Chapter 387 Confrontation
Seeing the surprise of the audience, the excitement of the media reporters and the other three people on the stage, uh, two of them had somewhat ugly expressions, Wang Xiaoshuai did not expect that Liu Zhou, the youngest and most prestigious one, remained calm.

But he didn't care about these. At this moment, he had too much dissatisfaction in his heart, so Wang Xiaoshuai continued to fire without any scruples:
“In the past, movies were never considered commodities but works of art, but now the entire domestic industry trend is pursuing marketization and commercialization.

Most people are only concerned about money, and this is the biggest problem with our Chinese-language films.

I firmly believe that film is an art. Film should have a certain cultural dignity and confidence. It cannot cater to the audience completely, and it should never be blinded by some immediate interests.

I think I am happier than Liu Zhou and Ning Hao because I can make my own movie! "

Being called out in public like this again, Ning Hao, whose Qi-cultivation skills were not yet up to par, looked even darker.

If Ning Hao wasn't a bit dark in complexion, the ugly look on his face would be even more obvious.

He was not angry because Wang Xiaoshuai criticized him in public, but because he was described by Wang Xiaoshuai as a profit-driven director who was only interested in making money.

Although Ning Hao became famous for commercial films, he has always had an artistic heart.

It's just that he woke up early and realized that if he kept insisting on making art films, he might not even be able to be a director.

He felt that Wang Xiaoshuai was just talking without any hesitation. If he didn't have Wanwan's capital to support him, would he still be in the mood to speak here?

Raising investment for the film consumes most of his energy.

He also believes that art films don’t necessarily have to be niche; they can also be popular among the masses.

Does he dare to say that what he expressed in "No Man's Land" is not more advanced than those love-related art films shot by Wang Xiaoshuai?

He now felt more and more that what the big boss Liu Zhou said just now was right. Some people are just self-righteous, and Wang Xiaoshuai is a typical example.

However, compared to Ning Hao's anger, Liu Zhou remained calm as usual, and his expression did not change at all because of Wang Xiaoshuai's words.

Although he is young, he has lived forty to fifty years in his two lives combined, and this life has been much more exciting. What kind of scenes has he not seen?

Therefore, Wang Xiaoshuai's somewhat harmless accusations were like scratching an itch for Liu Zhou.

Besides, he didn't think what Wang Xiaoshuai said was right, so what was there to be angry about?

In addition to being a leading figure among the sixth generation of directors in mainland China, Wang Xiaoshuai is also known as a big troll.

He has criticized the star system and the censorship system, so it is not surprising that this time he criticized himself and Ning Hao, two commercially successful directors.

“It has been 18 years since I started shooting my debut film. Countless people have advised me to make commercial films, but I think I should stick to it.

If you can live longer in this life, then hold on for as long as possible; if you live shorter, then hold on to a certain point. I firmly believe that movies should have some cultural significance.

I can’t deceive myself, otherwise I’ll become a director like Ning Hao and others.”

Wang Xiaoshuai's words made Ning Hao's face even darker.

Damn it!
Just pick me as the only one who can output, right?

Just because I didn’t respond immediately, you think I have a good temper, right?

However, just as Ning Hao was about to speak, he didn't expect that Zhang Guoli, the host, couldn't stand it anymore.

Although he rarely makes movies, they are all commercial films, so he was somewhat dissatisfied with Wang Xiaoshuai's words:
"You can't use this attitude just because your movie doesn't do well at the box office or you think it doesn't make as much money as the three directors on the stage!"

But Wang Xiaoshuai ignored Zhang Guoli and Ning Hao's increasingly dark complexion, and continued to taunt Ning Hao:

"Ning Hao, you made money, are you happy?

You are under a lot of pressure. Next time your movie doesn’t make 100 million, you will be a failure!
It is right for us to work hard at the box office and the market, but we cannot blindly pursue the box office, which is wrong.

As a filmmaker, I should at least shoulder a certain sense of national happiness and mission, and give the audience something that makes them happy. I think this is my ultimate ideal.”

Ning Hao finally had a chance, and immediately picked up the microphone and fired back:

"Director Wang, I'm very curious. You said you wanted to make the audience happy, but not many people watch your movies. How do you make the audience happy?
And if the audience can’t understand it, how can they get happiness from the movie?”

Ning Hao's counterattack was equally merciless, and he bluntly criticized Wang Xiaoshuai for not having many people watching his movies.

Wang Xiaoshuai's face also looked a little ugly.

But this is just the beginning. I haven’t said enough. Ning Hao also ignored Wang Xiaoshuai’s darkening face and continued:
“I think the artificial separation between commercial films and art films is a very outdated way of thinking.

Every director has his own artistic dream, but art films are not high and mighty. How could our movie fail when it grossed over 100 million yuan?
If a movie is made but no audience watches it, it is a failure!
Why are the art films of many fifth-generation directors, such as Zhang Yimou and Chen Shishi, not only able to win awards overseas but also so popular with audiences?

Sometimes, you should look for the reasons in yourself. Over the years, have your abilities improved? Have you made serious summaries? Have your thoughts kept pace with the times?

Instead of being immersed in your own world and blaming others all the time, you should not be left behind by the times without realizing it. "

Hearing Ning Hao's full firepower, Liu Zhou couldn't help but smile, with no intention of concealing it at all.

Wang Xiaoshuai was about to refute but was interrupted by Zhang Guoli, the host.

Zhang Guoli turned to look at Liu Zhou and said first:
"Director Liu, can you please say something? Today's forum is for a debate of ideas. Tell us what you think!"

After all, he is a senior and a well-known person in the circle. He has long been dissatisfied with Wang Xiaoshuai for being ignored by you, a junior.

Ning Hao's words really touched his heart and made him feel a lot better.

However, Zhang Guoli's interruption of Wang Xiaoshuai was not specifically targeting him. Zhang Guoli still has the basic qualities of a host. If he allowed Wang Xiaoshuai to continue speaking, the discussion would most likely turn into an argument.

That's why he threw the conversation to Liu Zhou.

Liu Zhou also stopped smiling at this time and said seriously:

“I remember that Director Wang graduated from the directing department of Beijing Film Academy, so he should know that movies have three attributes: first, movies are technology; second, movies are commodities; third, movies are art.

In other words, movies have three attributes: technical, commercial and artistic.

Moreover, before a movie has artistic attributes, it must first have commercial attributes, because the completion of a movie requires investment from preparation, shooting, distribution, publicity to release.

Since there is investment, there must be a return. Otherwise, who would be willing to invest money to make a movie? If you are a painter, you can draw at home with paper and pen, and you can tear it up at any time if you are not satisfied. But the film industry cannot be like this. It must ensure that the entire industry has a return. Only in this way can the entire industry be sustainable in the long run.

I just listened to Director Wang’s brilliant speech, and I felt that since the box office of our three films exceeded 100 million, he concluded categorically that we were failures as directors.

It is obvious that Director Wang did not learn enough when he was studying at the Beijing Film Academy, or he only has a superficial understanding of it. You are obviously separating the commodity attributes of film and setting commerce and art in opposition to each other.

I was just saying that many Chinese filmmakers have fallen into self-congratulation mode. Director Wang’s words just prove this point. They think they are awesome and everyone else is an idiot.

One problem with Chinese films is that there are too many people who are only interested in themselves, and too few who respect the audience! "

Liu Zhou also did not give the other party any face. Since Wang Xiaoshuai was not polite, he certainly would not be polite either.

Whether it was the audience, media reporters, or the distributors and theater bosses, everyone nodded and agreed with Liu Zhou's words.

Being scolded by Ning Hao and Liu Zhou one after another, Wang Xiaoshuai was very annoyed and said coldly:
“I admire Director Liu Zhou very much. He can make movies that have both high box office and won the Golden Lion in Venice. I have no intention of offending him.

But today is a forum, a place for the exchange of ideas, so I would like to discuss this with you, Director Liu.

You all say that film commerce and art can co-exist, but the reality is that there is almost no room for art films to survive.

The reality is that fewer and fewer people are investing in art films, the number of art films screened is very small, and the screenings are always during the quietest time of the day.

It is unfair to put art films on the market when it is so difficult for art films to survive.

Art films carry culture. Throwing cultural undertakings into the market will definitely distort them. Art films cannot and should not be subject to the test of the market. They need to be protected.

This may be the best era for commercial films, but it is the worst era for art films.”

Liu Zhou has heard too many words like this, which is why Liu Zhou is unwilling to attend any film forums or seminars.

Liu Zhou felt that such words were particularly fake, and couldn't help but smiled and shook his head:

"Director Wang, you are overestimating art films and underestimating commercial films.

Who says commercial films don’t carry culture?
Let's take a simple example. Are Hollywood blockbusters art films? No, they are commercial films, but they spread the values ​​of the United States around the world.

Commercial films are far superior to art films in spreading culture.

There is another example that is not quite appropriate. South Korean film and television works are not artistic, but they have entered our domestic market and even occupied our market.

Hallyu is spreading South Korean culture crazily. How many young people in our country are influenced by Hallyu now?

Then I would like to ask Director Wang another question: What Chinese-language film has the greatest influence overseas? Art films?

No, it’s a kung fu movie!
I have confidence in art films, and I don't think that art films will die if they are put on the market.

To give the simplest example, the film industry throws art films, commercial films, and animated films into the market to compete.

There has never been any talk of protecting any type of film. Even 20 or 30 years ago, when a local film suffered an unprecedented blow from Hollywood, no protection measures were set up.

But do you think art films are dead now?
It is also alive and well. This year, "Departures" won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film.

Art films are indeed more niche than commercial films, but that doesn’t mean no one watches them. There are still many domestic audiences who like art films.

But if you want the audience to like it, the prerequisite is that you have to make a good movie!

Instead of blaming the market or the audience just because they failed to make good art films, they will not take the blame.

The real problem lies with our director.

As Ning Hao said just now, why did "Red Sorghum" and "Qiu Ju's Lawsuit" directed by Zhang Yimou and "Farewell My Concubine" directed by Chen Shishi not only have good reputations but also good box office?

Art films from overseas like those by Woody Allen, the Coen brothers, and even Li An also performed well at the box office.

There are many great art film directors who have good box office performance and their films are well-liked by the audience.

Therefore, some domestic directors really need to examine themselves first. Why can others make art films that are both box office and well-received, but you can’t?”

Wang Xiaoshuai was speechless after being told this by Liu Zhou. He bit his lips and retorted with all his strength:
“I think what you said is unfair. The monopoly of commercial films on screenings prevents art films from entering the market.

Take my recently released movie "Left and Right" as an example. Ninety percent of the screenings are useless. They are either late at night or early in the morning. Who would get up at 6:30 in the morning and run to the cinema to watch a movie?

Art films have an audience, but the problem now is that audiences simply cannot watch art films in theaters.

I think France has done a good job in this regard. They have clear regulations that a film cannot be screened in more than one-third of the screenings in any cinema, nor can it exceed one-third of the total number of screenings in that cinema.

In addition, the French government provides subsidies to art theaters every year through the French National Film Center to fund theater promotion and facility renovation.

I think we should do the same in our country, giving more support to art films, and relevant departments also need to provide more support.

Therefore, I have been calling on relevant departments to build art theaters from top to bottom and support art films! "

After hearing what Wang Xiaoshuai said, Liu Zhou felt as if he was looking at Luo Yonghao looking at Wang Ziru.

But this is the case with Chinese art film directors. Many of them are like this, some are even worse than Wang Ziru.

So Liu Zhou no longer showed any mercy to the other party:

“Many times I feel that the thinking of some domestic filmmakers is particularly split. On one hand, they shout, “Government, you are not allowed to control us, we want creative freedom”;

At the same time, they shouted, "Country, why don't you care about us? We are artists, you have to pay to support us!"

If you really pursue freedom, you should show the courage to pursue freedom. You would rather starve to death than be supported by the country!

If you take the country's money and shout about freedom, don't you feel that you lack confidence?
You talk about dignity on one hand, and on the other hand ask the country to support you. Where is the dignity?

A group of people who are always looking for support talk about dignity, isn't this a joke? "

(End of this chapter)