Chapter 429 International Friends


    Heng Anshi watched "Life is Beautiful", which means that the senior management agreed with Chen Qi''s overseas promotion strategy.


    His opinion is not to do it in the name of the official, because many foreigners don’t want to deal with the official, let alone the Chinese official, so they invite them in the name of the movie.


    Due to his identity, Heng''anshi was unable to express his position publicly, but privately gave some lists of concentration camp victims in the United States. Chen Qi had already made some promotional videos for "Life Is Beautiful" and sent them out quickly along with the invitations.


    London suburbs, small towns.


    The famous science fiction writer Ballard lived here.


    He was born in Shanghai. His father was an engineer and had a good income. After the Japanese army occupied Shanghai, he was imprisoned in a concentration camp for four years. He later returned to China to study medicine and engage in writing.


    The masterpieces "The Drowned World" and "Crash", and of course the "Empire of the Sun" he was creating, were later made into a movie of the same name by Spielberg, starring a young Christian Bale.


    He watched the video and the invitation and was not interested.


    People are different. Ballard was born into a wealthy family, lived in a small mansion in Shanghai, and had nine Chinese servants at home. He had no empathy for the Chinese people. He has never understood the Sino-Japanese War, as he himself said:


    "The severe atrocities that occurred in Europe during World War II can be attributed in some sense to the evils of the Nazi ideal. But in the Far East, where I grew up, there was no explanation, and millions of people were murdered for no real reason..."


    How could there not be a real reason?


    But some foreigners just watch and are indifferent. What does the Sino-Japanese War have to do with them?


    Ballard immediately wrote a rejection letter, expressing his inconvenience to participate in the Berlin Film Festival - besides, he was writing "Empire of the Sun", how could anyone help promote similar themes?


    …


    In comparison, some people in the United States can be called international friends.


    New Jersey.


    Ms. Amy Dai, a state representative, excitedly drove to an apartment, went upstairs and knocked on the door. An elderly man opened the door, and the two embraced.


    "Why does my little Mary come to see me today?"


    "Uncle Raymond, there is something big!"


    The lady, whose Chinese name is Dai Aimei and her English name is Mary, entered the room and said: "China made a movie that reflected the life in the concentration camps and sent me some clips. I felt great, and the ambassador also approved of it.


    They are going to the Berlin Film Festival and hope to find a few people who have experienced it to tell the story live. My identity is inconvenient, but I hope you can go!


    I was imprisoned when I was 9 years old and was imprisoned for 4 years. It was you who suddenly saved us... Over the years, I have been contacting my brothers and sisters from that time. We selected a few representative ones to participate together so that the whole world would know. This history…”


    Dai Aimei''s great-grandfather came to China as a missionary in the late Qing Dynasty and founded Yantai Zhifu School.


    At that time, hundreds of European and American teachers and students were imprisoned in concentration camps. In 1945, a team of seven took a plane to perform a mission, parachuted into the concentration camp, announced Japan''s surrender, and everyone was rescued.


    And this man was one of the seven-man team, a military doctor named Raymond.


    After Dai Aimei grew up, she has been looking for these people and is the core of the circle. She showed a completely different attitude from Ballard, and said excitedly: "I found six of the seven of you, and there is still a Chinese uncle who has not been found.


    I remember that I was very attached to him and even made an embroidery using parachute fragments to give to him. Unfortunately, I couldn’t go to China... If you can go, you must help me fulfill my wish..."


    "Calm down, we''ll decide whether to go to China or not. Let''s finalize the candidates first." Raymond was happy to participate in this kind of event.


    "Okay, okay, I''m too excited."


    Immediately, the two of them discussed which people to contact to participate in Berlin - this event was initiated by "Life is Beautiful", and all expenses were naturally borne by the film producer (reimbursed by the Ministry of Culture).


    "Call Bauer. He moved from the concentration camp in Shanghai to the concentration camp in Shandong. He has been in both sides and has more say."


    "And this one, this one is also suitable! There shouldn''t be too many people!" "Oh, that''s right!"


    Dai Aimei slapped her head and shouted: "Be sure to inform Patricia that her father is the most representative, alas, my dear Uncle Scud!"


    Speaking of this uncle Scud, Raymond also sighed: "He is a true gentleman and a true warrior. His story should be known to more people, rather than just a few Oscars!"


    This refers to Eric Liddell, a Scotsman who won the Olympic 400m gold medal and broke the world record.


    He has lived in China all year round and guided Liu Changchun''s training.


    He was a leader in the concentration camp and was loved by the children, who all called him Uncle Scud.


    Unfortunately, he suffered from a brain tumor. At that time, the Allied forces and the Japanese army exchanged prisoners of war. Churchill asked him to come back by name, but he gave the opportunity to others, and eventually died of illness in a concentration camp on the eve of the victory in 1945.


    The British made a movie based on him, "Chariots of Fire," which won four Oscars last year.


    It can only be said that Dai Aimei truly loves the land of China. Historically, she finally came to China and met the Chinese uncle who saved her back then. She also spared no effort to publicize the history of the concentration camp. Even her Chinese has a Shandong flavor.


    Chen Qi did something that no one had ever done.


    This greatly aroused the enthusiasm of American friends, who actively worked to promote the matter and quickly sent the list to the country.


    In the 1980s, we really had many international friends.


    Chen Qi received the reply and was greatly relieved. This is what I should do, instead of falling into the trap of CCTV. How dare you fight with me at any level? Oh no, Taiwan Dou?


    …


    It’s the end of January in the blink of an eye.


    The [Beijing-Shanghai delegation of Hong Kong entertainers] has set off. It will first go to Shanghai for a few days and wander around Jiangnan. Of course, Jiangnan is not much better in the winter, so I will go to Beijing as soon as possible.


    Then came the news of "The Love between Ghosts and Humans".


    The film was released for a month, and the box office reached 28 million, surpassing "The Best of Us", ranking first in the year and breaking the box office record!


    The Hong Kong media was wailing: Let Chen Qi say it, "The End of the World", "The Best Partner", "Tai Chi 2", "Shaolin Temple" and "Journey to the Wrath", four of the top five leftists accounted for it, which is unprecedented. win.


    Film dealers from Southeast Asia can''t wait to buy the film. This type of film also has a market in places where Chinese culture has a profound influence.


    But Chen Qi was not in Xiangjiang, and Fu Qi couldn''t make the decision alone, so he waited later.


    When Chen Qi learned the data, he was naturally excited, and then came the reckoning: "The Ghost Story" was originally a co-production, and according to previous regulations, the box office share was first shared, and then again based on the investment ratio.


    But now that the box office does not need to be handed over, and the banks have merged, there is no need to go through so much trouble, and each party can just get half.


    After deducting the 17.5% entertainment tax from the 28 million, the remaining 23.1 million was still paid in half for Xuanfa, who spent nothing on ATV, and split the bonus 1 million in half for Tsui Hark.


    Finally, I can get 10 million Hong Kong dollars.


    In terms of expenditure, 2 million was spent on "Happy Ghost", 2 million was given to Legendary Pictures, 4 million was given to "Tai Chi 3"... Counting all the mess, plus the balance from the previous stage, Chen Qi still has 13 million Hong Kong dollars in hand, more than 200 Thousands of dollars.


    (End of chapter)