novelraw Chapter 135 Mountains and Rivers Enter the Dream
Chapter 135 Mountains and Rivers Enter the Dream
Chapter 135 Mountains and Rivers Enter the Dream
"What a pity."
Yuan Tao said.
"Zhang Ziyi's temperament is very suitable for that role."
"Keep looking."
Li Jun opened the actor's information booklet.
There's always the right person.
They reviewed dozens of documents and met with more than a dozen actors, but they still felt something was missing.
It's not that the acting is bad, it's that the temperament is wrong.
That unique quality of intellectual women in the Republican era, a blend of scholarly refinement and vibrant energy.
Just when Li Jun was about to give up, Yuan Tao suddenly said, "There's someone you might not have thought of."
"Who?"
"Qinhai Road".
Li Jun was stunned.
He certainly knew Qin Hailu; she was a talented actress who had won the Golden Horse Award for Best Actress, but she hadn't had many works in recent years, and it was said that she was focusing on the stage.
"Can she play a character who is both gentle and strong?"
Li Jun asked.
"Take a look at her recent stage play recordings."
Yuan Tao handed over a USB drive.
"She played Bai Suzhen in 'Green Snake,' and her spirit of persevering for love for a thousand years is very similar to the character you want."
Li Jun watched the video that night.
On stage, Qin Hailu, dressed in white, exudes charm in his singing, recitation, acting, and martial arts.
In the final scene, Bai Suzhen was imprisoned in Leifeng Pagoda. She knelt on the stage, not crying out, but quietly gazing into the distance.
There was despair and resentment in his eyes, but more than anything, there was a calm that came from resignation.
That calmness is more powerful than any roar.
The next day, Li Jun arranged to meet Qin Hailu.
The meeting place was in the coffee area of a bookstore.
Qin Hailu appeared without makeup, wearing a dark blue sweater and with her hair loosely tied up, looking even thinner than she did on stage.
"Director Li, I've heard so much about you."
Her voice was not loud.
"Teacher Qin, I'm sorry to bother you."
Li Jun handed over the script outline.
Qin Hailu took it and examined it carefully.
She read very slowly, page by page, pausing from time to time as if deep in thought.
Twenty minutes later, she looked up: "This role."
She reminds me of my grandmother.
Qin Hailu said.
My maternal grandmother was from a well-to-do family, but her family fell into poverty during the War of Resistance against Japan. She fled with her younger siblings, earning a living by mending clothes along the way.
He makes a living by teaching children to read.
But she always keeps a pot of orchids in her room, watering them every day, saying that no matter how difficult things are, she wants to live with dignity.
26
She paused for a moment: "In your script, you wrote about using beauty to fight against ugliness. That's how my grandmother survived."
Li Jun's heart skipped a beat.
He knew he had found it.
"What about the schedule?" he asked.
"I only have one play scheduled for next year, so I can adjust it."
Qin Hailu said.
"Just pay me the market rate, I'm not picky."
"It might not be that tall; this is an art film."
"I know."
Qin Hailu smiled.
And so, the female lead was decided.
Next up are the other supporting characters:
The painter's students, the various characters he encountered while fleeing, and the masses of people amidst the chaos of war.
Li Jun met and chatted with each person one by one, taking his time and not rushing.
The process was slow, but it made him feel at ease.
It's like picking stones by the river; you have to look at them one by one and choose carefully to find the most suitable one.
However, just as the preparations were progressing steadily, undercurrents began to emerge.
In early November, some "insider information" about "Dreams of Mountains and Rivers" began to circulate online.
First, some people said, "Li Junjiang has run out of talent and can only make low-budget art films to eke out a living."
Then someone said, "Nicholas Tse lowered his price to act in art films because his commercial value has declined and he can't get any big-budget films anymore."
The most outrageous thing is that someone revealed that "the script of 'Dreams of Mountains and Rivers' plagiarized a Taiwanese novel, and Li Jun is being sued by the original author."
These rumors are scattered and unsystematic, but they spread very quickly.
Yuan Tao immediately initiated crisis public relations, issuing a statement to clarify the situation and contacting the platform to delete the posts.
But rumors are like weeds; they grow back as soon as you cut them down.
"Still Wang Zhonglei?"
Li Jun asked.
"uncertain."
Yuan Tao's expression was solemn.
"This time the method is more covert, using overseas IPs, making it impossible to trace the source."
But the timing was perfect; it happened to be during the crucial period of our preparations.
Li Jun remained silent.
He recalled the old director's words from his time in Toronto: "The higher you stand, the more people will be watching you."
Perhaps this is the price of fame.
Your every move is being scrutinized under a microscope.
When you make commercial films, they say it's "degenerate";
You make art films, and they say they're "outdated";
When you succeed, they say it's "luck";
When you fail, they say "you deserve it."
"Should we retaliate?"
Yuan Tao asked.
"No."
Li Jun shook his head.
"Let's keep doing what we're doing. Making the movie is the best retaliation."
That being said, the pressure is very real.
Li Jun didn't sleep well for those few days.
When I wake up in the middle of the night, I unconsciously scroll through my phone and read those negative comments.
Some of the comments were very hurtful, saying he "rose to power through women," that he was "a flash in the pan," and that he "came back to make low-budget films after being rejected by Hollywood."
Zhang Liangying saw it all, but didn't say anything.
Every night before bed, I would heat up a glass of milk for him, talk to him, and chat about trivial things.
A great song I heard in the recording studio today, a cat I saw on the street, and local specialties sent by my mother from my hometown.
These trivial daily routines, like fine stitches, mend the torn emotions.
One night, Li Jun suffered from insomnia again and got up to go to his study.
I turn on my computer, but I don't want to work; I just stare blankly at the screen.
Zhang Liangying followed him in and hugged him from behind.
"Can't sleep?" she asked softly.
"Um.
""
Li Jun held her hand.
"I'm wondering why there are always people who can't stand to see others doing well."
"Because jealousy is the easiest emotion to express."
Zhang Liangying said.
"Creation is difficult, destruction is easy. Since they can't do what you do, they can only gain a false sense of superiority through slander."
Li Jun smiled wryly: "I understand the reasoning, but it still hurts."
"It's normal to feel uncomfortable."
Zhang Liangying walked around to face him, squatted down, and looked into his eyes.
"But Xiaojun, you must remember that these voices and these slanders are all fleeting."
Ten years from now, who will remember these nonsense things circulating online today?
But ten years from now, people may still be watching "Bodyguards and Assassins" and listening to "Their Voices."
She paused for a moment: "Time is the fairest judge."
Good works will endure. Noise will be forgotten.
Li Jun looked at her.
Under the light, her eyes shone brightly, like stars in the night sky. "I've been scolded too."
Zhang Liangying smiled.
"When I first debuted, some people said I could only hit high notes. When I changed my image, some people said I was neither fish nor fowl."
But look, I'm still singing now, and I'm singing even better.
She stood up, took Li Jun's hand, and said, "Come on, let's go to sleep. The sun will rise as usual tomorrow, and we'll do our work as usual."
That night, Li Jun slept very soundly.
He dreamed that he turned into a river, with many paper boats floating on the surface, some with negative comments written on them and others with praise.
But the river keeps flowing, and the paper boat will eventually sink, while the river continues to flow forward.
By mid-November, preparations for "Dreaming of Mountains and Rivers" were basically completed.
The main cast has been cast:
Nicholas Tse plays the painter Lin Shen, Qin Hai plays his wife Wan Rong, Lin Jiadong plays Lin Shen's student and assistant, and Cheng Guoqiang makes a cameo appearance as an old gentry who takes in Lin Shen.
Other supporting actors also arrived one after another; they were all actors who were not very famous but had solid acting skills.
The art department has already headed south to the Jiangsu and Zhejiang areas to gather inspiration and find filming locations that fit the atmosphere of the Republic of China era.
Master Li said he wanted to find an old house that was "historical but not too dilapidated", preferably with a well-preserved garden.
The photography crew is testing the film.
Zhao Xiaodong insisted on shooting with 35mm film, saying that "the graininess and color gradation of film are more suitable for expressing the artistic conception of ink painting."
However, film was expensive, and the budget was tight. Li Jun and Yuan Tao calculated and recalculated, and finally decided to use film anyway. If they were going to do it, they wanted to do it to the best of their ability.
In terms of funding, in addition to the investment from Li Jun's own studio, Chen Zeshi's Starway Capital also invested a portion.
Chen Zeshi said on the phone, "Xiao Li, this movie may not make money, but I'm willing to invest."
Why? Because Chinese cinema needs films like this; it needs someone to document things that are on the verge of being forgotten.
Everything is ready, just waiting to start filming.
A week before filming began, Li Jun took the main creative team to Nanjing to scout locations.
It was raining in Nanjing when the plane landed. The continuous autumn rain shrouded the entire city in a gray mist. On the way from the airport to the city center, Li Jun looked out the window at the plane trees passing by. The leaves had turned yellow, fallen all over the ground, and were wet with rain, clinging to the asphalt.
They stayed at an old hotel on the banks of the Qinhuai River.
The room's window faces the river, and at night you can see the lights of the painted boats and hear the faint sounds of string and wind instruments.
The rain stopped the next day.
Li Jun and his team visited the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum, Meiling Palace, and the Yihe Road mansion area.
These places preserve the architectural style of the Republic of China era, with plane trees, blue bricks, archways, and corridors, where time seems to slow down.
In an old villa on Yihe Road, Li Jun found his ideal art studio.
The room is on the second floor, facing south, with a full-length window overlooking sycamore trees and ivy climbing the walls.
Sunlight streamed through the leaves, casting shimmering shadows on the floor.
"Right here."
Li Jun said to Master Li.
"Set up your painting tools and spread out the rice paper, and you'll find yourself in a world deep in the forest."
Master Li nodded and took out a measuring tape to begin taking measurements.
In the afternoon, they went to the Nanjing Museum to see the collection of paintings from the Republican era.
In the exhibition hall, Li Jun stood in front of Xu Beihong's "Galloping Horse" for a long time without moving.
The horse in the painting has bulging muscles and its four hooves are off the ground, as if it is about to break through the picture.
But if you look closely, there is a kind of sorrow in the horse's eyes; it is a creature in a chaotic world, running without knowing its direction.
"Lin Shen must have seen this painting."
Li Jun said softly.
"At a time of war and chaos, he stood here, looking at this painting of a horse, thinking not of art, but of escape."
""
Nicholas Tse stood beside him, also looking at the painting.
He had grown a beard and his hair was long. He was wearing a Chinese-style long gown, and at first glance, he really looked like a scholar from the Republican era.
"Director Li."
He suddenly said.
"I wonder, what was Lin Shen thinking when he painted these landscapes?"
"What are you thinking about?"
"I wonder if those mountains are still there, if those rivers are still flowing."
Nicholas Tse said.
"War destroyed the real world, so he rebuilt it on paper. But was this reconstruction a consolation, or an irony?"
Li Jun turned to look at him.
This question gets to the heart of the matter.
"Yes, all of them."
Li Jun said.
"He's both comforting himself and satirizing the times. But more importantly, he's using this method to say: some things can't be destroyed."
Nicholas Tse seemed to be deep in thought.
After finishing their visit, the group went to Confucius Temple for dinner.
We chose a well-established restaurant and ordered salted duck, boiled shredded dried tofu, and duck blood vermicelli soup.
After all the dishes were served, Li Jun raised his glass: "Everyone, filming will begin next week."
This film was not easy to make; it had a low budget, a tight schedule, and required filming in several different locations.
But I think we're gathered here not to make an ordinary movie.
We want to use light and shadow to record a history that should not be forgotten, and a spirit that should not be lost.
He paused for a moment, then said, "So, thank you all for your hard work. Let's work together to make this a great film."
Everyone raised their glasses: "Take a picture!"
After dinner, Li Jun took a walk alone along the Qinhuai River.
The Qinhuai River at night is a vibrant scene of lanterns, oars, and throngs of tourists.
He walked to a stone bridge, leaned against the railing, and watched the river flow slowly.
The lights on both banks are reflected in the river, swaying gently like fragments of time.
He suddenly recalled a line from Looper: "Time isn't a straight line, it's a circle. We're all in a cycle looking for a way out."
History is also cyclical.
War, peace, destruction, reconstruction—the cycle repeats itself.
But in each cycle, there are people who use art, love, and memories to set off paper boats on the river of time, trying to leave something behind.
Lin Shen is like that.
He was the same way.
My phone vibrated; it was a message from Jane Zhang: "Is it cold in Nanjing? Remember to wear more clothes. I finished recording the last master tape of the album today; I'll wait for you to listen when you get back."
Li Jun replied, "It's not cold. You should also take care to rest and not overwork yourself."
He put away his phone and continued watching the river.
In the distance, a painted boat slowly sailed by, with red lanterns hanging from its bow, casting long shadows on the water.
Someone on the boat was singing Kunqu opera. The lyrics were unclear, but the melody was melodious and traveled through the night.
At that moment, Li Jun suddenly felt that all the fatigue, pressure, and slander were worth it.
Because he can still stand here, look at a river, listen to a play, and think of someone.
Because he can also make movies.
This is enough.
The rain started again, fine and misty.
Li Jun didn't dodge; he stood in the rain, letting the raindrops fall on his face.
Tomorrow, the film crew will head to their first shooting location—an ancient village in southern Anhui. There, they'll find well-preserved Ming and Qing dynasty architecture, lush green mountains and clear waters, and scenery perfectly suited for "Dreams of Mountains and Rivers."
The film crew arrived in Qian County, southern Anhui Province, late at night.
The bus bumped along the mountain road for three hours. It was pitch black outside the window, with only the headlights illuminating a short stretch of wet road ahead.
The rain started in the afternoon, sometimes heavy and sometimes light, but it never stopped.
Li Jun sat in the first row, leaning against the window, resting with his eyes closed. The demo of Zhang Liangying's new album was playing on repeat in his headphones, the melody of "Paper Boat" gently flowing in his ears.
He wasn't actually listening; he just needed some familiar voices to counteract the discomfort of the unfamiliar environment.
I heard whispers from the film crew behind me, mixed with yawns and the sound effects of a mobile game.
This is a team of over thirty people, including the core creators and essential staff, streamlined to the bare minimum.
With a limited budget, everyone had to take on multiple roles.
The cinematographer had to operate the camera, the lighting technician had to move the equipment, and even Li Jun himself, in addition to being the director, also had to take charge of some of the production work.
Everything is done.