Hollywood: The Greatest Showman

Chapter 180: Second Addition

At the 35th Toronto International Film Festival, the first film to add a screening due to popular demand was the independent film "Buried," which sparked intense curiosity among audiences as a dark horse contender.

An obscure film suddenly emerged, surprising many. Hidden in the shadow of "The Town," it managed to gain traction through word-of-mouth, initially drawing over a thousand people to line up. Industry insiders were baffled. When an additional screening was scheduled, nearly six hundred people formed a long queue, leaving over four hundred without tickets.

This displeased the audience: why couldn't they get tickets for the film they wanted to see? Was it due to high demand or too few screenings?

Protests arose: "Why does '127 Hours' have two screenings a day and six more coming, while 'Buried' only has four in total? It's unfair!" "Why can't we see the film we want? Isn't the purpose of TIFF to promote more excellent movies?" "Why hasn't the committee responded to the obvious demand?"

Some even complained, "The queue for 'The Town' has had less than thirty people for two consecutive screenings, yet it still gets a daily slot. But starting tomorrow, 'Buried' won't even have a place for people to line up!"

As "Buried" was being screened, the call for more showings grew louder. Over five hundred people gathered at the festival's main venue, holding makeshift support signs reading, "I want to see 'Buried'!" "Don't bury 'Buried'!" and "We demand more screenings for 'Buried'!" These simple signs, written with carbon pens on A4 paper, effectively conveyed their request and filled the plaza.

Passersby cast curious glances, some knowing the whole story, others learning about it on the spot. The issue gained more traction, especially with the comparison between James Franco and Renly Hall, drawing more attention since James was a well-established star.

What started as a media gimmick unexpectedly became a headline. Many media outlets compared "Buried" and "127 Hours," placing them on equal footing.

At this moment, "US Weekly" published excerpts from an interview with Renly on its website—the full version would be available in the print issue—where Renly discussed his views on "127 Hours." This added fuel to the fire, exciting the media.

Toronto's largest newspaper, "The Toronto Star," even used the headline "Renly Hall: James Franco's performance in '127 Hours' is overrated," taking a snippet of the interview out of context and igniting further controversy.

Some media criticized Renly for being arrogant and disrespectful, deeming his comments as a rookie's overconfidence and blatant disrespect for an established actor like James. They saw this as a shameless promotional stunt for "Buried."

Others viewed Renly's stance as strong and confident, likening his challenge to James Dean's rebellious spirit, wondering if Renly had the talent to match his boldness.

Some media believed Renly's comments were honest, asserting that while "127 Hours" might be a better film overall, Renly's performance in "Buried" was more commendable and courageous. They saw great potential in this newcomer.

Other reports focused on the audience's support for "Buried," seeing it as the best endorsement of Renly's talent. Despite "Buried" not being technically superior, its performances and audience appeal were undeniable.

Regardless of differing opinions, the discussion about "Buried" vs. "127 Hours" and Renly vs. James was heating up, overshadowing even the premiere of "Black Swan."

"127 Hours" had far more promotional resources than "Buried." Yet, the latter's rising exposure, aided by the long queues and media buzz, drew increasing attention.

This independent film was ascending unexpectedly and significantly.

Industry insiders were puzzled: how did "Buried" manage to break through at TIFF without substantial support? Its initial reviews were good but not top-tier compared to "Blue Valentine" and "127 Hours." Why did only "Buried" cause such a stir? This became one of the festival's most intriguing events, fueling curiosity among both audiences and industry professionals who hadn't seen the film yet.

After "Buried's" fourth public screening, the committee scheduled a second industry screening, which quickly sold out. Even some media couldn't get seats and had to wait for the third and final industry screening. This scenario was unprecedented except for "Black Swan" and "Blue Valentine."

The calls for additional screenings at the main venue grew louder, and journalists quickly sought interviews with the two main actors involved.

James Franco was caught on the red carpet at the "Black Swan" premiere. "Haha, this should be considered a compliment, right?" he said, seemingly in good spirits. "As an actor, it's great to see the film get so much discussion. It's even better that many people noticed my performance."

"I haven't seen 'Buried' yet, but I've heard a lot about it from fellow actors, so I'm looking forward to watching it." James skillfully handled the media, maintaining a casual demeanor. "I agree with Renly that as actors, we serve the film. The success of the movie is our success. Working on '127 Hours' with Danny Boyle was an unforgettable experience."

When asked a sharp question about who gave a better performance, James laughed, "Since I haven't seen 'Buried' yet, I guess there's no choice but to say me, right?"

James remained smiling and relaxed, defusing the situation effortlessly, disappointing reporters hoping for more drama. They then turned their attention to Renly.

After two days of continuous interviews, Renly was tired of dealing with the media. Attempting to escape for dinner outside his hotel, he was swarmed by over thirty reporters as soon as he stepped out of the elevator, trapping him in the hotel lobby.

Feeling suffocated, Renly sarcastically remarked, "Aren't there other big events tonight? Did they get rescheduled?" Referring to the "Black Swan" premiere.

Reporters, undeterred, fired the first sharp question, "Renly, is it true you think your performance is better than James Franco's?"

Despite feeling frustrated, Renly laughed at the question, his smile full of mockery and brightness, catching the reporters off guard.

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Pzzzt... Suspect has not yet paid the toll (all your powerstones) Pzzzt...