Huayu: This director is pretty strong.

Chapter 142 The Secret Letter from France

Chen Yan looked down at the envelope.

The pad of the thumb presses against the red sealing wax.

Yan Huaizhong zipped up his gray jacket.

Chen Yan folded the envelope.

Stuff it into the inside pocket of the jacket.

Thirty days later.

Abandoned quarry.

Four high-pressure water pumps started simultaneously.

The water pipes are connected to a water spray device suspended in mid-air.

The rain fell heavily.

It struck the muddy, gravelly ground.

Mud and water splashed everywhere.

Chen Yan sat in the director's chair.

Staring at the two monitors in front of him.

Zhang Yuan carried the Steadicam.

Wearing a black waterproof raincoat.

He slowly backed away in the mud.

Lin Qingqiu knelt in the center of the pile of rubble.

He held an eight-pound octagonal iron hammer in both hands.

Rainwater was washing over her work clothes.

The fabric is pressed against the skin.

She raised the hammer.

Use your waist to generate power.

The hammer smashed into a piece of granite in front of him.

Metal collides with rock.

Sparks burst forth.

Stone dust mixed with rainwater flowed.

"The track vehicle has advanced thirty centimeters."

Chen Yan pressed the intercom.

Zhang Yuan stepped onto the laid-out metal track.

The focus is on a close-up of her hand.

Chen Yan issued the order.

The camera lens was close to Lin Qingqiu's hands.

Lin Qingqiu's right armband was completely soaked in mud and water.

The skin around the old scar was soaked and turned white.

She raised the hammer again.

The hammer handle was covered in mud.

The hammer slipped.

It fell at her feet.

Mud splashed on her cheek.

The assistant director held up a megaphone and looked at Chen Yan.

Chen Yan raised his right hand.

They stopped the assistant director's actions.

Lin Qingqiu lay prone in the mud and water.

Fingers gripped the rough granite block.

Blood was seeping from under my fingernails.

Blood mixed with muddy water.

She rubbed her forehead with the back of her hand.

Mud covered his left eye.

She gripped the hammer handle again.

My palm slipped on the wooden handle.

Lin Qingqiu lowered her head.

His teeth gripped the hem of his work clothes.

Tear it with force.

The cloth strip tore.

She wrapped strips of cloth around her hands and the handle of the hammer.

Bite one end of the cloth strip with your teeth.

tension.

She stood up.

Spread your legs apart.

The hammer was swung up again.

A hammer struck the granite.

The stone cracked.

A fissure runs through the rock mass.

Lin Qingqiu threw down the iron hammer.

Insert both hands into the sharp cracks in the stone.

Pull it to both sides.

Blood flowed down his wrist and into his sleeve.

"The microphone boom is moving closer."

Chen Yan stared at the monitor.

"Close-up of the face."

The sound engineer held up a long pole.

The microphone hovered above Lin Qingqiu's head.

Lin Qingqiu opened her mouth.

There are no lines.

A hoarse sound came from the throat as air passed through the vocal cords.

She pressed her face against the cracked stone.

Rainwater washed over her profile.

Chen Yan picked up the walkie-talkie.

"Click."

Chen Yan spoke.

The high-pressure water pump is shut down.

The water flow stopped.

The medical team rushed into the venue carrying their medical kits.

Untie the cloth strips from Lin Qingqiu's hands.

Iodine solution was used to rinse the wound on her palm.

Chen Yan stood up.

Heading towards the rest tent.

Su Wan sat at the folding table.

An open laptop is on the table.

Su Wan handed over a dry towel.

Chen Yan accepted it.

Wipe the rainwater off your hair.

"Jinghai Film & Television's shell has been mortgaged to China Merchants Bank."

Su Wan typed on the keyboard.

"Two hundred million yuan has been received."

"The demolition of three old cinemas in Tianjin began yesterday."

Su Wan retrieved the project schedule.

"The blueprints for the multiplex cinema have been submitted for review."

Chen Yan pulled out a folding chair and sat down.

"The rough cut of the first forty minutes has been transcribed into digital format."

Su Wan closed her laptop.

"As you requested, it was sent to Paris three days ago via diplomatic pouch."

Chen Yan took out an envelope with gold palm wax from inside his down jacket.

The edges of the envelope were somewhat worn.

Chen Yan picked up the paper cutter on the table.

The blade pried open the sealing wax.

He pulled out two yellowed pages of letter paper.

The entire text is in French handwriting.

Chen Yan pushed the letter in front of Su Wan.

Su Wan's gaze fell on the letter.

Translate sentence by sentence.

"To Director Chen Yan"

Su Wan spoke.

"The selection committee watched a 40-minute preview of 'Broken Bridge' last night."

"Rough realism and precise industrial audiovisuals are perfectly stitched together."

Su Wan continued translating.

"The committee passed it unanimously."

Su Wan looked up at Chen Yan.

"This is a formal invitation to the main competition section of the 71st Cannes Film Festival."

Chen Yan picked up the bottled water on the table.

Unscrew the bottle cap.

I took a sip.

"continue."

Chen Yan put down the water bottle.

Su Wan turned to the second page.

"As a friend, I must remind you."

Su Wan's translation speed has slowed down.

"French director Pierre's 'Black Rain' has also been shortlisted for the main competition."

"Gaumont Pictures and Miramax Hollywood have invested 30 million euros in marketing and distribution for this film."

"They bought out the screening agreements with European cinemas."

Su Wan looked at the signature at the bottom of the letter.

"There is pressure within the film selection committee, with some capital demanding a reduction in the exposure of Chinese-language films."

Su Wan put down the letter.

"The signature is Thierry."

Su Wan said.

"Chairman of the Cannes Film Selection Committee"

Chen Yan leaned back in his chair.

Tap your fingers on the aluminum alloy edging of the folding table.

Wu Gang lifted the tent flap and walked in.

His left arm was bandaged with a new white bandage.

"The paparazzi on the periphery have been cleared away."

Wu Gang said.

Chen Yan nodded.

He looked at Su Wan.

Miramax.

Chen Yan read the name aloud.

"Harvey's production company."

Su Wan turned her computer back on.

"A regular at the three major European film festivals. Skilled in public relations and exclusive distribution deals."

"Are they targeting us?"

Su Wan asked.

"No."

Chen Yan looked at the company logo on the computer screen.

"They're just monopolizing the awards."

"The Palme d'Or can bring a premium for global distribution rights."

Chen Yan stood up.

"If they want to protect the stock price of 'Black Rain,' they will crush other competitors."

"Harvey's public relations strategy was to buy votes."

Chen Yan walked to the whiteboard.

Pick up the black marker.

"He will hold private screenings."

Chen Yan wrote Miramax's name on the whiteboard.

"Give gifts to the judges. Create public relations articles through the media."

"How do we retaliate?"

Su Wan asked.

"Use your work."

Chen Yan turned around.

"Cannes screening rooms only recognize what's on the big screen."

Lin Qingqiu entered the tent.

Her hands were wrapped in white gauze.

The work clothes were still dripping wet.

"When will the next scene be filmed?"

Lin Qingqiu asked.

Chen Yan looked at her hand.

"tomorrow."

Chen Yan answered.

Chen Yan turned to look at Su Wan.

"Notify Lin Shufen."

Chen Yan issued the order.

"Mobilize cash from all offshore accounts."

"Contact the independent publisher in France."

Chen Yan tapped the whiteboard with a marker.

"They couldn't get a share of 'Black Rain,' which is exactly when there was a shortage."

"Tell them that the European rights to 'Broken Bridge' are open for pre-sale."

Chen Yan said.

Su Wan took notes in her notebook.

"What will the pre-sale price be?"

Su Wan looked up and asked.

"No upper limit."

Chen Yan answered.

"The highest bidder wins. The condition is that the film must guarantee a certain number of screenings in France."

Will they accept it?

Su Wan asked.

"They had no choice."

Chen Yan put down the marker.

"The Broken Bridge will win the Palme d'Or. This is their only chance to get on board."

Chen Yan walked to the folding table.

Pick up the letter on the table.

Fold in half.

Put it in the pocket of your windbreaker.

He stepped out of the tent.

Back to the monitor.

Zhang Yuan is changing the camera battery.

Chen Yan pulled over the microphone.

"Notify us of the later stages."

Chen Yan's voice was amplified and carried throughout the quarry.

"Speed ​​up the schedule by a week."

Chen Yan stared at the frozen image of Lin Qingqiu's bloodied hands on the monitor.

"We're going to Cannes."