"What?" Donald fell into Lance's trap, one small step at a time, so small that he didn't even notice it, and his mind followed Lance's words. Listening to Lance's words, Donald felt that his brain couldn't turn for a while, and subconsciously frowned and made a sound in surprise.

Lance's eyebrows suddenly burst with unparalleled enthusiasm, firmly grasping all of Donald's attention, "I am preparing to bring Paul Lins's novel 'City of God' to the big screen, I hope to be able to completely restore the truth and cruelty of the original novel, completely show the City of God in front of all audiences, and completely present the changes and reforms in Brazil in the past forty years." In a way similar to the combination of documentary and prose, the story of the city of God is told in a romantic way. ”

At this point, Lance paused slightly, giving Donald a moment to recuperate, and then continued, "After the audience has finished watching the movie, everyone will have their own answer to the same question: Why is the City of God like this?" ”

Donald's rough eyebrows were knotted, and his eyes were full of thoughts, and he fell into his own thoughts. Lance slowed down his speech a little and continued unhurriedly, "I've always believed that if you want to solve a problem, you must first be aware of the problem. So, if the film gives people a chance to think, then it's a success. ”

After a little detour, he finally got back to the point, and Donald understood, and he looked at Lance rather intricately, "So, you want to make a movie about the City of God?" "City of the Gods", this novel caused a sensation after it was published, and Donald once read it, and immediately understood all the foreshadowing that Lance had just had.

Lance nodded in confirmation, but Donald shook his head and repeated the same question, "I mean, you want to make a movie about the City of God?" ”

Lance couldn't help but chuckle and nodded again, "Yes, Donald, I'm going to tell the story of the City of God, not the story of one particular character in it. ”

"City of God" is a very vivid story, and the main characters in the story are so full and real that it is no exaggeration to say that taking each character alone could make a biopic, and it is absolutely spectacular.

If they follow the line of Hollywood studios, they will inevitably take a certain character as the core, tell a thrilling story, and return to the flash or sublimation of human nature at the end, so as to arouse ideological resonance. It's not that it's bad, on the contrary, Hollywood has given a lot of great work in a similar way, and almost most of the biographies follow this line.

But this route is not suitable for the "City of God". Because this is not a story that belongs to a specific character, there is only one protagonist in this movie, and that is this slum called the City of God; The core idea of the film is not just one person, but an entire region, an entire group, and even a divided era. This is a film about the city, typical, and atypical.

Adapting "City of God" along the Hollywood route may not ruin the story, but it is enough to take the story down two notches, at least! That's why Donald has this question, and Lance has this answer.

After receiving an affirmative answer, Donald did not speak or move, but supported his chin with his right hand and fell into deep thought again, and Lance did not interrupt without a sound. For a moment, there was a harmonious silence between the two men.

The aroma of the coffee dissipated little by little, and the hot coffee in the cup gradually cooled down. Donald finally raised his gaze and looked at Lance with some confusion, he could sense the ambition of this young man in Lance's words, "City of God" is not only a film about slums, but also a film about the current situation in Brazil, about the legacy of Brazilian history, etc.

If the film had been done well, Donald could have predicted that the impact on the whole of Brazil would be even more powerful and violent than it was when the City of God was published.

"Do you know how big, how difficult, how dangerous this is?" Donald finally broke the silence with a voice, but there was no longer the comfort and laziness of before, replaced by the solemnity between his eyebrows.

"No, I don't know." Lance's answer was so unexpected, that it choked Donald. Donald was about to refute Lance, but now the words were stuck in his throat, which made Donald widen his eyes and look at Lance in dismay—he couldn't hide his feelings at all.

Lance, however, did not seem to notice the change in Donald, and said sincerely, "Donald, I have read the original novel, but that does not mean that I have become a Brazilian expert. That's why I need you. Lance didn't beat around the bush this time and was straight about what he really thought.

This smoothed the sullenness in Donald's chest, and his eyes deepened as he watched Lance, and he gradually fell into thought.

"Everything I know about the City of God comes from fiction, and even though I have been to the City of God for a few months, it is still one-sided. For Rio de Janeiro, I'm just a passerby. So, I should say that I know how big, how difficult, how dangerous this is, but I don't know enough. Instead of being strong, Lance bravely showed all his shortcomings, once again giving Donald the opportunity to gain the upper hand, "It's as if the Brazilian people thought they knew enough about the City of God before they read about the 'City of God', but the cruelty of reality was scoffing at it." ”

Donald looked at Lance in front of him seriously, focused and dedicated, sincere and wise, and people couldn't help but cast their eyes, "Do you know that filming in the City of God is simply impossible?" If you leave your camera equipment on the side of the road for three minutes, it will only take three minutes and it will be snatched up. Your crew drives into the area, and immediately a horde of thugs with guns will rush up and rob you all; You don't even have time to shout before filming starts, and there will be *** coming over and destroying the set......"

Speaking of the latter, Donald's emotions are a little out of control, and he knows better than anyone how terrible the city of God is, like an ogre. At the end, Donald's words came to an abrupt end, the fist of his right hand tightened suddenly, and his nails pierced into the tender flesh of his palm little by little.

Lance didn't interrupt Donald, just listened. The deep gaze made Donald a little uncomfortable, and finally the wolf turned his head away, scratching his head in frustration, full of annoyance but unable to vent.

Looking at Donald like this, Lance spoke again, "So I need your help." I need you to tell me what you can do and what you can't do; I need you to sue me, who needs to be dealt with, and who needs to take a detour......" At this point, Langston paused and called out sincerely, "Donald. ”

But Donald didn't turn his head, and Lance had to raise his voice slightly, and sincerely shouted again, "Donald." The voice made Donald turn his head helplessly, and met Lance's gaze with some chagrin and some depression, "I want to make a great work, I want to make 'City of God' a classic, I want to make this work really achieve something." So, I need your help! ”

"I'm an American, an American who doesn't know anything about Brazil, and without your help, this movie, this novel would have been just a joke. But I know that you also want the 'City of God' to be put on the big screen and to be able to do something, maybe we don't know what the outcome will be, whether Brazil will get better, whether the City of God will change...... But at least I knew I wanted to do something. Lance's words obviously began to accelerate, gradually bursting into a compelling momentum, pressing step by step, "What about you?" ”

Donald squirmed his mouth, trying to say something, or to refute something, but couldn't say anything. Because in the back of his mind, Donald knew that Lance was right.

After the publication of "City of God", some people mentioned the adaptation of the novel, but this work was considered too difficult by many people, not only because the City of God in real life is intricate, and those ** forces are difficult to compromise; Because of the cruelty and gore of the novel, the grandeur and profundity of the novel, it is difficult to express it through the lens of the movie.

But looking at Lance in front of him, Donald recalled his first impression when he first entered the coffee house, and recalled the cooperation between them when they joined forces to bring "Grand Central Station" to the United States, and he had such an idea for the first time - a ridiculous idea, perhaps, Lance can really succeed.

There are so many absurdities that Donald himself complains about his powerlessness: first, Lance is an American, and he's not even a Latino American; Secondly, Lance is only thirty years old, really too young, in the era of the story in the "City of God", he is just a teenager dominated by hormones; Again, if he remembers correctly, Lance left Diorama Pictures not long ago, and although it did not attract the attention of the public, it is not a secret that rumors in the circle are not secret, that is, Lance is now a loner with nothing......

But here's the most ridiculous thing, and even then, Donald just believed that Lance could succeed. Looking at those eyes, the fragility that seemed to be broken at the slightest touch was hidden behind the vicissitudes of life and the dignified blue, and that indescribable and unbelievable sense of trust invaded.

Donald himself thought it was a little funny, and couldn't help but chuckle. Raising his head again, Donald looked deeply into Lance's eyes, Lance met his gaze unswervingly, without the slightest hesitation, Donald let out a long breath and shook his head, as if he couldn't believe that he had made such a decision, but ...... Still, he said, "Give me the script first." ”

It worked!