Chapter 100: First Oscar Journey

As the two companies rapidly expanded, Gilbert attended the 66th Academy Awards with Naomi Watts.

This year's Oscars were held later, on March 21, at the Los Angeles Music Center, with a live broadcast by ABC.

Gilbert was mainly there for the experience, having received a nomination for Best Editing, a technical category. Although editing is essential, it doesn't carry the same weight as Best Director.

Unfortunately, there was no Best New Director category, or Gilbert might have received a nomination. However, the Oscars didn't let him stay idle and invited him to present the Best Foreign Language Film award.

Among the nominees for Best Foreign Language Film, there was a familiar movie for Gilbert, "Farewell My Concubine" by Chen Gezi. Another nominee, "The Wedding Banquet," directed by the now-famous Ang Lee, was one he hadn't seen before.

"The Wedding Banquet" was one of the earliest Chinese-American co-productions, a collaboration between MGM and a production company from Taiwan.

Unfortunately, the "Farewell My Concubine" team didn't attend the Oscars, so Gilbert missed the chance to meet the legendary Leslie Cheung. Ang Lee attended alone, appearing somewhat isolated without even a companion.

For a Chinese director, integrating into Hollywood circles requires an unimaginable level of effort. Ang Lee was not the main focus of the Oscars; that honor went to Steven Spielberg's "Schindler's List."

In an industry heavily influenced by certain powerful groups, the widespread acclaim for this film almost guaranteed its success at the Oscars. The media hype before the awards hinted at the film's success.

Another memorable film for Gilbert was "Philadelphia," starring Tom Hanks. It was with this film that Tom Hanks began his rise to stardom. If he remembered correctly, Tom Hanks won Best Actor for "Philadelphia," defeating Liam Neeson from "Schindler's List."

This gave Gilbert a glimmer of hope. Since "Philadelphia" won Best Actor, there was no reason he couldn't win Best Editing, especially since he, too, belonged to a powerful group.

The day of the ceremony arrived, and Gilbert, in formal attire, attended with Naomi Watts. His turn came early due to his status. Although popular, he still wasn't among the Hollywood elite, who were saved for later in the ceremony.

Nonetheless, Gilbert's popularity among directors was evident. The moment he appeared on the red carpet, cheers erupted. Many people recognized him from a televised debate with an animal rights group, which had drawn attention to his films.

Walking the red carpet, surrounded by thunderous cheers, shouts, applause, and constant camera flashes, felt like an intoxicating experience. For Naomi Watts, still a budding actress, this was a chance to savor the Oscar red carpet's perks. Watching the enthusiastic fans and posing with Gilbert, she dreamed, "Someday, I'll win that golden statuette on this very stage."

"Hey! Gilbert, didn't expect you'd be sitting next to me," said a familiar voice. Gilbert turned and recognized the face of a young Leonardo DiCaprio.

"Hello," Gilbert said, shaking hands with him. "I saw your excellent performance in 'What's Eating Gilbert Grape.' You did a great job." After all, DiCaprio had earned an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor for that film.

DiCaprio was delighted. He returned the compliment, saying, "I've watched your movies, 'Final Destination' and 'Speed.' How do you come up with these stories?"

Gilbert shrugged, saying, "I just thought of them."

"Oh!" DiCaprio nodded as if he understood. "I get it. You creators sometimes get inspiration from the air. Some people say drugs help with creativity. Is that true for you?"

"No, he doesn't use drugs," Naomi Watts interjected. "In fact, he's strongly against them."

DiCaprio finally noticed Naomi Watts and asked, "And who might you be?"

Gilbert introduced her: "This is my…girlfriend, Naomi Watts, a British actress."

"Hello, Ms. Watts. You look beautiful tonight," DiCaprio said, extending his hand.

Watts shook it gently. "And you as well, Mr. DiCaprio."

"Just call me Leo..."

The three of them, all young, continued chatting until the ceremony began. Gilbert also spotted Winona Ryder, who was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for "The Age of Innocence."

When Ryder noticed Gilbert, she ignored Naomi and made a playful gesture toward him. With one hand forming an "O" shape by her mouth, she made a few suggestive movements. Knowing exactly what she meant, Gilbert merely smiled, though he didn't respond due to Naomi's presence. Winona's behavior was somewhat bold, and being caught could be problematic.

Perhaps stirred by Johnny Depp or due to family issues, Winona seemed increasingly unstable. Gilbert had tried helping her get back on track but failed, as interfering with personal freedom is taboo in North America.

Meanwhile, DiCaprio, though having a good-boy image, had a touch of rebellion. He commented on the ceremony, "This Oscar event is as boring as those Academy folks."

Gilbert cautioned him, "Leo, watch your words. This isn't the place to say things like that."

"Sorry, I got a bit too excited," DiCaprio replied, scratching his head. "You won't tell anyone, right?"

"Of course not. I dislike how stale the Oscars feel too," Gilbert replied, gaining DiCaprio's approval. They quickly bonded, and DiCaprio resumed critiquing the nominated films.

When it was time for his Best Supporting Actor category, though, DiCaprio grew silent. It was his first Oscar nomination, and his talkativeness seemed to be a way to relieve his nerves.

Unfortunately, it turned out the Academy had only shown him kindness by nominating him. If the Academy members had heard his earlier remarks, they might not have even given him a nomination.

Best Supporting Actor went to Tommy Lee Jones for "The Fugitive," with Ralph Fiennes from "Schindler's List" missing out. Winona Ryder, too, lost to Anna Paquin, and her displeasure was obvious as the cameras captured her disappointed expression.

Shortly after, Gilbert's category, Best Editing, was announced. A presenter came on stage and, after reading some words, announced, "The Oscar for Best Editing goes to 'Speed' – Gilbert Landrini and Mehdi Thomson."

"Darling, you won an Oscar!" Naomi Watts exclaimed excitedly, clapping and giving him a kiss on the cheek.

The camera caught this moment, and the audience responded with lighthearted laughter. Had Gilbert been older, the reaction might have been less kind, but as a young director, it seemed natural.

DiCaprio congratulated him, "Wow, man, I can't believe you actually won Best Editing."

Even though this was just a Best Editing Award, shared with a colleague, it felt as though he was accepting a Best Director Award.

As he made his way, many people around him congratulated him, shaking his hand or giving him a friendly hug.

When passing by Winona Ryder , the bold actress also offered a congratulatory kiss, landing directly on Gilbert's lips.

No one thought much of it, though—it's perfectly normal for a young, talented, and handsome man to have plenty of admirers.

Besides, this was the Oscars. While the award selection process is serious, there's also an undeniable entertainment aspect to the whole event.

Earlier, Tommy Lee Jones had won the Best Supporting Actor award and celebrated with a kiss from Julianne Moore.

Gilbert was briefly taken aback by Winona Ryder boldness, but fortunately, she didn't push any further or do anything out of line.

Finally, he and Mehdi Thomson reached the stage, and together they took hold of the golden statuette. Gilbert gestured for Mehdi to give his speech first.

Mehdi, visibly moved, expressed his gratitude to his family, friends, and those who had always supported his work, and finally, he focused on his thanks to Gilbert.

He stated that if it weren't for Gilbert, he might never have had the chance to win an Oscar in his life.

Though they were co-nominees, Mehdi Thomson clearly understood who had been the driving force behind their success.