210 A Clash of Emotion and Reality

"Ha ha! Surprise! I’m not boasting. Stop laughing at me! How did you guys dare belittle my taste and call me blind?"

Hey, we are all professionals here. Don't act crazy!

Zhang Yang broke the charged atmosphere, and the other directors began to ask each other questions.

Among the sixth generation, some directors were renowned and some were not. Many of them had won awards overseas, but the majority were still nobodies at the time. Some of them were hunted by the government for their underground films. Only a few of them could actually make profits. Most of them had nothing at all.

They made jokes with their three new friends and drank to their heart's content. Nobody talked about money or sordid merchants.

Finally, all the rivers flowed into the same sea. They reached the most concerning topic.

"Do you have any new plans? You have to lead the way for young men."

"Here are some volunteer actors. They’re the best support for us. Ha ha!"

They all roared with laughter. It was great to have free actors again! The muscles on Huang Bo's face twisted slightly. Where are all the high taste directors? Where’s my reward? This is beyond my imagination!

"Stop beating around the bush! Let’s talk business! Who will get investors and make new films in 2001 and 2002? Hands up!"

Silence prevailed. Only the sound of people chewing peanuts could be heard.

Zhang Yuan spoke first, "As you all know, I spent all my money on ‘Beijing Bastard’, but the film didn't pass the investigation. I secretly participated in the Tokyo Film Festival with it, which irritated the Competition Department. Before I could explain, they forbade me to shoot another film again. Those sons of b*tches! It’s so unfair. That big film studio robbed me! They cancelled our contract for renting lights and cameras..."

"I lost everything! I even had to sell my pants at a pawnshop. The situation was getting worse and worse. No film or TV studio was allowed to cooperate with me. I’m Zhang Yuan though! I participated in competitions secretly. I shot commentary films to make money! They couldn’t control me! I won an award in Venice! I fought back! Then the ban was revoked. I could shoot anything I liked. My film ‘Going Home for the Spring Festival’ was in theaters in China. Do they admire me? Those sons of b*tches! That’s my strength!"

Zhang Yang kicked Zhang Yuan on the leg. "Stop boasting. We were talking about how young men can seize opportunities! Tell us about your plan!"

Zhang Yuan shouted at him indifferently, "I have no money for films! After all this effort, my film didn't earn its budget back! I have a family to support! Who would invest in my films? Can I even live on indie films? If you want to make profits, you have to be obedient. They are watching you from above. I’ll be waiting for the motherland’s arrangements. I have resigned myself to my destiny."

His head fell down on the table unconsciously. He was already drunk.

The other men smiled bitterly. Jia Zhangke said, "You know, my shooting style is the same as other independent film producers’. I engage in international releases. I have nothing to do with the domestic film market. Would you like to act in films like that?"

"To tell you the truth, Qin Guan, you’d never get a part in my films. Even if you covered your face with mud, you would still not look like a poor man. You’d seem more like a prince facing a misfortune. Foreigners don't expect to see such actors in my films. I could look for roles for Huang Bo, but not this year. Right now I’m obsessed with my new documentary ‘Public Places’, which is financed by foreign investors. I’ll win another award for it. You could ask Lao Lou, he’s the most literary one among us. Everything in his films is extremely beautiful.

"You didn't see his film ‘River in Suzhou’. If you don’t beautify outdoor scenes, you know the results. Tell them, Lao Lou."

Lou Ye touched his nose in shame. "This is self-dramatizing. I’m only an aesthete with romantic feelings. Wait for me, Qin Guan. I’ll give you a part in my next film. It's fixed. It’s a pity that I can't use Zhou Xun as the heroine though. There’s a large difference in height between you two. I couldn't ask you to bend down for the whole film."

"Ha ha ha!" They all liked jokes about actresses. Those rough directors had no idea how famous they would become in the future. In the deep dark night, even the moon seemed to be asleep. They drank and laughed happily.

When the first ray of light shone through the broken roof, the drunk talented men fell asleep.

Sister Xue managed to get up and lead the two guys out of the secret warehouse. The two of them were quite different from each other.

Qin Guan had a great spirit, and he had learned a lot from that conversation. He now knew about film concepts and skills, as well as about passionate, beautiful stories.

During that sleepless night, he’d heard the voices, thoughts and future concepts of a whole generation of directors. He hadn't fully expressed his own opinion though.

Huang Bo, on the other side, had earned compliments from all the directors who engaged in films about real life. In a daze, he remembered countless shadows telling him the same thing, "You’ll be the protagonist in my next film."

That was enough for him to go to bed reassured.

They walked along the dirty path. After that overnight meeting, they were feeling hungry. The breakfast stand at the end of the industrial area was the perfect solution to their problem.

In that plant area full of ruins and waste, the three mini casseroles they bought were like a feast in fairyland.