Chapter 24: Domestic Reaction

Before long, the movie began.

Cheng Sheng didn't know whether this movie was good or bad, but according to another memory, this film didn't seem to win any awards.

The only films truly capable of winning awards this time were *Vera Drake*, *Room*, and *Deep Sea Sleep*.

These three films covered the categories of Best Picture, the Special Jury Prize, Best Director, and Best Actor/Actress.

Any other film would, at most, receive a consolation prize.

He wondered if his unexpected intrusion would affect the awards.

As the film *World* played halfway through, Cheng Sheng observed it intently with the professional eye of a director.

It was a typical arthouse film—slow-paced, silent, and lacking in highlights.

The dialogue was likely something only Chinese people could understand, and its values differed significantly from those of Westerners.

The film primarily told the story of young people from all walks of life seeking the truth of existence and relying on one another within a world park.

These young people included dancer Zhao Xiaotao and security guard Cheng Taisheng; they worked and lived in the park, facing the clamor of the city and the pressures of life, while simultaneously showcasing their aspirations for the future and their persistence in living.

Through the lives of these small characters, the film depicted their state of survival in the modern metropolis and their hopes for the future.

The film not only portrayed their daily lives but also reflected broader social phenomena and the changes of the era through their stories.

Regarding artistic style, Jia Zhangke employed a documentary style in the film, using fictional stories to showcase the survival status of people on the margins of the city.

The film's tagline, "Give me one day, and I will give you a world!" also reflected this profound attention to and reflection on the lives of ordinary people.

The director's intention was also quite obvious: through this film, he expressed sympathy for those on the fringes of society and a scrutiny of society itself.

Through the stories of characters like Zhao Xiaotao, he demonstrated their difficult survival in the modern city and their confusion and persistence regarding the future.

At this moment, Cheng Sheng understood why this movie failed to win an award in Venice.

First were the judging standards and cultural differences. While film festivals like Cannes and Berlin are considered cathedrals of cinematic art, their judging standards and cultural backgrounds still carry a Western color. Although Jia Zhangke's film had a certain level of international influence, it might not have fully met the tastes and standards of Western jurors.

Second were the film genre and market positioning. Most of Jia Zhangke's films are arthouse films; while such films receive a certain level of international recognition, their commercial performance is not prominent. The limited acceptance of arthouse films in Western markets resulted in relatively weak competitiveness at international film festivals.

Third, the competition at this Venice Film Festival was fierce, with a large number of excellent films participating every year. Even in the realm of arthouse cinema, many outstanding works were vying for prizes, placing Jia Zhangke's film at a disadvantage.

Finally, there was the subjectivity and uncertainty of the jury. The personal preferences and aesthetic standards of the jury members also influence the final selection. This uncertainty meant that even if Jia Zhangke's film was of high quality, it might fail to win due to the subjective judgment of the judges.

When the movie ended, because he wasn't very close to Jia Zhangke, Cheng Sheng simply offered a greeting, complimented the film, and left with Zeng Li.

...

Ever since the screening notes scores were released, news of *The Great Tang Dynasty—Origins* had already traveled back to China.

Originally, people were dismissive of Director Cheng Sheng's hundred-million-yuan film, even calling it a piece of trash.

But to actually achieve a record-breaking score in the screening notes at Venice left those in China who had doubted the film completely stunned.

Wait, wasn't Cheng Sheng a rookie director?

Just making it into the Venice main competition was already a stroke of incredible luck.

And now they were being told that Cheng Sheng's screening note score had broken historical records.

How was that possible!

Those who didn't believe it clung firmly to their previous views.

Those who did believe it felt they had been deceived by the media and the actors within the industry.

Clearly, Director Cheng Sheng wasn't unreliable—he was too reliable.

His first film made it into the main competition and secured the highest screening note score.

It seemed this rookie director was incredibly strong!

No one knew exactly what this hundred-million-yuan film was like.

For a moment, many people became curious about Cheng Sheng's movie.

Unfortunately, the film had not yet set a release date, nor were there any trailers.

If one wanted to see this movie now, they would likely have to go to Venice.

Li Yue was a reporter for Xinlang Entertainment. Upon receiving news regarding *The Great Tang Dynasty—Origins* from a friend in Venice, she immediately sought out her editor-in-chief.

The editor-in-chief slapped his forehead with a "thwack" and sighed, "We've really been played. If we had known Cheng Sheng's film would get such a high screening note score, we should have sent people to Venice long ago. It's probably too late now."

Only two Chinese films were included in this Venice Film Festival. One was Jia Zhangke's *World*, but that film had not yet passed censorship and had entered the competition privately; the media didn't dare to report on it extensively in China, so going there would have been useless.

The other was Cheng Sheng's *The Great Tang Dynasty—Origins*.

However, from casting to wrap, the film had been under constant fire. Everyone said Cheng Sheng was unreliable and that the finished film would definitely be a disaster, and that the actors in it would likely be implicated.

But unexpectedly, the film was sent to Venice for exhibition and even made it into the main competition.

Because of this, although the domestic media and industry artists found it unbelievable, they still didn't think Cheng Sheng's film could win an award.

If a historical drama actually won an award, it would truly be a miracle.

Some media outlets even smeared Cheng Sheng, saying his film was merely a foil to highlight European and American films, making Chinese cinema a laughingstock for the West. They practically said he was going there to suck up to the Westerners.

And now!

He had achieved the highest screening note score.

No Chinese film had ever achieved such a high score before.

While a high screening note score doesn't guarantee an award, it does show that the foreigners like the film.

And Cheng Sheng's film was definitely not there to serve as a foil for Western cinema.

Unfortunately, many people in China were influenced by those unscrupulous media outlets, leading to widespread misunderstandings about Cheng Sheng's film.

Even some reporters didn't take the film seriously, and no one went to Venice to report on it.

Now, these reporters were regretting it. If they had been in Venice, this first-hand entertainment news would have been a major achievement for them.

Li Yue couldn't help but remind him, "Boss, there's a high probability that Cheng Sheng's film will win an award. Should we rewrite an article?"

The editor-in-chief thought for a moment, picked up the phone, and dialed out.

(End of Chapter)