In China, the Oscars ceremony had concluded, but discussions around the movie Hero were only just beginning.
People within the Chinese film industry expressed their support for Hero.
Lu Chuan: "In truth, winning an award isn't that important. Awards depend on behind-the-scenes politics, especially for commercial ones like the Oscars. The media might have been too optimistic, thinking that Hero's theme of peace resonated with current events, placing high hopes on the film. But the same could be said about the German film Nowhere in Africa."
Zhou Xiaowen: "Winning an award is a kind of lottery, especially when it comes to international awards. I once served on a jury at a Spanish film festival. The movie had just started when one of the jury members sitting next to me began snoring softly, and the head of the jury fell asleep. In the end, that Spanish film won the top prize."
"Of course, the Oscars are far more prestigious, and its jury consists of Academy members. Still, winning an award is like a lottery. If a film wins, it's great. If not, it's not worth stressing over."
Wang Xingdong: "Competing for the Oscar is like climbing a mountain. Only one can plant their flag at the summit, but reaching the base is already a success."
"There are so many films in the world, and Hero being nominated for an Oscar is already a huge achievement. Very few Chinese films make it to the international stage. I have great respect for director Zhang, who managed to showcase Chinese culture and language to the world. Whether or not he won an award, Zhang Yimou is already a hero."
Unlike industry professionals, the general public almost unanimously criticized the film for its convoluted plot, believing it deserved not to win.
Moreover, it was obvious that Zhang Yimou really wanted to win the Oscar. If he didn't get the award, how could he call himself a hero?
In 2003, the Chinese public wasn't as informed as they would be 20 years later. Winning and gold medals were still seen as the main criteria for success.
Especially after Ang Lee from Taiwan won an Oscar for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, everyone had high hopes for Zhang Yimou. The higher the expectations, the greater the disappointment, and the harsher the criticism.
Unlike in China, Hollywood was buzzing after the Oscars, and news pages were filled with stories about the ceremony.
Adrien Brody became the king of the night with his passionate kiss with Halle Berry.
The Pianist emerged as the big winner, taking home awards for Best Actor, Best Director, and Best Picture.
Nicole Kidman finally won her Oscar for Best Actress and spoke out against the war.
Eric Cooper, the hero who saved Nicole Kidman on the red carpet, became the talk of the town, with the two of them posing for magazines like Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman used to.
Journalists even interviewed Tom Cruise, who congratulated his ex-wife and thanked Eric for his actions.
The Lord of the Rings scooped up technical awards and garnered numerous nominations, while Peter Jackson shared a few anecdotes during his interview.
Chicago faltered, earning four technical awards and one for Best Supporting Actress, but missing out on the top prize.
Before the Oscars ceremony, Chicago and The Pianist were the frontrunners for Best Picture.
Unexpectedly, Roman Polanski's old sexual assault case resurfaced, and many media outlets began discussing his dark past. Even though the victim had stated she held no claims, and some argued that art should be separated from the artist, it didn't help.
The source of these attacks was obvious: Harvey Weinstein. Everyone in the industry understood this was his doing, as it closely resembled the situation with Saving Private Ryan.
At the 71st Oscars, Saving Private Ryan was the favorite, but shortly before the ceremony, the media published a slew of negative stories about the film, and unexpectedly, Shakespeare in Love won Best Picture, with Gwyneth Paltrow taking home the Best Actress Oscar.
However, this time, the tactic didn't work. The media analyzed the reasons and published insider reports.
Firstly, the impact of the Iraq war was immense, and the whole world was watching the conflict. The anti-war theme of The Pianist proved more compelling than Chicago's efforts.
Secondly, Chicago faced significant issues. Initially, analysts predicted Chicago's box office would exceed $300 million, and its run would continue through the Oscars.
But the sudden release of Sharknado and Saw slashed Chicago's box office take.
The planned screening period had to be cut by more than a month, despite numerous negotiations with theater chains, personally mediated by the Weinstein brothers.
Theater chains are profit-driven, and when profits are lacking, not even the influence of the Weinstein brothers or Disney can help.
The reduced screening naturally led to decreased exposure, and among the more than 6,000 Academy members scattered worldwide, not everyone was influenced by Harvey Weinstein. Those who hadn't seen the film naturally leaned towards The Pianist.
In the end, Chicago's failure added another reason for MGM to be discontented with the Weinstein brothers.
In Beverly Hills, a black car pulled up at the curb, and Charles and his assistant Tony got out of the car.
Both had cameras, instantly giving away their profession as reporters for the Los Angeles Times, here to cover Nicole Kidman.
Veteran reporter Charles glanced around and pointed to a spot: "Let's go there. That's a good position; we won't miss a thing."
Tony obediently carried the equipment but noticed that there was already a camera set up behind the tree.
"Hey, what are you doing here? This is my spot!"
An unknown reporter, West, still finishing his burger, quickly approached.
Tony turned to Charles, who immediately stepped in to negotiate.
"Kid, I'm Charles Vincent from the Los Angeles Times. If you're in this business, you should know my name. Nicole Kidman is my regular client, and this is my spot, which you're occupying."
West finished his burger and firmly stood his ground.
"I don't know any Charles Vincent. All I know is that this spot was free when I got here. If you wanted it, you should've come earlier."
"Young man, I don't like your tone. It seems you're new and don't understand the rules of the game, but if you want to advance in this profession, you'd better take my advice."
"What?! You're threatening me? Right now, photos of Nicole Kidman go for over $300. Want them? Then pay up or get off my turf!"
"Kid, you looking for a fight?"
"Old man, you're the one asking for trouble. If you start something, I'll mess you up so bad you won't know where you are!"
They exchanged insults for a few minutes, each waiting for the other to throw the first punch so they could claim compensation later.
But who among journalists isn't smart? Insulting was one thing, but starting a fight? Never.
At that moment, Tony's assistant pointed to the gates and shouted:
"She's out! She's out!"
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