The Venice Film Festival's main competition section only has eight awards, the fewest among Europe's three major festivals.
The Golden Lion is the festival's highest prize. The Jury Grand Prix is the second most important and can be regarded as the Silver Lion.
There are also awards for Best Director, Best Actress, Best Actor, Best Screenplay, and the Jury Special Prize. The Special Prize sounds similar to the Silver Lion, but in reality, it is more of a consolation prize. Filmmakers from different countries often blur the line, pretending they have won the Silver Lion to raise their prestige.
Finally, there is the Marcello Mastroianni Award for Best New Young Actor or Actress. Many domestic audiences have never heard of Marcello Mastroianni's name, including Chu Zhi.
In fact, he was a genius actor born more than a century ago. No need to elaborate on how talented he was. There is one thing today's actors cannot surpass—he was regarded as "Fellini's on-screen incarnation."
Sitting in the fifth row, Chu Zhi waited, clapping like an emotionless robot whenever someone went on stage, someone announced the prize, and someone gave a speech.
The ceremony first went through the Horizons section. As the festival's only other competition section, it might not attract much attention from the public, but insiders watch it closely.
Horizons, as its name suggests—the first sight at sunrise—has no restrictions on genre. Even documentaries can compete, as long as they are forward-looking. Experimental films and works with strong ethnic colors are especially favored.
"Eh? I think I've seen this one. 'The Never-Disappearing Wengding Village', a documentary by Chinese director Li Tedian." Chu Zhi spotted a familiar name.
Li Tedian won Best Documentary in the Horizons section, and Chu Zhi clapped louder for this award.
Wengding Village was China's last primitive tribe. Last year, a fire spread across more than a hundred households. Luckily, no casualties occurred, and the government helped rebuild, but the original architecture was lost.
"Disappearance" has two meanings. Wengding Village was a 4A-level tourist site. With official help, new tourism infrastructure improved villagers' lives. But because of tourists' intrusion and the fire destroying old houses, the original Wengding Village had indeed disappeared.
Yet Li Tedian's view was that as long as the Wengding people exist, the village still exists.
"I felt the meaning of the documentary, but…" Chu Zhi noticed Li Tedian's melancholy face when delivering his acceptance speech.
"Why so unhappy after winning?" Chu Zhi decided to talk to him during the banquet.
After more than forty minutes of waiting, the ceremony finally entered the main competition. First, Best Screenplay, which went to the closing film Reyn.
Then Best Actress—the title of Venice Film Festival Queen, a recognition with global weight. The audience visibly became more serious.
"The winner of Best Actress at the 79th Venice International Film Festival is… Let us welcome Mr. Myron to announce." The host took a deep breath, introducing the guest.
Award presenters are either very senior or very powerful. Myron was the latter, Vice President of Paramount.
The Best Actress went to Natalie Berkin for her role in Plagiarism. Applause burst out.
Natalie Berkin was truly formidable. She won her country's most prestigious award, the Laura Award for Best Actress, at thirty. At thirty-five, she was crowned Oscar Best Actress. At thirty-seven, she now claimed Venice Best Actress. Her résumé dazzled everyone.
Even with her record, Natalie Berkin's eyes turned red when she held the trophy. The award was recognition of her performance.
In her acceptance speech, she especially thanked her husband and daughter. She said: "When filming, sometimes it's just half a month, but big productions often last over half a year. I have too little time with my family. I thank my husband—no matter what country I film in, if he has time, he always brings our daughter to visit. And my daughter, my little sweetheart, has never blamed me. Mommy loves you."
Such was the life of an actor. If the role is heavy, filming easily takes two or three months. Chu Zhi thought songwriting was easier. Still busy, but with scraps of free time.
The audience clapped again. Natalie Berkin returned to her seat and thanked director Bargoin beside her for the opportunity.
Bargoin didn't think thanks were necessary. In his view, actors and works fulfill each other, even if the work carries more weight.
"Has Mr. Chu agreed?" Natalie Berkin whispered, making conversation. She knew the director's new film was seeking the actor for Shiyi Lang.
"Not yet, still considering. Chu Zhi is primarily a singer, and his music career is more successful than acting, so he needs to be cautious." Bargoin said this aloud, but in his mind, four or five days without an answer basically meant no chance.
Natalie Berkin was surprised. Why be a singer? That's an even bigger waste of resources.
Don't think selling looks is only in Asia. Europe and America do it even more.
In her view, Chinese stars could easily gain a foothold in Europe and America just on their looks.
With the Best Actress awarded, not only was Natalie Berkin happy, director Wang Anyi also looked more relaxed.
She had served as jury president at many festivals and knew the unspoken rules. Since Plagiarism got Best Actress, the chance of winning Best Director, let alone the Silver or Golden Lion, was slim.
"Now let's announce the winner of Best Actor at the 79th Venice International Film Festival. Please welcome Ms. Fiorenzo Nicci."
Fiorenzo was a legendary French actress, courted by two French prime ministers, but she chose a man thirty years her senior.
Her legend, however, came not from gossip, but from her forty years in the industry, starring in over a hundred films and creating countless familiar roles.
"The winner of Best Actor is—The Killing Professor, Berg Oondo. Mr. Oondo's portrayal of Dr. Heartless reached the pinnacle of performance art. With many silent scenes and no lines, he expressed guilt, madness, and numbness through his eyes and subtle, expressive facial changes. A textbook performance." Fiorenzo read from her card, ending with: "Congratulations, Mr. Oondo."
Applause thundered.
Oondo walked onstage. His looks weren't striking, but his acting was superb. He excelled at roles like serial killers and ordinary fathers.
As Rong Yi once said, this was a man studied at Central Academy of Drama, Beijing Film Academy, and Shanghai Theatre Academy while still alive.
Powerful!
Chu Zhi applauded. Rong Yi had told him Oondo even visited prisons multiple times for research. Chu Zhi admired actors who sacrificed for their craft.
"It's okay, we'll have another chance."
"It's not that I didn't try, but the competition was too strong."
"Xiao Jiu, you're still young. With your talent, you'll definitely succeed before thirty."
Director Ge Zongfeng, actor You Quan, and Rong Yi whispered comfort.
Chu Zhi had already prepared himself for not winning Best Actor. The system brother had told him that the Earth's equivalent film also lost at Cannes.
But being comforted still left him slightly bitter.
Next came the Newcomer Award and the Jury Special Prize, paving the way for Best Director.
Best Director went to Plagiarism's Bargoin, just as Wang Anyi predicted. He had mastered the rules of the game.
The Jury Grand Prix, the Silver Lion, was awarded to Mi.Llave, a Spanish film. Literally "My Keychain," but in Spanish, it also means a very close friend.
Chu Zhi had of course watched it. With Spanish-style suspense, its alternative title could be: My Friend is Too Good to Me, I Suspect He Wants to be My Stepfather.
Unsurprisingly, the Golden Lion went to Shiyi Lang, with Wang Anyi once again crowned in Italy.
"Shiyi Lang is as powerful as a Homeric epic, with legendary artistry like the lives of great masters. Chu Zhi's portrayal of legendary Beijing drama master Su Shiyi moved audiences deeply. His turbulent life and pursuit of art were mesmerizing. With Wang Anyi's unique editing and cinematography, this masterpiece proves: 'One must go mad for art, or one cannot be an artist.' Thank you, Director Wang Anyi, for bringing us this film." The presenter read from the card.
The host invited Wang Anyi to accept the award.
Wang Anyi gave her speech in Chinese. With her stature today, she could do so.
The main competition ended. There were other awards, but less important. The ceremony lasted three hours.
Without food, Chu Zhi was truly hungry.
Europe's three major festivals are commercially mature. Even the banquet was sponsored by Dior, officially called the "Dior Celebration of the Venice International Film Festival Banquet."
It was held at the JW Marriott Resort's Western restaurant. Except for celebrities who only walked the red carpet, all attendees of the award ceremony received invitations.
Staff in dark suits moved among guests. Jaeger-LeCoultre, the festival's largest sponsor, gifted every main competition winner a custom Reverso watch.
Chu Zhi, without an award, got no watch.
"To be honest, it does feel ceremonial. Makes me want one too," Chu Zhi muttered, though he didn't think it looked that pretty.
"Mr. Chu Zhi, sorry to interrupt." American director Joseph approached with a glass of white wine. Dressed in a white tailcoat, he was perhaps the most formally dressed guest.
Hmm… but with his short and stocky build, a white tailcoat did not suit him.
"Hello, Mr. Joseph," Chu Zhi replied politely.
Joseph was the director of The Killing Professor. His film won Best Actor, not a bad harvest.
"Su Shiyi will be remembered in film history as a character artists dream of, one that will never fade," Joseph praised, then got to the point: "I have a script perfect for you, Mr. Chu. I hope you will consider it."
Directors don't always write their own scripts. Joseph referred to a novel he had eyed three years ago but hadn't found the right actor for—until he saw Shiyi Lang.
"Another international director seeking Xiao Jiu," Rong Yi noticed and said: "I've attended many festivals but never had such a chance."
You Quan added: "The industry has no shortage of pretty faces, but looks like Chu Zhi's are rare."
The two chatted idly. The banquet was meant for networking, but in truth, the circle of big directors and famous actors was hard to break into without strong fame.
Chu Zhi exchanged emails, deciding to first read the script.
They chatted briefly about wine. Joseph, a connoisseur, criticized the pairings. Then they parted.
"Director Li, hello, I'm Chu Zhi. The Never-Disappearing Wengding Village was unforgettable, the best documentary I've seen." Chu Zhi approached warmly.
"I really like brother Jiu's Chrysanthemum Terrace. I just sang it last month at karaoke," Li Tedian said. In his thirties, older than Chu Zhi, but far less famous, so he called him brother.
They chatted briefly, then moved to a corner to avoid blocking others.
"I checked your works, Director Li. All documentaries about rural villages in China," Chu Zhi said. "You've preserved many beautiful landscapes."
Li Tedian replied: "I myself came from the mountains of Guizhou Province. I have deep feelings for the land and water. But my main goal isn't scenery, it's people. The beauty comes naturally through recording."
"That's wonderful." Chu Zhi nodded. "But I noticed your output has slowed in recent years."
By right, one's thirties should be the peak of creativity and energy.