Jackie Chan knew the situation before making the call. He was well aware that a simple invitation might not be enough to convince the other party, but the person seeking his help certainly had a significant status. Since there was such an invitation, preparations had likely already been made.
"Laila, do you have any knowledge of the film industry in the East?"
This was the question she had been waiting for. Laila raised an eyebrow slightly, her voice tinged with curiosity, "Are you talking about box office?"
"Let's consider everything—box office, movies, and everything related. What are your thoughts on the future development of the film industry in the East?"
Laila pondered for a moment and replied, "The enormous population base in the East is quite enticing. I believe that with economic development, the film industry there will also thrive."
"If you have such confidence in the development there, Laila, would you be interested in getting involved?"
Interested? Of course! She had to be interested! Laila felt a surge of excitement, but she didn't let it show in her voice.
"I've heard that there are more restrictions on Hollywood in the East. Do you think there's a real opportunity for me there?"
This was her most pressing concern because most of her films, including those produced by the Phoenix Films company, were rated R. She never expected such films to enter the Eastern market unscathed. But how much should be edited, and to what extent, was a topic of much discussion.
Jackie Chan chuckled, "Again, you underestimate your influence in the East. Although your films, except for Rush Hour, haven't been screened there, all your movies are classics, and they are the type that many people love. Trust me, if you're willing to go to the East, you'll find that your influence is even greater than you imagine."
Laila smiled but still didn't take his words too seriously. To expect her to believe that a director who stood behind the camera could have such a significant influence in a country on the other side of the world was truly testing her sanity.
Seeing her silence, Jackie Chan continued, "I can't provide all the details. If you're interested, someone from there will contact you. Then you can ask for all the details."
Laila thought for a moment and said, "Okay, I'll be shooting in Hollywood for the next few months. If someone from there wants to meet, have them call me."
"No problem," Jackie Chan agreed readily.
After hanging up the phone, Laila leaned back into the soft cushions of the sofa, touching her chin. She had a feeling that the Spring Festival Gala was just an excuse, and the real intention might be to facilitate more interactions with Hollywood.
Genius was never in short supply in this world. She could foresee the future development of Eastern cinema thanks to her future memories, and she believed that others with keen senses would also see the potential in the film industry. When it came to films, Hollywood was probably the first thing that came to mind for anyone.
If she had to guess, the Eastern industry might want to absorb advanced film concepts from Hollywood through this bridge. And she was the most suitable bridge.
There were few Eastern directors known internationally, especially when compared to their massive population. Even if there were one or two, they wouldn't have much influence in Hollywood.
But she was different. She had already established herself in Hollywood, had two companies, and had support behind her. Most importantly, she had 25% Eastern heritage, and she was genuinely willing to work on Eastern films. Compared to the Hollywood film companies that were like vampires, she was certainly a better choice.
This was such a great opportunity, and she wanted to get involved. The question was, how should she get involved?
"Laila, what are you doing?" Roy, who had come downstairs to get a drink, saw her sitting in the living room.
"Roy," Laila greeted him with a wave and invited him over. Once he had taken a seat across from her, she asked, "If you were faced with a developing film market, what would you do?"
Roy was taken aback by the question. He didn't have much knowledge of business matters, and even his earnings were managed by her to prevent him from spending recklessly.
Frowning, he thought for a moment and said, "I would probably establish cinemas first. Since it's a developing market, there should be significant future growth. If we have our own cinemas, we won't have to worry about a lack of screens when we have movies in the future."
"Wow!" Laila looked at him in amazement. "I didn't expect you to come up with such a good idea."
"What do you mean, 'I didn't expect'? I occasionally have a good business mind, you know?" Roy responded with an air of satisfaction, having sensed that he had proposed a good idea.
Laila didn't quite believe him; after all, he was someone who didn't even know the meaning of savings and investment. Expecting him to have much business acumen was a stretch.
However, he did offer her a fresh idea, and she happened to have a significant amount of spare cash at the moment. With the bursting of the dot-com bubble, it wasn't feasible to invest in the online world. The economic crises of the following years, especially the one after 9/11, indicated that the United States was no longer a suitable investment environment. Since investing here wasn't an option, putting her money in the East seemed like a good choice.
From what she knew, the East highly valued foreign currency inflow. Foreign companies investing there often receive excellent incentives, such as tax breaks, which would suit her current situation well.
Her future goals included shifting some of her focus to the East, so having her cinema chain would be crucial. She was well aware of how big this business would become in the future. Currently, she might only have a few hundred million, but when Pirates of the Caribbean was released next year, she would likely recoup a substantial amount of capital from the film's immense success.
Moreover, she could also discuss this with her grandfather and secure an investment from him. She could even pay him interest, which would be far better than letting the banks profit from her money.
After the weekend, Laila, Roy, and Abel returned to Hollywood. What she didn't expect was that on the very day they returned, she received a call from guests in the East.
As a sign of respect, she had booked a presidential suite in a five-star hotel to host their party.
Three people arrived, one woman and two men. It wasn't clear whether it was because she was a woman, but the leader of their group was a woman named Yao Yingxia. The two men, one middle-aged and the other younger, were their translator.
"Laila Moran, I heard that you speak Chinese very well, so let's communicate in Chinese, shall we?" Yao Yingxia said after introductions. "I always feel that English is too limited and doesn't easily convey the true meaning."
Laila smiled and replied in Chinese, "Of course. I completely agree with your sentiment. Chinese is profound and rich, and it has a unique charm. It's a language system that I like."
To avoid sounding too odd, she intentionally added a slight foreign accent to her Chinese. It wasn't very noticeable, but it wasn't the kind of Chinese spoken by a native.