mijobooks Chapter 17 Venice
Chapter 17 Venice
As Lin Ruiyang boarded the plane, he felt a sense of unreality.
Having been reborn for only half a year, I'm already taking my work to Venice.
The person sitting next to him was Fatty. Liu Yibing suggested that it would be safer to bring another person along, so he recommended Fatty.
When packing, the fat man came in carrying a large bag of snacks. He said:
"My mom insisted that I bring it, saying she was afraid I wouldn't be able to get used to the food when I went abroad."
He threw the things on the table: "These are for you."
Lin Ruiyang glanced at it; Wujiang pickled mustard tuber and instant noodles made up the majority of the food.
"Did you go there to study abroad?"
"It's better to be prepared." The fat man said earnestly.
During this period, Fatty was basically half a member of the crew. Lin Ruiyang mentioned it briefly, and Wang Hai selected him to learn production, starting from the most basic processes and coordination.
Although it was a bit hectic, I was still quite diligent.
We landed in Venice in the afternoon local time.
There was a distinct dampness in the air, and the moisture carried a slightly fishy and salty smell, completely different from Yanjing.
As you exit Marco Polo Airport, the shuttle boat moves slowly across the water, flanked by low buildings and a narrow waterway.
"Old Lin, this place looks like a painting!" The fat man stood at the bow of the boat, looking up and taking pictures.
"You've been flooded for so many years, how come the house hasn't collapsed?"
"You studied civil engineering?"
"I'm curious, but this place really is just like in the movies."
Lin Ruiyang ignored him.
The Venice Film Festival is held on Lido Island, a more modern and commercialized coastline, but still retaining a distinct old European feel.
The registration area at the film festival wasn't crowded, but it was clear that people from different countries were gathered together.
The languages are mixed, but still relatively orderly.
After confirming the invitation letter, the staff handed the documents to Lin Ruiyang.
The other person pointed to the logo on the badge, "Short Film Competition." Lin Ruiyang took it and immediately put it on; it was a special feeling.
Afterwards, he and the fat man went to check in and drop off their luggage. It was a small hotel, and with rooms in short supply during the film festival, they were already very lucky to have managed to book one.
According to the official schedule, "Condolences" will be screened in the first group of short films, third in the series, at 2 pm the day after tomorrow, followed by a 15-minute Q&A session.
So Lin Ruiyang planned to go out for a stroll early and come back to rest early.
In the evening, the two went to the main venue of the film festival.
A huge poster for "The Terminal," starring Tom Hanks and Catherine Zeta-Jones, hangs on the exterior wall of the Palace of Cinema. It was the opening film of this year's festival.
Director Steven Spielberg was also present.
Looking at the director on the poster, Lin Ruiyang's thoughts drifted to the future.
He remembers that in 2026, before his rebirth, Spielberg won the "Best Musical Film" award at the 68th Grammy Awards, officially collecting all four "EGOT" awards.
"Old Lin, what are you looking at?" The fat man's voice pulled him back to reality.
"It's nothing," Lin Ruiyang said, withdrawing his gaze.
The lights at the entrance of the cinema palace were already on, casting a yellowish glow on the stone pavement in the square.
During the film festival, Lido Island is bustling day and night, with outdoor seating areas at street-side cafes filled with industry professionals, film enthusiasts, and journalists with passes.
Various languages collided in the air, and the occasional Chinese phrase felt especially comforting.
The two walked along the coastal road, and the fat man kept taking pictures with the camera he brought from home, using up more than half a roll of film.
"Old Lin, stand there, I'll take a picture of you." The fat man pointed to a display wall covered with film festival posters.
Lin Ruiyang stood in front, without striking any pose.
As the flash went off, the fat man looked down at the screen and said, "It's alright, but his expression is too serious."
After turning the corner, the display board for the short film section stands on one side of the passage.
Lin Ruiyang suddenly stopped in his tracks. A tall, thin man was standing in front of the display board, and the light made his shadow very long.
"Senior brother." Based on his memories from his previous life, he quickly recognized the person in front of him as Section Chief Jia.
Jia Zhangke turned around and saw Lin Ruiyang and Li Ming.
"You two are the junior brothers that Teacher Liu mentioned, right?"
"Yes, we thought you hadn't arrived yet, and we were going to contact you later when we got back."
"I just arrived not long ago, and after checking in, I thought I'd come out and take a look around."
Jia Zhangke pointed to the poster: "I just happened to pass by and saw the display board. When is the film scheduled to be shown?"
"2 PM the day after tomorrow."
"Okay, I'll come and come the day after tomorrow."
"Han Jie is also here. He used to be my assistant director. He was shortlisted for the Critics' Week section this time, so I brought him along."
Lin Ruiyang said okay, and then asked which day "The World" would be published on.
"On the evening of the 3rd, at the Palagallileo Theater, a media screening."
At this point, Jia Zhangke took out cigarettes to offer to the two men, but unfortunately, neither Lin Ruiyang nor the fat man smoked.
He lit a cigarette, took a drag, and said, "This film's transition from underground to mainstream was a turning point for me..."
After chatting for a while, he flicked away the cigarette ash.
"You're better than I was back then. I was still writing novels when I was a sophomore in college, and you were already in Venice."
"Just lucky."
"Luck favors the prepared. Of course, this is something Teacher Tian Zhuangzhuang told me."
"You know what? When Professor Liu told me about you, he sounded even more proud than when he was praising his own graduate students."
He said you published a screenplay in a core journal during your freshman year, won the Golden Word Award, and now you've had a short film shortlisted for Venice. I heard you also have a feature film in the pipeline?
"Yes, the preliminary preparations are almost complete. We'll start the machine as soon as we get back."
"After filming, they told me to go back to school for a visit. It's been a long time since I've been back."
After saying that, Jia Zhangke stubbed out his cigarette and prepared to turn and leave, but then paused.
"Remember, the film festival is a social event. Take advantage of the breaks between screenings these next couple of days to watch other films, and I'll let you know the screening times for other Chinese directors later, then we can go together."
"Thank you for your help, senior brother."
Jia Zhangke waved his hand and turned to leave in another direction.
Back at the hotel, the fat man put his camera on the table, collapsed onto the bed, and rolled over.
Lin Ruiyang opened his notebook and made a brief note of the information he saw on the display boards today, arranging them in chronological order.
You have to mark the movies you want to watch in advance, otherwise you won't be able to watch them if there are scheduling conflicts.
Tomorrow is the opening ceremony of the film festival, and "The Terminal" will be screened at 7:30 pm.
The faint sound of water from the canal outside the window mingled with the intermittent accordion music from the corner café in the distance.
Filled with anticipation and beautiful fantasies, Lin Ruiyang gradually fell asleep to the sound of the fat man's snoring.
The next day, July 1th.
Domestic reports about Venice began appearing online yesterday.
Sohu Entertainment launched a special page titled "The 61st Venice Film Festival Opens This Morning," and other platforms followed suit.
Without exception, the focus was on the upcoming opening ceremony film and predictions for the films in the main competition.
The short film section no longer attracts much attention from domestic media, since it has already been hyped up once before.
In the morning, he and Fatty went to the main venue to pick up the media brochure. The screening of "Condolences" was in a small hall on the side of the cinema, with less than two hundred seats.
The two of them spent the day wandering around aimlessly.
By evening, the red carpet area in front of the cinema had already been crowded with people.
When Spielberg and Tom Hanks appeared, the flashes went off one after another, and the shutter sounds were as dense as a downpour.
Lin Ruiyang and Fatty stood on the outskirts of the media area, glancing at the scene from a distance through the crowd. Fatty then symbolically took a few pictures with his camera.
This film was released in North America in June, and its appearance in Venice is also a way to promote its release in international markets such as the UK and France.
The film won't be released in China until January next year, and the fat guy, unwilling to squeeze into the crowds, chose to give up the chance to see it early.