Chapter 275: Simultaneous Release In 156 Countries, On Fire Fire Fire
《Influenza》 Half an hour after the “global premiere” ended.
Inside the official Cannes hotel.
“Bingbing and Ling Han haven’t come back yet?”
Director Lu sat on the sofa, raised his hand to check the time, and found that at this point, 《Influenza》 should have already ended the “premiere”.
“Not yet.”
“Sigh, Old Lu, I’m not saying this about you, but if you really care, go check it out yourself. You’ve asked eight times in this half hour, is it necessary?”
Director Feng next to him lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, exhaled a thick smoke ring, and grinned showing his big yellow teeth: “What, still scared?”
Director Lu: “…”
He was a bit unhappy: “Hey, Xiaogang, you’re kind of speaking from a comfortable position. Last time Old Yang’s movie flopped, you were the same, acting like it was none of your business, keeping yourself aloof. Who am I doing this for? Who am I caring this much for?”
“Isn’t it all for our circle?”
“If I’m not doing well, the circle isn’t doing well, can you do well?”
Director Feng was stumped for a moment, his eyes darted, and he waved his hand sheepishly: “Hey, what you’re saying… I’m just joking with you, and besides… who said I don’t care about you guys?”
“Besides, didn’t we discuss it several times before? This 《Influenza》, no matter its reputation, as long as it can’t be released in the mainland, its reputation being good won’t matter.”
“That’s true.”
Director Lu’s expression softened a bit. He wasn’t really worried that 《Influenza》 would steal his “market”, because even if 《Influenza》 had great reputation abroad, without the mainland fan base, it wouldn’t affect him.
It’s just…
Perhaps after “fighting” with Chi Ye several times, beyond career gains and losses, personally he still wanted to see 《Influenza》 fail more, because if 《Influenza》 failed, Chi Ye’s halo and star power would take a huge hit.
At the same time, in terms of interests, Chi Ye Studio would suffer massive losses.
He had waited too long for this day, how could he not be anxious?
Click.
Just as he was thinking this, the hotel room door opened, and Ling Bingbing and Ling Han, the two sisters, walked into the living room.
“They’re back.”
“Bingbing.”
Everyone in the living room was stunned and quickly stood up.
Director Lu dashed forward in one stride: “How was it? How was it?!”
“How was what?”
Ling Bingbing puzzled: “What’s wrong again?”
“《Influenza》 ah, how was the audience feedback at the 《Influenza》 premiere site?”
Director Lu’s eyes full of “expectation”: “Was it really bad? Would Cannes buy mainland commercial films? Impossible.”
“Indeed impossible.”
Hearing this, Director Feng laughed outright: “Haha, I told you, Old Lu, look at you, you just can’t stay calm.”
Ling Bingbing still felt incredulous, shaking her head: “How could the mainland produce a film like this? Impossible.”
Everyone: “?”
Ling Han shouted excitedly: “It was so good! Everyone, uncles, aunts, you really missed out by not going, 《Influenza》 was so good!”
Everyone: “Ah?”
At this time, Peng Chen, who had been playing invisible among the big shots and not daring to speak, also came over, opening his mouth: “What… what was so good… was the on-site feedback for 《Influenza》 really good?”
No way, Old Captain, it did well in Cannes too?
“Really good?” Ling Han glanced at him and said with a grin: “Not just good, exceptionally good. I specifically noted it, the on-site applause lasted about four minutes. What level is four minutes of post-screening applause at Cannes?”
“Four minutes?!”
Everyone was dumbfounded again.
Unlike Chi Ye, they were all veterans of major film festivals. Four minutes of post-screening applause at Cannes… wasn’t this not the kind of treatment mainland films should get?
No, no… they were a bit dumbfounded now.
“Four minutes… and it’s not even an arthouse film… did they really make something good?”
Director Lu uncertain and shocked: “Fuck… what the hell is this Chi Ye trying to do?”
…
“Four minutes, that must have broken the record for mainland films at Cannes, right?”
Meanwhile.
Another room.
Director Zhang, Uncle Li Qian, and others also learned the news.
Teacher Zhang and others had been silent since returning from the site, seeming a bit slow to react.
“Ziyi, was it really four minutes long?”
After the discussion quieted down a bit, Uncle Li Qian frowned and looked at Teacher Zhang.
Teacher Zhang paused, then looked up and evaluated: “It doesn’t seem like a film the mainland could produce.”
Everyone: “…”
Such high praise.
“Wasn’t it a co-production to begin with?”
Uncle Li Qian shook his head, unconcerned with the issue: “I mean, can it really get such a strong reaction?”
“He already has the ability to put together a project on his own, and at this level.”
Teacher Zhang ignored Uncle Li Qian and turned to Director Zhang and others: “His wings are growing.”
Everyone fell silent.
Having the independent ability to assemble a project… the meaning was clear. Previously, in everyone’s impression, Chi Ye was just an artist, at most a versatile artist who developed well independently, king of traffic.
Whether in terms of age, seniority, or even his own star power, he was still a level below the true top ceiling of internal entertainment circle （ capital + star power）.
To put it simply, compared to Chi Ye and Director Zhang, Chen Sicheng, Director Feng, even Xu Zheng and others, it felt like they were never on the same track or star power level.
But Chi Ye always positioned himself at that level.
Because of this, his various seemingly “reasonable” behaviors appeared “unreasonable” in the eyes of many in the industry, even rude, arrogant, not putting anyone in his eyes…
There’s a saying: match the person to the horse. In everyone’s previous eyes, Chi Ye was a mid-tier horse but insisted on acting like a top-tier one.
How could everyone be happy with that?
But this time, with 《Influenza》’s reputation reaction, the first industrial blockbuster he assembled with over 300 million investment comes out, and if the performance meets standards, it means he’s no longer just a simple artist, but a big shot who can “stand shoulder to shoulder” with the above group.
A “big shot” ignoring age, surpassing seniority.
“But without mainland box office support, he can’t make it big.”
Uncle Li Qian reacted and evaluated thus.
This time Teacher Zhang didn’t refute, just nodded silently.
“…Cannes four minutes… how many of those ‘dealers’ at the site contacted them?”
Director Zhang, who knew international film festivals best and had been silent, suddenly asked: “What about NEON and XYZ Films High, Octane’s attitudes? Did they go?”
Everyone was stunned.
“Asia region is Chi Ye’s ‘home turf’ to begin with. Those film distributors might have just wanted quick cash conventionally before, but seeing 《Influenza》’s post-screening feedback today… they’ll definitely be won over.”
“If NEON and those companies also negotiate successfully, then… 《Influenza》 is going to be huge abroad.”
Uncle Li Qian hesitated: “Mainland commercial films… I’ve never heard of one exploding overseas, isn’t this a bit too exaggerated…”
“…There’s always a first time.”
Hearing this, everyone exchanged glances.
…
There’s always a first time.
NEON had never cooperated with mainland films before, but there’s always a first time.
XYZ Films High loves genre films, hasn’t had a hit mainland movie, but there’s always a first.
Octane… there’s always a first time.
That night, less than three hours after the 《Influenza》 post-screening, Chi Ye and the 《Influenza》 main creators and film producer separately received invitations from the three major international genre players—Asia side needless to say, various “oligarchs” came flocking.
Meanwhile, domestically, due to 《Influenza》’s selection, media, fans, movie fans, even central media and official media with high attention to this Cannes Film Festival, all learned of the “terror” reaction to 《Influenza》’s post-screening at the first time.
For a moment, everyone was dumbfounded—official media included.
Because in internal entertainment history （Hong Kong Taiwan not included）, there really wasn’t a film that caused such an intense reaction at Cannes.
Not to mention, 《Influenza》 was a well-known commercial film.
Commercial film, industrialized commercial film—up to now, internal entertainment has been following Hollywood’s footsteps…
If it were an arthouse film, fine, but a commercial film… how could it get this kind of feedback?
「Heaven, is it real? Or fake news for traffic?」
「Fuck, four minutes post-screening applause? Looks like they bought the audience.」
「Upstairs, don’t speak if you don’t know, Cannes premieres are generally film distributors, guests, media, only a few real audience.」
「Yeah, 《Influenza》 is too awesome, Chi Ye is too rich, can buy off all the film distributors and media guests in Europe and America at Cannes.」
「This is Cannes tradition, okay? Some haters don’t go too far.」
「Ye Zi!! Don’t be so impressive, career fans directly excited to faint!」
「Am I the only one curious about 《Influenza》’s content now? Release in the mainland soon, really dying to see it!」
「Release soon +1, daily roast of GD!」
「@GD, come on, look clearly, who is the future of China movie?」
「…」
Exploding hot search, Douyin flooded, 《Influenza》 single-day topic popularity directly broke historical new high, suppressing today’s heavily marketed 《749 Bureau》 and other circles’ big productions’ heat entirely.
Of course, no lack of roasts and abuse toward the domestic review system.
Many movie fans and audience who had long been expecting 《Influenza》 but were utterly disappointed by its withdrawal due to inability to release, almost @ official media accounts in every comment.
—They had almost forgotten about it, but today seeing 《Influenza》 post-screening at Cannes site with applause lasting four minutes—not buddy, this is a commercial film!
How good does this film have to be to make the Cannes Midnight Screening unit, used to big waves, react so enthusiastically?
Not arthouse, not arthouse, it’s commercial, China commercial industrial blockbuster!
Important things said three times.
For this kind of film, saying it “brings glory to the country” might be exaggerated, but for the breakthrough and development of mainland film industry, it absolutely plays a benchmark role.
And you, for various weird reasons, “silence” it?
What’s more, this is a damn “co-production” film, always with the loosest standards.
“Hello… eh, eh, yes, I know… really that exaggerated? Okay… got it, alright, talk later.”
Inside a certain commercial clubhouse.
Ke Ying, who only said one sentence in the 《Influenza》 incident, held the phone, chatted a few words before hanging up, face a bit shocked and uncertain.
“Bro, what’s up?”
The follower next to him asked.
“…《Influenza》 really made some noise abroad, huh.”
Ke Ying was silent for a moment, muttering softly: “Looks like what Little Lu said before was right.”
“It really is coming to steal meat.”
“Bro, you okay?”
Ke Ying came back to his senses, laughed nonchalantly: “What could be wrong, sky won’t fall.”
“That’s good.”
The follower nodded. He knew Ke Ying too well; he rarely spoke, but once he did, few things couldn’t be done.
Just as the follower felt “admiring”, Ke Ying’s mobile phone rang again.
He took out his mobile phone, glanced at the caller ID, raised an eyebrow, and answered: “Hello?”
“Hello?”
From the other end came Mom Wen’s even more “nonchalant” laugh: “Ke Ying ah, Chi Ye is my godson.”
Ke Ying: “?”
Mom Wen smugly: “NEON, XYZ Films High, Octane all contacted 《Influenza》.”
Ke Ying: “…”
Wen Lijuan finally said: “This time, just like before, three seconds kneel.”
Ke Ying’s fair face instantly flushed red, furious: “Wen Lijuan! You’re a grandmother now, and you say that…”
Beep beep beep.
Blind tone already came from the phone.
Usually mild-tempered Ke Ying exploded in rage: “I really… still showing me that facial expression… this Wen Lijuan… I… I…”
“Bro, Wen Lijuan is indeed a bit over the line… anyway, she’s your ex-wife…”
Ke Ying suddenly stopped, looked at the follower, expressionless.
The follower was stunned.
Ke Ying expressionless: “You know she’s my ex-wife too.”
The follower opened his mouth.
“I can talk about her, can you?”
“Which side are you from to discuss cooperation… whatever, go back.”
The follower full of dumbfounded.
Thinking to himself, you two divorced long ago… and I’m from Beijing Circle side, bro!
But Ke Ying wouldn’t listen to his “explanation”, because being heavenly allows willful arrogance, so capricious.
Even at this age, still keeping “youthful spirit”.
…
The next day.
Cannes Film Festival.
“How many copyright deals?”
Chi Ye sat in the room, asking Keke who had been handling reception of various film distributors for him since last night.
The rest of 《Influenza》 main creators were in the room, hearing this, all looked at Keke, eyes expectant with excitement.
Keke’s expression at the moment was also very “strange”, this strangeness in others’ eyes was like thunderclap.
Indeed “thunderclap”.
She swallowed, looked at everyone, gaze landing on Chi Ye, slowly said: “156 countries.”
“How many?!”
Chi Ye’s pupils shrank.
“156 countries, and 20 regional copyrights… France side created sky-high price, single distribution offer of 9 million USD.”
Chi Ye leaned back on the sofa, fingers lightly tapping the armrest.
The people around quieted for a moment, then went crazy.
