Zhang Yurong's attitude has changed like this, and most of them have to thank Lin Youlun.

After learning that Chen Jige agreed to direct "Farewell My Concubine", Lin Youlun specially arranged for Chen Qige and Zhang Yurong to meet. Many years later, Zhang Rongrong described the meeting, saying, "The two are like lovers who have lost many years, still waiting for each other's nods and promises." ”

Zhang Yurong agreed, but his agent had to nod his agent.

Zhang Yurong's actor agency contract is in Huang Baiming's hands, and his filming of "Farewell My Concubine" means working for someone else's film company, which is usually very troublesome for cross-company filming. The last time I filmed "Rouge Buckle", it was Lin Youlun who mediated it, and then Mei Yanfang made herself a "hostage" to Xinyicheng, which had not been disbanded at that time, and promised to help the other party also make a movie, which brought Zhang Yurong into the crew.

This time, it was Lin Youlun who came forward and made a phone call to Huang Baiming, saying that this movie will become Zhang Yurong's masterpiece in his life, you let him shoot it, and I will be responsible for the shooting.

Lin Youlun opened his mouth, and Huang Baiming knew that there was no way to refuse this matter, so he simply postponed Zhang Yurong's other film appointments, and vacated the schedule to "Farewell My Concubine", which was enough to make a good deal.

——

Kang Junjie is the main person in charge of the Hong Kong International Film Festival, and he came to Lin Youlun's office this morning to report some things to Lin Youlun.

Lin Youlun was looking at a drawing, and when he saw Kang Junjie coming in, he raised his head and said, "You came just in time, how is the shape of this trophy?" ”

Kang Junjie glanced at the drawings in Lin Youlun's hand. It depicts a trophy in the shape of a dragon. This is what Lin Youlun asked him about.

"It's quite imposing." This is Kang Junjie's intuitive feeling.

Lin Youlun put down the drawings. looked at Kang Junjie and asked, "Then what do you think of using it as the highest award trophy of the Hong Kong International Film Festival?" ”

The Hong Kong International Film Festival does not have a special award setting like other film festivals, Kang Junjie has always wanted to suggest to Lin Youlun to add such an award to expand the influence of the film festival, and now it seems that Lin Youlun has long planned to do so.

"The Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival in France, the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival, the Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival, and the Golden Horse Award in Taiwan...... After thinking about it, I think it is more appropriate for the Hong Kong International Film Festival to win the highest award called the Golden Dragon. ”

In this era, the word "dragon" was very popular in Chinese-speaking areas. Just saying that there is a dragon in the name of the entertainment industry, you can list a large row, so Lin Youlun was not going to use "dragon" at the beginning, but there is no more suitable symbol than this.

For a while, Lin Youlun also considered pandas, but firstly, he was not interested in pandas, and secondly, pandas are officially recognized as symbols in the mainland, and it is not appropriate to use them in Hong Kong. This may be some kind of misalignment between the advanced soul in the body and this era.

The design of the Golden Dragon Award trophy needs to be further improved, and this matter is discussed. Lin Youlun asked Kang Junjie what was the matter with him coming to him.

"This is the statistics of the copyright deals that have been reached by film companies from various countries at the festival so far, and more than 60% of the exhibitors have sold at least one copy at the festival." Kang Junjie put a report on Lin Youlun's desk.

"Thomas, that Yankee hasn't replied yet?" Lin Youlun picked up the report and asked about another thing.

"Not yet."

Kang Junjie shook his head, Lin Youlun was concerned about the release of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" in North America, and Thomas, who represented the United Arts Theater Line in the United States, was obviously a little unconcerned about this matter, and his attitude was still vague.

Thomas had seen "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", and he didn't think the film would be so popular in the United States, so he wasn't at all positive about the matter, and if it weren't for the good relationship with Lin Youlun, he would have turned it down a long time ago.

Thomas wanted to delay for a while to see how "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" would perform after its release in Asia, and then decide whether to introduce the film, but Lin Youlun obviously didn't have the patience for so long.

Kang Junjie also saw this, so he brought a friend to see Lin Youlun today.

"Jiang Zhiqiang?" Lin Youlun threw the report in his hand on the table, "Do you know the person in charge of Anle Film Company?" ”

Kang Junjie nodded, he and Jiang Zhiqiang met at the Taiwan Golden Horse Film Festival three years ago, when Kang Junjie was still holding an important position in the organizing committee of the Golden Horse Awards, because it was more talkative, so the two left each other's contact information.

After watching "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", he keenly felt that the film's overseas distribution potential was underestimated, and because Lin Youlun had mentioned at the symposium on "How to Balance the Commercial and Artistic Aspects of Films" that his box office expectation for "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" in Hong Kong was only 20 million, which made overseas filmmakers feel a little respectful of this film.

The movies that Lin Youlun invested in and shot can get overseas distribution opportunities through fixed partners, so under normal circumstances, it is not the turn of others to intervene, and the situation of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" is special, it seems that even Lin Youlun is not very optimistic about this movie, and Jiang Zhiqiang saw an opportunity from it.

After determining the goal, Jiang Zhiqiang began to operate actively, inquiring about the news of the film through various connections, and considering how to contact and negotiate with Lin Youlun.

In a very accidental situation, Jiang Zhiqiang learned that Kang Junjie was actually the person in charge of the Hong Kong International Film Festival, so he wanted to get in touch with Lin Youlun through Kang Junjie's line.

"He's coming with you, too?"

Lin Youlun is not familiar with Jiang Zhiqiang, but he is not a stranger either.

is not familiar with it, because although Anle Company was established in Hong Kong very early, it basically did not leave any traces in the most glorious era of Hong Kong films, but it began to slowly enter everyone's sight at the end of the 90s.

Anle's main business is distribution rather than production, so it is rarely focused on by the media, and Jiang Zhiqiang is very low-key, compared with the high-density exposure of Lin Jianyue of Media Asia and Yang Zhicheng of the Emperor, Jiang Zhiqiang, who rarely appears in the media, has no sense of existence.

is not unfamiliar, because Jiang Zhiqiang was the most successful producer in Hong Kong and even the entire Chinese-speaking region in the late 90s, and later Li Yu was halfway through the filming of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", and was suddenly withdrawn by the financier.

Zhang Yimou's "Hero", "Ambush on All Sides", and "Golden Armor" are released in one or two thousand theaters in North America, and Li Lianjie's "Huo Yuanjia" and Li Yu's "Lust and Caution" can be seen behind these films, and he is also a judge of the Oscars.

Unexpectedly, "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" changed its director and was released ten years ahead of schedule, Jiang Zhiqiang still set his sights on this movie, just this can prove that this person's vision is indeed very accurate.

——

Jiang Zhiqiang is tall, with a square face, slightly bald hair on his sideburns, thick black and neat eyebrows, and a pair of eyes that are shining. When he looks at people, he pays great attention; When smiling, a mouthful of neat and slightly white teeth is revealed; When he speaks, he is very steady and gives people a deep and generous atmosphere.

Jiang Zhiqiang has been traveling all over the world to buy films and distribute them since he was 13 years old, this experience makes him only pursue strength as the king, Lin Youlun's status in Hong Kong and even the entire Chinese film industry is unparalleled, so even if he is much younger than Jiang Zhiqiang, Jiang Zhiqiang is still very respectful in front of him, and when he does not call him Mr. Lin, he is called "you".

Lin Youlun invited Jiang Zhiqiang to sit down on the sofa next to him, "I heard Junjie say that Mr. Jiang is interested in the overseas release of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon"? ”

Jiang Zhiqiang briefly talked about his views on this film, "I saw this film at the film festival, and then talked to director Hu Jinquan twice, and I have a clearer understanding of the whole concept of this film, I think this film will be a good window to show the concept of Chinese culture abroad." ”

Lin Youlun nodded, smiled at Kang Junjie, who was sitting on the side, and said, "It seems that our own people are more knowledgeable." ”

Kang Junjie knew that Lin Youlun was comparing Jiang Zhiqiang with Thomas, the American, smiled, and nodded yes.

"Then let's open the skylight and say something," Lin Youlun didn't plan to go around the bend with Jiang Zhiqiang, "Mr. Jiang may have heard from other channels, I am not particularly optimistic about the box office of this movie in Hong Kong, the reason why I say this is because the martial arts film environment in the Hong Kong film market is like this, everyone now prefers Xu Ke's fast-paced style of driving high and walking high, and definitely doesn't like Hu Jinquan's freehand martial arts, of course, this situation is only special in Hong Kong." The total investment of this film is 15 million, I can give Mr. Jiang a bottom-up, only in Asia I am confident that I can recover the cost, and I really hope that this film can bring me benefits in the European and American markets, so if Mr. Jiang wins the distribution rights of this film, the conditions will definitely make me excited. ”

As soon as Jiang Zhiqiang heard this, he knew that it was a little unlikely that he wanted to completely buy the distribution rights of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", but he still had a bargaining chip in his hand to lower the price.

"Mr. Lin, don't forget that "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" returned empty-handed in Cannes, France not long ago."

"Mr. Jiang also has to figure out that winning awards and box office are two different things, and at the Cannes Film Festival, the French media and the audience spoke highly of the film."

Jiang Zhiqiang looked at Lin Youlun who responded with a smile, and the only thought in his heart was that he had really met a powerful opponent this time.

[On the 8th day of the outbreak, continue to ask for a monthly pass!] (To be continued......)