Tokyo: My Best Actor Gear List

Chapter 208 Never Satisfied

Chapter 208 Never Satisfied

The long transoceanic flight has come to an end.

Shin Kitahara and Takeshi Kitano walked out through the VIP passage of the French airport.

Upon exiting the passageway, you arrive at a dedicated rest and waiting area, where you'll see a variety of familiar yet unfamiliar faces. This is a gathering place for filmmakers and top billionaires from all over the world.

Kitahara Shin glanced around and spotted several Hollywood A-listers. John Travolta was standing a short distance away, chatting and smoking with Quentin Tarantino.

Looking to the other side, several distinguished Chinese actors were resting on a sofa.

Kitahara Shin recognized them at a glance. It was Leslie Cheung, who had become internationally famous with "Farewell My Concubine," and Tony Leung, who exuded a melancholic and artistic temperament.

Looking at these faces, Kitahara Shin felt a strong sense of déjà vu. In his previous life, he could only huddle in a cramped rented room, looking up at these legendary names through a screen. Now, however, he was truly standing in the same space as these world-class filmmakers.

Leslie Cheung and Tony Leung noticed Takeshi Kitano and saw Shin Kitahara standing beside him. The two very gentlemanly stood up and walked over with friendly smiles.

Leslie Cheung was the first to extend his hand and greet everyone in fluent and elegant British English.

"Hello, Director Kitano, Mr. Kitahara. It's a pleasure to meet you here."

Kitahara Shin grasped his warm hand and first responded with a couple of sentences in equally fluent English. Then, he abruptly changed the subject and began speaking directly in impeccable Chinese.

"Hello, Mr. Zhang, Mr. Liang. Actually, I can speak Chinese."

Upon hearing this, Leslie Cheung's eyes widened instantly, and his originally elegant and composed expression was replaced by undisguised surprise.

Tony Leung, standing nearby, was also taken aback for a moment, then couldn't help but smile gently. Even Takeshi Kitano turned his head; he had known Shin Kitahara for so long, yet he had no idea that this guy possessed such a special skill.

After a brief moment of shock, everyone quickly became acquainted due to their shared language.

Leslie Cheung's eyes were full of admiration.

"Mr. Kitahara, your Chinese is really excellent! To be honest, we watched your film 'Outrage' privately in Hong Kong, and it was so powerful. We also really liked director Kitano's 'Violent Cop'."

Tony Leung also smiled and nodded.

"That kind of extreme violent aesthetics is truly impressive."

Hearing these renowned Chinese superstars from his past life praise him to his face, Kitahara Shin felt secretly pleased.

This led him to new reflections. He had only made yakuza films in Japan, yet he had already gained recognition from these pillars of the Hong Kong film industry. Did that mean he had a real chance to go global and completely break down the relatively closed circle of the Japanese entertainment industry?

As Kitahara Shin was thinking, his gaze passed over the crowd and landed on the large sofa on the other side.

There sat a very special and powerful figure—Jackie Chan.

It was late 1993, approaching 1994. Jackie Chan hadn't yet gone to Hollywood to film "Rush Hour," the movie that would make him a sensation in Europe and America, but he had already won the Golden Horse Award for Best Actor for two consecutive years with the "Police Story" series, establishing himself as an absolute dominant figure in the Hong Kong and Asian film industry. In the coming years, he would further shine on the world stage, until finally receiving an Academy Award for Lifetime Achievement in the 21st century.

It seemed they had finished their conversation. Jackie Chan stood up, glanced around, and saw Leslie Cheung, Tony Leung, and Shin Kitahara and Takeshi Kitano chatting happily with them.

He immediately flashed his signature, sunny, and approachable older brother smile and strode over.

Jackie Chan's confident, unrestrained, and incredibly vibrant aura surpassed that of most Hollywood stars present. Facing this superstar, whose life and legacy are both legendary, Kitahara Shin felt a rare moment of nervousness.

Jackie Chan stepped forward, extended his broad and powerful hand, and greeted him in somewhat broken but very warm and concise English.

Jackie Chan: "Mr. Kitahara, I've seen your movies! I've watched those yakuza films of yours over and over again; the action and style are just my cup of tea!"

Kitahara Shin stood up, shook his hand, and responded directly in Chinese.

Kitahara Shin: "Thank you, Jackie Chan. It's an honor to receive your praise."

At this moment, it was Jackie Chan's turn to be shocked. He opened his mouth, staring at the young man in front of him with the face of a typical handsome Japanese man, and couldn't react for a long time.

Upon seeing this, Leslie Cheung couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"Brother, we had the same reaction when we came over."

Jackie Chan snapped out of his daze, patted Kitahara Shin on the shoulder with even more joy, and burst into hearty laughter.

"Wow! That's rare! I never expected you to speak such fluent Chinese, without even an accent! Did you bring a new film to the film festival?"

Kitahara Shin gave a brief introduction to "Kikujiro's Summer," which was shortlisted for the main competition.

Jackie Chan nodded repeatedly and gave a thumbs up.

"Okay! Then Guorong and I will definitely go to support you at the premiere and screening!"

The Cannes Film Festival's process is actually different from what most people imagine: "awards first, then film screenings."

The actual Cannes Film Festival rules are as follows: first, there's the opening ceremony and red carpet event; then, during the approximately ten-day festival, all films nominated for the main competition are screened and premiered in front of global media and juries. The grand closing ceremony, where the Palme d'Or and other awards are announced, is held only on the last day of the festival.

In other words, over the next few days, "Kikujiro's Summer," directed by Shin Kitahara and Takeshi Kitano, will be screened in top-tier theaters and scrutinized by the world's most demanding film critics and peers. Only after that will the awards ceremony take place to determine who receives the honors.

For Nobuo Kitahara and Takeshi Kitano, this trip to Cannes was an excellent platform to expand their international networks and create more opportunities for cross-border cooperation.

They got along very well, and coincidentally, they had booked the same hotel, which was also the main sponsor. Jackie Chan generously invited Shin Kitahara and Takeshi Kitano to ride back to the hotel in their film crew's extended limousine.

As for Takeshi Kitano, although his broken English wasn't exactly impressive, his nonchalant aura, unique to Japanese gangster film directors, was extremely appealing. As soon as he left the airport, he swaggered off with his translator to chat and smoke with a few independent European directors, leaving Shin Kitahara behind with his colleagues in Hong Kong.

Inside the minivan.

Kitahara Shinkazu sat with Jackie Chan, Leslie Cheung, and Tony Leung.

The car drove smoothly.

Jackie Chan has an outgoing personality and always likes to be in control at dinner parties and gatherings.

He gestured excitedly with both hands, loudly recounting his dangerous stunt experiences while filming "Police Story" and "Project A," including the times he performed his own stunts and nearly broke his neck.

He certainly had reason to boast. Kitahara Shin sat quietly beside him, listening.

In his previous life, Kitahara Shin had heard these behind-the-scenes stories countless times in various TV interviews and behind-the-scenes clips.

But now, the situation is completely different.

Jackie Chan genuinely treated Kitahara Shin as an equal, even subtly making him the center of the conversation.

This dramatic shift in status and the treatment of being surrounded by top stars made Kitahara Shin feel more comfortable than ever before.

After chatting for a while, Jackie Chan brought up the topic back to the film festival.

Jackie Chan: "Mr. Kitahara, what exactly is the subject matter of your nominated film, 'Kikujiro's Summer'? Did you also play a male lead involved in a gunfight?"

Kitahara Shin smiled.

"I'm sorry to disappoint you. I only have a cameo role in this movie, appearing for just a few minutes. My main role this time is as the lead screenwriter of this film."

The carriage fell silent for a moment.

Several Hong Kong superstars all showed extremely surprised expressions. They are all purely professional actors, and at most they occasionally cross over into singing or holding concerts. Although Jackie Chan also works as a director and martial arts choreographer, writing screenplays, especially art film screenplays that can be nominated for the main competition at Cannes, is a completely different level of technical skill.

No one expected that this young actor, who became famous for his yakuza films, was actually a legitimate screenwriter.

Leslie Cheung couldn't help but sigh.

"Mr. Kitahara, you've really surprised us. We never expected you could write screenplays."

Kitahara Shin waved his hand, speaking modestly.

"Actually, his skill level is just average."

Tony Leung laughed helplessly.

"A mediocre script gets selected for the Cannes main competition? How are those of us who can't even get close to the threshold supposed to compete?"

The atmosphere in the carriage grew increasingly relaxed. As they chatted, Jackie Chan leaned back in his seat and looked at Kitahara Shin.

Jackie Chan: "In that case, is there any chance we could collaborate on a movie in the future? You're so popular in Japan, and my movies sell pretty well there. If we work together, we're sure to make a big splash."

Jackie Chan has always dominated the East Asian market, but he never minds taking on more challenges. Collaborating with a top Japanese box office giant to further solidify his position in Japan is definitely a winning proposition.

Upon hearing this offer of an olive branch, Kitahara Shin paused for a moment and fell silent.

He was already excitedly planning out specific projects, but he couldn't quite control his expression for the moment.

Seeing his silence, Jackie Chan assumed he had reservations and patted him on the shoulder with a hearty laugh.

"Oh, don't overthink it. I think we'll have a chance to collaborate sooner or later. Besides, Mr. Kitahara, you can't stay in the Japanese film industry forever, can you? I've seen some of your films; your action scenes and fight sequences are clearly the result of real training and hard work. With your skills and looks, you're fully capable of making it in Hollywood!"

Kitahara Shin suppressed his excitement and nodded with a smile.

After arriving at the hotel, everyone exchanged contact information in the lobby and then went to their rooms to rest.

After adjusting to the time difference, I took a shower. In the late afternoon, Kitahara Shin was organizing his evening schedule in his room when there was a knock on the door.

He went over and opened the door.

Standing outside the door was none other than Quentin Tarantino, the Hollywood maverick director I saw at the airport today, with his leading man John Travolta standing next to him.

Quentin Tarantino happened to be competing in Cannes this year with "Pulp Fiction." He is an extremely enthusiastic fan of Japanese yakuza films and Asian kung fu movies.

Quentin looked at Kitahara Shin and greeted him very quickly.

"Hey buddy! I've seen your videotape, it's so cool! Can we go in for a drink? Or maybe we can chat at the bar downstairs?"

Kitahara Shin looked at the future Hollywood director in front of him and felt a surge of emotion.

He never realized he was so popular internationally.

Kitahara Shin: "Of course, let's go downstairs for a drink."

He closed the door and followed the two of them to the elevator.

The three of them went to the bar on the first floor of the hotel.

In the dim light, John Travolta, holding a wine glass, chatted enthusiastically with Kitahara Shin about the sights and experiences he had encountered along the way.

Sitting across from him, Quentin Tarantino took a large gulp of beer. He looked like a burly, outspoken madman, but he was actually incredibly perceptive. As a Cannes finalist this year, he had already thoroughly investigated all his competitors.

He knew very well that the young man in front of him was not only the lead screenwriter of Takeshi Kitano's film, but also the absolute ratings ruler in the Japanese film and television industry.

The entertainment industry is constantly evolving, and younger newcomers will undoubtedly emerge in the future, perhaps even temporarily seizing the top spot in viewership ratings. However, Kitahara Shin's formidable track record over the past few years has undeniably defined an era. To define an era in just five years, to permeate the memories of Japanese audiences in such a short time, and to consistently deliver top-quality work—this is truly remarkable.

Such actors are extremely rare.

Quentin put down his glass and stared intently at Kitahara Shin.

"Hey buddy, I've been having this crazy idea in my head. I want to incorporate some really impactful Asian elements into my next movie. If you're interested, how about we team up and do something together?"

Kitahara Shin didn't expect to receive an invitation from a top Hollywood director so quickly.

Kitahara Shin smiled.

"Sure. But it depends on what kind of genre you like, director."

Quentin countered with a question.

"What kind of skills do you excel at? Show us what you're most confident in."

Kitahara Shin leaned against the bar, his tone calm.

"Although it sounds arrogant to say this, to be honest, I can shoot any type of film."

Upon hearing this extremely confident reply, Quentin grinned broadly. He loved this kind of undisguised arrogance the most.

"You've got guts! Then can you film things like car chases?"

Kitahara Shin blinked.

Racing games?

Memories of his past life flashed through his mind. In the future of the current timeline, Quentin Tarantino did indeed make an extremely pure road racing movie—DeathProof. It was a B-movie exploitation carnival full of muscle cars, hardcore physical car chases, and a deranged serial killer, fully demonstrating Quentin Tarantino's obsession with retro car chases.

In response to Quentin's question, Kitahara Shin raised his glass and gently touched it to the other's.

Shin Kitahara: "As long as the car is fast enough, there's no car chase scene I can't film."

The three men got along famously over the topic of car chase movies. Quentin even asked the bartender for a pen and started sketching storyboards on a napkin, excitedly discussing hardcore physical stunt collisions with Kitahara Shin. The drinking session lasted until late into the night.

Kitahara Shin now truly felt that he was an extremely sought-after commodity, with everyone wanting to approach him and discuss cooperation. Whether it was Jackie Chan, who dominated Asia, or Quentin Tarantino, who was about to shine in Hollywood, they all showed great interest in him.

After saying goodbye to the two, Kitahara Shin took the elevator back to his room alone.

He closed the door, shutting out the bustling night view of Cannes from the window. He poured himself a glass of ice water, sat on the sofa, and began to carefully outline his overall plans for the future.

His achievements in the Japanese business market are undeniable. If we divide each five-year period into decades, he is undoubtedly the number one in the industry. The Japanese market remains his absolute foundation, and he will never abandon it. However, while consolidating his home turf, using Cannes as a springboard to expand into international markets is an inevitable step.

More importantly, it was his complete transformation of his self-positioning.

Previously, Sayuri Yoshinaga had stepped in to bring him into the relatively closed and highly seniority-based actors' association circle of the Japanese entertainment industry. At the time, this was considered a form of recognition and protection. But frankly, given his current situation, things are completely different now.

He possesses ample capital and a top-tier script library, giving him the core qualifications to lead a major production. Now that he's already at the table of capital, there's no need for him to remain subservient to traditional rules.

He could easily break free from that outdated system and become the one who "creates demand." As long as he has projects and resources that can sweep the box office, those high-and-mighty traditional actors will naturally turn around and beg him for performance opportunities.

The truly correct path is to firmly grasp the initiative in your own hands.

Kitahara Shin took a sip of ice water, his gaze calm.

Although his primary profession remains acting, his self-image has long surpassed mere performance. His ambition is rapidly expanding, and he wants more and more.

Having grown accustomed to the cheers from Japanese media and audiences, he found himself no longer satisfied. Stepping out of that closed circle, hearing the applause from Hollywood, and the praise from around the world, was what truly gave him the vision he needed now.

Once a person reaches a certain level, they will naturally want to look further and seek more.

They will never be satisfied.

>