PNB Chapter 143 The Eve of Takeoff: Tickets to Vanity Fair
Chapter 143 The Eve of Takeoff: Tickets to Vanity Fair
"We're going to Cannes."
Chen Yan put down the walkie-talkie.
The script supervisor walks into the camera's view.
The black and white clapperboard closed.
A crisp, metallic clanging sound rang out.
Filming wrapped.
Chen Yan spoke.
The high-pressure water pump was completely powered off.
The remaining water in the pipe dripped onto the gravel.
Lin Qingqiu loosened her fingers.
An octagonal iron hammer was driven into the mud.
Mud and water splashed onto her work clothes.
She lay on her back in the pile of rubble.
The chest heaved violently.
Rainwater mixed with mud and sand streamed down her cheeks.
Chen Yan carried the white medical kit to the center of the venue.
Leather shoes stomped through the mud.
It makes a sticky sound.
Chen Yan squatted down next to Lin Qingqiu.
He opened the medicine box.
Take out medical alcohol and degreased cotton swabs.
Lin Qingqiu raised her right hand.
His palms were covered with crisscrossing cuts.
The skin and flesh rolled up.
Mud and sand were embedded at the edge of the wound.
Chen Yan grasped her wrist.
Unscrew the cap of the alcohol bottle.
A clear liquid was poured down.
Rinse the wound with alcohol.
Blood mixed with mud and sand dripped onto the granite.
Lin Qingqiu's body was tense.
Biting down on his lower lip with his teeth.
She did not make a sound.
Breathing pace quickened.
"You were half a second too slow to pull back."
Chen Yan used a cotton swab to remove the sand particles from the wound.
"The hammer handle was stained with blood and slippery."
Lin Qingqiu answered.
"The image quality is good enough."
Chen Yan threw away the blood-stained cotton swab.
He pulled out a sterile gauze.
Layer upon layer wrapped around Lin Qingqiu's palm.
The gauze was tightly bound around the skin and flesh.
Lin Qingqiu's gaze fell on Chen Yan's profile.
Rain dripped down Chen Yan's jawline.
Su Wan stood under a parasol three meters away.
She was wearing a black trench coat.
He was holding two stacks of plane tickets.
Air France AF125.
Su Wan flipped through the plane tickets.
"Departure at 8 PM tomorrow night."
Su Wan added.
Chen Yan tied a medical knot.
He stood up.
He took the dry towel that Su Wan handed him.
Wipe the water off your hands.
"Load the equipment onto the truck."
Chen Yan gave instructions to Zhang Yuan, who was in the distance.
"Lock the master tape into the safe."
Chen Yan turned to look at Su Wan.
"Go back to BJ."
Chen Yan said.
Twenty-four hours later.
BJ Yanying Culture Headquarters.
Chen Yan sat behind his desk.
Su Wan pushed open the glass door.
She was holding a fax document.
The paper has perforation marks on the edges.
Su Wan pulled out a chair and sat down.
He pushed the fax in front of Chen Yan.
"Harvey has spoken."
Su Wan spoke.
Miramax cut off the European pre-sale channels for The Bridge.
Su Wan said.
Chen Yan picked up the fax.
Printed entirely in English.
"Both EMI and Gaumont cinema chains have withdrawn their letters of intent."
Su Wan opened her notebook.
"Harvey issued an internal notice through the European Film Distribution Association."
Su Wan read aloud the contents of the record.
"Any publisher that purchases the copyright to 'Broken Bridge'."
Su Wan paused.
"We will permanently lose the distribution rights to Miramax's Hollywood blockbusters."
Su Wan closed her notebook.
"Independent publishers in France are starting to back down."
Su Wan looked at Chen Yan.
Chen Yan put down the fax.
Tap your fingers on the solid wood tabletop.
"Harvey is using Hollywood's film library to hijack European cinemas."
Chen Yan said.
"Independent distributors are surviving on Hollywood popcorn movies."
Su Wan replied.
"Black Rain has a marketing budget of 30 million euros."
Su Wan opened another document.
"Harvey bought out prime-time slots in eighty cinemas in downtown Paris."
Su Wan said.
"He wants to keep 'Broken Bridge' out of the French market."
Su Wan added.
Chen Yan picked up the landline phone from his desk.
Press the hands-free button.
Dial Lin Shufen's number.
After three beeps, the call was connected.
"Harvey blocked the European channels."
Chen Yan spoke.
"Su Wan just informed me."
Lin Shufen's voice came from the speaker.
"What do you need me to do?"
Lin Shufen asked.
"Release a public announcement."
Chen Yan issued the order.
"Yanying Culture in collaboration with Jinghai Film & Television."
Chen Yan said.
"Initiate a channel for importing independent Chinese and French films."
Chen Yan added.
The sound of a lighter lighting a cigarette came from the other end of the phone.
"Using domestic cinema resources to exchange for more screen time in Europe?"
Lin Shufen asked.
"Hollywood blockbusters have squeezed out the living space of European local films."
Chen Yan answered.
"French film studios have a large number of art films that cannot be released."
Chen Yan said.
"Tell them."
Chen Yan pointed to the map of China on the table.
"Yan Ying controls 75% of the cinemas in the lower-tier markets of northern China."
Chen Yan said.
"As long as they buy the French rights to 'Broken Bridge' and guarantee a certain number of screenings."
Chen Yan paused.
"Yan Ying imports their backlog of films."
Chen Yan added.
"Use China's market of 1.3 billion people to absorb their inventory."
Chen Yan said.
"They're using Jinghai's shell as bait."
Lin Shufen exhaled smoke.
"They can't resist it."
Chen Yan answered.
"I will contact China Film Group immediately to apply for a film quota."
Lin Shufen said.
"The business press release was sent to AFP two hours later."
Lin Shufen hung up the phone.
Chen Yan hung up the microphone.
He stood up.
He picked up the suit jacket draped over the back of the chair.
"Tell Zhang Yuan to bring the hard drive."
Chen Yan said to Su Wan.
"To the airport."
Chen Yan put on his coat.
Capital International Airport.
Terminal 3.
Chen Yan walked at the very front.
Su Wan was pushing a silver metal suitcase.
The suitcase has an anti-magnetic mark printed on its exterior.
Lin Qingqiu was wearing a black baseball cap.
His right hand was in his jacket pocket.
Zhang Yuan followed at the back of the group, carrying a backpack.
The four people walked through the security checkpoint.
Air France flight AF125 is taxiing on the runway.
The roar of the engine penetrated the cabin walls.
The plane accelerated and climbed.
The aircraft pierced through the clouds.
The seatbelt indicator lights in the cabin are off.
Chen Yan sat in a window seat in first class.
He pulled down the sunshade.
I opened the French edition of Cahiers du Cinéma on my lap.
Su Wan sat to his left.
She opened her laptop.
The screen displays the contact information for French independent cinemas.
Lin Qingqiu sat in the back row.
She had her eyes closed.
He pressed his left hand against an old scar on his right arm.
Thirteen hours later.
Airplane tires rub against the runway of Nice-Côte d'Azur airport.
White smoke rose.
The aircraft decelerated and taxied after experiencing severe vibrations.
It's 2 PM local time in France.
Sunlight shines through the glass curtain wall of the waiting hall.
Chen Yan was carrying a silver metal briefcase.
The box contained the digital master tapes of "Broken Bridge".
He walked out of the VIP passage gate.
Leather shoes stepped onto the smooth marble floor.
Su Wan followed on his left.
Zhang Yuan pushed the luggage cart and followed on the right.
There were no Cannes organizing committee staff members at the exit of the passageway.
There were no flowers.
Only three armed airport security personnel were patrolling.
An airport staff member in a gray uniform was blocking the entrance to the passageway.
The staff member was holding up a whiteboard.
Chen Yan's name in pinyin was written on the whiteboard with a black water-based pen.
Chen Yan stopped in his tracks.
A staff member handed over a notification slip printed in French.
The Cannes Film Festival logo is printed at the top of the paper.
A red official seal is stamped below the logo.
Su Wan accepted the notification slip.
My gaze swept over the French words.
"The premiere, originally scheduled for the Lumière Theatre, has been cancelled."
Translated by Su Wan.
The screening venue has been changed.
Su Wan paused.
"The short film screening room on the second basement floor of the cinema palace."
Su Wan read out the last line.