In early September, the Venice Film Festival drew to a close, and Lu Ban's "Peaceful Days in Spring" once again swept several major awards, accomplishing an unprecedented international film festival Grand Slam.
This was a true, complete Grand Slam.
Under normal rules, it would not be possible for the same film to sweep all three major film festivals in the same year; a regular Grand Slam usually refers to a director or an actor winning these three awards in different years with three different works.
But Lu Ban's "Peaceful Days in Spring" cleaned up everything there was to win.
Such a plot, if you were to write it into an entertainment novel, it would be criticized by readers for being too exaggerated.
What's even more outrageous is that "Peaceful Days in Spring" might not even be able to compete in the Oscars because it lacks minority or LGBT actors.
For a time, the Oscars were lambasted by film industry professionals, media, and audiences, labeling it a "wild chicken award."