"So, how was the movie?"
Anson asked casually, a polite inquiry. Emmanuel stared blankly at the lazy yet charming smile on Anson's lips, and couldn't help but let her own lips curve upward.
"It was good. I liked it."
The words had barely left her mouth when Emmanuel bit the tip of her tongue hard.
Idiot, why are you swooning? It's not like you've never seen a handsome guy before, and you're not a sixteen-year-old girl. Pull yourself together—
This is work. Stay focused!
Normally, Emmanuel wasn't like this. It was just that so much had happened all at once this morning that her brain hadn't caught up yet.
And so, she made a fool of herself.
A slight taste of blood emerged on her tongue, bringing Emmanuel back to reality.
But the words had already been said, and there was no taking them back.
Anson looked at Emmanuel. "Oh? Which part?"
Emmanuel: ...
Her mind seemed to freeze. How was she supposed to answer that?
She pointed at the bustling crowd in the corridor. "Because the ending makes people think. Uh, I liked that part. Yes, that's it."
She squeezed out an answer like squeezing toothpaste, but surprisingly, it made sense. Emmanuel felt a bit more confident.
"Nowadays, movies are too obsessed with pushing their values, almost preachy; but your movie isn't like that. It's a positive trend."
Anson lightly raised his chin and pondered for a moment. "Hmm, that's an interesting point. So there's nothing you're particularly curious about?"
Emmanuel blinked: For God's sake, she's a photojournalist, right?
But what now?
Emmanuel could feel the eyes of the other reporters behind her, the surrounding chatter gradually quieting down, the invisible weight of their gazes pressing on her shoulders.
Uh.
"Elephants! Why weren't there any elephants in the movie?"
Emmanuel seized the moment and threw out the question, grasping at straws—
She was guessing; there probably weren't elephants in the movie since the crew likely didn't have the budget.
Anson raised an eyebrow, his face serious. "I think it's to leave a question, for the audience to guess."
Emmanuel: ? What kind of nonsense is that?
Taking a deep breath, Emmanuel said, "Then what about other animals? I mean, hunting dogs? Horses?"
Anson lifted his chin, showing a thoughtful expression. "So, your magazine is... 'Horses and Hunting Dogs,' right?"
Emmanuel: ...
If she still didn't realize Anson was teasing her, she'd really be a brainless fangirl. "When did you figure out I'm not an interview reporter?"
Anson smiled. "You weren't hurt on the red carpet yesterday, were you?"
Emmanuel was stunned: He actually remembered.
Anson seemed to read Emmanuel's mind, his smile lifting slightly. "Mainly because of the professional camera gear on your shoulder. Then I recalled. Honestly, my memory isn't that great."
Frank and sincere.
Emmanuel's smile blossomed naturally. This was probably the most relaxed moment since she arrived in Cannes. "I didn't know you liked to play pranks."
Anson shrugged lightly. "That just means my reputation isn't famous enough. Otherwise, the industry should be talking about which actors hate me. Looks like I need to work harder."
Emmanuel laughed, "Haha."
Then Noah finally appeared.
"Sorry to keep you waiting." Noah had been on a call, busy with media appointments through phone and email. The whole world had been spinning at high speed this morning. "Which media outlet are you with?"
Emmanuel answered on impulse, "Horses and Hunting Dogs."
Haha.
Anson laughed out loud.
Noah looked at Emmanuel seriously. "I didn't know 'Horses and Hunting Dogs' was invited to Cannes."
It was just a small prank, but seeing Noah's serious face, Emmanuel quickly waved her hands. "No, I work for the Italian edition of 'Vogue.' I want to schedule a photoshoot. If not today, tomorrow is fine too."
Noah, "Photoshoot schedule." He paused.
Obviously, he was just Anson's assistant, not a professional PR team, and it was his first time in Cannes, so he wasn't familiar with these matters. He clearly stumbled while dealing with it.
But Noah didn't seek help from Anson. "Sorry, we need to check the schedule." Then he glanced at the crowded corridor. "How about this: leave your business card, and after we confirm with the team, we'll get back to you as soon as possible."
Emmanuel, "I can wait here for a response."
Noah's handling was steady, calm, and orderly, which was indeed impressive.
However, Anson had another idea. Italian edition of "Vogue"? This was a good opportunity. "If you don't mind, you can come in now and take some behind-the-scenes shots, record our working moments. Additionally, during the interview later, you can coordinate with 'The New York Times' and take some pictures during the breaks."
Emmanuel was tempted, even excited—
After hitting a wall with Ivan, she didn't expect to get a shooting opportunity here. This not only perfectly filled her work gap but also allowed her to switch from the "Young Adam" section to the main competition "Elephant" crew, which couldn't be more perfect.
But Emmanuel hesitated a bit: behind-the-scenes shots, casual moments—this wasn't the shooting theme she had in mind.
For a photographer, shooting also has themes, styles, and designs. Emmanuel believed that since Anson's two appearances in Cannes had sparked discussions, she should dig into the fashion aspect to fully leverage Cannes' buzz. But capturing casual moments during the interview seemed too weak.
Anson noticed Emmanuel's hesitation.
In this situation, if she didn't agree right away, it meant his proposal wasn't attractive enough.
Anson thought for a moment. He had a guess. "This movie is filmed entirely in a documentary style, recording an ordinary day, capturing the daily life of middle school students. So, I think, if we break the fourth wall and document an ordinary day of the crew in Cannes, capturing the daily lives of actors and directors, it would be very interesting."
Emmanuel's eyes lit up. She hadn't seen the movie, so she didn't know how to match the movie's theme.
If the movie is documentary-style, then this shooting proposal couldn't be better.
Emmanuel had one last bit of hesitation. "The movie's visual style..."
Anson, "Simple." Then he added, "Like the poster."
Ha.
Emmanuel chuckled. Her mind immediately pictured the black-and-white images showing the texture of Cannes' daily life. Going against the norm, instead of showing Cannes' glamorous side, it would present the ordinary yet bustling side away from the spotlight, creating a contrast with Anson's dazzling red-carpet presence.
A theme emerged.
When she looked at Anson again, Emmanuel didn't hide her scrutiny—
No pretenses, even surrounded by the media, there was no arrogance, haughtiness, or conceit. He consistently showed an approachable attitude.
Smart and insightful. He clearly knew his job and place, had his understanding of movies and reality, and was definitely more than just a pretty face.
So, the question is, is everything Anson shows now real, or is it all an act?