Before Simon concluded his overseas trip, the 50th Cannes Film Festival officially opened on May 14, 1997.
The 50th anniversary was a significant milestone.
Under the planning of the Cannes organizing committee, the festival saw an unprecedented scale in terms of film submissions, exhibition size, and the number of attendees. Tourists from all over the world flooded the small town of Cannes, filling it to the brim.
On the other hand, this Cannes Film Festival was another showcase of Daenerys Entertainment's influence.
First, out of the 21 films selected for the main competition, two were directly produced by Daenerys Entertainment's subsidiary labels: Girl, Interrupted, directed by James Mangold and starring Mia Kirshner and Angelina Jolie, and The Full Monty, directed by British newcomer Peter Cattaneo.
Additionally, The Sweet Hereafter, a new work by Canadian director Atom Egoyan, produced by an independent studio but quietly acquired by Daenerys Entertainment, also made it into the main competition.
Simon had greatly enjoyed Egoyan's Exotica three years ago, which also starred Mia Kirshner. The Sweet Hereafter was another excellent low-budget drama.
Thus, Daenerys Entertainment effectively had three films in the main competition at Cannes.
With three films in the running, Daenerys Entertainment naturally had no intention of leaving empty-handed.
Since the preparations for this year's festival began months ago, Daenerys Entertainment had been quietly exerting its influence. Beyond the usual promotional efforts for the films themselves, the company had also directly or indirectly intervened in the selection of the jury.
For example, out of the 10 jury members, four—Tim Burton from Hollywood, actress Mira Sorvino, Gong Li from China, and British director Mike Leigh—were individuals Daenerys Entertainment could directly influence. Even the jury president, Isabelle Adjani, was not someone who could remain entirely impartial.
With half of the jury members under their sway, the outcome was practically assured.
Simon's goal this time was for The Full Monty to win the Palme d'Or.
This film, which had once achieved a box office miracle in the UK, leaned towards comedy but used the absurd story of unemployed workers attempting to become male strippers to indirectly critique the social consequences of industrial decline in Britain. Its humanistic depth was on par with any other film in the competition.
Thus, The Full Monty winning the Palme d'Or wouldn't seem out of place.
Having already broken box office records in the UK, the film's performance in other markets would be even stronger with the Palme d'Or's endorsement.
As for Girl, Interrupted.
The original version starring Winona Ryder had few highlights beyond Angelina Jolie's wild performance.
This time, Simon replaced Winona Ryder with Mia Kirshner, whose natural neuroticism perfectly balanced Jolie's intensity. Kirshner's performance, both restrained and explosive, created a compelling counterpoint to Jolie's character.
With Simon personally overseeing the film, its quality had significantly improved compared to the original.
Since The Full Monty was aiming for the Palme d'Or, Girl, Interrupted wouldn't compete for the top three awards. Instead, its focus was on the acting awards.
Whether Mia or Jolie won, it would greatly benefit the film's release at the end of August.
Beyond these competition entries, there was also Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, which Simon privately held in even higher regard.
Cannes.
On the afternoon of Saturday, May 17, at the Palais des Festivals by the seaside, the premiere of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon was bustling with activity, even though it hadn't been submitted for any competition categories.
Li Youhu, dressed in a golden Gucci gown with a plunging neckline, stepped out of the limousine and looked up at the massive Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon poster above the Palais. The red carpet outside the Debussy Hall was lined with a dense crowd of media and fans, their cheers filling the air. Suddenly, she felt that the grueling filming process last year, which had nearly broken her, was entirely worth it.
As the director and the other two lead actors got out of the car, Li Youhu walked over and joined them on the red carpet. Following the instructions of an assistant, she paused for photos, the flashes nearly blinding her.
After the photos, as soon as she stepped off the red carpet and into the Palais, Li Youhu felt an immediate desire to start looking forward to the next time.
However, once inside the screening hall, as the premiere began, she grew anxious.
Li Youhu understood that filmmakers ultimately had to let their work speak for itself.
What if the audience didn't like the film?
So, during the next two hours, while most of the audience's attention was on the screen, Li Youhu kept glancing around, pretending to casually observe the reactions of those nearby, straining to hear their murmurs, even in the dim light and despite her limited understanding of French.
When the credits finally began to roll, Li Youhu thought, since no one booed, it must be... not bad.
Well.
That thought was rather unambitious.
As the lights came on, the screening hall erupted into enthusiastic applause. Li Youhu wasn't entirely sure if this was just politeness.
Until the brief Q&A session that followed.
Li Youhu and the other main creators took the stage together, facing a barrage of questions from the media and audience. Listening to the real-time translation from the interpreter beside her, Li Youhu finally relaxed.
It was clear that the audience genuinely appreciated the film.
With that, the film's box office performance in Europe and the US should be decent.
The premiere ended in the evening.
Next up was an official Daenerys Entertainment party.
Li Youhu left the Palais but didn't head straight to the party venue. Instead, she returned to a luxurious villa in the western part of the city owned by a certain someone, accompanied by her mentor, Yu. The main reason was to change clothes and grab a bite to eat, as the party wouldn't be the best place for a proper meal.
Once inside, Li Youhu let the maid help her out of her expensive gown. Wearing only her undergarments, she flopped onto the living room sofa, both excited and exhausted. She stretched out lazily, then turned to Yu, who had sat down beside her, and asked with a grin, "Yu, aren't you jealous?"
Yu, who had only been able to attend the screening as a regular audience member, rolled her eyes. She took a sip of the soda water handed to her by the maid and said, "You should hurry up and change."
"No rush," Li Youhu sat up, crossing her legs on the sofa. "We'll have dinner before heading over. I'm starving."
Yu didn't respond.
Not letting the topic drop, Li Youhu pressed on, "Yu, why don't you join me in becoming a star? What's so great about that acting school?"
After finishing Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon last year, Li Youhu signed with Jinshu and went on to appear in an episode of Kangxi's Incognito Travel and secured a role in the upcoming Call for Love. Although the money she earned from these projects was still less than the allowance her man gave her, her life was quite fulfilling.
Li Youhu understood that she was just one of his countless lovers and that she ultimately had to rely on herself.
As for Yu, after being swept into bed by a certain someone, she had taken on a new identity. After finishing Li Youhu's acting lessons, as Jinshu's operations expanded, she was given a job by the man to oversee the establishment of the Jinshu Acting School in Suzhou.
Not as the principal.
Yu didn't want to be in the spotlight.
After Simon arranged things according to the corporate model of Western private schools, Yu became a shareholder and chairwoman of the Jinshu Acting School, responsible for its establishment. Having briefly served as a class advisor at the Beijing Film Academy before going abroad, and knowing full well that this was just a nominal position with many people handling the actual work, Yu agreed.
Hearing Li Youhu's words, Yu couldn't help but feel a bit resentful. "He asked me to do it. How could I refuse?"
"Tsk tsk, then break up with him," Li Youhu said with a hint of provocation. "Then you won't have to do anything."
Yu was momentarily speechless.
She had always considered herself an independent woman, but now, looking at the luxurious villa around her, the attentive staff, and the private jet that had brought them to France, she couldn't help but feel... reluctant. After all, despite their limited interactions, the man wasn't someone she could bring herself to dislike.
Seeing Yu's reaction, Li Youhu burst into laughter, even rolling on the sofa in her mirth.
Blushing deeply, Yu, feeling both embarrassed and annoyed, pounced on Li Youhu and started tickling her. "You like to laugh, huh? I'll let you laugh your fill."
"Hahaha, ah, it tickles! Haha, Yu, I was wrong. I know you don't want to break up with Simon. I shouldn't have suggested it. Ah, haha, I'm really sorry. Please spare me!"
After their playful tussle, Li Youhu slipped into a casual outfit brought by the maid. Hearing that dinner was ready, she and Yu headed to the dining room. As they walked, Li Youhu mentioned, "He was in China a few days ago."
Yu's eyes widened slightly, thinking the girl was teasing her again. Seeing Li Youhu's serious expression, she asked incredulously, "How do you know?"
"The Guofeng Art Troupe told me. He's been in Suzhou for the past few days. If I'd known, we wouldn't have rushed to France."
Li Youhu spoke with growing regret.
She had finished filming Kangxi's Incognito Travel a few days ago, and Call for Love wouldn't start until the end of the month. With this gap in her schedule, she had decided to come to Cannes early to enjoy herself. Yu had joined her, and they had been in France for over a week.
They had missed him by just a few days.
Yu also felt a pang of regret, a thought flashing through her mind. But, out of矜持, she didn't voice it.
Li Youhu, however, had no such reservations. Sitting down at the dining table, she said to Yu across from her, "Let's go to North America in a few days."
Yu, feeling guilty, asked, "What for?"
Li Youhu frowned again.
Yu's question, more accurately, should have been, "How would we do that?"
They couldn't just show up at his doorstep. The thought of being turned away was mortifying. As for reaching out to him to arrange a meeting, Li Youhu had hinted at it numerous times in her private emails over the past months, but to no avail. And it wasn't just her—the girls still in the Guofeng Art Troupe, the models like Zhu Momo, and other women she knew were in the same boat.
There was simply no way around it.
Ultimately, it was because there were too many women in his life. Or perhaps it was because he was simply too busy. After all, the Westeros empire was massive, with trillions of dollars at stake. The thought of managing such a vast business empire was overwhelming. It was no wonder he had so much on his plate.
As for them, even though they rarely saw him, their lives were now filled with luxury and purpose. They weren't bored or the point of seeking change.
With that in mind, it was best not to dwell on it.
After dinner, the two women changed into evening gowns suitable for the party and headed back to the city.
Arriving at the Daenerys Entertainment party, the venue was already packed with people, many of whom were faces they had only ever seen on the big screen. However, thanks to the man behind them, both Li Youhu and Yu could face these once-unreachable celebrities with calm and even a sense of superiority.
After all, their man was at the very top of this industry.
Having met many people through the coordination of the Daenerys Entertainment team in recent days, the two women didn't stay together. Each accompanied by a translator, they mingled with the crowd. Li Youhu soon ran into Ang Lee, who was chatting with Ira Deutschman, president of Highgate Pictures.
As Li Youhu approached, both men greeted her politely, and she responded with a smile. She then asked, "Ang, Ira, were you just talking about Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon's box office?"
She had brought a translator because she was still struggling with French and other languages, but after studying for so long, she could understand quite a bit of English.
Ira Deutschman didn't hide it and nodded. "Yes, the Highgate team just finished analyzing a batch of questionnaires from this afternoon's premiere, combined with some internal test screenings we've done before. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon's box office should be very good."
Li Youhu grew even more curious. She knew her chances of winning an Oscar or similar awards in the West were slim, so her core reliance for gaining more fame was the box office. "Ira, how much do you think it'll make? Say, in North America?"
"At least $50 million," Ira Deutschman said with a smile. "There's a kung fu craze in North America right now. Our Taken and Iron Monkey both did very well. Jackie Chan's new film Police Story 4, which opened in North America yesterday, also had a strong opening. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is even cooler than Jackie and Jet's modern kung fu films. Based on our comprehensive analysis of the test screenings, $50 million shouldn't be a problem."
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon had a production budget of $15 million. If it made $50 million in North America, it would already be profitable.
Li Youhu could easily calculate this small sum, and she also knew that $50 million for a Chinese-language film in North America was quite impressive. Still, she wasn't entirely satisfied. "Ira, only $50 million? Is there a chance it could break $100 million?"
Ira Deutschman shook his head. "I really can't say for sure, Miss Li. What we can confirm is that Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is an excellent film. A good film—more accurately, a good film recognized by the general audience—is just the foundation. As for how high the box office can go, that depends on the subsequent marketing."
Li Youhu countered, "Isn't Daenerys Entertainment's marketing the best in Hollywood?"
"Of course, which is why, based on all the feedback, I dare to predict $50 million. For Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, we all know that's already quite an achievement. As for higher, that would be a phenomenon. In such cases, beyond excellent marketing, it also takes a bit of luck. That's why the film industry is like a casino. Even the best card counters can only increase their odds of winning. How much they ultimately win is anyone's guess."
Li Youhu nodded subconsciously, then thought of someone. "I think Simon is different."
Ira Deutschman paused, then nodded with a smile. "Yes, the boss is an outlier. No one can deny that."
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