I’m a Director, I’m Not Bad

Chapter 705 702. Midnight in Paris

Wang Sicong simply fell asleep.

I don't even know when I fell asleep.

After Di Wei finished shaving, Xu Xin "tested the results."

The two of them looked at the dense red dots on his back, and Xu Xin said:

“It looks like it’s working out pretty well.”

"Um."

Si Wei is obviously very satisfied with her masterpiece.

As for whether it will take effect, that will have to happen tomorrow morning.

Xu Xin helped him bring the pillow to his head, and Apple also found a sweater, covered Wang Sicong's back, and finally folded the quilt over him.

This counts as living together.

Everyone retreated together.

Xu Xin yawned lazily:

"Good night, go to bed early."

After saying that, he went back to the room directly.

He was indeed so sleepy that he didn't even bother to wash his face. Taking advantage of this sleepiness, he threw himself on the bed and closed his eyes.

…

As soon as I woke up, the 64th Cannes Film Festival began. (Note 1)

Including the Palais du Cinema, all cinemas in Cannes are open, and a total of 49 works are shown in rotation, bringing a gluttonous feast to the screen to the visitors who come to Cannes.

9:30 am.

Xu Xin, who was not too tired from jet lag, saw Wang Sicong downstairs wearing beach shorts, a white shirt and big sunglasses.

"Are you awake? How do you feel?"

As he spoke, he looked at his friend's chin.

Not to mention...

Gua Sha is indeed a magical tool for reducing inflammation.

His fire boils have begun to show white tips, and the area of ​​inflammation is much smaller than yesterday.

Obviously, when the white tip appears, the fire is gone.

"I didn't even know when you left last night."

Wang Sicong sighed to Xu Xin while eating toast:

"But it was so comfortable to sleep this time... Do you want to eat? Can I order one for you?"

"good."

Soon, a cup of coffee and a French breakfast of toast, scrambled eggs, and fish stew came to me.

While the two were eating, they saw Tang Yan, who had applied very delicate makeup, come to the restaurant.

Xu Xin raised his hand, and Tang Yan quickly walked over.

"Director Xu, Brother Cong, morning."

"Morning. Have you had breakfast?"

After Xu Xin asked, Wang Sicong also asked:

"Where's Seventh Brother?"

"Brother Seven has left. She has an interview this morning. She went to record the interview at early 8 o'clock in the morning."

With that said, Tang Yan turned to look at Xu Xin:

"Director Xu, I also have a magazine interview at noon. Regarding the movie...is there anything I need to pay attention to?"

"No, just don't spoil the plot."

"I see."

Tang Yan responded.

Wang Sicong, who had already finished eating and was drinking coffee, asked:

"What are you going to do later?"

“Attend a charity luncheon and donate money to children in Africa.”

"...Is this the beginning?"

"That's right."

Xu Xin shrugged helplessly:

"Charitable, caring, dedicated to public welfare, and safeguarding the rights and interests of filmmakers... I will slowly start to get involved in these superficial tasks and start to gain international influence. Today, I conservatively estimate that I will not be able to make out more than 100,000 or 200,000 euros." Come."

What he mentioned were all activities that he would participate in after discussing with the factory.

The entire Cannes Film Festival is a gluttonous feast for movie fans, but for these directors, investors, distribution companies, etc., it is like a big social dance.

No one called him out in Venice, that's because he wasn't qualified enough.

But since he won the best director, it means that he has the qualifications to be recognized internationally, and he must start to develop connections and influence.

Even if he feels that these influences are useless.

But it cannot be without it.

Because you don’t have it, others have it. Then when everyone talks about your work, you will be at a disadvantage.

What's more, the factory also needs a brand new business card.

In the eyes of foreigners, it is the new business card of "Chinese film directors".

As for how this business card can have prestige, popularity, and even the status of people like Wu Yusen and Li Yu... then it needs to be accumulated from scratch.

Therefore, no matter what works he brings to future film festivals, his private schedule will only get busier and busier.

When his status is high enough, he himself is a benign industrial chain.

and……

These are the rules of the game in the Western world.

Chinese-language films need to return to the international stage, and the current international stage is governed by Western rules.

Have to.

Even if he didn't care in his heart, it was only internally, and Xu Xin didn't care. Externally, he has the obligation and must, like other outstanding directors, use the rules they set to shoulder the important task of promoting Chinese films.

Go dancing in chains.

Even more awesome dancing.

Wang Sicong obviously understood this. After nodding slightly, he looked at Tang Yan:

"Sister Tang, will you be free to watch the opening movie later?"

"No, I will meet Sister Ji after breakfast. She is here with a photographer and wants to take a few sets of photos to send to the country."

After saying that, Tang Yan tentatively asked Xu Xin:

"Director Xu, Sister Ji would like to invite you to dinner..."

"We are all one family, why are you so polite? As long as I am here, you can come to me at any time."

After taking the reassurance, Tang Yan's smile became brighter.

Xu Xin then asked Wang Sicong:

"Are you going to see "Midnight in Paris" soon?"

"Yeah, I'm different from you. You are all busy people, I'm just here to have fun. So..."

Drink the coffee in one gulp:

"See you later."

He took out a few 20-euro bills from his wallet and put them on the table.

This meal is his treat.

…

Unlike Xu Xin, Wang Sicong does not need a translator here.

Although he is not proficient in French, he has no problem expressing simple meanings and understanding them. What's more, there are many people in Cannes who speak English.

He doesn't even need a driver.

Because he has an international driver's license, the kind that is common to both England and France.

This is the benefit of studying abroad.

What's more... he has many classmates.

The University of London is a world-renowned institution, not to mention academic aspects, and the club culture on campus is also extremely strong.

He is a member of the UCLES (Entrepreneurs society) club. It is a platform within the University of London that has relatively clear business attributes, but the entry threshold is relatively high and requires a certain amount of "capital" to join.

The members of this Entrepreneur Association cannot be said to be all over the world, but at least each one represents a generous asset.

Even after he graduated, he was still a member of the club.

There are so many benefits to this club that I can’t even describe them all in a short while.

But one of the conveniences is that when he goes to an unfamiliar place, as long as there are members of the club, he will be given a lot of support.

For example, before going abroad, he sent a message to the club's website saying that he was coming to Cannes. On the same day, someone invited him to visit Monaco.

After all, Cannes and Monaco are only about 50 kilometers apart.

For another example, a senior who had been drinking together asked about his itinerary after hearing that he had arrived in Cannes. He just arrived yesterday, that is, before meeting Xu Xin, he just got the car key of an Aston Martin Vantage from the other party's assistant.

The senior was afraid that he would have no need for a car, so he had it delivered specially and invited him to his manor as a guest.

The classmate with whom he had a good relationship was even more extreme.

After hearing that he wanted to come from his winery, he decided to come to Cannes to pick him up.

But he refused for the time being.

It was his first time at a film festival and he could walk on the red carpet... He wanted to join in the fun.

There is a saying that is actually quite right.

Only when you go abroad can you know what kind of life the rich people live.

But all this does not matter to Wang Sicong.

He wants to watch a movie.

After coming out of the hotel, he walked all the way west.

The Cinema Palace is quite close, about one kilometer away.

Just in time to enjoy the bright sunshine on the last day of April.

He didn't even bring Guo Ping with him.

There are many tourists along the way. Obviously, as one of the three largest film festivals in the world, the annual Cannes Film Festival is a good place to increase tourism GDP.

He even saw some Asian faces.

But the other party didn't recognize him either.

After all, the sunglasses on his face are quite bluffing.

All the way to the movie palace, he also finished the ice cream in his hand.

But looking at the queues at the Movie Palace, he was speechless.

Glancing at the poster of "Midnight in Paris" right above the gate of the Cinema Palace, he thought to himself that these people were all here for the opening movie, right?

Pooh!

You people who love to join in the fun!

After he severely spurned these people in his heart...

Then he became one of them.

Joined the queue.

Well, that’s just the way it is with people.

Resist the excitement, understand the excitement, and become the excitement.

While waiting in line, he also saw those guidance signs.

I think Woody Allen still has a big reputation. As the opening film, the Cinema Palace will show it together in four cinema halls at the beginning.

Although the time is different, the difference is only about fifteen minutes.

In this way, there are exactly four movie halls, which is a one-hour loop. As an opening film, it is considered to be full of sincerity.

What story is this telling...

He was a little curious.

While standing in the crowd, I occasionally took a few photos and sent them to the WeChat group.

At this time, Jay Chou chatted with him privately:

"What movie are you going to see?"

"Opening film Midnight in Paris."

"Doesn't it look good?"

"I haven't watched it yet, what? Do you like Woody Allen?"

"It's okay. I'm just bored. No one in the group is paying attention to you, so I want to chat with you."

"..."

"Haha, I'm going to have tea. Remember to tell me if it looks good after watching it. I looked at the poster and saw that Owen Wilson seemed to be walking under Van Gogh's "Starry Night". It felt very interesting."

Seeing this, Wang Sicong couldn't help but feel happy and replied:

"I know you like Van Gogh. It's okay. Don't worry. My buddy will help you buy "Starry Night" from the Louvre."

"Wow! Thank you! But I'm afraid you can't afford it."

"As long as they're willing to pay/smirk"

"Haha, so cool."

The two were chatting when suddenly, Wang Sicong's ears twitched.

"Let me go, why is the line so long? Dafa, can we still buy tickets?"

? ?

The voice sounded familiar to him and he turned around to look...

Dai Wei and Xu Dafa, who were wearing peaked caps, were "looking at the ocean and sighing" at the edge of the team.

"...Seventh brother?"

he shouted.

Di Wei was stunned for a moment, and then her eyes instantly locked on him in the crowd.

"Brother Cong?"

She came over quickly:

"Why are you here? Where is Director Xu and the others?"

"They all have something to do...are you done?"

While talking, Wang Sicong glanced at her makeup today.

I have to admit, Brother Qi’s makeup today is... quite beautiful.

"I'm done, just an interview, but I still have to take photos in the afternoon. Isn't it noon? I thought I'd come and visit...Brother Cong, is this the team from the opening film?"

"right."

Wang Sicong nodded and pointed to the poster above the Movie Palace:

“Woody Allen’s Midnight in Paris.”

As he spoke, he pointed to the shade of the trees next to the Cinema Palace.

"You two go over there and wait for me. I bought a ticket and we can watch it together."

"Uh... why don't you let Fafa come? This is so weird..."

Di Wei glanced at the shade of the trees over there.

There are actually many people enjoying the shade under the trees.

But they are all women.

Obviously, it is better for gentlemen to do the work of queuing up in broad daylight.

"It's okay, you two go ahead."

Wang Sicong waved his hand indifferently.

Then Di Wei looked at Wang Sicong's chin and said with a smile:

"Is that good?"

"Absolutely. Seventh Brother takes action. What else is wrong?"

Wang Sicong shrugged and continued to walk forward with the team.

Ticket sales have already started.

Seeing this, Di Wei stopped writing:

"Then we'll wait for you."

"Um."

Wang Sicong nodded, and after the two left, he continued to line up with the team.

After a while, he arrived at the ticket window. He was an actor in "33 Days" and had a certificate issued by Cannes. With this certificate, he could enjoy the crew ticket quota.

After easily getting 3 tickets, I checked the opening time of the movie.

second round.

10:15.

So, he waved directly to Di Wei.

The three of them walked into the movie palace together.

As soon as they entered the door, the three of them saw the announcement poster for "Midnight in Paris".

After taking a look at it, Si Wei said:

"This poster looks so familiar...is it...who is it?"

""Starry Night" - Van Gogh."

Wang Sicong gave the answer.

"Yes, yes... I said it looks familiar no matter how you look at it. Brother Cong, you are so awesome~"

Hearing Brother Qi's praise, Wang Sicong chuckled, and after reading the guidance sign, he led the two of them to Hall 2 in front.

What she saw along the way was actually quite new to Di Wei.

Including the hanging posters of the best films in Cannes and so on.

Soon, after the three people entered Hall No. 2, Wang Sicong found their seats.

Unfortunately the location is not great.

Fortunately it was in the corner, directly above the passage, with no obstruction in front.

The three of them took their seats.

Wang Sicong sat at the edge. Si Wei sat next to him, and on the far right was Xu Dafa.

While waiting for the movie to start, Si Wei looked at the foreign faces and suddenly turned to Wang Sicong and said:

"Brother Cong, if I don't understand it later, please remember to tell me the general plot."

Wang Sicong was stunned...

Then he understood what Di Wei meant and nodded:

"good."

After saying that, he rubbed his nose and asked:

"What perfume are you wearing today?"

"Hey, does it smell good?"

Di Wei didn't say what model it was, but she was just a little proud.

Wang Sicong glanced at her proud smile, nodded slightly, and then... the lights dimmed.

The movie is ready to start.

But he was a little nervous for no reason.

Don't know why.

At this time, the movie started, with a burst of music that sounded like the 1920s and 1930s, and freeze-frame scenes began to appear.

The opening scene of "Midnight in Paris" is a fixed frame, shot in various shooting locations in the city of Paris.

Wang Sicong could vaguely recognize a few, but he seemed to not remember whether he had been to many more.

Just then, he smelled a scent again.

And the words in my ears:

"Brother Cong, are these pictures Paris?"

"Um."

Wang Sicong nodded.

The heartbeat speeds up involuntarily.

"Have you been to all of these places?"

"I seem to have been to several places..."

As he spoke, he pointed at the screen:

"The Alexander III Bridge...the Seine River...cafés...cafés are very common, they are everywhere in Paris..."

The two of them talked in whispers, so they wouldn't affect others.

While he was speaking, Di Wei was nodding her head.

It seems to be amazing.

A strand of short hair fell down and brushed the tip of Wang Sicong's nose.

After he explained several scenic spots, he received an astonishing compliment from Di Wei:

"Paris looks so beautiful...Brother Cong, you are so awesome."

Wang Sicong did not continue.

The movie just went on with the music for more than three minutes, and finally the voice sounded.

Owen Wilson, a Hollywood movie star who had collaborated with Cheng Long in "Shanghai Noon", was walking with his wife in front of a pond and started a conversation.

Di Wei couldn't understand it at all.

Her English is almost as good as the physical education teacher.

Just when he was about to ask what the two people were talking about, he turned his head and heard Wang Sicong mutter:

"Monet's "Water Lilies"..."

Si Wei was stunned.

Who is Monet?

It sounds so familiar.

"Water Lilies"... I think I heard it there too.

With the help of the movie's light, she turned her head and glanced at Wang Sicong.

I found that the other party was watching the movie intently...

She finally chose to shut up.

Let’s just watch it for now, and then ask Brother Cong what this movie is about.

While others are watching a movie, I keep asking...it's quite annoying.

but……

Although she didn’t know how many times she had praised her in her heart, she still wanted to say:

"Brother Cong is really outstanding."

Know so many things...

awesome.

…

The story told in "Midnight in Paris" can be summed up very simply.

It is the story of a screenwriter who wanted to write a novel in Paris, but ended up "traveling" to the 1920s, meeting Hemingway, Dali, Picasso and others, and finally staying in Paris completely.

Of course, this is just a simple summary.

In fact, after watching the movie, even Wang Sicong had to admit...

This movie is quite good.

great.

At the end of the movie, he joined the crowd in applauding Woody Allen's work, and when he was about to recall some of his favorite plots in the movie, Si Wei, who had been waiting for more than an hour, finally couldn't help it anymore:

"Brother Cong, what is this movie about?... I was a little confused when I saw it. The hero has traveled through time, right? To... the last century? And then? What else is it about?"

"Well……"

Wang Sicong opened his mouth, then suddenly lowered his head and looked at the time again.

He asked with a smile:

"Brother Qi, are you hungry?"

Di Wei was stunned for a moment, then looked at the time on her phone, and after a bit of confusion, she calculated the time difference and showed a pitiful look:

"hungry!"

"Let's go, let's find a place to eat, and I'll tell you slowly. This movie... is quite difficult to understand."

When the movie ended, he stood up.

"Um...okay."

Xu Dafa took the lead and walked forward.

After walking a few steps, she turned around and said:

"Sister, be careful."

There are many people and shadows at this time, so the steps of the theater are blurred.

Di Wei responded without paying much attention.

Instead, he asked as he walked:

"What story does it tell specifically?"

Wang Sicong followed her down step by step and said:

"Have you ever heard of Hemingway?"

"I know, "The Old Man and the Sea"."

"Well, where's Dally?"

"Who...ah!"

"careful."

Di Wei, who was not concentrating on walking with her head down, tilted her body and threw herself forward.

But Wang Sicong immediately pulled his arm.

"Sister, are you okay?"

Xu Dafa quickly turned around to help her.

But Di Wei ignored it and subconsciously said:

"Uh...huh...scared me."

Wang Sicong said to himself, "You still scared me."

But he didn't let go.

What he just grabbed was Di Wei's elbow, and now he simply continued to pull her:

"Let's go out and talk."

"Um."

This time, Di Wei did not refuse.

Just said:

"You should also be careful."

"good."

Seeing this, Xu Dafa had no choice but to turn around and continue walking forward with the two people behind him.

When we arrived at the exit, there was only a gentle slope on the ground.

Wang Sicong naturally let go of her elbow.

At this time, Di Wei suddenly slowed down and walked side by side with him:

"Brother Cong, who were you talking about just now? What...what?"

"Dali."

"Who?"

"Spanish surrealist painter, a master painter. Just the guy with the weird beard in the movie."

"The one in the black suit?"

"right."

"Oh~~~"

Di Wei looked suddenly enlightened.

Then……

Unconsciously, he said to Wang Sicong:

"Brother Cong."

"Um?"

"You know so much. When I'm with you, I feel like a little fool."

After saying that, she seemed to find her words very interesting, and a smile appeared on her face:

"Hehe~"

"..."

Wang Sicong saw it.

But the next moment he subconsciously looked away.