Chapter 676: A Gathering in a Foreign Country

They met by chance in Rome, so they greeted each other. Fang Minghua naturally congratulated them in advance.

"Minghua, you are complimenting me. You have also seen the films nominated for this film festival. They are simply better than each other." Jiang Wen's tone was a little unconfident.

In 1994, not only the Venice Film Festival, but also the entire world film industry was full of excellent films.

"The Shawshank Redemption", "Schindler's List", "Pulp Fiction", "Natural Born Killers". Chinese films also have classics such as "Ashes of Time" and "Sunny Days".

Why are there so many excellent films in this year?

Some people say that from the invention of film and film projector by the "father of modern film" Lumière brothers to 1994, it happened to be the 100th birthday of world cinema. This is a great gift from filmmakers for this birthday.

This statement is inevitably a bit far-fetched. Fang Minghua would rather believe another reason:

This year, movie special effects were not as popular as in later generations. Directors focused more on the craft of storytelling, which gave birth to a group of excellent films that are appreciated by both the elite and the masses and loved by audiences all over the world.

This Venice Film Festival has films such as "Natural Born Killers", "Long Live Love", and "Breasts and Moon".

As a first-time director, Jiang Wen is inevitably a little nervous.

Fang Minghua smiled after hearing this.

"Don't worry, you will definitely not return empty-handed, not only you, but also our Chinese-language films."

This time, three Chinese-language films were shortlisted for the Venice Film Festival, from the mainland, Hong Kong, and Taiwan!

"Have you met Wong Kar-wai from Hong Kong and Tsai Ming-liang from Taiwan?" Fang Minghua asked.

"Yes, I said that after the award ceremony, you are going to treat us to congratulations." Jiang Wen smiled.

"That's good. Let's set the time at 6 pm tomorrow. As for the location, the Hotel Danieli where we are staying is good. There is a self-service barbecue restaurant there. How about we have barbecue together? I'll make a reservation when I go back tonight." Fang Minghua said.

"Don't worry. It would be embarrassing if we don't win the award." Jiang Wen said hurriedly.

"I said it will definitely win the award." Fang Minghua laughed.

Sure enough, Chinese films won a big victory at this year's Venice Film Festival.

Not only were three films nominated, but they also won awards:

"Long Live Love": Golden Lion Award for Best Film! International Film Critics Association Award!

"Sunny Days": Best Actor (Volpi Cup) Xia Yu

"Ashes of Time": Outstanding Artistic Contribution Award (Best Photography Award) Du Kefeng, Liu Weiqiang, Chen Yuanjia.

The figures of filmmakers from the great Eastern country appeared on the podium again and again.

At 6 pm the next day, Fang Minghua treated everyone to a meal. Everyone arrived as scheduled and invited three film creation teams to the hotel's self-service barbecue restaurant.

There were more than ten people in total, and everyone gathered around a large table and ate and drank on the open-air balcony next to it.

Venice has a Mediterranean climate, and it is hot in the summer, but now it is September, and it is cooler at night, especially when the sea breeze blows, everyone feels particularly cool.

In a small foreign town, eating Korean barbecue and drinking local Palatine ice beer, although they didn't know each other before, the same language and writing and the movies they love brought them closer.

Wong Kar-wai wore sunglasses and still looked cool.

He raised his beer glass and said to Fang Minghua: "Mr. Fang, I toast you a glass, thank you for writing such a good script for me. I almost gave it to Tsui Hark at the beginning, and now I'm at a big loss."

"Director Wang, you actually gave away such a good script?!" The speaker was Tsai Mingliang, a Taiwanese director. He had been to Hong Kong to make a movie and met Wong Kar-wai, so he spoke more casually.

"You don't know, Mr. Fang set a trap in the script he gave me at the beginning, and I almost fell for it!" Wong Kar-wai explained.

"What happened? Tell me about it." Everyone was immediately interested.

"When Mr. Fang gave me the script for Ashes of Time, it was written strictly in accordance with the passage of time. As a result, the entire script became a bland account. This is not the style of my filming, Wong Kar-wai. It happened that Tsui Hark came to my house that day, so I gave him the script: Don't you also like to make martial arts films? This script is for you."

"As a result, Tsui Hark found the clues in it and readjusted the timeline of the plot in the script, which immediately became exciting, so I quickly grabbed it back."

After listening to Wong Kar-wai's narration, everyone laughed. They didn't expect that the alternative martial arts film would have this experience.

Fang Minghua raised his glass and clinked it with the other two. Of course, he explained: "Director Wang, I don't want to dig a hole for you. I only provide you with the most basic materials. You are the director, you can shoot it however you want."

"Brother-in-law, you just want to dig a hole for others." Li Li, who was sitting next to Fang Minghua, leaned close to his ear and chuckled.

As a result, Fang Minghua glared at her.

Honest child! Why do you say that about your brother-in-law?

"Mr. Fang, can we continue to cooperate in future films?" Wong Kar-wai said.

"Sure." Fang Minghua agreed readily.

Although the sunglasses king likes to show off, and the things he shoots are a bit vague, the artistry is still quite high.

Can't Chinese films always be commercial films? That would be too monotonous.

Jiang Wen, who was sitting on the other side, was excited when she heard it.

He also wanted Fang Minghua to help him write the script.

Known as the first screenwriter in the mainland, he is now starting to shine in Hong Kong. Which director doesn't want to get close to him?

So while everyone was chatting and drinking, Jiang Wen also came over and toasted Fang Minghua with a beer glass.

"Teacher Fang, can you also write a script for me?"

"What, what else do you want to take pictures of?"

"Teacher Fang, to be honest, I have fallen in love with one of your novels and want to make it into a movie, but I feel that I still can't grasp the essence of the novel and I'm afraid it won't work well."

"Is it The Sun Also Rises?"

"Yes, that's that novel! I'm very interested in it, but the content is obscure and I can't handle it."

Fang Minghua smiled slightly: "It doesn't matter, I'll keep it for you. You can just come to me whenever you want to take pictures."

"Thank you so much! Teacher Fang, let me toast you again!"

A party didn't end until ten o'clock in the evening, and then everyone went their separate ways.

Fang Minghua and Li Li sent Jiang Wen and the others away and returned to their hotel.

"Hey, brother-in-law, Wong Kar-wai and Jiang Wen both want to cooperate with you. Why doesn't Tsai Ming-liang want you to write a script?" Li Li asked curiously.

"You can't write the movies he made." Fang Minghua said with a smile.

"Why?"

"His movies are just like the award-winning "Long Live Love". They all have gay elements in them, which I can't accept." Fang Minghua explained.

Hearing this, Li Li's happy expression suddenly changed.

"Lili, I'm sorry." Fang Minghao realized that his words had unintentionally touched Li Li's sadness and apologized quickly.

"It's nothing, brother-in-law, rest, we have to get to Rome tomorrow."

There are no direct flights from Venice to Yanjing or San Francisco, so both of them have to fly to Rome.

Early the next morning, the two took a train to Rome to end their trip to Italy.

Li Li's flight to San Francisco was ahead, and Fang Minghua sent her to the customs channel. .

"Brother-in-law, don't forget to write a novel for me." Li Li warned.

"I won't forget it. I'll see you when you return home during the winter vacation."

"I can't wait to come back from winter break."

"Okay, then I'll write it when I get back and send it to you to the United States. Is that okay?"

"Thank you, brother-in-law, I'm leaving," Li Li waved happily, dragging her luggage and taking just two steps, she suddenly turned her head and looked at Fang Minghua.

"Brother-in-law, after I return to San Francisco, I plan to divorce Chen Jian."