In the side room, a curling column of smoke rose from the incense burner, mixing with the aroma of tea, giving an indescribable feeling.
Zhao Guangming obviously made tea often, and Li Yi was dazzled by his skill in making tea.
Li Yi admired him very much. Anyway, with his temperament, he would never be so patient to go through each process.
"There is such a thing, next year's Berlin Film Festival will be an opportunity for you." Zhao Guangming said suddenly.
"Huh? What chance? Director Zhao has inside information?" Li Yi joked with a nonchalant smile.
Zhao Guangming ignored Li Yi's joke and said: "I don't believe it, you don't have any ideas? You won the Palme d'Or and the Golden Lion at the three major European film festivals, and you are only one Golden Bear away from reaching the top spot.
An unprecedented feat."
"I have the idea, but you also know that things like movie awards often depend on luck." Li Yi shook his head.
With the Palme d'Or, at that time, "The Truman Show" could be said to have caused a worldwide Truman storm.
The Cannes Film Festival wants to win over the Chinese market and give Li Yi an award. On the one hand, Li Yi's film is qualified. On the other hand, it can also expand the influence of the Cannes Film Festival in China. Therefore, it can really be said to be the right time.
The geographical advantages are all available.
As for the Golden Lion Award, it can be said that it is almost a semi-guaranteed award.
"Cinema Paradiso" was promoted by Berto Manning, and it is an Italian film. It is a love letter to cinema. It also received the highest score in the Venice Film Festival and won the Golden Lion Award.
It is no exaggeration to say that it is a popular choice.
It's more secure than the Cannes Film Festival.
The right time, right place and right people can be said to be perfect. It would be strange for a movie like this not to win an award.
Moreover, the award-winning "Cinema Paradiso" has become a legend in the European film industry.
But this does not mean that the awards from the three major European film festivals are really that easy to win.
The Berlin Film Festival, in particular, is famous for its emphasis on political correctness, and this aspect is Li Yi's shortcoming.
What is political correctness? LGBT is it.
But if you ask Li Yi to make a movie like that, to be honest, Li Yi feels uncomfortable.
And why, after all these years, have so many directors been hailed as masters, but no one has accomplished the Grand Slam feat?
Because if you take one, both are easy to say, but it is the last one that is the most difficult.
Because as soon as he won the last one, Li Yi really made history as no one had ever done before. Although this was a good story, there were also many people who didn't want to see Li Yi win the award.
Therefore, Li Yi really doesn’t have many thoughts about winning the Golden Bear Award at the Berlin Film Festival.
I'm lucky to win, but I'm lucky to lose my life. Besides, even if he doesn't win the Golden Bear, Li Yi may not be in bad shape.
"Of course I know it's not that easy, and many things are often just a matter of the last tremor. But considering the right time, place, and people, the jury chairman for next year's Berlin Film Festival has basically been decided. This is what I call the right time."
Zhao Guangming said with a smile.
"Oh? Who is it? It can't be our domestic director, right?" Li Yi asked with some surprise.
Zhao Guangming shook his head and said: "It's really not the case!"
Li Yi suddenly became a little stunned.
"Not a director, but an actor. Ms. He Shuhua will be the first jury president of next year's Berlin International Film Festival." Zhao Guangming said with a smile.
He Shuhua and Li Yi still know that this person can be regarded as a ceiling-level figure for real Chinese female stars.
Of course, when He Shuhua was active, Li Yi had not yet been born.
What's interesting is that although no one has actually won the gold medal Grand Slam at the three major European film festivals, there are still actors who have won the awards at the three major film festivals.
One is the famous Hollywood actress Julianne Moore. This one is really awesome and can be called a real actress Grand Slam.
She is the winner of the Academy Award for Best Actress and the Best Actress of the three major European film festivals. Not only that, she also has multiple titles of Best Actress.
Although He Shuhua is a little behind, she is also the same legendary actress who won the Best Actress Grand Slam at the three major European film festivals after Julianne Moore.
The key is that although He Shuhua has immigrated overseas, she was once an actress from Hong Kong Island.
"He Shuhua serves as the chairman of the jury of the Berlin International Film Festival? Tsk tsk..." To be honest, Li Yi was indeed tempted.
After all, if he just tried his luck, Li Yi dared to say that it would be almost 99% difficult to repeat his previous experience.
It's even harder to get this last trophy.
But if He Shuhua serves as the chairman of the Berlin International Film Festival jury, the possibility is really very high.
Because this is actually an unspoken rule.
"What's even more interesting is that Ms. He Shuhua has won the Best Actress Grand Slam at the three major European film festivals. If she is the president of the jury, another Grand Slam of Gold Awards at the three major European film festivals will be born..."
Zhao Guangming continued to increase the number.
Li Yi was really moved.
Although he didn't know He Shuhua, after all, they were all from the same hometown.
"Besides, we also need a business card like yours in our country. In fact, I am here on an entrustment, do you understand?" Zhao Guangming said again.
Li Yi understood immediately.
Although He Shuhua is also a Grand Slam winner, she has immigrated after all, and she is not the only one. There is also an even more awesome Julianne Moore.
The key is that they are all actors, and winning a Grand Slam is not a gold medal, but Li Yi is different.
In fact, Li Yi is already the first person even now. After all, no one has won the Academy Award for Best Picture and two of the top three awards in Europe.
If he can win the Golden Bear trophy at the Berlin International Film Festival again, he will be the first person to win the title in the true sense.
For Chinese films, and even for the whole of China, he will become a unique cultural business card.
The influence of a director may not be comparable to that of a star in the eyes of ordinary people, but at a higher level, the opposite is true.
"How is it? Do you have any ideas now?" Zhao Guangming looked at Li Yi and asked with a smile.
Li Yi nodded and said: "Such an opportunity is indeed rare, but... time is a bit tight, and I don't have a clue about the award-winning film for the time being."
Zhao Guangming also frowned slightly and said: "This is indeed a problem, but if possible, you should make more preparations. After all, such an opportunity is really rare."
Although there are precedents for Chinese directors and Chinese actors to serve as presidents of the three major European juries, so far, they have only happened twice in total, and the time interval was also very long.
It only happens once every ten years or so.
It seems that the Berlin International Film Festival has the best relationship with Chinese films, and it seems easier to win awards, but in fact it is not the case for Li Yi.
When awarding an award to Li Yi, it can be said that any chairman of the jury will face huge pressure from public opinion.
