As a director from Mexico, Alejandro González Iñárritu has always been working in the independent film circle. So far, although he has only directed one small-budget independent production, Amores Perros, it has been highly praised by film critics. When the film was released last year, many critics gave his debut scores of nine or above.
This gave Alejandro González Iñárritu great confidence in his future. He decided to continue pursuing the path of art films and planned to make an independent movie with a higher budget.
His demands were not high—just around ten million dollars in investment would suffice.
However, dreams are always full, while reality remains harsh.
Despite the high praise from critics, Amores Perros only managed a global box office of just over $5 million. With his new script in hand, Iñárritu approached every Hollywood production company capable of investing $10 million. Not only was there no company willing to invest, but he couldn't even meet with any top executives.
It wasn't that no one appreciated his script, but whenever investment was mentioned, the response was immediate refusal. To those who read the script, its artistic nature absolutely did not justify an investment of $10 million.
Especially at Sony-Columbia, 20th Century Fox, and Warner Bros., Iñárritu faced countless dismissive looks. Recently, he realized why this was happening: all three companies have major superhero movies under their banners, while his script delves into the destructive impact of superhero roles on actors.
However, at Warner Bros., Iñárritu encountered someone who shared his sentiments—Michael Keaton, the first-generation Batman.
Through Keaton's introduction and assistance, Iñárritu learned about a party taking place in Malibu and managed to secure an invitation.
After doing some research, Iñárritu found that not only were there senior executives from several Hollywood film companies at the party, but also big-name producers such as Charles Roven, Jon Landau, and Kathleen Kennedy. This was undoubtedly a great opportunity for him to sell himself.
The problem was, with so many stars and celebrities at the party, how could he attract the attention of these big shots?
As a former radio DJ and someone deeply immersed in the independent film scene, Iñárritu had inevitably adopted an artistic temperament. Influenced by the independent film circle's penchant for characters with mental illnesses, autism, or split personalities, he chose a particularly "artistic" approach to stand out at the party, hoping to promote himself through his unique behavior and, in turn, his script.
Just as Iñárritu imagined, as soon as he stepped into the grand banquet hall of the eye-shaped villa, everyone who saw him was left speechless, as if they had witnessed something inconceivable.
This artistically inclined director indeed used an equally artistic method to instantly attract everyone's attention.
Iñárritu's black, shoulder-length, slightly curly hair was loose and unkempt. It seemed like it hadn't been washed for days, not only greasy but also clumped together.
What stood out even more was his attire. In stark contrast to the formal attire of everyone else in the banquet hall, Iñárritu wore a faded, tattered denim jacket. His pants, much like his directing career, were artistically "distressed," with numerous holes.
In such an outfit, he was a rooster among swans in the banquet hall, making it impossible for people not to notice him.
However, Iñárritu knew that this alone was not enough. It didn't fully highlight his personality or make him truly stand out. He had already planned how to distinguish himself from the mediocrity of Hollywood.
To Iñárritu, his personality symbolized artistic flair, which in turn represented exceptional talent—a talent that deserved admiration.
He walked straight through the banquet hall toward the dining area. Everyone in his path or nearby instinctively moved aside, covering their noses, giving Iñárritu a sense of royal arrival.
"How long has it been since that guy showered?"
"What's that smell? Why would Duke invite someone like that?"
The murmurs from either side were completely ignored by Iñárritu. He approached the table, grabbed an oversized tray, and began piling it with roast lamb, tender veal, cheesecake, and even the largest Alaskan king crab.
Carrying food and drinks, Iñárritu found a table closest to the crowd. He sat down and began eating noisily. The sound of him cracking open the crab's shell with a crisp snap caught the attention of everyone around.
Unaware of their reactions, Iñárritu believed he was eating in the most artistic and unique manner possible.
Emma, the steward of Duke's estate, had been supervising the party's internal coordination despite outsourcing its organization to a professional company.
She had noticed Iñárritu as soon as he entered and kept an eye on him until he sat at the table, noisily eating.
Wearing such attire and behaving like this in public might be an individual's freedom, but to do so at someone else's house and at such a high-profile party was extremely disrespectful to the host.
"Rude, lacking manners..."
This was Emma's first impression of Iñárritu. It wasn't just that this was a formal birthday party—even at the simplest gathering, his behavior would be considered extremely impolite.
"The guy might have mental issues; he could be dangerous..."
This was Emma's second thought. After all, who in their right mind would act so absurdly?
The sound of him snapping crab legs even reached Emma's ears, solidifying her belief that he was mentally unstable.
Lifting her black evening gown slightly, Emma turned and headed toward Tina Fey. She had heard of a certain Hollywood circle specializing in producing films about mentally ill characters, where method actors and directors sometimes exhibited eccentric behaviors. Perhaps this man belonged to that group.
"Did you see that guy?" she whispered to Tina Fey.
Tina Fey nodded, "I've been watching him for a while."
"Is he an invited guest?" Emma asked.
Shaking her head, Tina Fey confidently replied, "No. Do you think an invited guest would disrespect both the host and themselves like that?"
Emma withdrew her gaze. "He could be a security risk."
Tina Fey glanced toward Duke, who was still conversing with Steve Jobs, and made a decision. "Have Charlie and Bruce escort him out discreetly."
She knew Duke's preferences well; her boss would never tolerate such behavior.
Iñárritu discarded a crab leg, grabbed a glass of wine, and took a big gulp. After wiping his mouth vigorously with a napkin and tossing it onto the tray, he let out a loud belch. Just as he was about to stand up and find someone among the onlookers to pitch his script, two white men in black suits approached him.
The older man smiled and said, "Sir, Miss Tina Fey would like to have a word with you."
Hearing Tina Fey's name, Iñárritu's eyes lit up. Though not very famous, she was a senior executive at Duke's studio and his right-hand woman. Why would she want to talk to him?
Though his thoughts were highly artistic, Iñárritu didn't believe she was interested in him personally.
After a moment's thought, a possibility dawned on him: could it be that his outstanding behavior had caught Duke Rosenberg's attention? Not only was Duke a top director, but also a billionaire—a $10 million investment would be nothing to him.
Considering Duke's deep ties with Warner Bros., and the fact that he had submitted his script to Warner, perhaps Duke had already read it...
Thinking this, Iñárritu nodded and followed the two men out of the banquet hall, still imagining how his long-take technique could astonish both God and Satan alike.
However, as soon as they stepped out, Iñárritu noticed something odd. The two men flanked him and led him toward the parking lot.
"Where are we going?" he asked.
"Apologies, sir," said Bruce, the professional bodyguard. "Please leave. Your attire and behavior are too disrespectful."
"No..."
"Sir, please lower your voice," Tina Fey interjected, emerging from the shadows. "Now, I formally ask you to leave and offer you a piece of advice: appropriate attire and basic etiquette show respect not only to the host but also to yourself."
Ignoring her words, Iñárritu began, "Miss, I have a script and a project I'd like to pitch to Director Rosenberg..."
Hearing this, Tina Fey frowned slightly.
Before she could respond, Iñárritu added, "The project will use a long-take filming technique!"
Initially, Tina Fey had a sliver of hesitation, but upon hearing about the long-take technique—a hallmark of artistic filmmaking—she gestured to Bruce and Charlie, instructing them to escort the overly artistic director off the estate.
Previously, she and Duke had discussed the long-take method, and her boss had shown zero interest in such artsy filmmaking techniques.
Driving out of the estate, Iñárritu glanced back at the imposing mansion with a hint of resentment in his eyes. He had merely wanted to showcase his uniqueness, but instead, he was deemed disrespectful and kicked out...
...
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