Chapter 63: The Award Ceremony

The processes of the three major European film festivals are essentially similar. Aside from the main competition section, there are various awards under different names, which generally fail to generate much widespread attention.

The main competition section consists of those fixed awards. Since film festival award ceremonies do not feature singing and dancing performances, if they did not rely on these variously named peripheral awards to prop things up, the entire award ceremony would probably be wrapped up in half an hour.

Venice is seven hours behind domestic time, meaning that when the awards ceremony commenced, it was already two o'clock in the morning in China.

However, ever since the internet gradually became widespread and popular, a growing number of young people began staying up all night online—either playing video games, watching movies and television series, or becoming infatuated with an emerging chat software called QQ.

The three major web portals all had editors on the night shift, waiting only for the results to break from Venice to swiftly update their news feeds.

Last time, NetEase Entertainment had gobbled up a massive wave of internet traffic, making the other two portals green with envy. This time, no matter what, they were determined not to let NetEase Entertainment steal the thunder and take first place.

Today, Tianya Community was also buzzing with discussion and lurking users. As the sole surviving seedling of Chinese-language cinema, many people were eager to know what kind of award Cao Yang would manage to snag this time.

Moreover, the most active commenters below were all predicting which awards Cao Yang would take home.

"Let's make a prediction. Without Li Xiaoran, Cao Yang's highest probability is winning the Best Screenplay award. This year, Venice specially introduced a Best Screenplay award, which is probably tailored just for Cao Yang."

Beneath this post, the replies were extremely numerous, and after giving it careful thought, many people felt this made a lot of sense.

From the film *Night by the Ocean*, one could not really discern how strong Cao Yang's directorial abilities were. Many professionals online had stated that the shooting technique of this movie was far too simple; any competent film student could pull it off, or even do a better job.

Yet no one could deny that the screenplay for this film was indeed exceptionally well-written. Therefore, ruling out the possibility of winning Best Director, the specially established Best Screenplay award for this year seemed the most likely outcome.

"Isn't a specially established award like this low in gold content?"

Someone asked beneath the thread.

"The ones low in gold content are the special awards in other sections. In the main competition section, even if it's a specially established award, there is no such thing as it being low in gold content."

"What about Best Newcomer Actor? Is an award that isn't regularly presented lacking in gold content?"

A user named "Insider Number One" chimed in to argue.

For a moment, no one answered this question.

"Do you guys think there's any chance Cao Yang can only help Liu Ye win a Best Newcomer award? I feel like that's the most likely scenario."

Insider Number One posted again.

This time, someone replied very quickly.

"It's actually quite possible. According to news released by Venice, alongside the special Best Screenplay, there is also a Best Newcomer award this year."

"I sure hope he doesn't win the Best Newcomer award. Even the Best Screenplay would be better than that."

"Why can't he win Best Newcomer? How great do you guys think Cao Yang really is? He's just a student; if he hadn't run into Li Xiaoran, he wouldn't amount to a damn thing," Insider Number One posted in response.

"Heh, someone's feeling unbalanced again. People who usually say things like this are either clueless students or industry peers."

"Regardless of what I do for a living, those awards he wins just aren't convincing." Insider Number One wrote.

"Not convincing? His movie pulled in over twenty million box office earnings just in the mainland alone. If you've got the ability, go direct a movie that can rake in twenty million at the box office before you run your mouth."

"That's only because he got the bonus of Li Xiaoran winning the Berlin Best Actress award. Without Li Xiaoran, who would even go watch the movie?" Insider Number One's tone was thoroughly dismissive.

"Ha, why don't you mention that the film was directed by Tian Zhuangzhuang? Some people just have this one damn flaw: they can't stand anyone else being better than them. But the moment they encounter people from Hong Kong, Taiwan, or overseas, they immediately drop to their knees and lick their boots. God knows what kind of psychology these people have."

"You don't know a damn thing. Director Tian wouldn't deign to direct that kind of film lacking even an ounce of artistic merit." Insider Number One grew anxious, as if a raw nerve had been struck.

"The main competition awards are being announced! The Best Newcomer award went to Gael García Bernal and Diego Luna for *Y tu mamá también*, and—damn, Liu Ye is in there too!"

"No way, Liu Ye actually won?"

"Insider Number One really called it. The Best Newcomer went to the three of them: Gael García Bernal, Diego Luna, and Liu Ye."

Insider Number One posted: "Didn't I say so? You guys don't understand the insider dealings behind this; it's a bit complicated. It's normal that you aren't insiders and don't know.

Cao Yang is just a student, what kind of directing skills could he possibly have? They just gave him a Best Newcomer consolation prize for certain reasons. Never mind, it's not convenient for me to reveal too much either, as it's easy to offend people. You just need to understand that he's got good luck."

"Insider Number One, spill some inside information! We want to hear it."

"Tell us the inside scoop, we want to listen."

"Dish on the backstage gossip, please."

"Spill the secrets, let's hear it."

In an instant, quite a few people chimed in with replies.

Insider Number One posted: "Aren't you guys putting me in a tight spot? I really can't talk about this one. You can ask about other things; whatever I'm allowed to say, I'll share with you."

"Number One, can Cao Yang still win Best Screenplay?"

Insider Number One's vanity was immensely satisfied, and he replied: "Impossible. The organizing committee would never specially create two awards for him."

"Cao Yang's script is written pretty well, though. Why wouldn't he win Best Screenplay?"

"Just like you said, he writes 'pretty well'. But what is Venice? One of the halls of fame for art-house cinema. With so many top-tier industry insiders gathered from all over the world, so many great directors and top screenwriters, what does Cao Yang amount to among them? There are people everywhere who write better than him."

"The Best Screenplay award is out! It went to Alfonso Cuarón, director and screenwriter of *Y tu mamá también*. No Cao Yang."

"Haha, what did I tell you? Cao Yang just has good luck and happened to run into Li Xiaoran. Give me a Li Xiaoran, and I could go to Berlin and Venice and bring back a few awards myself," Insider Number One wrote smugly.

"Awesome, you really are an insider."

"Insider Number One predicted it so accurately! Can you talk about the inside scoop you mentioned earlier? We want to hear it."

"Want to hear it."

"Want to hear it."

"Do not make things difficult for me, guys. I still need to make a living in this industry."

"Best Actress is coming up next. Is there really no one here who has high hopes for Yu Feihong? Number One, do you think Yu Feihong has a shot?" someone asked in a reply.

"Haha, stop joking around. Do you honestly think Yu Feihong can win Best Actress? Her acting skills are barely passable for hanging around the television circle; she's simply not suited for film acting," Insider Number One replied.

"Weren't there reports saying Cao Yang is exceptionally good at coaching actors?"

"Hahaha, you're hilarious. Do you believe that? Anyway, I don't."

"Do you believe it? Anyway, I don't."

"Do you believe it? Anyway, I don't."

"Do you believe it? Anyway, I don't."

"Haha, you guys are so funny. Although I don't believe it either."

"What if Yu Feihong actually wins Best Actress?" someone chimed in.

"Impossible. Let me state this first: I actually like Yu Feihong a lot. She's beautiful and has great temperament. But like I said, she's fine doing TV dramas, but acting in movies is a real struggle—let alone winning Best Actress. If she can win Best Actress, I'll change my last name to Cao."

Insider Number One posted his reply with absolute certainty.

"Number One is right. Her acting isn't quite at the level of winning Best Actress yet, she's still falling short by a few big—holy crap, shit, shit, shit, shit..."

The award presenter for Best Actress first read out Sandra Ceccarelli for *Light of My Eyes*, and then, before the applause below could even die down, drew out a long, lingering tone and added an "and..."

Cao Yang glanced at Yu Feihong, suddenly struck by a strong premonition. A tie? Another one for Yu Feihong?

"Faye Yu, *Breathless*."

Yu Feihong covered her mouth in disbelief, her face a picture of utter astonishment.

At this very moment, everyone back in the domestic sphere who received the news was even more shocked than Yu Feihong!

Beneath this hot thread on Tianya Community, an absolute silence fell.