Lee Yi-su can only strive for Best Director and Best Actress.

Zhang Manyu was quite shy when she saw “herself” suffering from urinary incontinence on the screen. Although this was not the first time she had seen it, every time she saw it, she would think of the scene from filming that day.

This is the biggest sacrifice and the most shameful one Zhang Manyu has made in her film career.

I don’t know if I can win the award?
Thinking of this, Zhang Manyu couldn’t help but look at Li Yishu who was sitting next to her, “Director Li, do you think I have a chance to compete for the Best Actress this time?”

“You act so well, there must be a chance.”

Li Yishu recalled the shortlist for this year’s Cannes Film Festival and was also worried about Zhang Manyu winning an award.

Many of the films nominated this year are about women, such as “Empress of the Night”, “Queen Margot”, “Mrs. Pike’s Lover”…

If she really has to compete for the Best Actress award, Zhang Manyu doesn’t have much of an advantage. After all, “Nobody” is an ensemble drama. Even if her acting as “Ma Jiaqi” is top-notch, there will still be other actors who will divert the judges’ attention.

Unlike those films with heroine themes, the entire story revolves around these heroines, and any highlights are the most likely to impress the judges.

As the movie draws to an end and the four parties gather in “Dream Paris”, the drama begins.

The guests at the scene were also deeply attracted by this wonderful ending. Soon the movie subtitles began to play. After the first person stood up and applauded, warm applause broke out in the cinema.

Harvey was the first to come up and congratulate him: “Lee, congratulations, you have made another wonderful film!”

“Thank you. I believe Quentin’s movie will be great too.” Li Yishu smiled and looked at Quentin beside Harvey.

Quentin said bitterly: “Lee, you are too modest. Your film style is much more mature than mine.”

The photography techniques of “Nobody”, including camera movement and editing, give people a very mature, coherent and not abrupt feeling.

Hearing this, Li Yishu smiled and said, “I remember that this is only your second feature film. I believe that your film style will become more mature in the future.”

“Pulp Fiction” is also a fast-editing film with a black humor style. When I suddenly saw “Nobody” with the same style, Quentin, as a director, was able to find the difference between the two.

But this is after all Quentin’s second time as a feature film director, and his directing ability is not mature enough. Naturally, he cannot compare with “old director” like Li Yishu who has watched countless films and directed hundreds of online movies himself.

In terms of talent, Quentin is definitely much better than Lee Yi-shu, but in terms of film watching and directing experience, Lee Yi-shu is not bragging. There should be very few people in the world like him, who has watched tens of thousands of films, made hundreds of films of all sizes, and covered a variety of subjects.

This is the gap of the times. In the future, one computer will be able to watch films of various themes shot all over the world. He will more or less master various editing techniques, camera skills, and directing techniques that have not yet been invented.

“Lee, congratulations on making a wonderful film. Is this your leading lady?”

Georges Sommers, chairman of the Cannes Film Critics Week, came over with several film critics. He first congratulated Li Yishu and then looked at Zhang Manyu who was next to Li Yishu.

Li Yishu nodded, “Yes, Chairman George, this is Zhang.”

“Manyu, this is Georges Somas, the chairman of Cannes Film Critics Week.”

“My goodness!”

George Somas exclaimed: “Zhang, your acting is really great. You played a paralyzed character to perfection. If I hadn’t seen your healthy hands and feet, I would have thought that Lee really hired a disabled person to play the role.”

Hearing this, Zhang Manyu was overjoyed. She had not expected that the chairman of the Cannes Film Critics’ Week would value her acting skills so much. Doesn’t that mean that her chances of winning the Best Actress award have greatly increased?

Zhang Manyu smiled brightly and said, “Thank you Chairman George for the compliment. In fact, this is all due to the director’s good training. If it weren’t for Director Li, I don’t think I would have performed so well.”

“Haha, you’re right.”

George Somas nodded in approval and said, “A good director is often able to bring out the best performances of the actors. I fully agree with this.”

The biggest role of a director, besides coordinating the crew and bringing together a group of scattered people, is to mobilize the emotions of the actors. This is why good actors like to work with big directors. At the same time, even though they are the same person, their acting skills will be different in the hands of different directors.

For example, Huang Xiaoming’s performance in The Emperor of Han Dynasty is completely different from his performance in Summer’s Desire.

“I feel embarrassed by your praise.”

Li Yishu took out a stack of invitations from his jacket pocket with a smile, handed them over and said, “Chairman George, I will be holding a cocktail party at the Cannes Hilton Hotel tonight. I hope you can come.”

“No problem, Li, I will be there in the evening!” George Somas readily took the invitation and handed it to the assistant behind him.

After half an hour.

Li Yishu sent the last reporter away and breathed a sigh of relief. When he turned back to look for the “To Live” crew, he found that only Gong Li was there.

“Sister Gong Li, where is Director Zhang?”

“Director Zhang has gone back. He asked me to tell you that he will be hosting the premiere of To Live tomorrow morning. He has to go back now to prepare for it. He will attend the cocktail party in the evening.”

Hearing this, Li Yishu nodded, then looked at Gong Li and smiled, “Sister Gong Li, after you attend the premiere of “To Live” tomorrow, can you come and help me?”

“What’s the deal?”

“Participate in the promotion of “Except Wushan”.”

“Except Wushan?”

Gong Li looked surprised: “What movie? Are you making a new movie again?”

“No, it’s the one you worked on with Sister Qingxia, ‘New Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils: The Childlike Grandma of Tianshan’.”

Li Yishu smiled and said, “I bought the overseas copyright of this film, re-edited it, and changed the name to “Except Wushan”.”

The names Jin Yong gave to several people of the Xiaoyao Sect were based on a line from “Li Si” written by the Tang Dynasty poet Yuan Zhen: “Once you have seen the sea, all other waters are but puddles; once you have seen Mount Wushan, all other clouds are but mounds.”

He originally wanted to name it “Cang Hai Wu Shan”, but later thought that “Except Wu Shan” would be more appropriate, because the most tragic character in this movie should be Wu Xingyun.

She and Li Canghai had an ambiguous relationship with each other, but Li Canghai was stolen away by Wuyazi. Li Qiushui at least had a normal sexual orientation, while Wu Xingyun’s sexual orientation was unorthodox and not in accordance with Zhou rituals.

“Haha, you really bought it.”

Gong Li couldn’t help laughing: “Okay, I promise you. I’m really curious about the difference between your edited version and Director Qian’s.”

“Then Sister Gong Li, you have to watch it carefully, they are almost two different films.”

Li Yishu laughed. He basically eliminated all the plots that were not about Ah Zi and Xu Zhu, and only kept the plots of Li Qiushui, Li Canghai, and Wu Xingyun. Then he used the shots that the director had discarded but shot very beautifully, and forced a 90-minute plot. Time passed quickly.

As seven days of promotion passed, the closing ceremony of the Cannes Film Festival arrived as scheduled.

During these seven days, Li Yishu also attended cocktail parties everywhere and watched his competitors’ films. Without pursuing the Palme d’Or, he set his sights on the Best Director award.

As for the Special Jury Award, Li Yishu doesn’t think much of it. To put it bluntly, this award is just a second-rate Palme d’Or. Instead of winning this, she might as well win Best Director.

Having participated in so many film festivals and received various awards, Lee Yi-su has won quite a few director awards so far. But excluding those minor awards, she has only won two relatively meaningful director awards, one is the Best Director Award at the Tokyo Film Festival in Japan, and the other is the Best Director Award at the Hong Kong Film Awards.

If I have to say, I am not quite qualified for the Best Director Award at the Hong Kong Film Awards, after all, it is only a regional award.

The Tokyo Film Festival is an A-class international film festival after all, so the Best Director Award is still of some value. Moreover, Lee Yi-seok also won the Best Actor Award at the Tokyo Film Festival. In a sense, he is now an international film emperor!

Of course, this award was largely the result of Toho Co., Ltd.’s help behind the scenes, but Li Yishu was still very happy to receive it.

When a director wins a Best Director award or Best Picture, it means he is recognized for his job, but when he crosses over and wins an international actor award, the feeling is different.

It’s a pity that this is not one of the top three film emperors in Europe, otherwise Lee Yi-seok would be even happier.

There are only two hours left until the Cannes Film Festival opens.

In the hotel rooms.

Li Yishu is also ready to go. Before leaving, Gong Li also came to her door. She still wore a cheongsam today, but today’s cheongsam style was a little different from the past.

This is a modified bright red cheongsam. The neckline is no longer the traditional round neckline of the cheongsam, but is raised high like a shirt, and the collar part is deliberately made wide.

The whole person exudes an elegant and fashionable charm. The sleeveless design can expose her arms, and the zipper design on the neckline also modifies her neck. Combined with the bun hairstyle, Gong Li’s head is placed in the center, making her look like a blooming rose.

The hem of the skirt was incredibly long, reaching directly to the ground, completely covering her legs and ankles.

Li Yishu looked her up and down and said, “Sister Gong Li, your cheongsam is quite exaggerated.”

“I’m tired of wearing traditional cheongsams, so I asked someone to design one. What do you think?”

Gong Li turned around in a circle.

Li Yishu praised: “The design is quite novel. If others wear it, it will definitely not look good, but when worn by Gong Li, it is like a blooming rose, charming, sexy, dignified and elegant, enchanting but not gaudy, charming but not vulgar! The Queen Gong is alive!”

No woman doesn’t like to be praised. Even Gong Li couldn’t help but smile with joy: “Since I am the Queen Gong, then Xiao Li, why don’t you lead the way? This Queen is going to Cannes to shine.”

Li Yishu felt amused, but still cooperated: “Then, Queen, if Little Li leads the way, can you let Little Li serve you in bed tonight?”

“It depends on your performance.” Gong Li raised her chin.

“Yes, please, Emperor Gong.”

“Ok!”

Queen Gong held Li Yishu’s hand with satisfaction, and like a proud phoenix, she walked out of the room with the steps of a queen.

Reporters, film critics and movie fans from all over the world had already gathered on both sides of the long red carpet in front of the Cannes Film Palace.

By this time the sun had already set and the sky was beginning to darken.

The moment Lee Yi-su and the main creative team stepped onto the red carpet, the scene was suddenly filled with flashes, and the dazzling flashes illuminated the center of the red carpet as if it were daytime.

“My eyes~”

“Open your eyes wide, this is the world stage, there are so many reporters, if you blink you will look ugly in the photos.”

“…”

Listening to the voices of Han Sanping and others behind him, Li Yishu looked at both sides of the red carpet without blushing or breathing heavily, because he was wearing sunglasses. Having participated in so many film festivals, he naturally understood the importance of wearing sunglasses on the red carpet.

Why do most actors not wear sunglasses to withstand the glare of the flash? To put it bluntly, it is to make the photos look good and be recognizable at a glance.

But Lee Yi-su no longer needs these exposures. With three gold medals in his hands, he can make headlines in major newspapers even if he wears a hood and wraps his head tightly.

But I don’t know what the title will be.

After standing there for more than ten seconds while the reporters took pictures, Lee Yi-su led everyone across the red carpet and into the Cannes Film Palace.

After half an hour.

The closing ceremony of the Cannes Film Festival officially begins.

This year’s closing film is “Nobody” directed by Lee Ye-seo.

This also indirectly tells Lee Yi-su that he will not win the Palme d’Or today.

Because in the past, very few of the films played at closing ceremonies won major awards.

As the small awards were handed out one by one, it was time for the Technology Award.

As the award presenter called out the name of “Extremely Tired”, Zhao Fei, who was originally full of confidence, also sighed silently.

Li Yishu comforted her with a few words, saying that there would still be opportunities in the second half of the year.

Soon it was time for the acting awards, and the Best Actress award was given to Verna Lisi, the star of “Queen Margot”.

Both Zhang Manyu and Gong Li were greatly disappointed, especially Gong Li, whose two films were nominated for Berlin and Cannes this year, but she did not win a single actress award.

“The winner of the Best Actor Award is…Ge You from “To Live”!”

Ge You in the audience was stunned for a moment, and then immediately hugged Zhang Yimou excitedly. He never thought that he could win the Cannes Best Actor Award!

Li Yishu and Han Sanping, who were sitting not far away, also stood up and went over to congratulate Ge You.

Ge You has set a record this time, winning the first Chinese to win the Cannes Best Actor Award, which can be regarded as a breakthrough for Chinese actors.

Time passed quickly. When it was the turn of the Best Director Award, the presenter came on stage and looked at the name on the letter paper:
“The winner of this year’s Best Director Award…”

“I have to say he should have won this award a long time ago. Let us congratulate Art Lee, the director of Nobody!”

　I changed the title of the book. Thank you all for your support! It’s the end of the month, please vote for me!

　
(End of this chapter)