Chapter 62: The Closing Ceremony Arrives

The portal website that had previously reported on Xun Ge'er potentially winning the Venice Best Actress award promptly removed the news, replacing it with an article predicting that Cao Yang would win a major prize at Venice.

Fruit Chan's *Hollywood Hong Kong* had not received an invitation to the closing ceremony, which meant they would walk away empty-handed.

Beneath that representative and heated thread on the Tianya Club forum, a flood of comments instantly poured in.

"Latest news: *Hollywood Hong Kong* did not receive a closing ceremony invitation."

"No need to wait for September 8th, there are no miracles."

"If they didn't get a closing invitation, and Venice suddenly loses its mind and gives Xun Ge'er Best Actress, I would call that a miracle."

"Still unconvinced and want to argue? Argue about what? She didn't even get a closing invitation."

"Director Fruit Chan is already extraordinary, entering the Venice main competition unit for two consecutive years. Even without winning, he is a well-deserved top-tier director in our country. Don't forget he also has Best Director wins at the Hong Kong Film Awards and Golden Horse Awards. How many directors in the country can achieve that?"

"I've heard of these awards, but I don't really know much about their influence. Let me just ask, can Cao Yang's Berlin Grand Jury Prize or whatever compare to the Best Director awards from the Golden Hong Kong Film Awards and Golden Horse?"

As soon as this question was posted, the replies dwindled instantly. After a while, one user responded:

"Let me put it this way: the Golden Horse and Hong Kong Film Awards are Chinese-language film awards, and they can influence some neighboring smaller countries. The European Three Major Film Festivals are world-class awards whose influence spans the entire globe, recognized even by Hollywood."

Another user replied:

"Cao Yang's Grand Jury Prize is the second most important award at the Berlin Film Festival, right after the Golden Bear. It ranks second among all awards and carries even more weight than the Silver Bear for Best Director."

"Cao Yang won the Grand Jury Prize in Berlin and also produced a Berlin Best Actress winner, and he is so young—I heard he's still a college junior. Doesn't that make him exceptionally formidable?"

Another comment read: "If Fruit Chan is a well-deserved top-tier director in the country, then what does that make Cao Yang, who has won two Silver Bears and is now about to win a major prize at the Venice Film Festival?"

Then someone replied: "Give me Li Xiaoran, and I could do it too."

"Heh, I really have to wonder, is it that hard to acknowledge others' excellence? You said the last time was because of Li Xiaoran, but what about this time? This time he received an invitation to the Venice closing ceremony and is definitely going to win. There's no Li Xiaoran this time."

"I heard the leads this time are Yu Feihong and a student who just graduated from the Central Academy of Drama named Liu Ye."

"Then is it possible that Liu Ye will win Best Newcomer this time? As long as someone from the cast wins an award, the crew gets invited."

"Heh, I already know what you people are thinking. If Cao Yang were from Hong Kong or Taiwan, you would have already praised him to the heavens.

What international awards has Wong Kar-wai, whom you praise to the high heavens, ever won? He only won Best Director at Cannes in that special year of 1997, yet you all rave about him as if he's greater than Director Zhang Yimou and Director Chen Kaige.

Just ask around about the awards Zhang Yimou has won—you can't even count the major awards he's received on one hand. And Chen Kaige won the Palme d'Or at Cannes, which is the highest honor of the Cannes Film Festival.

Besides, use your brains: why did Wong Kar-wai happen to win Best Director at Cannes in 1997?"

Realizing the discussion thread had completely derailed, the original poster hurriedly chimed in with a new post:

"I'll say it again: following Li Xiaoran, Xun Ge'er is bound to be the next to win a Best Actress award at one of the European Three Majors. If not this year, there's always next year. Let's wait and see!"

...

Xun Ge'er was heartbroken. The greater the hope she had held before, the greater the disappointment she felt now.

Especially when she heard that Cao Yang had received the closing invitation to Venice, this sense of loss was simply beyond words.

She could never quite understand it.

Earlier in the year in Berlin, she managed to win Best Director alongside the then-obscure director Wang Xiaoshuai. Now, switched to a subject matter with the highest potential to win, with a director who was a renowned Hong Kong filmmaker with Golden Horse and Hong Kong Film Awards under his belt, why couldn't they even attend the closing ceremony?

Xun Ge'er's dream of winning the Venice Best Actress award was shattered into pieces.

She couldn't help thinking of Cao Yang. Earlier this year, he was able to produce a Berlin Best Actress winner. Half a year later, could he really produce another Venice Best Actress winner?

The mere thought of Yu Feihong's face filled Xun Ge'er with annoyance. If that woman won Best Actress, she felt that... no matter the cost, she had to collaborate with Cao Yang at least once.

That irritating woman—clearly her acting was so mediocre, yet suddenly she seemed like a completely different person.

She couldn't help thinking of Li Xiaoran either. She had watched a few TV dramas starring Li Xiaoran, and compared to the film that won the Berlin Best Actress, aside from looking the same, the acting skills were worlds apart.

Could Cao Yang really possess the ability to "turn stone into gold"?

On the 8th, the Venice Film Festival award ceremony commenced at 7:00 PM. The jury members walked the red carpet one by one, with the female jurors striking various poses in front of the cameras before all the judges gathered for a group photo.

Yu Feihong wore a custom-made off-white slit long dress that evening. She was in a much better position than Li Xiaoran had been in Berlin, as the temperature in Venice was just right.

Cao Yang, Yu Feihong, Liu Ye, and Wu Qihua walked the red carpet together. This time, in the photography area, there were quite a few journalists who had traveled from China.

"Director Cao, which award do you think you can win?"

A reporter shouted loudly, fearing Cao Yang might decline interviews.

"Receiving the invitation is already the greatest affirmation for our entire film crew. As for which award we win, that depends on the jury's decision. Of course, I hope to win the biggest one; any crew that manages to stay until the end must have that same thought."

Cao Yang stepped closer, smiling as he faced the microphones thrust toward him.

"Alright, this isn't the interview area. We can chat during the press conference after the closing ceremony."

"Got it, Director Cao. You've got to win a big one!"

"Director Cao, good luck!"

"Director Cao, I hope you win another Grand Jury Prize."

"That's right, Director Cao, take home the Grand Jury Prize and bring honor to our country!"

"Ha ha... Go for it, Director Cao!"

The reporters offered various well-wishes. They felt that given Cao Yang's age, winning a Grand Jury Prize once again would undoubtedly be an extraordinary achievement.

They didn't dare hope for the Golden Lion; since they were offering blessings, they aimed high. The Grand Jury Prize was a fine choice—being the second-highest award, it would also echo his Berlin Grand Jury Prize. How perfect would that be?

After finishing the red carpet walk, Lao Tian and Cheng Jianye, who had arrived early, had already found their seats in the grand award ceremony hall.

Before long, Venice Film Festival President Alberto Barbera took the stage to deliver a speech, which essentially reviewed the past, looked to the future, announced the creation of a new section for better development, and expressed hopes for the continued success of the Venice Film Festival.

Finally, he announced: "I now declare the closing awards gala of the 58th Venice International Film Festival officially open."

Amidst warm applause and a gradually tense and solemn atmosphere, the awards ceremony began.