Chapter 145
“Director, thank you so much for coming.”
I hurried over to Jean Dumont and greeted him politely.
“Not at all. I should be the one thanking you for inviting me.”
He glanced around the crowded lobby.
“There are a lot of people here.”
“Yes. We’re surprised too.”
Just then, Han Taesung, who had heard from Cha Seungjoon that Jean Dumont had arrived, quickly walked over.
I introduced him.
“Director, this is CEO Han Taesung of Big Picture, the company that co-produced Kingdom of Crime.”
Jean Dumont turned toward him.
Han Taesung greeted him respectfully.
“It’s a great honor to meet you.”
“No, no. I’m the one who should be grateful for the invitation. Hahaha.”
At the word invitation, Han Taesung glanced toward me.
“So the person who invited Director Dumont here was...”
I wasn’t quite sure how to explain it, so I simply shrugged.
Jean Dumont laughed.
“CEO Min had so much pride in this film that I started thinking I might seriously regret it if I didn’t watch it. Hahaha.”
“I see.”
At that moment, several reporters approached us and immediately began questioning Jean Dumont.
“Director Dumont! Have you always been interested in Korean films, or did this particular film catch your attention?”
“Director, is there anything in particular you’re looking forward to in this film?”
“Kingdom of Crime doesn’t seem like the kind of movie you normally enjoy. What made you decide to watch it?”
Camera flashes exploded continuously, as though the reporters were determined not to miss even the slightest change in his expression.
Jean Dumont, clearly accustomed to this kind of attention, smiled calmly.
“I try to watch films without prejudice whenever possible.”
“But I’m human too, so naturally there are genres I like and genres I don’t.”
He chuckled.
“And by that standard, Kingdom of Crime is definitely not the kind of film I usually prefer.”
The reporters laughed along with him.
Jean Dumont glanced briefly toward me before continuing.
“However, the person who invited me here today told me that this film and my own work share a similar emotional texture.”
He smiled.
“That made me curious.”
The reporters immediately began taking notes.
Every word Jean Dumont said was already valuable enough to become a headline.
“Director Dumont, do you think this film has a chance of winning an award?”
At the blunt question, Jean Dumont smirked.
“How would I know that when I haven’t even seen the film yet? Hahaha.”
Then he added,
“But... the producer’s judgment seems worth trusting.”
He waved lightly at the reporters.
“All right, that’s enough. Let’s go inside.”
“If this continues, people might start thinking I’m the main character tonight. Hahaha.”
Jean Dumont smiled at Han Taesung and me before heading toward the theater.
“Kibaek, see you after the movie.”
Gil Boyoung and Carrière winked at me and followed him inside.
Once Jean Dumont disappeared into the screening room, Han Taesung lightly tapped my shoulder.
“CEO Min.”
He gave me an impressed look.
“You were hiding quite a card.”
Han Taesung said that simply having a world-famous master like Jean Dumont personally attend the screening would already create enormous publicity.
Then he gave me a thumbs-up, clearly impressed that I had thought that far ahead.
But my real intention went much deeper than that.
CEO Han, this isn’t just a publicity card.
This is going to become a decisive card for winning the Palme d’Or.
This was groundwork for Kingdom of Crime to win.
Jean Dumont’s praise spreading through the press.
A positive atmosphere forming among the jury members.
That was the full plan.
While I was thinking...
“I just heard Director Jean Dumont came?”
Song Jaehyun approached us excitedly, having just returned from the press room.
“He went into the theater a moment ago.”
“Ha...”
Song Jaehyun looked dazed.
“Director Jean Dumont came to watch my movie...”
“I honestly can’t tell whether I’m dreaming or awake.”
Seeing the emotion on his face made me smile without realizing it.
7:00 p.m.
Inside the Grand Théâtre Lumière, all 2,500 seats were filled.
At the front of the stage, Song Jaehyun and the actors gave brief greetings to the audience.
“Thank you so much for joining us tonight.”
“I hope Kingdom of Crime can give all of you a special experience.”
After finishing his greeting, Song Jaehyun and the actors moved to their assigned seats.
Soon, the lights slowly dimmed.
The official Cannes Film Festival logo appeared on the enormous screen, then faded away.
And Kingdom of Crime began.
I sat in the very back row, watching the audience closely.
About twenty minutes into the film, there wasn’t a single whisper or distracting sound anywhere in the theater.
Every audience member seemed completely absorbed, unable to look away from the screen.
Then the final scene ended.
The end credits slowly began rolling over a black background.
At last, the screen went dark.
The lights came back on.
But even then...
No one in the audience moved.
Watching that silence, I unconsciously swallowed.
Then...
Clap.
A single pair of hands cracked open the silence, which felt as heavy as all 2,500 seats combined.
I immediately turned toward the sound.
Jean Dumont was slowly rising from his seat while applauding.
Clap, clap, clap.
Clap, clap, clap.
Starting with Jean Dumont, the applause spread through the theater like ripples across water.
Then it exploded.
A thunderous roar of applause filled the hall.
