The film

On the whole, the casting had been quite successful.

Jason Statham, J.K. Simmons, and Hugo Weaving, along with a few supporting roles, all combined didn't cost more than around $5M.

And with this ensemble, they created a cast of actors to make a low-budget, thrilling cult film. My, oh my, one couldn't fathom how much higher this combination had elevated the caliber compared to the line-up from the previous life.

For James Wan's first attempt at filmmaking, achieving this much success was truly a windfall.

As the preparations for the production gradually wrapped up, the filming process began to unfold systematically.

Next came the meetings between actors and the director, to arrange the specifics of the shooting.

Lyman didn't interfere with these matters. Let them talk about their own issues. He was a producer and had no intention of meddling with the shooting.

He disliked others pointing fingers at his movies and naturally didn't want to become that irritating person.

After dealing with these vexing matters, it was the end of June, and Lyman could finally settle down.

He began planning his own project.

In the hotel living room, he continued working on storyboarding.

On the smooth white paper, a rural villa gradually took shape.

The sunlight outside was radiant, and inside the room, a woman forced a smile, gazing fondly at the man on the bed.

Beside this scene, the pencil sketched out vast areas of white space, and another woman seemed to emerge from a different world, looking at the two inside with eyes that held both envy and regret.

A straight line divided these two scenes, signifying their lack of convergence in space.

As the sunset twilight arrived, Lyman gradually completed his conception.

...

The film industry never ceased, remaining exceptionally busy year-round.

At any given moment, there were waves of new projects being approved, or waves of productions in preparation.

In this French territory, although local films were often overshadowed and defeated by Hollywood blockbusters, there were very few places worldwide that could withstand the assault of Hollywood films.

The government also wished to support this field to some extent, thus giving rise to countless artistic films and filmmakers.

Since it was the country's money being spent, why not indulge freely?

Embracing this mindset, France always had a steady stream of new film projects.

However, despite the numerous actors in this region, when it came to international influence, the truly prominent figures were few.

But with that status and position, resources were certainly not lacking.

After all, there were only a handful of individuals who could carry a major production. As for female actors, the criteria were even more demanding.

One couldn't know how many invitations they received each year; small companies and productions wouldn't even dare to approach them.

Sophie Marceau found herself in this situation.

Scheduling and arrangements had always been vexing matters.

But this summer, she hadn't made any plans.

Ever since the encounter with Lyman, she had been waiting.

Fortunately, she didn't wait for too long.

In late June, a script was delivered to her home.

Lyman, to his credit, was straightforward and kept his word. He had promised to decide after reading the script, and he followed through resolutely.

The title on the cover was quite endearing, "Effervescent".

The general content of the film could be compared to movies like "Me Before You", "Love Letter", and "The Classic".

The script contained annotations for each scene's storyboards. Sophie read through it several times and found herself growing fonder with each reading.

Whether it was in France or Hollywood, the mainstream of romance films was of that roller-coaster, all-consuming, profoundly passionate kind of love. It seemed that if it wasn't like that, it couldn't be called love. For instance, Jack and Rose in "Titanic", and William Wallace and Princess Isabelle in "Braveheart".

However, what Lyman wanted to create was an Eastern-style love, a type of love that didn't deliberately pursue drama or become overly sensational. It would simply narrate a "little thing" about affection in a plain and simple manner.

The entire script didn't feature any kissing or bedroom scenes, which surprised Sophie to some extent.

The love depicted here didn't have an outcome or even a conclusion. Yet, inexplicably, every time she read it, it allowed her heart to relax and immerse itself in the constructed narrative.

In Western culture, the norm was to straightforwardly pursue love. If you liked someone, you said it, and you got together.

Perhaps, young Sophie held such beliefs too.

During the filming of "Mad Love", she fell in love with the director, Żuławski.

He was 26 years her senior, and their unconventional relationship faced opposition from nearly everyone, including her parents.

However, Sophie didn't hide her love for him.

In 2001, they peacefully separated.

Sophie had grown increasingly indifferent toward love.

This script made her see her reflection.

For a moment, she truly wished to fly to Los Angeles immediately, to meet Lyman, and discuss their creative thoughts.

His thoughts, his perspectives.

Yet in the end, rationality prevailed over emotion.

Sophie still opted to let her agent handle the communication.

She wanted to take on this film.

...

Lyman held Eva Green close, discussing the details of the new project.

"For the script, you need to ponder it thoroughly, and the character as well. When acting opposite Sophie, if you're completely overshadowed, it will be quite disastrous."

Eva looked at him, offering a faint smile. "I will do my best."

"Have you looked at the character's background information? You can think and enhance it on your own."

Even a character profile had been specially prepared for her. This kind of concern made Eva feel particularly appreciated.

Her heart brimmed with joy. Suddenly, she thought of something and asked, "When will filming start for the movie?"

"It will probably be in about a month..." Lyman added, "The actors' contracts haven't been finalized yet, the shooting locations, the crew team, and the props and sets – all of these take time."

Eva listened and nodded with a brilliant smile.

Deep down, she was rather proud.

Facing off against a long-established star like Sophie in the coming scenes didn't cause her any pressure. Instead, she held her breath and wanted to prove herself.

Just like in "Miscreant", where she chose a role with fewer lines but greater challenges. As an actress, she had aspirations.

Recognition from the audience, critics, or anything. People inherently seek recognition, and she was no exception.

As for the film's approval, EuropaCorp had prepared the plan long ago.

The collaboration model was quite similar.

The only noteworthy point was that the budget for this film wasn't substantial. Compared to "Miscreant", it fell far short, not to mention "Fury".

The overall cost would be around $15M, after all, it was a romance film with no major scenes. The set design was relatively straightforward, the demand for props was low, and apart from Sophie's higher pay, the compensation for other actors was around the industry's average.

Although Eva had acted in a few films, they were all supporting roles. This was her first film where she was essentially the lead, and based on her past accomplishments, her market value wasn't particularly high.