independent filmmaker

The small advertisements were all removed by street sweepers one day later, and Xie Lansheng did not post them again, because "Rooting" will be officially unveiled in 24 hours.

Because "Rooting" entered the competition late, and naturally the subtitles were also late, Xie Lansheng waited until the day before the film screening to receive the final copy, which was still sent by "overnight".Xie Lansheng even felt that the copy was still hot after unpacking it.

Because the delivery time was too late, Xie Lansheng's work "Rooting" was scheduled for technical inspection at four o'clock in the morning.The film festival has official requirements for the frame, subtitles, sound, etc. of the film. Therefore, each film must undergo technical inspection before being screened, and then signed by the director himself.At the same time, the director must also make sure that this copy is the final film content to be screened, and that all details are exactly the same, so that the director will not be confused and submit a wrong version.

Xin Ye accompanied his director Xie to do a technical inspection.

After some preparations by the inspectors, the identification began around five o'clock.

Xie Lansheng knew that he couldn't go back to sleep——"Rooting" was 90 minutes long, and the appraisal would end at least around seven o'clock.At the festival, each film is screened multiple times on its own screening day, and the first screening at the press conference is usually at 10 am.This event is very important. Media reporters, film critics, and various sales companies may attend this event. As the director, Xie Lansheng must attend the event in person.Do the math, if he arrives an hour earlier, he will wake up at eight o'clock and still sleep in woolen wool.

But Xie Lansheng was really sleepy. On the 31st and 1st, I took the plane for two days. On the 2nd night, I only fell asleep for four hours due to the excitement. On the 3rd night, I was struggling to promote the movie in the hall. I wanted to rest tonight, but I was notified again Click to do a film tech check...

Xie Lansheng's eyelids kept drooping, Xinye naturally noticed, patted the other's arm with his long fingers, and said, "Sleep for a while, I'll keep an eye on it, and we'll discuss it if there are any problems."

Xie Lansheng asked: "Xinye...?"

"You have watched the version without subtitles, I'll just keep an eye on the English subtitles."

"..."

"We will fight all day tomorrow." Xinye deliberately suppressed his voice.Technical inspection The room only provides ordinary wooden chairs, the backrest is not high, and there is nowhere to rest the person's head, so Xinye turned half sideways, with one arm lightly resting on the back of Xie Lansheng's chair, looked down into the other's eyes, and said , "It's about time, sleep for a while."

"Xinye?"

"Let's do it on my shoulders. It's not too different from being on an airplane. The last movie screening won't end until midnight, and you won't be able to carry it if you don't sleep for a while. There may be buyers who show interest in "Rooting" tomorrow. , it’s okay to be dizzy.”

Xie Lansheng also made sense.Technical appraisal is definitely not a difficult task. He himself trusts Xin Ye very much, knowing that the other party will definitely not make any mistakes in this.

"Okay...thank you..." Xie Lansheng tilted his upper body and tilted his head, and he nestled on the opponent's shoulder socket as Xinye said just now.Xinye didn't look at him, he was watching a movie.

The man's chest was broad and strong, flexible and powerful, and some light fragrance spread through the shirt to his nose. For some unknown reason, Xie Lansheng's cheeks became hot, and his heart felt a little restless.

weird...

He closed his eyes, obviously sleepy to the extreme, but it still took several minutes to enter the dreamland in the sandalwood.In the dream, he was still in Xinye's neck, not flustered as he was when he was awake, and he was instinctively relieved in the dream.

Xie Lansheng woke up in the movie "Country Blood Night", perhaps because the sound was too loud.Xie Lansheng straightened up and looked at the screen.In the atmosphere of Turin, everything was magnified. Facing Caifeng and her daughters, Xie Lansheng was a little sad. Xinye grabbed his hand and patted the back of it to reassure him.

Xie Lansheng went to see Xinye, wanting to express his gratitude with his eyes.In the darkness, the two of them looked at each other, Xie Lansheng only felt that Xin Ye's eyes were incredibly bright, there was water in them, and...love?He didn't know what it was, but he remembered the sandalwood fragrance he had vaguely smelled at the tip of his nose just now.

At around 06:30 in the morning of Turin time, the technical inspection was finally completed. The staff in the first row asked Xie Lansheng to sign and agree. After that, they all kindly wished Xie Lansheng a smooth screening. Xie Lansheng also thanked them and expressed his hope.

"Ah..." After coming out, Xie Lansheng said to Xin Ye, "Go back and sleep for another hour!"

Xinye smiled lightly: "Yes. Success."

…………

However, what Xie Lansheng and Xin Ye didn't expect was that the phone rang by the bedside as soon as they got back to the room!It is like a bell ringing in the Italian winter morning.

"...? Why, it's so early in the morning, is it a ghost?" Xie Lansheng complained, and picked up the phone. After listening to a few words, he found that the other end of the phone was the Film Festival Organizing Committee!

Um, do you want to ask for the screening instructions?

"Director Xie," the other party said in a serious and nervous voice, "Please come over immediately, to the office of the organizing committee."

Xie Lansheng asked: "Now? Can I go there 15 minutes before the screening? This way we don't need to go back and forth to the venue twice a day."

"It's best to talk now." The other party's tone was not quite right. "The sooner the better, don't delay. The office of the organizing committee is on the far right of the corridor on the first floor."

Xie Lansheng was also a little nervous: "Okay, I'll be right there."

What's wrong? ? ?What are they going to say to themselves? ? ?

After solemnly putting down the phone, Xie Lansheng told Xin Ye that the organizing committee of the film festival had just urgently called him over, so don't delay for a minute.

Xin Ye asked: "What's the matter?"

Xie Lansheng said, "I don't know."

Xinye turned around and put on his coat, his jaw tightened: "Go, go and have a look."

"Ah."

The two of them didn't speak on the road, and hurried forward on their own.But they all know that the phone is not a good sign.

It's all here, what else can I do...?

Xie Lansheng looked up.In the distance, the Alps are covered with layers of snow, connected by peaks, embracing the city like a jade belt, majestic and grand.It stands quietly, pure, beautiful, silent and eternal.Turin is so beautiful that it deserves to be called "the city of the Alps".

Rushing all the way to the mahogany door of the organizing committee's office, Xie Lansheng wanted to raise his hand to knock on the door, but suddenly drew back, looked at Xin Ye, asked the other party to wait patiently, raised his hand again, and then retracted, restless, as if a Opening this door is like stepping into hell.

"Okay." Seeing that Xie Lansheng was so disturbed, Xinye stood behind him, turned Xie Lansheng around, hugged him in his arms, stroked his hair, patted his back hard, and said, "It's okay, ah ?”

"Um……"

Xin Ye has always been strong, restrained and calm, and in Xie Lansheng's ear, he comforted him with a magnetic voice: "At most, there is a problem with the film copy and we can't show it, we can go to other film screenings, eh? "

Xie Lansheng also got better, and said, "That's right."

What could be worse?

After Xin Ye finished speaking, he straightened Xie Lansheng's hair and shirt to make him look good. Then, he asked Xie Lansheng to face the door of the organizing committee's room again, and pinched his thin shoulder blades vigorously with ten fingers. Give him strength, and said above him, "With me...with us, don't worry", then gently took Xie Lansheng's right hand, turned it over, and knocked his hand on the door panel with two bangs. After a few clicks, he unscrewed the door again and pushed him in gently.

Xie Lansheng closed the door, and when he looked up, he suddenly found a large group of people sitting in the room, including the chairman of the organizing committee! ! !

The whole room has a serious atmosphere, which is completely inconsistent with the film festival!

Was it really an accident...

Copy lost...?

Can a B-category film festival make this kind of mistake? ? ?

But, it's okay... As Xinye said just now, at most, I will go to other film festivals.

Xie Lansheng took a deep breath, told himself to be calm, then forced himself to lift his feet, walked over with normal steps, pulled out his chair and sat down, and asked, "I guess, is there a problem with the copy?"

"No." The chairman of the organizing committee, Matteo DeSciglio, handed over a fax and said, "Director Xie, please take a look at this first."

"What is this?" Xie Lansheng swept his eyes and found that it was written in both Chinese and English.

"The Chinese authorities sent a request," Matteo DeSciglio crossed his fingers, explaining word by word, "They hope that the film festival will stop showing "Rooting" and "Playing". At the same time, they ask you and Sun Fengmao to take the initiative to withdraw the film."

"!!!" Xie Lansheng never expected that the Film Bureau would start taking action so soon!

Breathing very rapidly, he lowered his head to read the fax.

It said that because Xie Lansheng's "Growing Roots" and Sun Fengmao's "Playing" did not apply for shooting quotas, did not obtain permission to start the film, and participated in the European Film Festival without official permission, they hoped that the Turin Film Festival organizing committee would stop the screening "Rooting" and "Playing", at the same time, if Xie Lansheng and Sun Fengmao admit their mistakes and take the initiative to withdraw the film, they will forget the past and just treat them as ignorant.

"..." Xie Lansheng's mouth was dry, but he didn't have a sip of water, so he could only bear it, his fingers were stiff.

"Director Xie," said Chairman Matteo DeSciglio, "this matter is very important, and it is related to your future."

Xie Lansheng said, "I know..."

"We hope that the two of you can make rational choices. Of course, there are less than three hours left before the screening of "Rooting", and I don't know if it is enough to make a good decision."

Xie Lansheng said in a low voice, "Yes."

"Director Xie," Matteo DeSciglio said again, "we have already discussed it. The Turin International Film Festival will not stop the screening of "Rooting", it mainly depends on whether you and Director Sun want to take the initiative to withdraw the film. We understand your difficulties. We will respect and support whatever final decision you two make."

Xie Lansheng bit his lip tightly.

At this time, he wished that Xinye would be there.

"Director Xie," Matteo DeSciglio asked on the opposite side, "Do you need some time to make a final decision? Do you need us to go out first?"

"No need." Xie Lansheng shook his head.

Withdrawal?

But it's all here.

He thought of Xinye, Qi Yong, and Ouyang Nannan and Cen Chen who were waiting for the film... He went back like this, what did he use to face everyone?

He also thought of the advertisement he posted on the tree trunk that day, the promotion he had posted in the hotel before, and Miss Morita and others saying "We must go to the movies", and the fact that some people were very interested in handing out the leaflets. I also thought of several men and women from different continents who said, well, they will definitely be there...

At this time, everyone was outside the hall, holding tickets, ready to go in, guessing, and looking forward to it.

He fantasizes that his work will be released at the screening, and a whole room full of people watch it calmly, including reporters, film critics, sales companies, practitioners, and ordinary people.Then, they think, evaluate, and let him improve.

Scenes flashed in his mind like a revolving lantern. Xie Lansheng thought of the people waiting outside the screening hall, clenched his fists, gritted his teeth, and said, "Let go."

"..." Hearing the answer, Matteo DeSciglio was very calm. He asked, "Director Xie, have you thought it through?"

"Think clearly." Xie Lansheng's eyes no longer escaped, he lifted them up, and said firmly, "Let go."

"We know." Matteo DeSciglio nodded, ""Rooting" is showing as usual today."

"Yeah." Xie Lansheng's whole body strength was exhausted just now, he supported the table with both hands, stood up, "Then I will go to prepare, thank you for the support of the film festival."

"Should be."

Xie Lansheng opened the door, saw Xinye, and didn't know what was going on, so he sighed softly, grabbed the opponent's arms with his ten fingers, pressed his forehead against the opponent's neck, closed his eyes, remained motionless, and absorbed energy .

Xin Ye asked: "What's wrong? What did you say? The copy is broken?"

"No." Xie Lansheng shook his head, chuckled twice, "Show as usual, nothing to do."

Xin Ye knew exactly what Xie Lansheng had just experienced, but Xie Lansheng didn't want to mention it, so he could only keep silent.Xie Lansheng is like this, he never shows weakness, he will only talk about what kind of swamp he passed through in a calm manner after passing the hurdle.

That's it, on December 1991, 12, "Rooting" debuted as usual.

Ten o'clock in the morning is the screening of the press conference.

In recent years, various film festivals have set up special sessions for journalists and filmmakers.Because they are too busy, they may only watch 15 minutes of films that they are not interested in, and the audience’s departure will destroy the director’s confidence. Therefore, the film festival uses a “special session” to express that these are not ordinary audiences, so don’t think too much.

To Xie Lansheng's surprise, his advertisement worked, and many media reporters and film critics came to the scene.A major film festival will show thousands of films in one day, like an ocean, and the audience can only choose to watch. It is already a miracle that "Rooting" can have such a scene.

The whole venue was very silent.In the end, when the heroine slaughtered the whole family and said to the police with a sneer, "It's too hard to be a woman..." "I let them reincarnate", Xie Lansheng clearly heard some people sigh softly, The voice was very faint, and the whole room was oppressive and silent, as if the air had become viscous, making it hard to breathe, and the darkness during the movie screening firmly clung to everyone.

Finally, when the ending subtitles came up, Xie Lansheng shed tears.He couldn't stop crying, and couldn't wipe it off anyway.

His movie was over and he had waited for this moment.

The lights in the venue were turned on again, and many media reporters and film critics came to pay their respects. Xie Lansheng shook hands and thanked them one by one.

And the official screening in the evening also came in a lot of audiences, which almost filled the second half of the show.When "Country Blood Night" was screened, some women screamed, and there were several "ah..." voices in the venue, which proved that the audience was fully invested.

Lan Sheng found that the audience at the Turin Film Festival is very professional, they can fully understand and know where to applaud.

At the end, the audience applauded.The established rule of the major film festivals in the world is to applaud the good movies and stomp the bad ones.

…………

At 23:30, all screenings of "Rooting" in Turin ended.

Xie Lansheng smoked three cigarettes in a row at the entrance of the venue before returning slowly to the hotel.

As soon as he stepped into the hotel, a Hong Kong reporter he knew handed him a fax.

It was a facsimile of a newspaper.

It turned out that the Hong Kong newspapers had published the decision on the punishment of the Film Bureau.

Xie Lansheng looked over line by line.

It says:

[Because of making movies and participating in film festivals without permission, starting from today, Xie Lansheng and Sun Fengmao are prohibited from engaging in film production. No individual or unit is allowed to support or help the above two people to make movies, otherwise they will bear the consequences themselves.This document is valid until…]

Xie Lansheng's fingertips trembled slightly, he closed his eyes, opened them again, and looked at the last date:

【...Eight years. 】

Xie Lansheng's arm was weak and hung down.

He got banned.

Can it be sold abroad?

The cheerful voices of filmmakers from other countries in the hotel lobby could be heard, as if they were celebrating something, Xie Lansheng only felt that it was extremely sharp and piercing.

He couldn't feel the world, he was wrapped in a shell, surrounded by darkness and chaos.

At the beginning, he just wanted to try it out, to shoot a story he always wanted to shoot with self-financing, just like writing a novel or painting, just do what you want, don’t wait, just let yourself see, you can make money It would be better to do the lower part, but now there is no turning back.

The great sword of Damocles came crashing down, he was a little aggrieved, but also relaxed after the "dust settled".

"Any individual or unit shall not support or help the above two people to make a film, otherwise they shall bear the consequences..."

Xie Lansheng read silently, very clear that from now on, his road will be even more difficult.

But everything has just begun.

From then on, he will depend on each other for life.

The author has something to say: Fengmao is in the first and third chapters.

In reality, the film bureau did not make a move in the first two years, but there were more and more people like Zhang Yuan, so in 1994, conflicts broke out between the two sides.That year, seven directors participated in the Rotterdam Film Festival, and the film festival also held an activity to "struggle for Chinese directors' filming rights", so the officials were completely enraged and sent a letter to the Rotterdam Film Festival. After failing to achieve the effect, they were banned in one breath Seven people, known as the Seven Gentlemen—Tian Zhuangzhuang, Zhang Yuan, Wang Xiaoshuai, Wu Wenguang, He Jianjun, Ning Dai, and Wang Guangli, most of them were two to five years old, only Tian Zhuangzhuang was eight years old, and some said ten years, because he took The politically charged "Blue Kite" also caused a collective protest of the Chinese delegation at the Tokyo Film Festival.At this point, the originally ambiguous filmmakers have come to the opposite side, most of whom have not made films for several years.

Because it is a novel, the plot must be concentrated, and this time is brought forward... It is not strictly in line with the facts!

In fact, at the very beginning, Zhang Yuan and the others didn’t know that this matter was so serious. They just wanted to shoot stories they liked. They felt that it was the same as writing novels, songs, and paintings. Well, I can't wait.After the filming, Wang Xiaoshuai went to the Film Bureau. He was very proud, saying that he made the film himself, and it didn't cost the country a penny. He asked for praise, but the leader said, silly boy, you made a big mistake... Zhang Yuan said , he was called an independent filmmaker at the film festival for the first time. He was shocked. Wang Xiaoshuai also said that because he wanted to go abroad to participate in the film festival, he asked Xiying Studio to issue a certificate to apply for a passport. Filmmaker", he was also frightened...

For the sake of the plot, Lan Sheng was prepared for what might happen, and didn't want him to be too stupid.