Huayu: This director is pretty strong.

Chapter 163 Thunderous Approval: A New Hunting Ground

Nine o'clock the next morning.

The top-floor conference room of Yanying Culture.

The long conference table was filled with Yanying's core team members.

Su Wan, Zhang Yuan, Wu Gang, Lin Qingqiu, and several newly promoted production and distribution executives.

Chen Yan sat in the main seat.

He wasn't wearing a suit, just a simple black shirt with the cuffs rolled up to his elbows, revealing the smooth muscle lines on his forearms.

He threw a thick script in the center of the table.

The cover features two bold black characters: "Thunder".

"The Palme d'Or for 'Broken Bridge' helped us gain access to theaters and a voice in the industry. But it was a film that leaned towards emotional catharsis and visual and auditory impact."

Chen Yan's gaze swept over the crowd. "In the eyes of the judges at the three major European film festivals, this is not enough. They need a deeper social analysis, they need to see the destruction and reconstruction of humanity."

Zhang Yuan picked up the script and flipped through it.

"Director Chen, what's the subject matter this time?"

"Realistic crime drama."

Chen Yan walked to the whiteboard, picked up a marker, and wrote down a few keywords: capital, mining disaster, humanity, revenge.

"The story is set in a northern coal mine in the late 1990s. A private mine owner, controlled by capital, buried the surviving miners alive to cover up the truth of a mining accident. The female protagonist is the daughter of one of the miners. She spent ten years changing her identity and infiltrating the mine owner's business empire, using the most ruthless methods to send those well-dressed capitalists to hell one by one."

Chen Yan put down the marker and turned to look at Lin Qingqiu.

Lin Qingqiu didn't train today. She was wearing a loose gray sweatshirt, and her short hair had grown a bit longer, covering her eyebrows.

She looked directly into Chen Yan's eyes.

"You'll play the female lead."

Chen Yan pointed at her, "I don't need that kind of outward violence and self-destruction you had in 'Broken Bridge.' This time, you need to tone it down. You need to play a wolf in sheep's clothing. By day, you're a gentle and refined chairman's assistant; by night, you're a butcher with a scalpel. I want you to show that absolute calmness and extreme madness."

Lin Qingqiu crossed her fingers under the table, her knuckles tensing.

How long do I need to prepare?

"Three months."

Chen Yan replied, "For the next three months, you will audit financial management courses at Peking University, learning how to read financial statements and how to wear a bespoke suit. At the same time, you will go to the slaughterhouse at night to watch how others dissect livestock. I want you to etch that disregard for life into your very bones."

Lin Qingqiu nodded.

"it is good."

Chen Yan turned to Wu Gang.

"Wu Gang, the action style needs to be changed for this film. 'Broken Bridge' is a street brawl, a physical collision. 'Thunder' is an assassination. All action choreography must be clean, deadly, and a one-hit kill. No fancy moves. You can refer to Israeli Krav Maga and the KGB's assassination manuals."

Wu Gang touched the stubble on his chin.

"Understood. I'll find a few retired special forces soldiers to spar with."

Chen Yan sat back down in his chair and looked at Su Wan.

"Budget and schedule."

Su Wan opened the folder in front of her and recited a set of data.

"The cash flow on the theater side has stabilized. We can allocate 50 million RMB for pre-production costs. If our goal is to be at one of the three major European film festivals next year, we need to complete filming by the end of this year, allowing three months for post-production. Our primary target is the Berlin Film Festival next year, and if that's not possible, then Cannes in May."

"Neither Berlin nor Cannes."

Chen Yan interrupted her.

Su Wan was stunned for a moment.

Which one should we choose?

Venice.

Chen Yan tapped his fingers on the table. "Late August. That's the most time we have. Besides, Marco Müller, the president of the Venice Film Festival, has a very strong preference for Chinese-language films. This is the best place for us to win the Golden Lion."

The atmosphere in the meeting room became lively.

If Chen Yan wins the Venice Golden Lion, he will become the youngest director in Chinese film history to win awards at both of the three major European film festivals.

"Meeting adjourned. All departments shall proceed according to plan."

Chen Yan stood up.

Everyone left the meeting room one after another.

Su Wan stayed behind and organized the documents on the table.

Chen Yan walked to her side and looked at the dark circles under her eyes.

During this period of acquiring cinema chains in the south, she hardly slept a good night's sleep.

"I'm giving you half a day off this afternoon. Go take a nap."

Chen Yan's voice softened a bit.

Su Wan raised her head and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

"I'm not tired. The cinema chains have just finished consolidation, and there are still many follow-up financial issues to deal with. The five major cinema chains are still making underhanded moves, so I have to keep an eye on them."

Chen Yan did not try to persuade him further.

He knew Su Wan's personality; once she set her sights on a goal, she would work harder than anyone else.

"I'll cancel my social engagement tonight. I'll take you to that hot pot place in Dongzhimen. It used to be your favorite."

Chen Yan said.

Su Wan paused for a moment, a glint of light flashing in her eyes.

She nodded.

"Okay. I'll be done by 6 PM."

Just then, the encrypted satellite phone on Chen Yan's desk rang.

Only a very few people know this phone number.

Chen Yan walked over and answered the phone.

"Chen Yan, it's me. Pierre."

The president of Gaumont Cinemas in France spoke urgently on the other end of the phone, with airport announcements mixed in the background.

Chen Yan's eyes sharpened.

"What happened?"

Harvey hasn't given up.

Pierre's voice was weary and anxious. "He stumbled in Cannes and was warned by Miramax's board of directors. To save face, he mobilized the resources of the six major Hollywood studios and formed a multinational counterattack alliance."

Chen Yan took the phone and walked to the floor-to-ceiling window.

"What does he want to do?"

"He found out about your next film plans. He knows you're aiming for Venice."

Pierre swallowed hard. "Harvey has bought the rights to the famous American crime novel 'The Abyss,' hired Martin Scorsese as producer, and cast A-list Hollywood stars. The investment is a whopping $100 million. He has already submitted the script outline to the Venice Film Festival organizing committee, clearly stating that this film will compete in the main competition at Venice next year."

There was a pause on the other end of the phone.

"Chen Yan, Harvey is issuing a challenge. He wants to crush you head-on on the red carpet in Venice with absolute capital and industrial power. We've received word from the organizing committee that Harvey has started using screening resources in the North American market to pressure the European selection committee. If your 'Thunder' goes to Venice, it's very likely he'll eliminate it during the preliminary selection stage."

Chen Yan listened to the busy tone on the phone and looked out the window at the clear blue sky of Beijing.

An investment of one hundred million US dollars.

Hollywood's top production team.

This is a dimensional reduction attack.

Su Wan walked behind Chen Yan and overheard the contents of the phone call.

Her expression turned serious.

"Director Chen, should we avoid Venice? Let's go to Berlin instead, or Cannes the year after next. There's no need to go head-to-head with Harvey when he's fully prepared."

Chen Yan turned around and looked at Su Wan.

His gaze was calm, without the slightest hint of retreat.

"Avoid it? If we back down, Yanying's newly established independent distribution network in Europe will collapse. Those French distributors who joined us in resisting Hollywood's hegemony will immediately turn against us."

Chen Yan picked up the script of "Thunder" from the table.

"A $100 million investment can't buy insight into human nature. Hollywood's assembly line can't produce truly heart-wrenching scenes."

Chen Yan handed the script to Su Wan, "Notify the screenwriting team that the script needs further revisions. I want to push the boundaries to the extreme. I want the Venice jury to feel pain even when they're breathing after watching this film."

He walked to the door and grasped the doorknob.

"Harvey wanted to ambush me in Venice."

Chen Yan pushed open the door. "Then I'll dig a grave for him in Shuicheng."