vstars Chapter 18 Premiere and Telephone
Chapter 18 Premiere and Telephone
September 2nd, the third day after arriving in Venice.
Once the film festival gets going, the days are no longer counted by the day, but by the intervals between screenings of each film.
Lin Ruiyang woke up earlier today than the previous two days, and there were already shuttle boats chugging along the canal outside his window.
Time quickly came to 1:40 PM.
Outside the small hall on the side of the cinema palace, a small number of people had already begun to line up.
Compared to the main competition section, which is always bustling with long queues, the short film section was much quieter.
However, the apparent lack of interest is merely superficial; those who choose to watch the short films are often more professional.
"Old Lin, are you a little nervous?" the fat man asked in a low voice.
"It's alright." Lin Ruiyang said calmly, but there was a slight sheen of sweat on his forehead.
This wasn't the first time he'd seen his own film, but this was the first time in two lifetimes that it had been screened at an international film festival.
After ticket checking began, people entered the venue, and many people were already seated in the front row of the two hundred seats.
There were media outlets, film critics, and some professionals with credentials.
The three jury members for the short film section are in the middle of the first row, led by Swiss photographer Renato Berta.
The lights dimmed, and the host took the stage.
The screening process for the short film section was briefly introduced. Three films were shown consecutively, with "Condolences" being the third.
During the screening of the first two short films, Lin Ruiyang was not completely relaxed; he made judgments in his mind as he watched.
After the two parts ended, the fat man turned to the side and asked, "Old Lin?"
"Don't speak," Lin Ruiyang replied softly.
Part Three – Condolences.
The screen went black, the projector hummed, and with a series of alarm sounds, the ceiling light on the screen came on.
Lin Ruiyang tensed up instantly, his attention gradually shifting from the screen to the audience.
The old woman sat on a bamboo chair. The leader entered and shook hands with her, reporters set up their equipment and shone lights, and monks chanted sutras. Everyone was playing their part, and everyone left, leaving her alone to burn paper money.
Finally, the subtitles explaining the real accident appeared, and then the screen went black.
The applause didn't erupt the moment the lights came on, but rather spread gradually from the front rows. It wasn't very loud, but it was steady.
Lin Ruiyang breathed a sigh of relief. These kinds of films aren't afraid of small applause, they're afraid of no applause at all.
The host then gestured for the main cast to come on stage. Lin Ruiyang stood up, straightened his clothes, and walked to the front of the stage with Fatty.
The light was a little too bright on my face.
The Q&A session begins.
The first question came from an Italian journalist, speaking with a heavy accent: "Why choose a stationary camera position instead of the more common follow-the-camera approach?"
Lin Ruiyang answered in English, speaking slowly: "Because I don't want to interfere with this space. The camera shouldn't be a participant; it should only be a witness."
The second question was raised by a man sitting to the side and behind the judges' panel. He stood up and introduced himself as a reporter for the British magazine *Screen*.
Are these actors professionals?
"No, it's a local resident we found near the filming location who has never acted before."
The fifteen minutes passed quickly.
When he stepped off the stage, Jia Zhangke was already standing to the side waiting for him.
"Well done."
"Thank you, senior brother."
There was also a thin-faced man who looked to be around thirty years old next to him.
Jia Zhangke turned slightly to the side: "Han Jie, I mentioned this to you before."
"These are my junior brothers, Lin Ruiyang and Li Ming."
Han Jie extended his hand, gripping it lightly.
"That old lady was sitting there without moving at all. How did you get her to stay there?"
"I didn't teach her much. I just told her to sit there and it probably became muscle memory after a lot of rehearsals."
Han Jie nodded and didn't ask any further questions.
"Okay, that's all for today. I have to see some friends. See you tomorrow night."
After saying that, Jia Zhangke left with Han Jie.
As Lin Ruiyang walked out of the screening room, several people came up to exchange business cards. According to their introductions, they were all film distributors from different companies.
The fat man helped collect the business cards one by one. Regarding the timing of the business conversation, Lin Ruiyang felt that now was not the time.
The following day, a new issue of the program was released.
Lin Ruiyang received the latest issue of CIAK at the front desk and quickly flipped to the pages of the short film section.
The "Condolences" section has three and a half stars printed on it, out of a possible five.
The following short comment reads: "The fixed camera position and the one-shot technique created a strong sense of presence, and the performances of the non-professional actors were particularly outstanding."
After reading it, he closed the program and let out a soft sigh.
This score is considered above average in the short film category.
Meanwhile, domestic media outlets also began publishing articles.
"A Chinese-language short film was shown at the Venice Film Festival, and the work of young director Lin Ruiyang received positive reviews."
"Students from Beijing Film Academy were shortlisted for the Venice Short Film Competition, and the on-site response was solid."
The report wasn't headline news, but it was much better than expected.
Lin Ruiyang and Fatty were not together during the day; they were scattered in different sections of the cinema, and would meet again in the evening.
Six o'clock in the evening, at the Palagalilo Theatre.
Jia Zhangke's "World" Media Session.
Compared to the short film section, this area was significantly more lively, with a much higher media density.
Lin Ruiyang and the fat man arrived early and sat at the back. Soon, the 800-seat hall was packed.
As the film began, Lin Ruiyang remained almost completely focused throughout.
This was the first time he had ever seen the miniature World Park in its entirety on the big screen.
The Eiffel Tower, London Bridge, and the Pyramids are all compressed into a theme park, which is another kind of expression.
"Old Lin, this movie is a bit boring..." the fat man muttered softly.
"Please read it patiently first," Lin Ruiyang said without further explanation.
After the screening, the applause was noticeably more concentrated than during the short film screening, but while some people clapped, others left in silence.
The discussions after the event were even more complex.
The media reports the following day confirmed this division, but for Director Jia, the film's move from underground to mainstream was more important than any awards.
For the next few days, Lin Ruiyang spent almost all his time watching movies.
He went to watch each game one by one according to the plan he had made beforehand.
Some films reveal their problems halfway through, while others leave you pondering their flaws even after you've finished watching them.
Similarly, he kept taking notes in his notebook: camera language, rhythm changes, sound design, and so on.
This is more direct learning than any classroom, especially when it comes to incorrect combinations.
Midway through, he also attended the premieres of "Coffee Time" and Han Jie's "New Year" under the guidance of Jia Zhangke.
Hou Hsiao-hsien's film was made to commemorate Yasujiro Ozu. It was produced by Shochiku Films, has Japanese dialogue, and is extremely slow-paced.
After the screening, Jia Zhangke asked Lin Ruiyang how he felt. Lin Ruiyang thought for a moment and said, "It's like looking at water."
After Jia Zhangke expressed his approval, he did not ask any further questions.
Under the intense pace of the film festival, time flew by and it was already September 10th.
The 11th is the last day of the film festival. If you don't receive a call today, it means you can pack your things and go home early.
That noon, the fat man tore open the last half of the instant noodles, and the seasoning packet dripped out.
The Italian news on the TV was showing footage of the closing ceremony rehearsal. He couldn't understand the language, but he knew from the footage that the red carpet was already being laid out.
"Old Lin, what do you mean by 'we'—" The fat man was halfway through his sentence when his phone on the bedside table rang.
Lin Ruiyang picked it up, and a string of Italian local numbers appeared on the screen.
He answered the phone, and the voice on the other end spoke in accented English: "Hello Mr. Lin, the organizing committee is informing you that you must attend the closing ceremony tomorrow afternoon."
Lin Ruiyang hung up the phone, and the fat man stared at him, holding a half-torn packet of seasoning.
"How so?"
"The closing ceremony will be tomorrow afternoon."