Chapter 150

    TL: KSD

    Cannes is a city in the south of France.

    It borders the Mediterranean Sea.

    The sea.

    “Wow! It’s the sea—!”

    Kim Byul exclaimed with a rare bright smile. The sunlight reflecting off the water shimmered along with the waves.

    Even for someone as emotionally dried-up as me, it was a beautiful sight, and I grudgingly admitted it while pursing my lips.

    “Well, it is pretty. Now it really feels like we’re in France...”

    “Didn’t it feel like it before?”

    No, it didn’t.

    EP 9 – Sound

    A typical long flight is a battle against boredom.

    But the journey to France was a battle against the media.

    The reporters followed us all the way to the plane, shoving cameras in our faces.

    It was the same after we got off the plane. We flew to Nice after stopping in Paris, and there were reporters at both Charles de Gaulle International Airport in Paris and Nice Co?te d’Azur International Airport. If they were going to do all that, I don’t know why we even bothered with an interview when we departed from Incheon Airport.

    Though, of course, I do know the reason. Reporters can’t simply be lumped together as ‘reporters’. They each come from different broadcasting stations, and some stations aim to get more views than others by digging a little deeper in their coverage.

    So, the interviews continued even after we arrived in Cannes.

    There were interviews organized by the film festival, interviews requested by the production company and distributor for promotional purposes, and interviews demanded by the reporters who had followed us to Cannes, practically holding as hostage in front of cameras.

    Interview after interview after interview......

    Only after escaping that hell of interviews did I finally notice the beautiful scenery of Cannes.

    The Mediterranean coast, bathed in sunlight, people drawn to the heat of the Cannes Film Festival, superstars and media from all over the world, tourists and supercars filling the streets...

    Our group leisurely strolled through the heart of the bustling festival.

    “I want to swim.”

    Our group was quite large. Whether or not we won an award, just being invited to Cannes was a big deal, so nobody wanted to miss it.

    Starting with the staff, the actors who starred in the movie and their managers, stylists, bodyguards, and various other personnel-it was already quite a crowd.

    Naturally, the Korean reporters followed us, and on top of that, there were people dispatched from the film’s production and distribution companies.

    “I really want to swim...”

    Even Lim Yang-wook, who kept grumbling beside me about wanting to swim, had tagged along as my manager, so that says it all.

    “Then why don’t you just dive into the sea?”

    “In a suit?”

    “You’re not exactly the type to avoid splashing around just because you’re wearing a suit.”

    “True. What’s really stopping me from diving into the sea isn’t the suit, but the fact that I’ve lost my inner child.”

    Surprisingly, the strangest person in our group wasn’t Lim Yang-wook, who had supposedly lost his inner child.

    It was the CEO of Baekhak Entertainment, who had volunteered to be Kim Byul’s manager for the day.

    “Wow, it’s been a while!”

    Baek Seung-won, having ditched his signature white suit, was dressed in a scruffy, tracksuit.

    I already knew that this was what managers usually wear and that he used to run around as a manager himself when he was younger—he’s mentioned it at least a dozen times before.

    Even in this situation, I couldn’t resist saying the words Baek Seung-won would love to hear the most.

    “As expected of someone who’s been in the field, you really look like a veteran manager.”

    “Kahahaha! So, Author Moon thinks so too?”

    Without waiting for my response, Baek Seung-won headed over to the actors and their managers, bragging about the compliment he had just received.

    Not all the actors and managers were from Baekhak Entertainment, but as the saying goes, no servant dares speak rudely to the neighboring king.

    The people who had been engaged in subtle power struggles until moments ago suddenly united to sing the praises of “the industry monster” Baek Seung-won.

    This monster has a habit of stepping back when he’s showered with compliments and gets in a good mood.

    In high spirits, Baek Seung-won now turned his attention to Kim Byul.

    “Thanks to our Kim Star, I’m able to visit Cannes after so long.”

    “Hehe, you’re too kind. It’s all thanks to you, CEO...”

    Kim Byul tried to subtly flatter him, but from my view, it was completely wrong.

    The crucial part of his statement was ‘after so long’.

    In place of the amateur Kim Byul, who could only manage high school-level flattery, I displayed the experience of an adult who had once owned an ID card.

    “So this isn’t your first time in Cannes?!”

    “Ahem...!”

    Hearing the words he most wanted to hear, Baek Seung-won’s lips curled into a wide grin.

    Pretending to be humble, he covered his mouth and cleared his throat, murmuring in a coy manner.

    “Well, it’s not my first time...”

    If the public desires stability, a stable film is chosen.

    If the public desires radicalism, a radical film is chosen.

    Sometimes, Cannes even opens with a Hollywood film, proving it follows trends faster than anyone.

    For this reason, ‘Sound’ should never have been invited to the Cannes Film Festival.

    It wasn’t about whether it had been screened before the festival or that its box office performance was underwhelming. None of that mattered.

    The problem was that it featured zombies.

    Of course, those zombies weren’t literal. They were a metaphorical expression of the protagonist’s inner perception of others as monstrous, lonely beings.

    But the mere concept of “zombies” is genre-specific and leans toward sci-fi. And Cannes never puts genre or sci-fi films in its main ‘In Competition’ section. They’re relegated to secondary sections.

    Yet ‘Sound’ was invited to the main ‘In Competition’ section?

    At this point, So Tae-woong already sensed the possibility of winning an award.

    Now, the question was: which award would it be?

    “Phew...”

    Strong alcohol stung his tongue. The scent of whiskey filled his throat as it wafted up.

    As he took another sip, holding about four drops in his mouth, So Tae-woong’s mind spun intensely.

    Let’s see.

    Though Cannes is conservative, it doesn’t mean it won’t award radical films.

    Just look at Julia Ducournau’s ‘Titane’. The reason that film won the Palme d’Or was precisely because it was the most radical film in history.

    But that type of “radicalism” is a Western-driven, ‘68 movement-style radicalism, akin to the US Democratic Party’s. It’s not the kind of radicalism that embraces Asia.

    And it hasn’t been long since ‘Parasite’ won the Palme d’Or.

    So, the Palme d’Or is out.

    By the same logic, second and third place (the Grand Prix and Jury Prize) are also out.

    Frankly, there are a few films better than ‘Sound’. Even though he made the movie, So Tae-woong had to admit what was true. Who says art is subjective? For those in the know, there’s nothing more objective. So Tae-woong could roughly predict who would take first, second, and third place, even if he didn’t know the exact order.

    That left four awards.

    Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Screenplay, and Best Director.

    First off, ‘Sound’ doesn’t have a male lead. Best Actor is out.

    If a kid wins the Best Screenplay award, seasoned screenwriters will raise hell. Best Screenplay is out.

    Park Chan-wook won Best Director not long ago for ‘Decision to Leave’. Best Director is out.

    So, what’s left for ‘Sound’, a rare female-led film?

    A film that deals with disability, adolescence, an Asian protagonist, and the loneliness of the younger generation. A film that could earn Cannes political points and deflect criticism of being out of touch?

    At this point, So Tae-woong’s thoughts paused.

    He took another sip of his drink.

    He could only recall that the youngest Best Actor award at Cannes had gone to a 14-year-old boy.

    How old was the youngest Best Actress winner again?

    “Oh, that’s right.”

    The youngest Best Actress was 12.

    ***

    “Kim Byul from ‘Sound.’ Congratulations!”

    Cannes, a city in the south of France.

    The Cannes Film Festival. The red carpet. The sound of camera shutters. An ill-fitting dress. Anxiety. The excitement of those around her. A standing ovation. Cheers. Blinding lights.

    Kim Byul, a first-year student at Baekhak Arts High School, felt her mind spinning in confusion, overwhelmed by the flood of words and sensations. That confusion led to a near stumble as she rose from her seat, her legs trembling.

    At that moment, someone beside her caught her.

    It was a boy draped in a blanket.

    Amid the applause and cheers, she couldn’t hear the boy’s voice.

    But he pointed with his finger toward something.

    It was the stage, where a gleaming trophy awaited her.

    The path she was supposed to take.

    “Ah......”

    Even in the midst of the chaos that seemed to turn the world upside down,

    Kim Byul knew, instinctively, in that moment.

    If there was ever a moment that could change her life-

    This was it.

    *****

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