Chapter 133: Conquer, Conquer the 2007 Chinese New Year Film Season!
Two minutes after the movie ended, not a single person left the cinema. Everyone was quietly watching the subtitles and the photos displayed on the left side of the screen.
These were photos documenting the Republic’s journey!
Applause erupted once more, gradually subsiding only when the screen completely went black.
However, these claps of applause were like thunderbolts, encircling Zhang Yimou and crackling around him, shaking him to his core once again.
In all his years, he had never witnessed such a scene.
But My People, My Country achieved it.
Why!?
Why could that kid Shen Qing come up with such brilliant ideas?
Wasn’t he supposed to be making a Music Video?
Why is he stealing our jobs?
Zhang Yimou sank into a chair, watching the departing crowd with a helpless shrug. “It’s happened now, all I can do is bury myself in work!”
Back at the Olympic Building, Zhang Yimou threw himself even more passionately into his work, completely setting aside Curse of the Golden Flower.
Because he knew that if he were to promote it loudly at this point, it would not only be undignified but also lead to even greater embarrassment if it flopped.
He decided to play dumb.
After all, the initial publicity and distribution costs of one hundred million had already been spent, so half a month’s delay wouldn’t make much difference.
But the thought of it flopping made Zhang Yimou’s vision go dark… For a fifth-generation director with decades of fame to be utterly defeated by a cross-genre music producer…
The mere thought gave him a headache.
“No, if I feel ashamed, others will definitely mock me even more!”
“I should be magnanimous and openly acknowledge My People, My Country’s excellence. That way, people will see me as generous and willing to mentor young directors!”
“Yes, that’s the plan.”
…
On the second day of its release, Zhang Yimou issued a statement through the media, causing quite a stir.
“My People, My Country is a top-tier Main Theme film, but it differs from previous Main Theme films. It uses a more accessible and commercially oriented narrative approach, allowing us to find a perfect balance between education and entertainment.”
“Personally, having watched countless films, few can still captivate me. But I watched My People, My Country straight through for two hours. Yes, straight through, without leaving my seat.”
“I was completely drawn in by these stories, and deeply moved by them. The characters are all so vivid; I still remember them.”
“As a director, I have an obligation to stand up and promote such an excellent work. I also hope everyone will go to the cinema to support it, so that our domestic film industry can develop better and better.”
“At the same time, my film will be released on December 14th. If you’re interested in historical dramas, you can check it out too.”
Check it out…
Director Zhang’s perspective had instantly broadened.
Most netizens who were just observing gave their likes, with few mocking. The majority remained neutral observers.
However, a small faction of anti-nationalists and public intellectuals became agitated, incessantly claiming Zhang Yimou was engaging in politics and sarcastically suggesting pressure from higher-ups on the director community, loudly proclaiming a lack of freedom in domestic filmmaking.
These people should be thrown into the Pacific and made to swim to the West Coast.
…
As for the other directors, Mantou wondered: Old Zhang, you’re really good at handling people, aren’t you???
Chen Kaige was the first to disbelieve the film was as good as Zhang Yimou claimed. “Old Zhang must be bragging and sucking up to that kid Shen Qing. There must be some shady deal!”
So, he took his wife Chen Hong and their younger son Arthur to the cinema.
Once seated, Director Chen’s initial scrutinizing expression gradually shifted to admiration, and then he became one with the general audience!
“Great! Keep it up!”
“Our ancestors had it so tough.”
“So satisfying, hahaha, so satisfying!!!”
Turning to Chen Hong and Arthur, Chen Kaige laughed heartily, “This movie is excellent. It’s a shame, though. If only I had directed it.”
Chen Hong: “Ask Shen Qing to write a script for you too.”
Chen Kaige: “Do you think scripts grow on trees? The birth of an excellent script relies entirely on inspiration. That kid probably won’t come up with any good ideas for the next year or two.”
However, he genuinely began to appreciate Shen Qing.
For Shen Qing, a music producer, to create such an outstanding film just to make a Music Video… it was truly remarkable.
But he was also jealous. “Damn, the script is so damn good.”
However, as a fifth-generation director on par with Zhang Yimou, he didn’t want to be labeled as someone who was jealous of talent. Thus, Chen Kaige also contacted his acquaintances in the media that day and revealed some of his thoughts.
The news was published on Monday morning.
His words were filled with praise for My People, My Country, even more so than Zhang Yimou.
After all, Old Chen’s principle was not to be outdone by Old Zhang.
Damn it, he lost the Olympic Games opening ceremony to Old Zhang, and he was still fuming about it.
Furthermore, he had been mocked by netizens for the incident where he recited poetry.
It was all Old Zhang’s fault!
…
As Monday arrived, many media outlets were inquiring about the box office data for My People, My Country over the weekend, but there was no news.
It was agonizing!
Shen Qing, what’s going on?
When a movie is released on its first day, they can’t wait to announce how much they earned at the premiere…
It’s been two days, and there’s been no movement?
The emperor is not worried, but the eunuchs are anxious to death.
When the media finally reached Shen Qing by phone, they heard an even more pretentious response: “Box office? I don’t think it’s important. I originally just wanted to make a longer MV for Wish, as a tribute to the motherland. Now that there’s so much attention, I’m quite anxious~”
Reporter: ???
Are you even listening to yourself!?
Has your half-year-long act of showing off paid off?
Quickly!
Give us your box office numbers!!
The Sina reporter couldn’t get an answer from Shen Qing. That impatient reporter, that evening, embellished the story and wrote a lengthy article.
Shocking! My People, My Country’s box office falls short of expectations, investor and screenwriter Shen Qing admits: he is very anxious, fearing he will let everyone down!
Netizens: Huh? Wasn’t it praised so highly? How did it flop!?
Moviegoers who had seen the film couldn’t sit still.
A single question popped into their minds: “It shouldn’t be, it’s impossible. How could this movie, which is so good, possibly flop? Is it because the publicity wasn’t enough?”
Some more emotional fans couldn’t hold back.
“No, I can’t let such a good Main Theme film fail!”
“If a film made with such dedication isn’t supported, how will the domestic film industry develop in the future? I need to contribute!”
As for Tieba, the stronghold of Liangfen, it was even more lively, with posts appearing one after another.
Many of them had seen the movie and couldn’t understand why it would flop.
“I swear, this is the best movie I’ve seen in years. I can’t find any reason for it to flop. Why are the box office numbers so low?”
“Do you remember? Shen Qing said from the beginning that he was making it to film an MV for Liangying, and then turned it into a movie to give back to the fans… He never intended to make money. But the more it’s like this, the more we can’t let Shen Qing and Liangying lose money!!”
“That’s right, Shen Qing considered us, so we must consider Shen Qing too. Brothers, I hereby call upon everyone to mobilize their relatives, friends, colleagues, and leaders to go to the cinema together and show everyone the strength of us Liangfen, okay?”
“I support this. I’m taking my friend to see it right now.”
“Our philosophy department’s team-building activity this semester is to watch My People, My Country. We’re booking out a whole theater.”
“Wow, what a great idea! I’m the league branch secretary. Our class is also planning a team-building activity. I’ve decided, we’re going to watch My People, My Country!!”
“…”
Gradually, an interesting phenomenon began to appear in many places across the country. Many people became spontaneous promoters, telling everyone they met how good My People, My Country was.
Many people who were already considering watching the movie no longer hesitated.
Additionally.
A small number of Liangfen, who were not short on money, directly booked entire theaters to invite their employees and classmates.
The media also took notice of this development.
The Sina editor who initially reported ‘box office may fall short of expectations’ had a smug smile. He casually sent Shen Qing a text message: “President Shen, I merely did a small, insignificant deed. It’s your film’s excellent quality that truly matters!”
Shen Qing: “What’s going on?”
At this moment, Brother Qing was buying property near the Central Conservatory of Music. He had his eye on a three-story building and planned to convert it into a recording studio, so he hadn’t had time to track the box office.
Sina Editor: “President Shen, don’t you know? Since my interview with you was published, your film’s popularity has reached a new level. Many people are now spontaneously promoting it to their friends…”
Shen Qing: “It’s all thanks to you. I’ll look for you for an interview next time.”
Sina Editor: “You’re too kind, President Shen. We’re old acquaintances.”
After completing the property transfer procedures, Shen Qing paid the remaining balance of 3.68 million. This small building next to the Central Conservatory of Music was now his.
He had made a fortune.
Even if it were demolished years later, it would fetch tens of millions.
And if it wasn’t demolished, that would be even better.
Then, this top-tier recording studio, belonging to Qingying Studio, would be the only one within the Second Ring Road.
That’s prestige!
In the future, singers in Beijing who wanted to record songs would likely think of Shen Qing first!
While eating, Shen Qing casually picked up a newspaper from the bar and glanced at it. “Good heavens, when did I ever say My People, My Country’s box office had flopped?”
Zhang Liangying’s eyes widened, and she asked with a laugh, “How could that be? Isn’t our box office leading by a wide margin?”
Shen Qing shrugged. “It must have been that Sina editor…”
While eating hot pot, Shen Qing and Liangying overheard people at the next table discussing the movie, finally understanding what had happened.
This turn of events left them both amused and speechless.
Zhang Liangying: “Is this a case of backfiring? Haha, that editor was trying to create some buzz, but unexpectedly, they ended up helping us with a massive promotion by sheer coincidence.”
Shen Qing scooped up fresh lamb from the copper pot, gave half to Liangying, and put the other half in his own bowl. While dipping it in sesame paste, he said:
“It’s more than just expanding the promotion! Now, everyone thinks our movie has flopped, so they’re spontaneously encouraging their friends to support it…”
Zhang Liangying chuckled. “My god! You’re amazing. Why are you so powerful every time you release a work… Officer, you must educate me thoroughly tonight. I want to become as strong as you!”
Shen Qing: “How will you educate me?”
Zhang Liangying tilted her head up, chest out. “Reporting, Officer, of course, it’s a thorough education!”
Shen Qing: “Alright! Tonight, you’re permitted to wear a teacher’s pencil skirt, and I’ll give you a good lesson.”
…
December 8th.
On the seventh day of its release, the Liangfen were anxious.
“Ahhh…”
“Shen Qing, hurry up and tell us the box office numbers! Even if it flopped, you have to say something. We won’t laugh at you; you’ll always be the god of the music scene!”
“The movie is great. I cried a few times. I believe it won’t flop.”
“The box office must be very good. The screening I attended was almost full.”
“Yes, mine was full too.”
“…”
Besides the fans, directors with upcoming releases were also anxious.
First among them was Old Zhang. In six days, Curse of the Golden Flower would premiere, and the media would inevitably compare the two films.
No matter how highly he praised Shen Qing before, it would be useless.
The media wouldn’t let him off the hook.
Because putting his name and Shen Qing’s together generated buzz.
Just like the media’s promotion of My People, My Country during this period, they rarely mentioned directors like Ning Hao, with headlines consistently featuring “Shen Qing.”
When Golden Flower’s box office falters, the media would surely write headlines like: “Lian Po is old, but can he still eat? Zhang Yimou’s painstaking work can’t compare to 19-year-old Shen Qing’s flash of inspiration!”
At most, they would add: “Zhang Yimou is not saddened by the box office failure; on the contrary, he is very magnanimous, which is the demeanor of a senior.”
But that would be it.
Can reputation buy food?
No.
Only money can.
If the box office results were disastrous this time, it would be difficult for Old Zhang to secure such high investment again.
The best outcome would be a small loss, which investors could accept, as they hadn’t expected to make any profit when they decided to invest.
Additionally, others who were feeling uneasy were the directors of The Postmodern Life of a Woman, The Knot, and Confession of Pain, whose works were primarily targeting the 2007 Chinese New Year Film Season.
Especially Confession of Pain, directed by Andrew Lau and Alan Mak, which boasted an investment of 50 million and featured acclaimed actors like Tony Leung, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Xu Jinglei, and Shu Qi, a powerful lineup with high anticipation.
Without My People, My Country, Confession of Pain would have only lost to Curse of the Golden Flower, starring Zhang Yimou, Chow Yun-fat, and Gong Li, which wouldn’t have been too embarrassing…
After all, they were all big stars.
But now it was different. Shen Qing was a newcomer to the film industry, and with just five directors and a few TV actors with little clout, he could crush them?
Was there any dignity left?
At this moment, even without precise data, this group could guess the box office numbers. The high number of screenings and full attendance in cinemas across the country indicated that the box office figures would definitely not be bad…
The next day, December 9th, Saturday.
This was the second weekend of My People, My Country’s release.
With the public opinion that had fermented over the past week, the number of viewers continued to soar, and major cinemas even added midnight screenings.
Tickets were hard to come by!
Andrew Lau, Alan Mak, Tony Leung, and others, who had just arrived in Mainland China to promote Confession of Pain, also bought tickets and went into the cinema to assess their competitor.
After watching the entire film, there wasn’t a single point of criticism.
Whether it was the plot, the visuals, or the emotions conveyed, they all found it very appealing.
These filmmakers from Hong Kong, upon leaving the cinema, exchanged smiles. Shu Qi said, “It’s strange, I think this movie would be liked in Hong Kong too.”
Tony Leung: “I think so too. For some reason, I feel a sense of pride.”
Andrew Lau: “The opponent is too strong. We’re under pressure!”
Xu Jinglei was the only one from Mainland China.
She understood the value of this film. Listening to them speak, she couldn’t help but want to laugh. “Perhaps My People, My Country doesn’t even consider us as opponents…”
…
At nine in the morning, a piece of news completely ignited the internet, spreading like dominoes both inside and outside the entertainment industry.
My People, My Country’s first-day Saturday box office reached 21.65 million, surpassing Hero and setting a new record for the first-day box office of a domestic film. The year’s biggest dark horse is born!
It was everywhere.
Netizens who had just woken up: ???
“Holy crap, how is this a flop?”
“Ahhh, this is amazing! It’s set a box office record for domestic films!”
“This is just the first day’s data. My People, My Country’s popularity is only growing, and it will definitely break Hero’s record of 250 million.”
“These box office numbers have a part to play from us spontaneous promoters!”
“…”
Subsequently.
A complete set of box office data was released and shared across the entire internet.
December 3rd, Saturday, 29.87 million.
December 4th, Monday, 17.22 million.
December 5th, Tuesday, 17.89 million.
…
December 8th, Friday, 27.96 million.
In just 7 days, My People, My Country’s box office had reached 148 million, while Hero’s data for the same period was only 110 million.
Insane!
A new historical record.
Moreover, tomorrow is the weekend, and the box office is expected to surge again, likely reaching 200 million by the end of this weekend.
Wait, why were you holding back such strong data?
December 10th, afternoon.
Shen Qing, along with the entire main creative team of My People, My Country, and the three new singers signed by Qingying Studio this year, held a press conference.
The meeting was held in the main conference room of the Beijing Hotel, with dozens of media outlets in attendance.
Shen Qing walked onto the stage alone and said, “Welcome everyone to the ‘My People, My Country Press Conference and Qingying Studio New Singer Media Meet-and-Greet.’ Before we begin, I will first answer everyone’s questions – why didn’t we report the box office data in a timely manner?!”
He paused for a moment.
The reporters wanted to curse him out. Just say it already!!!
Shen Qing smiled and continued:
“Originally, I didn’t intend to release the data publicly, and I told our main creative team the same thing. But everyone is so concerned about it, which is very surprising to me…”
“These past few days, Liangying has also been urging me to disclose it, to reassure those who have been vigorously promoting it for me.”
“I thought about it and realized it’s indeed necessary to reassure those who care about us, so I disclosed the data to the media friends. I didn’t expect the reaction to be even greater.”
“As for why I kept delaying reporting the data, it’s not complicated. I simply didn’t want My People, My Country to completely dominate the 2007 Chinese New Year Film Season…”
“Because everyone loves to watch movies with high box office numbers. Once our data is exposed, people’s enthusiasm for buying tickets will only increase, and who will then watch other movies?”
“Other films are not easy, are they?”
Reporter: “Come, come, with such a grand perspective, we’ll give Han Sanping’s seat to you!!”
…
PS: It’s the end of the year and work is busy, and my correspondence degree thesis needs revisions, which has taken up some of my energy. Once the thesis is done, everything will be fine. Today’s chapters are combined, and I can’t post them separately. Thank you for your support!
