Leaving the booth of DEJ Productions, Navas quickly found the French production company mentioned on the phone according to the description of the assistant, and the booth was crowded with many people, and the exhibitors could not accept it.

"Over there. The assistant came over and pointed to the screen: "That's it." ”

Navas glanced at it and asked, "What about Ronan Anderson?"

The assistant said: "He himself is gone, but there is one person left to talk. ”

Navas followed the assistant's finger and saw a young man with a somewhat familiar face, and after thinking about it, he was shocked, wasn't this the same person who accompanied Ronan Anderson to watch and buy "Blair the Witch" at the St. Denis Film Festival back then?

Navas can't remember, but it's certain that he has a very unusual relationship with Ronan Anderson.

Could this be another "Blair the Witch"-like film? Navas's heart suddenly heated, and his burning eyes immediately fell on the film clips on display.

But after only three minutes of watching, Navas's fiery heart was half cold.

It's not an English-language movie, it's not a Hollywood movie, it's an overseas film, it's a French film!

In the past 20 years, have any French films ever achieved good results in North America? Even Luc Besson, the French director who claims to know the North American film market best, has repeatedly followed the path of hitting the streets again and again in North America.

Navas thought of "City of God" and "Ambush on All Sides", which he had bought with all his might, and the painful lesson seemed to be in front of him.

This bloody lesson taught him one thing, and made him realize an inner truth of the world's largest film market: that the success of overseas films in North America is tantamount to a gamble with a win rate of less than one percent, or even less.

He's already lost two bets, and he doesn't want to do it a third time.

Although he doesn't know French, the film, called "Spring in the Cattle Herding Class," looks funny, but Navas doesn't want to bet on the low success rate of horror.

"Boss?" the assistant saw Navas in a daze and asked, "Shall we ......"

Learning from the lessons of his first two failures, Navas said categorically: "We don't touch this film, Lionsgate doesn't touch any non-English films at this festival!"

The assistant didn't quite understand, and was even very confused, but he agreed: "Okay, I'll pass it on." ”

Navas didn't leave immediately, but stood here and continued to watch the film's screening, and the more he watched, the more interesting it became, and he felt that it could become a classic.

But is Classic Pictures sure to be a commercial success?

When Lionsgate was first founded, Navas would have said yes.

Now, Navas knows that classic films are not necessarily linked to commercial success.

Because Navas personally bought and operated "City of God," the Brazilian film was ranked among the top 10 classics by almost all the media and professionals that year, and many of them were still at the top.

Even, in the various selections of the top ten movies since the beginning of the century, "City of God" is also among the best.

However, the film's commercial performance simply made Lionsgate vomit blood.

Navas resisted the urge to talk to the French about the rights to "Spring in the Cattle Class" and prepared to leave.

The exhibition hall suddenly became chaotic, and another heavyweight movie boss came!

A big fat Jewish man with a small head walked into the exhibition hall and instantly attracted everyone's attention.

Harvey Weinstein!

Miramax Films is here!

Seeing Harvey Weinstein walking towards the French, Navas's originally cool heart warmed up again.

But the lesson of foreign language blood was in front of him, and he finally endured it.

"Let's go. Navas left the room without looking back.

Let Embassy Pictures and Miramax Films break the head for this film.

Navas didn't look back, heading to the showrooms he hadn't yet taken, hoping to find a film suitable for Lionsgate's distribution.

"Spring of the Cattle Herding Class" doesn't need to be considered, the "Crash" will wait for the news from the producer first, and I'll have time to watch it tomorrow.

In one day, Ronan looked at the trading area of the Toronto Film Festival, and then saw a film with a more familiar name - "Hotel Rwanda".

This is a film about the genocide in Rwanda in the 90s, and the style is very much in line with the awards season awards.

But Ronan only gave up after a little contact, because the producers offered $16 million for the North American distribution rights alone.

For the producers, that is a reasonable offer, as they have invested nearly $18 million in the production alone.

But for the issuer, the risk is simply too great.

North America will cost $16 million in copyright fees, and the commercial attributes of the film are better than nothing, so it is inevitable to take the route of the awards season, coupled with the investment in the distribution of the awards, it is difficult to recover the cost.

For directors and actors, as well as other creative staff, cinema may be an art.

For a distribution company like Embassy Pictures, film is first and foremost a business.

"Don't you think that film is a bit like an African version of Schindler's List?" said Tony Koch, enjoying Ronan's feast, "maybe he can come back with an Oscar for Best Picture." ”

Ronan said directly: "It is the black Africans who are saved, not the Jews." ”

Tony Koch instantly felt that it made sense, nodded and said, "You still see it thoroughly." He suddenly asked with confusion: "In the past two years, haven't Hollywood's black films performed well in the awards season?"

Ronan lowered his voice: "Black Africans are not the same thing as black Americans, and black Americans have never thought that they belong to the same ethnic group as black Africans. ”

This kind of thing he said in private with a close friend like Tony Koch.

Tony Koch swallowed the food in his mouth: "I only knew that the Berlinale was heavily influenced by extra-cinematic factors, but I didn't expect Hollywood's awards season to be the same. ”

Ronan smiled and asked instead, "How are you doing over there?"

"Well, I've got a lot of movie buyers. Tony Koch said with a smile: "Ronan, your attraction is too great, many studios are competing for that "Spring of the Cattle Herding Class", I don't have to bid at all, and then they themselves will compete fiercely." ”

Ronan said: "Because that film is really distinctive." ”

Tony Koch agrees with Ronan: "I watched it and it was really good. ”

Ronan asked, "Did the deal deal with the film?"

"It's done. Tony Koch thought of the fat man and said, "Harvey Weinstein of Miramax Films got the rights to the North American distribution, and he is rumored to have paid a whopping $7 million. ”

Ronan instantly understood: "Harvey Weinstein may run "Spring in the Cattle Class" to hit the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film. ”

Tony Koch immediately put away his smile: "Become our direct competitor?"

"Hmm. The more Ronan thought about it, the more likely it became: "It's the only reason to get Harvey Weinstein to invest heavily in the rights to the film." ”

"We have a strong competitor. "Tony Koch has also heard of the Oscar promoters.

Ronan frowned: "With a $7 million copyright fee, plus the investment in running the Oscars, if he doesn't get the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film, how many years will it take Harvey Weinstein to recoup his investment?"

Many Hollywood movies, after years of offline operation, can wipe out the losses on the account, but what is the point of extending this time to ten or twenty years?

Tony Koch then asked, "Ronan, what's going on over there?"

Ronan put down his knife and fork, took the tissue, and said while wiping his hands: "It's basically negotiated, and Embassy Pictures will sign the contract tonight." ”

It was another crisp Canadian morning, and Navas entered the Toronto Film Festival's trading area again, looking a little serious, and at the end of the day, he couldn't find a film that would make him decide to sign.

That French film looks good, but no matter how good an overseas film is, its performance in North America is in huge doubt, and the possibility of failure far outweighs success.

Later, he also saw a film called "Hotel Rwanda", but such a film reflecting Rwanda, Africa, will cost $16 million for the North American distribution rights, and the producers are really crazy!

Because there was no suitable option, Navas once again came to the booth where "Crash" was located.

Then, he was surprised to find that the director and producer named Paul Haggis, who had interviewed him yesterday, was cleaning up the booth with the staff, and it seemed that the show was about to be withdrawn......

What's going on?

Navas faintly felt that something was wrong, and hurriedly walked over and greeted: "Good morning, Director Haggis." ”

Paul Haggis also saw him and responded with a smile: "Hello. ”

"You guys......" Navas gestured to the busy staff in the booth.

Paul Haggis was in a very good mood and said: "The rights to the film have been sold, and we are ready to withdraw. ”

"Sold?" Navas had a bad premonition and asked, "I would venture to ask, which company did you sell to?"

Considering that there was no relevant provision in the copyright transaction contract, Paul Haggis did not want to offend the people at Lionsgate, and said: "Embassy Pictures, a subsidiary of Relativity Entertainment Group. From planning to production to film festival sales, he has experienced too many difficulties, and it is inevitable that he will be proud of turning over at this time: "Embassy Pictures bought out the entire copyright of "Crash" for $7 million. ”

Navas was stunned, Embassy Pictures, Relativity Entertainment, Ronan Anderson, seemed to be missing something......

"You should contact me again before you sell. Navas couldn't help but say.

Paul Haggis shook his head: "The overseas rights of this film are not easy to sell, I know very well. But Embassy Pictures is willing to pay, and Embassy Pictures has also signed a special clause with me, the North American box office of "Crash" can be three times the copyright fee they bought, and they will give me a personal dividend of $1 million, so why don't I sell it on such good terms?"