Chapter 203: Memoirs of a Geisha Premiere

"WTF!" Ethan had heard the sound of something whizzing through the air. Thanks to his training with Tom, he instinctively dodged.

When he turned around, he saw a puddle of water on the ground, along with a few shattered glass shards.

At that moment, Tom had already pinned Aaron Tveit to the ground. His muscular arm was pressing down on Aaron's neck, making it hard for him to breathe. Aaron pounded the ground desperately.

"Let him go," Ethan waved his hand. Tom immediately released him, allowing Aaron to catch his breath.

Leighton Meester rushed over and helped Aaron up. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine… cough cough..." Aaron coughed twice.

"So, what exactly were you trying to do?" Ethan asked. The rest of the crew was also staring at Aaron. It was the first time they had ever seen an actor try to attack the director on set.

"What is this?" Ethan pointed at the puddle on the ground.

"This is… cough cough… holy water," Aaron explained. "I think you must be possessed by a demon."

"What?" Ethan was completely baffled. The others also widened their eyes in shock at such a claim.

"You're speaking blasphemous words, and your gestures are overly exaggerated. Ethan, you must be cursed by a demon! I believe you need to be cleansed with holy water," Aaron said seriously, trying to convince everyone.

Ethan spread his hands. "You have quite the imagination."

"No! This is real! This happened back in my hometown." Aaron insisted earnestly, "When I was a kid, I saw it with my own eyes. A neighbor's son, under the influence of a demon, became twisted and violent. He not only beat his sister but also verbally abused his own parents.

"Later, the priests used holy water to exorcise the demon from him, and he finally returned to normal! And do you know about Anneliese Michel? That German girl—wasn't she also possessed? Ethan, you must use holy water. This will save you!"

Ethan was speechless. He hadn't expected that the actor they had carefully selected as the lead would turn out to be a devout religious fanatic.

If demons really existed, then he was obviously the demon himself—a demon from the East.

"So, what exactly is in holy water?" He looked at Aaron.

Aaron was momentarily stunned, then shook his head. "I don't know… It should just be water, right?"

Ethan crouched down and dipped his finger into the holy water. Nothing happened.

"See? Nothing's wrong."

"No, Ethan, you need to fully immerse yourself in holy water. Only then will it work!" Aaron shook his head, his expression deadly serious.

Ethan glanced at the other crew members. Although America was a "free" country, religion still ran deep in many people's lives.

Judging from their skeptical expressions, Ethan could tell that Aaron's words had planted some doubt in their minds.

"Alright, then. Let's go to a church right now. I'll bathe in holy water in front of everyone. How about that?" Ethan decided he might as well prove himself once and for all.

Otherwise, he had no idea how this rumor might spiral out of control in the future.

"That would be wonderful," Aaron smiled, feeling like he had achieved his goal.

Producer David approached and whispered, "Ethan, do you really need to go along with this ridiculous stunt?"

Ethan put an arm around his shoulder and turned his back to the others. "This is a great opportunity. Have MGM hype this up and add more buzz for the film."

"You're too good at this, Ethan," David Kline chuckled. "But honestly, I think this whole story is kinda fascinating."

"What story?" Ethan raised an eyebrow.

"A director possessed by a demon—don't you think that could make a great movie?"

"Now that you mention it…" Ethan laughed, patting him on the shoulder before walking away.

Truthfully, Ethan had considered making an original film before. His fateful encounter with Tom could even be turned into a great movie moment.

However, he still had to be wary of certain people—especially the Black gangs, particularly Old K's group.

After multiple trials, the court had officially ruled Tom not guilty. But in retaliation, Old K's gang had put a bounty on his head, determined to have him killed as payback for their boss, Fiss.

Fortunately, since Tom worked as Ethan's driver, he rarely appeared in the streets or in civilian areas. The gang couldn't find him, which had so far prevented any tragedies from occurring.

But if Ethan were to make a movie that accurately depicted those events, and those people saw it, there was no telling what kind of trouble it might bring.

So if he was going to make that film, he'd have to change the story beyond recognition.

But that was a matter for another time.

As Ethan and the crew headed to the church, the news had already hit the media.

"Fifty Shades of Grey Director Doused with Holy Water on Set—Actor Claims He's Possessed by a Demon."

The moment this news broke, it caught the attention of the entire public. Especially among devout religious followers, who immediately condemned the film, calling it "the work of the devil" and demanding a boycott.

But before their voices could spread too far, the next day, the media released an update:

"Fifty Shades of Grey Director Bathes in Holy Water—Declares He Feels Great, Filming to Continue Under God's Blessing."

This completely humiliated the religious critics and left them in an awkward position.

At the same time, it attracted even more attention. Many people who hadn't even heard of the film before now knew its name, thanks to the controversy.

And while MGM continued to fan the flames of publicity, in Ethan's newly established PR firm, Charlie Norvin was assigning tasks to his team.

"We're officially in awards season now. Our new boss wants to see what we can do, so it's time to prove ourselves."

He was a textbook example of a middle-class white man—suit, tie, and neatly combed hair.

As he spoke, he placed a poster on the table. "Memoirs of a Geisha."

"This movie is about to be released. Our job is to make sure it gets in front of as many awards voters as possible and wins as many trophies as we can. Every award means more money in our pockets, so let's get to work."

"No problem!" The team responded enthusiastically, eager to prove themselves.

"Then let's get started," Charlie said with a confident smile.

The preview screening of Memoirs of a Geisha was soon held in Los Angeles. This screening invited many film critics, including those from major newspapers and websites.

There were also some academy members among them, those who would participate in the Oscar selection process.

This was the power of Spielberg's connections—everyone was willing to give him face and come watch the movie.

Of course, if the film wasn't good, no one would buy it.

That evening, the well-known film critic William appeared at the cinema. Since it wasn't a star-studded premiere event, the atmosphere felt somewhat quiet.

As William walked into the cinema, he spotted many familiar colleagues.

"Fernando! Phoebe Sona!" These were his two good friends.

"Hey, William," Fernando greeted him with a smile and gave him a hug.

"I heard you recently joined The Hollywood Reporter?" William asked curiously.

"That's right, I switched jobs. After all, who wouldn't want to work at The Hollywood Reporter?" Fernando replied, then asked back, "What about you?"

"I'm still running my own website and writing for magazines. I don't like being managed, you know that. Oh, Phoebe Sona, what about you?"

"I'm at Film Art. I think it's a great job—I get to watch a lot of the latest movies. I just came back from Venice, and I think one film has already secured an Oscar nomination this year."

"Really? Tell me, which one?" Bunch and the others walked into the theater together.

"Brokeback Mountain," Phoebe Sona stated her opinion. "I believe this movie is bound to receive a Best Picture nomination."

"Really? That good? I've always liked Ang Lee's works, but I was worried this one might be too difficult for him to handle."

"No, it's absolutely brilliant," Phoebe Sona spread her hands. "You'll understand when it's released."

They entered the theater and casually found three seats.

At this moment, the cast and crew of Memoirs of a Geisha were already visible at the front, including Zhang Ziyi, Gong Li, Michelle Yeoh, and assistant director Rob.

Ethan wasn't present because he was busy filming Fifty Shades of Grey and couldn't make time.

Once all the invited critics were seated, Rob picked up the microphone.

"Welcome to the preview screening of Memoirs of a Geisha. Since the beginning of filming, Ethan and I have been eagerly anticipating this day."

"I don't need to explain the story of this film—you'll understand once you watch it. But before that, I want to say that this movie is not just a love story. More than anything, it tells the tragedy of an era."

"And geishas, within this tragic era, are the most dramatically compelling group of people."

After Rob finished speaking, the theater slowly darkened, the screen lit up, and Memoirs of a Geisha officially began.

The film opened with a misty night sky, gradually transitioning to the ocean waves and sandy beaches before cutting to the home of the protagonist, Chiyo.

She came from a poor fisherman's family, where generations had lived by fishing, sleeping in tents by the sea, dressed in black coarse cloth garments. Their only hope in life was the evening bonfire and the fragrant smell of grilled fish.

Unfortunately, Chiyo's father had dropped their fish into the sea that day, leaving them without food.

Her mother lay sick in bed, and her father, having no other choice, begged a visiting stranger to buy his two daughters.

The stranger agreed, and just like that, Chiyo and her sister Satsu boarded a train toward an unknown fate.

The scene quickly shifted to the town.

It was far more prosperous than where Chiyo had lived. The warm yellow lights illuminated her and her sister's faces.

Gong Li's character, Hatsumomo, stood out with her luxurious attire, which made the sisters gaze in admiration. At this moment, their anticipation for the unknown gradually replaced their confusion and fear.

But soon, they faced separation.

The madam of the okiya that trained geishas only chose to keep Chiyo—her sister Satsu was not favored.

Amidst painful cries, the sisters were torn apart.

Bunch took notes as he watched.

"The opening boasts excellent visuals and music, especially the use of warm yellow tones—just right."

"The beginning is full of suspense. Chiyo… what a spirited little girl. I'm really curious about her fate."

"Pumpkin, her companion, is more mature than Chiyo but also more calculating."

"Hatsumomo—beautiful, seductive, and hot-tempered. This kind of character is bound to clash with Chiyo later on..."

As he wrote, William saw an impressive long take: Chiyo and Pumpkin rushing out the door, running down the street bathed in soft sunlight. It felt as if he, too, was seeing the entire town unfold.

Then, Chiyo and Pumpkin formally began their geisha training. They learned how to walk, dance, and serve the seniors in the okiya while discovering more about Hatsumomo and what it truly meant to be a geisha.

At the same time, Chiyo's beauty sparked Hatsumomo's jealousy.

Hatsumomo deliberately called Chiyo over and made a deal with her. If Chiyo vandalized Mameha's kimono and promised not to reveal who ordered it, Hatsumomo would tell her about her sister's whereabouts.

Chiyo fulfilled her part of the deal and was brutally punished by the madam.

But she never betrayed Hatsumomo. And when Hatsumomo reappeared, she kept her promise and revealed where Chiyo's sister was.

It turned out that Satsu had been sent to a brothel in the red-light district.

That night, Chiyo sneaked into the district and finally found her sister. They cried with joy and planned to escape together the following night.

But when the next night arrived, just as Chiyo was about to run into the courtyard, she accidentally witnessed Hatsumomo having a secret rendezvous with a man.

She had caught them in the act and startled the courtyard's dogs.

As the man fled in panic, Hatsumomo, to protect herself, seized Chiyo and claimed she had caught her trying to escape to meet her sister.

In the pouring rain, the madam lashed Chiyo with a bamboo whip. In agony, Chiyo finally exposed Hatsumomo as well.

William watched intently as the camera focused on the madam's expression changing drastically. He saw her reach into Hatsumomo's skirt and then slowly raise two sticky fingers.

"Oh my god." He was stunned. This raw, unfiltered inspection caught him off guard, making the entire audience take a deep breath.

But that wasn't the end. The madam slapped Hatsumomo hard and then uttered the film's most defining line.

"What are you thinking? A geisha dreaming of love? Impossible! Lock the doors—no one is leaving the okiya."

William covered his mouth. The camera now focused on Hatsumomo's face.

He saw her expression slowly freeze, her lips trembling slightly. The dark pupils in her eyes shimmered faintly with unshed tears.

She stood drenched in the rain, her chest rising and falling—whether from defiance or unwillingness was unclear.

Finally, she pursed her lips tightly and looked down at Chiyo.

Chiyo, also drenched, leaned weakly against the wall and gazed back at her.

At this moment, the two of them looked like silent statues—wordless and tragic.

"OMG..." William whispered in excitement, realizing the true intention behind the film, drawn from that single line and the dramatic situation of these two characters.

Now, he was eagerly anticipating what would come next. If the film maintained this level of quality, he believed Memoirs of a Geisha might just secure an Oscar nomination this year.

...

Hi For access to additional chapters of

Director in Hollywood (20 chpater)

MV Director (30 chapter)....

Douluo Dalu:Breaking Clan(30 chapter)

Made In Hollywood (50 Chapters)

Join pateron.com/Translaterappu..