novelnext Chapter 168 Red Carpet Premiere Receives Rave Reviews
Chapter 168 Red Carpet Premiere Receives Rave Reviews
Chapter 168 Red Carpet Premiere Receives Rave Reviews
The car drove along the coastal highway toward the main island of Venice, and along the way the setting sun dyed the Adriatic Sea into a shimmering gold.
Liu Yifei leaned against the car window, watching the scenery flash by, and suddenly laughed: "Do you think it would have taken several days to travel by boat to Venice hundreds of years ago?"
"We also have to worry about pirates," Jiang Yu added seriously. "So this trip is quite luxurious. We'll arrive in eleven hours, and there are even flight attendants serving us tea and water."
"Yeah, that's true." Liu Yifei yawned. "Jet lag is still really bad—right now my body is telling me I should sleep, but the sun is still up in the sky."
"The first secret to adjusting to the time difference: force yourself to stay awake until 10 p.m. local time." Jiang Yu took out a box of mints from his bag and handed it to her. "Have some to perk you up."
The car quickly arrived at the pier, where we transferred to a private water taxi provided by the hotel.
The speedboat cut a white trail through the canal, with colorful old buildings lining both banks. Sheets drying on balconies fluttered in the wind, and occasionally you could see locals smoking by the window or tourists sitting in open-air cafes drinking.
"Every time I come here, it feels like a magic." Liu Yifei took off her glasses and let the wind blow on her face. "A city built on water, it's amazing that it has existed for so many years."
"It's just humanity's obsession with beauty," Jiang Yu said, naturally reaching out to tuck her wind-blown hair behind her ear.
This action was seen by Wang Wei, the assistant sitting in the back row. The young girl quickly looked down and pretended to look at her phone, but couldn't help but smile. Wow, the boss and his wife are so sweet!
The hotel is located on the banks of the Grand Canal and is a converted 16th-century palace.
The exterior retains classic arches and carvings, while the interior boasts a modern, luxurious style.
In the lobby, several men in suits were already waiting in the sofa area.
"Mr. Jiang! Ms. Liu! Welcome to Venice." The middle-aged white man at the head of the group greeted them warmly. He was George Miller, the producer at Fox Searchlight Pictures, who was in charge of the Black Swan project.
Standing next to him was Darren Aronofsky. "Jiang, we meet again; Liu, it's finally time to see you. Those audition videos didn't capture even a tenth of your charisma."
Liu Yifei smiled politely: "Director, you flatter me. It's an honor to be a part of your work."
"No, no, no, it's my honor." Darren said seriously, "Lin Xin is a very difficult character to play. She needs to have the elegance of a ballerina, but also the vulnerability of someone who is driven to madness; that's what I thought when I read Jiang's script."
After exchanging pleasantries, the room keys were distributed: "Boss, your room and the boss's room are on the sixth floor, a canal-view suite. The other colleagues' rooms are on the fifth floor. Everyone, please rest first, and we'll meet at the restaurant on the third floor at 7:30 for lunch."
Inside the elevator, Liu Yifei leaned against the wall, her eyes barely open: "All I want to do right now is sleep—"
"Just bear with it, I can go to sleep after dinner." Jiang Yu pressed the button for the sixth floor. "And guess what? I had the hotel prepare lavender essential oil and sleep-aid spray in every room, a lifesaver for jet lag."
Liu Yifei's eyes lit up: "President Jiang is so thoughtful."
"That's right, after all, I have to take care of my artist," Jiang Yu raised an eyebrow, "and his girlfriend."
The suites on the sixth floor truly deserve the word "luxury".
The room features a high ceiling, Venetian crystal chandeliers, vintage landscape paintings on the walls, and furniture made entirely of dark solid wood with velvet upholstery.
The best part is the small balcony, which faces the Grand Canal. There's a small round table and two rattan chairs there, and the setting sun makes the entire canal look like it's covered in gold leaf.
Liu Yifei pushed open the balcony door and took a deep breath: "If only I didn't have a job, I could stay here for a month."
"Want to stay a couple more days after the film festival?" Jiang Yu wrapped his arms around her waist from behind. "I've looked it up. The best squid ink pasta restaurant in Venice, and that legendary ice cream shop with a two-hour wait."
"You said it, you can't go back on your word."
"When have I ever lied to you?"
After a quick wash and changing into comfortable clothes, the two went downstairs for dinner.
The restaurant is semi-open, with a full-length window on one side offering views of the canal at night.
The lights shattered into starlight on the water's surface, and occasionally a gondola would glide by, its lantern swaying gently at the bow.
Dinner was authentic Italian cuisine.
The appetizer was Venetian-style squid ink pasta, a dark dish that looked a bit like a culinary disaster, but the taste was so fresh it made your eyebrows dance.
Liu Yifei ate almost half a plate and couldn't stop: "This is delicious!"
"Eat slowly, there's still the main course." Jiang Yu smiled and wiped the squid ink from the corner of her mouth, the action as natural as if he had done it countless times.
The main course is pan-fried veal with truffle sauce, which is very fragrant.
Just as everyone was finishing their meal, Wang Wei walked over quickly with her vibrating phone and whispered, "President Jiang, it's Director Li An on the phone."
Jiang Yu raised an eyebrow, took the phone, and stood up: "Excuse me, I need to take this call."
He walked onto the terrace outside the restaurant. The September night in Venice was slightly cool, but very comfortable: "Good evening, Director Li."
"Mr. Jiang, I hope I didn't disturb your meal?" Li An's voice was gentle and clear. "I'm just making a call to welcome you to Venice. I've seen clips of Yi Fei's film; it's excellent. She has the talent."
"Thank you, Director Li. I look forward to your guidance this time."
"I wouldn't call it guidance; the judging was fair," Li An said with a smile. "But honestly, I'm very pleased to see young Chinese actors have a place in the main competition at Venice. In recent years, the voice of Chinese-language films has become increasingly faint in the three major European cinemas. This time, you've paved the way for those who come after you."
"It's all thanks to director Darren and the whole team; Yifei just did her part well."
"They're all important." Li An paused. "I can't meet with you all alone these next few days; I need to avoid suspicion. I'll bring the jury members to the premiere, and we'll get together afterward. There's a nice Chinese restaurant in Venice; the owner is an old friend of mine, and I'll treat you then."
"Thank you in advance, Director Li."
After hanging up the phone, Jiang Yu returned to the restaurant.
Liu Yifei looked at him questioningly, and Jiang Yu nodded slightly, whispering a few words in her ear.
Liu Yifei's eyes lit up, but she quickly regained her composure; in this kind of situation, managing one's facial expressions is a basic skill.
After dinner, everyone was exhausted and went back to their rooms.
Jiang Yu was indeed sleepy; jet lag felt like a heavy punch to his temples.
He even postponed David's request to report on his work: "I'll talk about it tomorrow. My brain has already shut down."
During the few hours they were asleep, the domestic internet was in an uproar.
At 3 a.m. Beijing time, night owls are at their most active.
On Weibo, the hashtag #LiuYifeiArrivesInVenice# shot to the top of the trending topics list at lightning speed.
The airport photos and short videos prepared in advance by the team were widely circulated, showing Liu Yifei wearing glasses without makeup, Jiang Yu discreetly protecting her, and the moment when the two looked at each other at the airport.
The comment section exploded: "I'm so envious of Yifei's bare face! Her skin is glowing!"
"That's definitely President Jiang next to me! Even though he's completely covered up, I'd recognize him even if he were ashes!"
"I heard 'Black Swan' made it into the main competition this year? The only promising Chinese-language film of the year!"
"Light Chaser Pictures is awesome! Boss Jiang is awesome! This is true pampering of a girlfriend!"
"Can someone explain what 'Black Swan' is like? I only know it's a psychological thriller."
"Here's some background information: Director Darren Aronofsky previously directed 'Requiem for a Dream' and is known for his expertise in psychological themes."
Liu Yifei plays a ballet dancer who has to switch between the white swan and the black swan, a performance reportedly extremely difficult.
"Ballet? Yifei can dance ballet?"
"Upstairs, Yifei has been good at dance since elementary school, right? I heard she trained for another six months for this role."
"Looking forward to it! When will it be available in China?"
The Weibo operations team worked overtime overnight, not only monitoring the topic's popularity in real time, but also quickly compiling a special page: a review of director Darren's resume, a historical overview of the Venice Film Festival's main competition section, and even an article titled "Liu Yifei's Dance Journey".
The post was long and included many photos of her practicing martial arts as a child.
By 7 a.m. Venice time, the buzz surrounding Liu Yifei in China had reached phenomenal levels.
Liu Yifei didn't wake up from her deep sleep until 11 a.m. on the second day in Venice.
Sunlight streamed through the gaps in the heavy curtains, cutting a ray of light across the floor.
She lay in bed in a daze for a while, and it took her a full minute to remember: I'm in Venice, and I'm walking the red carpet this afternoon.
My phone kept vibrating on the bedside table.
When I looked at it, I saw 99+ unread text messages, a bunch of Weibo push notifications, and several missed calls.
She called back, and the call was answered instantly: "My dear lady, you're finally awake! Get up quickly, Ken and Lisa are already here and waiting in the living room. Lunch will be served right away, have a quick bite and then we'll start preparing."
"Okay—" Liu Yifei's voice was still hoarse from just waking up. "What time is it?"
"Eleven o'clock! The red carpet starts at five, so we have to leave at three. You have four hours, three and a half of which are for makeup and styling." Sister Li spoke rapidly, "Get up, get up!"
After hanging up the phone, Liu Yifei struggled to sit up.
I haven't fully adjusted to the time difference yet, and my head is a little dizzy.
She went to the balcony, pushed open the glass door, and saw that the September sun in Venice was warm but not scorching, and there were already tour boats coming and going on the canals.
A knock came at the door; it was Jiang Yu's voice: "Are you awake?"
"woke up----"
Jiang Yu pushed the door open and came in. He was already dressed neatly, wearing a white shirt and khaki pants, and his hair was slightly damp, obviously having just taken a shower.
Holding a tray with a glass of orange juice and two slices of toast, she said, "Have something to eat first. Lunch will have to wait a while."
Liu Yifei took the orange juice and sipped it, saying, "Why are you up so early?"
"I'm jet-lagged easily, I woke up naturally after sleeping for six hours." Jiang Yu sat down beside her bed and gently tidied her messy hair. "I just saw the news in China, your Weibo topic has surpassed ten million views."
"How much?" Liu Yifei almost choked.
"Three thousand." Jiang Yu smiled and handed her a tissue. "It's still going up. Right now, all the domestic media are reporting on your arrival in Venice."
"The pressure is even greater now—" Liu Yifei sighed, "If I don't perform well on the red carpet, or if the movie doesn't do well, I'll be criticized so harshly."
"No, it won't happen." Jiang Yu held her hand, his tone firm. "Trust yourself, and trust me; my judgment of people has never been wrong."
These words sounded a bit arrogant, but Liu Yifei felt inexplicably reassured after hearing them.
She smiled and began to eat her toast.
Lunch was delivered to the room at 1 p.m.
Liu Yifei only ate a small portion of the simple Italian sandwich and salad before Ah Ken urged her to take a shower and get ready.
At 1:30, the makeup and styling officially began.
The suite's living room has been converted into a temporary workspace.
The light blue strapless dress hung on the mobile clothes rack, breathtakingly beautiful in the natural light; the table next to it was covered with cosmetics, brushes, and accessories; and five pairs of high heels, from silver straps to black laces, were lined up on the floor.
"Today we're going for a cool and mysterious look," makeup artist Lisa explained while applying skincare products to Liu Yifei. "To match the theme of 'Black Swan,' the eye makeup will be a bit heavier, using a gradient of dark blue and gray, and the lip color will be a dusty rose, which will be both elegant and not overpowering."
"I'll do as you say." Liu Yifei closed her eyes and let Lisa work on her face.
Ken, standing nearby, examined the skirt: "The embroidery is amazing. From a distance, it looks like a solid color, but you can only discover these subtle patterns when you look closely."
"Ms. Liu, when you walk down the red carpet later, these silver threads will reflect the light when the flashbulbs go off; the effect will be absolutely stunning."
An hour later, the makeup was complete. Liu Yifei opened her eyes and looked at herself in the mirror—her eyebrows were meticulously shaped, her eye makeup was deep but not exaggerated, her cheeks were lightly blushed, and her lips were a gentle color. Overall, she had that sophisticated look of "I'm wearing makeup but it looks like I'm not."
"Perfect." Lisa stepped back to admire her work. "Now change your clothes."
Changing clothes is a big undertaking.
Three people helped: one lifted the skirt, one adjusted the position of the strapless top, and one tied the straps at the back.
The light blue silk felt cool and smooth against the skin, and the dress hugged the body's curves perfectly, like a second skin.
After finally tying the bow on her back, Liu Yifei walked out from behind the dressing curtain, and the living room was quiet for a moment.
Jiang Yu came in again at some point, leaning against the door frame. The sunlight fell on her, and his eyes showed undisguised amazement.
That dress truly came to life on her.
The light blue color made her skin look as white as porcelain, and the strapless design perfectly showcased her collarbone and shoulder lines. The high waistline made her legs look incredibly long.
The skirt draped naturally, spreading out a blue ripple on the floor.
"How is it?" Liu Yifei asked nervously, turning around in a circle.
"So beautiful it's unreal." Jiang Yu stepped forward and took a small velvet box out of his pocket. "I almost forgot about this."
Opening it reveals a pair of diamond feather stud earrings, exquisitely designed with each feather inlaid with tiny diamonds, yet the overall design is very light.
"To match the movie theme." Jiang Yu personally helped her put it on. "How is it? Mr. Jiang's taste is pretty good, isn't it?"
Liu Yifei looked at herself in the mirror.
The earrings shimmered with tiny sparkles on her earlobes, perfectly echoing the silver shimmer on her dress.
She laughed: "Sure, absolutely. But Mr. Jiang, your habit of constantly taking out your jewelry is just like Doraemon's."
""
"So you're Nobita?" Jiang Yu raised an eyebrow.
"I'm not Nobita, I'm Shizuka," Liu Yifei snorted.
The staff members next to them were struggling to hold back their laughter.
Ken coughed lightly: "Um—Miss Liu, why don't you try on the shoes? I think these silver strappy ones are the perfect match."
At 3:00 sharp, the team set off on time.
The car drove to the pier, where we transferred to a water taxi arranged by the film festival organizers.
The speedboat sailed along the Grand Canal toward Lido Island, and in the distance, the outline of the cinema palace, as well as the dense crowds and flashing lights of the red carpet area, could already be seen.
The speedboat docked at Lido Island pier at 4:30 pm.
The red carpet event started at 5 p.m., and the waiting area was already packed with people.
The sounds of conversations in various languages, the clicking of cameras, and the shouts of staff blended into a buzzing background noise.
"Liu! Jiang!"
Director Darren Aronofsky, accompanied by stars Vincent Cassel and Mila Kunis, came to greet them.
Vincent wore a dark blue velvet suit today, exuding elegance with a touch of rebelliousness; Mila wore a red deep-V long dress, looking sexy and hot.
Both of them showed amazed expressions when they saw Liu Yifei's look.
"Liu, you're going to steal everyone's thunder tonight," Vincent praised in French-accented English.
Mila was much more direct: "This dress is so beautiful! What brand is it? I want to borrow it next time."
"It's the work of an independent designer, called Galaxy," Liu Yifei said with a smile. "The designer is Chinese, and it was designed specifically for this film festival."
"Chinese design?" Mira's eyes lit up. "That's fantastic! Could you tell me more about it? I've been wanting to try some different styles lately."
"sure."
As they were talking, Jiang Yu suddenly heard familiar Chinese coming from not far away.
Turning my head, I saw several Asian faces talking, among whom the bald man stood out as Guan Hu and Huang Bai.
Huang Bai also saw them, his eyes lit up, and he pulled a few people around him over: "Yifei! Oh, it really is you! I was saying I saw a figure that looked a bit like you from behind, I didn't expect it to be you!"
"Brother Bo!" Liu Yifei exclaimed in surprise, "What are you doing here?"
"Our crew is here! 'Cow Fight,' directed by Guan Hu, has been shortlisted for the Horizons section." Huang Bai smiled and then looked at Jiang Yu, "This must be President Jiang, right? It's an honor to meet you! I'm Huang Bai, Yi Fei's classmate, from the 02 class of Beijing Film Academy."
Jiang Yu shook hands with him: "Hello, Teacher Huang. I've seen your 'Crazy Stone,' you acted so well."
"Oh, Mr. Jiang, you flatter me. That was all just acting." Huang Bai waved his hand and introduced the people around him, "This is Director Guan Hu, this is Yan Ni, and this is Liang Jing. We're all here to support 'Cow'."
After exchanging pleasantries, Jiang Yu learned that four Chinese-language films were nominated for the Horizons section of the Venice Film Festival this year. In addition to "Cow", there were also "Dialysis", "1428" and "The Proletarians of the Past".
Although it wasn't in the main competition, being able to appear in Venice is already a huge affirmation.
"It's a pity, you're the only Chinese-language film in the main competition." Director Guan Hu, a straightforward person, looked at Liu Yifei with admiration in his eyes. "Yifei, this time it's all up to you. Give Chinese filmmakers some pride."
"I will do my best." Liu Yifei nodded earnestly.
Jiang Yu thought for a moment and said to Huang Bai and Guan Hu, "Gentlemen, let me introduce you. This is Darren Aronofsky, the director of 'Black Swan,' and this is George Miller, the producer of Fox Searchlight. Darren and George are both very talented filmmakers in China, and their works have been shortlisted for the Horizons section this time."
This introduction flattered Huang Bai and his companions. Darren and George were very accommodating, warmly shaking hands and chatting with everyone.
Although the language barrier was not clear, with Jiang Yu and Liu Yifei translating between them, the atmosphere quickly warmed up.
"Director Darren, I've watched your 'Requiem for a Dream' three times, and each time I have a new feeling," Guan Hu said in fluent English. "The exploration of the dark side of human nature is so profound."
Darren was clearly pleased: "Thank you. I've also seen your 'Cow' trailer, it's very powerful, the sense of realism within the absurdity is amazing."
This mutual flattery made both sides very happy. Before parting, Jiang Yu invited them: "If you are free, please come and support us at the premiere of 'Black Swan' on the morning of the 4th."
"Definitely!" Huang Bai nodded repeatedly. "This is a great learning opportunity. And to be honest, I'm really curious to see how Yi Fei will perform in this drama."
At 4:50, staff guided the "Black Swan" crew to the red carpet entrance.
The red carpet was already packed with media and spectators, a dense array of cameras and microphones, with flashes of light constantly going off as the lights were being warmed up.
Liu Yifei took a deep breath and took Jiang Yu's arm.
She could feel her heart racing and her palms slightly sweaty.
"Are you ready?" Jiang Yu asked in a low voice.
"Um.
""
The moment I stepped onto the red carpet, the flashbulbs went off like an explosion.
Click! Click! Click!
The sound of camera shutters clicking was almost continuous, and shouts in various languages came from both sides of the red carpet: "Liu Yifei! Look this way!"
"Darren! Overhere!"
"Vincent! Mila!"
'
"Mr. Jiang! Look at the camera!"
Liu Yifei maintained an elegant smile and walked with a composed gait.
She had practiced walking today, wearing 10-centimeter high heels, and making sure her skirt swayed naturally, not too fast and not too slow.
Every step should appear calculated, yet also casual and natural.
The light blue dress shimmered under the flashlight.
Whenever a bright light flashes, the dark patterns on her skirt shimmer with a silvery light, as if the starry sky is flowing across her body.
The effect was so stunning that even the well-informed Italian media were full of praise.
"Miss Liu! Turn around!"
"Look to the left! Yes! Keep smiling!"
Liu Yifei turned around, shifted to the side, and looked back with perfect coordination, each movement just right.
Jiang Yu walked beside her, dressed in a custom-made black suit, his posture upright.
He would occasionally turn his head to whisper to her, and occasionally nod to the media. His calm and composed demeanor was in no way inferior to that of any international star.
As they walked down the red carpet, the film festival's official host stopped them for a brief interview.
The host, a famous Italian television star with a stunning figure and fluent English, said: "Ms. Liu, welcome to Venice! This is your first time here with a leading role in a film. How does it feel?"
"I'm very excited and honored," Liu Yifei replied in fluent English, her voice clear and gentle. "Venice is a city full of art, and being able to exhibit our work here is of great significance to me."
"Your look is stunning. Could you share the design inspiration?"
Liu Yifei glanced at Jiang Yu and smiled, "The inspiration comes from the movie 'Black Swan' itself. Blue represents elegance and mystery, while the silver glitter in the details is like a ray of light in the darkness, perfectly matching the film's theme. Also—"
She turned to the camera and added in Chinese, "This is also the work of a Chinese designer, and I hope it can let the world see the charm of Chinese design."
This was a clever answer; it promoted the film, showcased good taste, and incidentally promoted Chinese design.
The host nodded in satisfaction, asked Darren a few more questions, and then let them continue on their way.
The red carpet was about 80 meters long, and they walked for 15 minutes.
During those fifteen minutes, Liu Yifei felt as if she had entered a wonderful state; the tension disappeared, leaving only pure enjoyment.
As we walked to the end of the red carpet and entered the inner hall of the cinema, the noise immediately subsided.
Liu Yifei finally breathed a sigh of relief, feeling that her back was a little damp, not from sweat, but from being too focused.
Jiang Yu handed her a bottle of water: "Perfect performance. I just overheard two Italian reporters discussing that your red carpet look tonight is at least in the top three."
"Really?" Liu Yifei's eyes lit up.
"Really. One of them even said you reminded him of a young Monica Bellucci."
This comment made Liu Yifei blush slightly: "That's too much of an exaggeration—"
"It's not an exaggeration," Jiang Yu said earnestly. "You are you, you don't need to be like anyone else."
The opening ceremony was relatively simple.
The judging panel made its appearance, and Chairman Li An delivered a speech.
Li An was dressed in a dark gray Zhongshan suit today, which made him stand out among the judges who were dressed in suits.
He gave a brief speech in both Chinese and English, thanking the Venice Film Festival for the invitation and promising to judge each film fairly and impartially.
Jiang Yu noticed that when Li An was speaking, his gaze intentionally or unintentionally swept towards the direction of the "Black Swan" crew, lingering on Liu Yifei for a few more seconds.
The ceremony was followed by an opening reception.
Liu Yifei and Jiang Yu made another round, greeted several important figures, and then returned to the hotel at 10 p.m.
On September 4th, at 8:00 AM Venice time, the premiere of "Black Swan" was held in the largest screening room of the Palazzo del Cinema.
At seven o'clock in the morning, a long queue had already formed outside the screening room.
There were media personnel carrying cameras, film critics with laptops, film industry professionals, and ordinary audience members who were lucky enough to win tickets.
The procession stretched for nearly a hundred meters, with various languages mixed together, creating a lively and expectant atmosphere.
The team arrived an hour early to prepare.
.
Liu Yifei changed into a relatively understated champagne-colored dress today. It was still a strapless design, but the cut was simpler and there weren't many embellishments.
The makeup was also much lighter, with the focus on highlighting the clear eyes.
"Today's focus is on the film itself," stylist Ken said while fixing her hair. "So the styling needs to be understated yet impactful. Champagne color suits you well and won't steal the show."
At 8:50, the screening room was packed.
Jiang Yu sat in the best seats in the third row with Liu Yifei, Darren, Vincent, and Mila.
Jiang Yu looked around and saw many familiar faces:
The first row is the judging panel.
Li An sat in the center, with French actress Sandrine Bernard on his left and Italian director Liliana Cavani on his right.
Following them are American director Joe Dent and Indian director Anurag Kashyap, among others.
Huang Bai and Guan Hu were in the back row. When they saw Jiang Yu looking over, Huang Bai secretly gave him a thumbs up.
To Jiang Yu's surprise, many directors and actors from other competition units were present at the event.
Samuel Maoz, director of *Lebanon*; Fatih Akin, director of *Soul Kitchen*; and Shirin Nessa, director of *Women Without Men* —
These internationally renowned names are all sitting here now, waiting for the screening of "Black Swan".
To his surprise, several directors came over to shake hands and exchange pleasantries with him.
Fatih Akin, the German-Turkish director who won the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival for "Only the Brave," shook Jiang Yu's hand and said, "Mr. Jiang, I've heard so much about you. Your investment acumen in Hollywood is truly admirable. I've seen the trailer for 'Avatar,' and it will be a revolutionary work."
Shirin Nessa, an Iranian-American director, also said, "We've all seen Light Chaser's support for art films. We hope to have the opportunity to collaborate in the future."
Jiang Yu responded politely to each of them, but he knew in his heart that these people valued not only his investment acumen, but also the market and capital he represented. In any case, this recognition would be entirely beneficial to Liu Yifei's future development.
"It seems you're already quite famous in this industry," Liu Yifei whispered in his ear.
Jiang Yu smiled and said, "Investors with money and fame are welcome everywhere. But this is good too, it will broaden your options if you want to make international co-productions in the future."
17
At nine o'clock sharp, the lights went out.
The movie begins.
The opening credits feature the logos of Light Chaser Animation and Fox Searchlight Pictures, then cut directly to a close-up of a pair of ballet shoes. The satin is worn, and there are dark brown stains at the toes, resembling dried blood.
The music that started was a fragment from Tchaikovsky's "Swan Lake," rearranged with electronic effects, making it sound eerie and dreamlike.
Black Swan tells the story of Lin Xin, an Asian ballerina who gradually loses herself in the pursuit of art and the pressures of reality in her quest for the lead role in the new version of Swan Lake.
Liu Yifei's character, Lin Xin, needs to switch between a pure white swan and a seductive black swan, making her psychologically complex.
In the first half of the film, Lin Xin is a diligent but somewhat reserved dancer.
She arrives at the practice room earliest and leaves latest every day; she strives for perfection in every movement, but something is always missing; her instructor says she has "perfect technique, but no soul."
Liu Yifei's performance in this part was delicate and nuanced.
Her ballet performance was breathtakingly beautiful; she had clearly undergone extensive professional training, and every turn and jump was textbook perfect.
What's even more striking is her eyes: that obsession with perfection, that subtle unease, that vulnerability yearning for recognition.
Halfway through the movie, a twist occurs.
Lin Xin was given the role of the Black Swan, but her mentor required her to not only play the Black Swan, but also the White Swan, playing two roles at the same time.
Under pressure, she began to hallucinate: she saw herself in the mirror sneer at her, saw black feathers emerging from her skin, and saw another "her" dancing in the practice room late at night.
Liu Yifei's performance in this part was truly amazing.
Her eyes gradually changed from clear to confused, chaotic, and finally to madness.
There were no exaggerated expressions, no hysterical screams; all the breakdowns were restrained and controlled, which is precisely why they sent chills down your spine.
Especially that bathroom scene.
Lin Xin stood in front of the mirror, scrubbing her body vigorously, as if trying to wash away something dirty.
The camera zoomed in on her face, a close-up.
Her expression shifted from numbness to collapse; tears streamed down her face silently, yet a smile played on her lips.
That sense of dissonance is chilling to watch.
The screening room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
Everyone was captivated by the film. Darren's signature handheld camerawork and rapid editing created a melancholic and enigmatic atmosphere; the soundtrack cleverly blended classical ballet with modern electronic elements; and Liu Yifei's performance was the soul of the entire film.
The final climax scene is the Black Swan's solo dance.
Lin Xin stood in the center of the stage, wearing a black ballet dress.
The lights dimmed, leaving only a spotlight.
The music started playing, not Tchaikovsky's original piece, but an adapted version, darker and more seductive.
She started dancing.
That wasn't ballet, or rather, it wasn't entirely ballet.
The movements are a blend of the twists and explosions of modern dance, with each spin possessing a destructive beauty.
Her expression was one of laughter, but her eyes held a madness.
The final thirty-two fouetté turns, one of the most difficult moves in ballet; she did it, she did it perfectly, but as she finished the last turn, she collapsed, and black feathers drifted out from her tutu.
The video ends, and the screen goes black.
The cast and crew credits started scrolling.
Silence.
A silence that lasted for three seconds.
then!
applause.
It wasn't just polite applause, but warm, sustained, and heartfelt applause.
Starting from the back rows, the movement spread forward like a tide, and soon everyone in the more than one thousand seats in the entire screening room stood up.
Darren was the first to stand up, turn around, and bow to the audience in thanks.
His eyes were a little red, and he was clearly excited.
Liu Yifei, Vincent, and Mila also stood up, held hands, and bowed together.
The applause continued.
One minute, two minutes, three minutes —
Jiang Yu glanced at his watch: eight minutes. The applause lasted a full eight minutes.
This is an extremely high honor at an international film festival.
Usually, only those works that truly move people can gain such recognition.
As the applause finally subsided, the audience began to leave in an orderly fashion.
Many people did not leave immediately, but instead gathered around the creative team, wanting to communicate.
"Darren, this movie is fantastic! It's one of your best works!"
"Ms. Liu, your performance was astonishing! How did you prepare for the ballet portion?"
"Vincent, your scenes with Liu were full of tension!"
Li An and the members of the judging panel also came over.
He shook hands with Darren: "Darren, congratulations, a masterpiece."
Then, turning to Liu Yifei, he said in Chinese, "Yifei, you acted well. The role of Lin Xin is very difficult, and you handled it with great subtlety. Especially the final solo dance, the combination of emotional outburst and physical control was so good."
"Thank you, Director Li." Liu Yifei was still a little excited, her voice trembling slightly.
Sandrine Bernard, the French actress who won the Best Actress award and was a member of the jury, also came over and hugged Liu Yifei: "Darling, you remind me of Isabelle Adjani when she was young. That beauty that combines fragility and madness is so moving."
This is extremely high praise.
Isabelle Adjani, a French national treasure actress, is known for playing "madwomen".
To be compared to her is a great affirmation for an actor.
Liu Yifei repeatedly expressed her gratitude, even slipping into French: "Mercibeaucoup (Thank you very much)!"
Huang Bai and Guan Hu also squeezed in.
Huang Bai's eyes were red: "Yi Fei, your acting—it gave me goosebumps. It was amazing! That bathroom scene, my god, I felt like I couldn't breathe while watching it."
Guan Hu was even more direct: "This performance is absolutely award-winning. If it doesn't, I'll be the first to object."
Yan Ni also held Liu Yifei's hand and said, "Yifei, you've made us actresses proud. Really, you're amazing."
The small talk lasted for nearly an hour before the crowd gradually dispersed.
The production team returned to the hotel close to noon.
As soon as she entered the room, Liu Yifei collapsed onto the sofa: "I'm exhausted—but so happy."
Jiang Yu poured her a glass of water and wrung out a hot towel: "I'm glad you're happy. Today's premiere went even better than expected. I just heard several film critics discussing that your performance was the biggest surprise at Venice so far this year."
"real?"
"Really." Jiang Yu sat down next to her, took out his phone, and said, "And you know what? Jiang Xuerou just sent a message saying that Weibo in China has exploded."
"It exploded again?"
"Hmm." Jiang Yu handed her his phone. "Less than ten minutes after the premiere ended, the real-time reviews and written descriptions from the audience were already back in China. Even without video clips, the written descriptions alone are enough to drive fans crazy. The hashtag #LiuYifeiBlackSwan# is currently trending at number one, followed by three 'hot' tags."
Liu Yifei took the phone and looked at the scrolling comments on the screen: "Although we can't see the full movie, judging from the descriptions of the audience members, Yifei's acting this time was phenomenal!"
"The audience at Venice gave a standing ovation for eight minutes! What does that mean? How many films in history have achieved that?"
French actress Sandrine Bernard said that Yifei reminds her of Isabelle Adjani! That's incredibly high praise!
"I want to see 'Black Swan' right now! When will it be released in China?!"
"Light Chaser Pictures is awesome! President Jiang is awesome! He took Yifei to the international stage and made her shine!"
"I heard that jury president and director Li An also gave it high praise? We're in luck, we've got a great chance at Venice this year!"
As she looked at it, her eyes welled up with tears again.
Jiang Yu put his arm around her shoulder: "What's wrong?"
"I just feel—" Liu Yifei leaned on his shoulder, her voice muffled, "those days of sweating and crying in the practice room, those days of practicing my eyes in front of the mirror again and again, those days of shooting a single scene twenty times—it was all worth it."
"This is just the beginning," Jiang Yu said softly. "Venice is just the first stop. Next is the Toronto International Film Festival, then the North American awards season, and then the Oscars. Liu Yifei's name will be remembered all over the world."
Liu Yifei looked up at him and asked, "And what about you? Will your name be remembered?"
Jiang Yu smiled: "Me? I'll be the one standing behind you, applauding you."
2
The two smiled at each other.