Chapter 72

Chen Tiandu might have forgotten, but the media, fans, and filmmakers would not forget that the 56th Golden Globe Awards were about to announce their nominations. The Golden Globe Awards are the third most important awards in the American film and television industry, ranking after the Academy Awards and the Emmy Awards. As the first major awards of the year, they are often seen as a barometer for the Oscars. This year's Golden Globe Awards and the upcoming 71st Academy Awards have already become fiercely competitive, and it is not an easy year for awards.

Leaving aside "Saving Private Ryan," "Shakespeare in Love" is a formidable contender, with its content and theme perfectly suited for the Oscars. It has received overwhelming praise and is considered the hottest favorite by the media. "The Sixth Sense" is also good, but unfortunately, Chen Tiandu's lack of experience and the genre being a horror film do not make it a strong contender, even in his own eyes.

Actually, Chen Tiandu did not completely forget about the time. In his heart, the greatest affirmation and praise come from the audience. Their love for the film, their tears, and their enthusiasm are his greatest pursuit and enjoyment. This is reflected in the film's minimal promotion leading to high box office success, all thanks to the positive word-of-mouth from fans. The second most important recognition for him is the Academy Awards, which is the honor every filmmaker strives for.

As for the Golden Globe Awards, although it is the third largest film and television award in the United States, Chen Tiandu did not hold it in high regard. The reason is that the Golden Globe Awards are judged by only about 90 foreign journalists, compared to the over 6,000 members of the Academy. This means that personal preferences have a greater impact, and the possibility of behind-the-scenes manipulation is higher.

It's not that awards and nominations can be directly bought, but "vote-seeking" is common. Film companies often give small favors to the judges, such as invitations to dinners and galas, and gifts of champagne and flowers. This is also part of public relations, offering some movie merchandise, not to seek special treatment, but to ensure fair treatment.

These small favors are about as far as it goes. The most stringent oversight comes not from the law, but from journalists and paparazzi, who can easily spot any favors given. In 1981, Pia Zadora's husband paid for judges to visit Las Vegas, an incident that still fuels criticism of the Golden Globe Awards.

However, as the third largest film and television award in the United States, the Golden Globe Awards and its judges would not go too far or deviate from public opinion. Otherwise, it would lose its authority and importance and would not be so closely watched or considered a barometer for the Oscars. To maintain its status, the Golden Globe Awards also need to recognize good films.

Chen Tiandu was not initially very hopeful, but Kate's excitement made him a bit more eager.

Even if it cannot compare to the Oscars, it would still be a breakthrough. Not just in China, but in all of Asia, how many people have won a Golden Globe?

"I hope so." He felt a bit nervous, and Kate leaned in closer.

Since 1996, when the HFPA signed a new broadcasting agreement with NBC, the Golden Globe Awards have been broadcast on NBC. As the host guided the ceremony, one by one, the nominees for the 15 film categories were announced: Best Drama, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Actor and Actress in a Drama, Best Musical/Comedy, Best Actor and Actress in a Musical/Comedy, Best Supporting Actor and Actress, Best Original Score, Best Original Song, Best Foreign Language Film, Best Animated Film, and the Lifetime Achievement Award for Jack Nicholson.

As the Best Picture, Best Actor, and Best Actress categories were announced, the chances dwindled. When it came to Best Supporting Actor, "The Sixth Sense" was finally mentioned. When a clip of Haley Joel Osment's performance appeared on screen, both of them finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Yes." Hearing Haley's name, Kate cheered, "One nomination, should we call Haley to congratulate him?" She looked up at Chen Tiandu.

Chen Tiandu smiled, "Not yet, let's wait until the end." Haley's performance was indeed flawless, especially for a child, the profound sadness he portrayed was not easy to express.

Kate nodded and continued watching. When it came to the Best Screenplay nominations, the tension in the room was palpable. The media and critics had praised the screenplays of "The Sixth Sense" and "Saving Private Ryan" as "rare gems," with the former being "ingeniously structured," "with brilliant dialogue," and "warm amidst the horror," and the latter being a classic war film. Both screenplays were written by Chen Tiandu, and the chances of winning were high.

"... The nominees for Best Screenplay are: Marc Norman and Tom Stoppard for 'Shakespeare in Love,' Chris Mas-Sun Chen for 'Saving Private Ryan,' Todd Solondz for 'Happiness,' Andrew Niccol for 'The Truman Show,' and Chris Mas-Sun Chen for 'The Sixth Sense!'"

"Great, two nominations, no, three, congratulations."

Chen Tiandu didn't say much, just kissed her on the lips and sighed, "We don't need to watch the rest. The Golden Globe Awards are too unpredictable, even Spielberg can't guarantee a win. Your performance should be enough for a Best Supporting Actress nomination. But it's okay, our main focus is the Oscars, there's still a chance. Let's call Haley, he's probably asleep."

Kate picked up the phone, about to call, when Chen Tiandu's phone rang. He looked at it and saw a message from Charlize: "Director, congratulations on your Golden Globe nomination. Where are you? Want to go out and celebrate? Are you with Kate?"

Chen Tiandu glanced at Kate, feeling a bit guilty, and deleted the message. He replied, "Thanks, we just finished." He had already switched to a regular phone for communication, as carrying a magical phone all the time was too conspicuous, with its many functions and no need for charging, making it too unusual. Even if Chen Tiandu wasn't worried about curious questions, he would be devastated if it was stolen.

"Wow, you guys are really passionate~~" Charlize replied a moment later, "Any special moves or positions? I heard Easterners are very proper, always turning off the lights. How does she taste?"

That was a bit too forward, but who doesn't like it? Seeing that Kate had hung up, he quickly replied, "You underestimate Easterners. There's a type called 'seemingly polite but wild when unleashed,' which clearly describes me. No need to turn off the lights, it's a shame we don't have a camcorder to record it for repeated viewing. As for positions... all kinds, but she likes being on top, and I prefer being passive."

"Ha, I never thought you had such a fetish, even thinking about taking selfies during it. Do men who control cameras naturally like that?"

"Um, life is life, work is work, I always keep them separate. But when work is too stressful, life needs a bit more excitement."

"Then I'll send you a high-definition camcorder next time."

That was a blatant flirtation, but who doesn't like it? Seeing that Kate had hung up, he quickly ended the conversation, "Thanks, I need to rest, see you on set after the New Year." He put down the phone and asked Kate, "How did it go?"

"Haley is asleep, his mom answered. She plans to surprise him tomorrow. They actually hoped you would call." Kate hugged him again. Just as she spoke, her phone rang again, and she nodded, "It's someone congratulating you, answer it."

"The higher the expectations, the greater the disappointment. I'm fine with it." Chen Tiandu lazily turned over, grabbed the phone, and seeing it was Spielberg, he quickly signaled Kate to be quiet, "It's Director Spielberg."

"Answer it."

...

The next day, Kong Yiji and Fan Guangtou read the newspaper and found out that Chen Tiandu had received two screenplay nominations, and they demanded he treat them to a meal. The media and newspapers immediately began discussing the nominations, with everyone having their own opinions.

The Los Angeles Times was particularly puzzled by "The Sixth Sense" only receiving two nominations, and published a lengthy article titled "Golden Globe Awards Snub 'The Sixth Sense'," questioning the fairness of the judges, "This is a serious mistake." After all, "The Sixth Sense" had received high audience praise and box office success, which were undeniable facts.

For Chen Tiandu, being nominated twice for Best Screenplay was not a good thing. It would split the votes, making it very likely that he would lose both. It was a pity, as both screenplays were exceptional works.

Some also analyzed that Chen Tiandu's Chinese identity might be a barrier to winning. If this factor led to so few nominations, the HFPA really needed to reflect on it.

Of course, the most attention was still on "Shakespeare in Love" and "Saving Private Ryan."

The domestic media paid more attention to Chen Tiandu's first Golden Globe nomination. Not just in mainland China, but in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and even Southeast Asia, many were watching. CCTV even contacted Kong Yiji, hoping to interview Chen Tiandu about his thoughts on the nomination, but he politely declined.

Because he had no confidence, "What's the point of a one-day trip to the Golden Globes?"

Many friends called to congratulate him, but he was no longer paying attention, spending nearly six hours a day practicing kung fu.

On New Year's Eve, Chen Tiandu and Kate went to New York's Times Square to enjoy a grand concert.

Then the film's main cast and crew gradually returned, and "The Matrix" resumed production.