Chapter 131: Cannes, This Is Only the Beginning

Chapter 131: Cannes, This Is Just the Beginning

Zhang Le soon handed the demos of the two songs to Wu Xiaoyong. As for whether he would get what he wanted with these songs, that was not something Zhang Le needed to consider.

Zhang Le did not dare to mention this to Yang Xin'er at all; he only told her that he had written two songs for Wu Xiaoyong.

Yang Xin'er naturally knew who Wu Xiaoyong was. She was well aware that while Zhang Le’s relationship with him was not as close as it was with Feng Lei or Tang Xiao, he was still one of the few friends Zhang Le had.

Wu Xiaoyong did not have a great reputation, and as a woman, Yang Xin'er had little fondness for him, especially regarding his playboy nature. However, the man was not without his merits. At the very least, he was incredibly loyal to his friends and lacked the arrogance typical of most second-generation wealthy heirs.

"It’s a pity for such a good song," Yang Xin'er said with a touch of regret after listening to the demo.

"The song 'Itch' doesn't suit your style," Zhang Le said with a smile.

"I was talking about 'White Fox'," Yang Xin'er replied with a smile.

'Itch' was naturally a good song, and Yang Xin'er could recognize that, but it wasn't the type of music she liked, nor could she capture the specific essence the song demanded. Saying it was unsuitable was no exaggeration.

"Itch" is a very unique word. In this mundane, materialistic world, everyone inevitably feels an "itch" in their hearts to varying degrees. The lyrics in the song—"How I wish, how I wish someone understood how to appreciate, just waiting, just waiting for someone to share it with"—truly hit the mark, scratching that very itch.

"Come on, let's have a good time, there’s plenty of time anyway; come on, let's wander, there are plenty of directions anyway." This spoke of such freedom, yet also such profound loneliness. People fear being alone, yet struggle to get along when together; modern individuals often feel the "itch" because of this.

Within the light and fluid melody, the sounds of the erhu, xiao, guzheng, and pipa were enchanting. The musical charm seemed to freeze within those elusive notes—simple yet alluring, elegant yet enchanting. Each rise and fall, each smile and frown, was as fragrant and moving as a night-blooming cereus.

This song perfectly met the requirements Wu Xiaoyong had set. As for whether it was for Wu Xiaoyong himself or for Huang Fei, that remained unknown. However, it certainly suited Huang Fei’s style to sing such a song.

'White Fox' was undoubtedly a moving and high-quality piece, though perhaps not a classic. Nevertheless, it was better suited as a theme song for that movie than many other classic tracks.

" 'White Fox' is the theme song for a film," Zhang Le explained.

Upon hearing this, Yang Xin'er nodded without further comment. Zhang Le was well-known in the industry for writing film scores. If he wrote a theme song for a movie, there was nothing to say if he gave it to someone else to sing. Besides, Yang Xin'er was not the type to get jealous over Zhang Le writing songs for others.

As May arrived, the Cannes International Film Festival was about to open. Zhang Le and Yang Xin'er, along with the main creative team of their film, traveled to Cannes in a low-profile manner. The premiere of *Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon* was fast approaching.

If the Oscars were the ultimate goal for global commercial cinema, then the Palme d'Or at Cannes symbolized the pinnacle crown of world art cinema.

This was not Yang Xin'er’s first time attending the Cannes Film Festival, but it was Zhang Le’s. However, he did not need to handle the operational details himself. Although Xinle Film and Television had not been established for long, it was developing rapidly, and Yang Xin'er had poached many experienced talents from other production companies.

*Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon* was a martial arts film—or at least, it wore the coat of one. Whether in the past or the present, no director had ever won such an award with a martial arts or kung fu film at Cannes. In fact, the original *Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon* had even withdrawn from the competition and switched to a non-competitive screening, fearing that it wouldn't win and would negatively impact its international distribution.

Before Ang Lee filmed *Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon*, his fame abroad was already significant. Furthermore, the film’s investors were Hollywood studios, which were likely more concerned with global box office returns than the Palme d'Or. Whether or not Lee could control the withdrawal from the competition category is debatable, but it is an undeniable fact that the film caused a sensation at the festival.

Zhang Le did not face the same pressure from producers and investors as Ang Lee, nor did he have such grand ambitions for international box office success. Even less did he have Lee’s level of fame, so there was no great pressure regarding whether or not he would win an award.

When Zhang Le, Yang Xin'er, and the film’s other lead, Yang Liu, landed in Paris, the company staff who had arrived earlier were already waiting outside the airport.

"Is Brother Jie still not coming to Cannes?" Yang Liu asked Zhang Le upon arriving at the apartment the company had rented. Of the entire cast, the one with the most international name recognition was undoubtedly Li Jie. If he were to arrive, he would certainly attract the attention of the media, which would be excellent for the film's promotion.

"He should arrive tomorrow," Zhang Le said with a smile. He had originally thought Li Jie would be absent from Cannes, just like the lead in his past life. To Zhang Le's surprise, however, Li Jie seemed quite interested in this film festival.

The Cannes Film Festival maintained a high degree of impartiality; it did not require spending money to pull strings or manufacture public opinion like the Oscars. Once a film was submitted, one simply waited for the news. Perhaps this was because it held a fundamental difference in artistic essence compared to the Oscars.

The next day, Li Jie arrived, immediately attracting the gaze of countless media outlets, most notably the major press from China. It was difficult for this kung fu superstar, who was often criticized for his acting, not to draw attention by appearing at the Cannes Film Festival.

Of course, Zhang Le was unaware that when he and Yang Xin'er arrived in Cannes, the domestic media back home were already in an uproar. The fact that Zhang Le was bringing *Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon* to the Cannes Film Festival stunned many.

Since his debut, the two films Zhang Le had produced were both commercially oriented. No one could associate Zhang Le with an artistic film festival like Cannes. Moreover, the lead actor was Li Jie, who was constantly criticized for his poor acting skills. What they found even harder to imagine was that *Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon* was a martial arts film.

"Humiliating oneself!" This was the verdict from countless media outlets regarding Zhang Le taking *Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon* to Cannes. They did not believe Zhang Le had any expertise in art films, nor did they believe the acting of Li Jie, Yang Xin'er, or the other leads would gain favor in Cannes. They certainly didn't believe a martial arts film would find favor at such a venue.

*Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon* was not going just to be exhibited; it was going to compete. The domestic sentiment was overwhelmingly negative; not a single media outlet, and hardly anyone, believed that Zhang Le's film could enter the Cannes competition category.

However, many different voices began to emerge online. Especially after news came back from Cannes that *Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon* had entered the competition, countless netizens made bold declarations, waiting to watch Zhang Le prove the critics wrong.

*Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon*, being a martial arts film, did not initially attract much attention from foreign media. In fact, when Li Jie’s image appeared on the promotional posters, it was even mocked by some media outlets familiar with him. Li Jie’s acting was criticized not just domestically, but abroad as well. Many were even aware that as Li Jie developed his career in Hollywood, his acting was the biggest obstacle to his further success.

It was only when the film entered the competition category that it truly entered the public eye, and unexpectedly, it became an instant hit.