Standing Ovation

Chanel turned her head and looked around in confusion. The tear stains in her eyes had not yet dried, but no more tears came out, leaving only a bewildered daze. The ending had come too swiftly and violently for her to process, and she wasn't even sure what had just happened.

Wasn't Paul supposed to be saved? Wasn't this supposed to be a Hollywood-style happy ending? Hadn't Dan already arrived on the scene? Hadn't Paul promised Linda? Hadn't the rebels been captured? Hadn't Paul cut off his finger and sent the video? Wasn't he just three minutes away from rescue?

But what had actually happened?

Hope had been so intense that the disappointment was equally devastating. It felt like falling from mid-air, with the powerful impact of free fall shattering everything. Her brain had completely shut down, and she stood there dazed, soulless.

Silence. The entire theater was silent, so quiet that even the sound of breathing seemed to have vanished.

Chanel turned her head and saw Tessa sitting there, shoulders slumped as if her soul had been drained, leaving only an empty Barbie doll shell. She sat there dazed, with tear stains on her cheeks, showing a touch of helpless vulnerability that was heartbreaking. But now, Chanel was too overwhelmed to offer any comfort.

Gavin slumped heavily in his chair, his brain completely stopped, his mouth hanging open as he stared at the darkness on the big screen. Darkness, once again darkness, just like at the beginning of the film. Gavin strained his ears, trying to catch any sound, no matter how faint. But this time, he failed. The pure silence brought an uncontrollable sense of horror and fear, like the feeling of drowning that once again washed over him.

Daisy Lucas forced herself to open her mouth and take deep breaths because the darkness from all directions surged in like a tide, making her feel as if she were inside that coffin. She had replaced Paul in that position. She had to breathe to remind herself, "I am still alive."

But her breathing was so rapid that she started coughing, and the burning sensation in her lungs brought a faint pain. This pain made Daisy smile because it proved her existence and the reality of life.

Actually, Daisy had guessed the ending when the army destroyed the nearby base. But after going through so many twists and turns and rekindling hope, the arrival of death was too sudden. The abrupt end to her emotions left her suspended in mid-air, followed by a rapid fall. Fear easily shattered everyone's defenses.

Reflecting on the entire movie, she thought her mind would be blank and unable to recall anything, but surprisingly, all the details were so vivid, replaying in her mind as if she had experienced everything herself. This was precisely because, under the director's precise control, the clever atmosphere, and the actors' outstanding performances, everything felt too real and too shocking. Daisy's pupils suddenly dilated—Renly Hall.

Renly's performance was indescribably... indescribably brilliant. She couldn't find the right words to express it. In his delicate yet explosive performance, she experienced everything with Renly: the sharpness of death, the heat of hope, the numbness of fear, and the coldness of despair. Her soul truly felt an epic shock!

Lifting her head, Daisy looked around. The entire theater was silent, even the movie screen was dead silent. The credits hadn't started rolling yet. The silence perfectly reflected the brilliance of the entire film. Then, Daisy could no longer hold back. When the first name appeared on the screen, "Director: Rodrigo Costa," the faint light couldn't bear the weight of the darkness, but it was enough for Daisy.

She stood up.

She stood up abruptly and started clapping, her hands pounding together even though her palms began to hurt. But she didn't let up; instead, she clapped harder. The excitement, thrill, joy, horror, fear, and happiness repressed in her chest burst out completely. The joy of surviving gave way to the excitement of returning to reality. "Buried" was just too outstanding, and this was the only way to express her highest respect!

Although Daisy thought the most outstanding part was Renly's performance, at this moment, who cared? Applause, whistles, screams, and admiration—it was all enough.

Gavin finally snapped out of it. It was a movie, all of it was a movie, a fictional story on the big screen, not reality. The journalists around him started standing up one by one, each looking at the big screen and clapping vigorously. Suddenly, the applause lost control, accompanied by screams and whistles. Gavin reflexively followed everyone's gaze to the big screen, and then he saw a name:

Paul Conroy: Renly Hall.

Gavin couldn't help it. He jumped up and clapped wildly, the passion and magic from the collision of his palms expressing all his mixed emotions vividly. He bit his lip and joined everyone in whistling, cheering for Renly with real action.

Brilliant, just brilliant! This was Gavin's only thought. Even though he had prepared himself mentally and raised his expectations, the result far exceeded his imagination. This was just... fucking brilliant! No other words could accurately express his feelings at this moment.

Chanel finally came to her senses. She had cried throughout the movie but felt lost and dazed at the ending. It was as if she were floating without a place to land, until now, she had finally landed. Countless images flashed through her mind—the surprise and panic at the youth hostel, Renly's poise and humor on the red carpet, the mesmerizing performance on the big screen... In the end, everything turned into those deep brown eyes.

"Clap, clap, clap!" Chanel clapped vigorously. She tried to stand up but found her legs weak and fell back into her seat. This feeling of exhaustion made Chanel laugh, then she laughed freely. Didn't all of this just prove the movie's brilliance? She loved this feeling.

Regaining her strength, she stood up again, clapping her hands, and joined the ranks of the audience. Turning her head, Chanel saw Tessa's bright eyes and a joyful smile on her face. Tessa shouted loudly, "Renly is awesome!" This straightforward and simple comment made Chanel laugh heartily.

The entire audience stood up to applaud, and no one was an exception. The thunderous applause crashed like a huge wave, making the small theater with only three hundred seats seem like a small boat in a storm, precarious and on the verge of capsizing, making one wonder if the building was shaking.

But the audience was still not satisfied. Amidst the applause, shouts and whistles continued endlessly. Only by shouting, cheering, and celebrating could they express their true feelings. This wasn't Canadian politeness or movie festival etiquette and socializing. This was genuine admiration, heartfelt praise!

The applause in the theater was like a tidal wave, continuous and seemingly endless.

When the theater lights gradually came on, the excited faces of the audience all showed similar expressions: joy, excitement, elation, and happiness. This was the true film festival experience, bringing movie lovers together to share the joys and sorrows brought by films, truly feeling the charm of movies.

The applause was so enthusiastic and loud that it struck Renly's eardrums with a slight pain. The intense sound penetrated his eardrums and skin, resonating in his soul, generating unimaginable energy that swept away all thoughts in his mind, bringing an unprecedented shock.

His chest was filled with emotion and happiness, making Renly feel a real sense of fulfillment, filling his chest, blood vessels, brain, and soul to the brim, almost overflowing. This was why he loved acting. He could present different lives through his performance, lead the audience into different worlds, and bridge the gap between art and life through acting.

Renly could clearly feel the weight on his shoulders. All his companions stood up and turned towards him, showing their respect and congratulations with applause. The faces, the clapping, the gazes, all fell heavily on his shoulders, almost making it hard to breathe.

He stood up, turned around, and saw the endless wave of enthusiasm spreading out in front of him, so spectacular it left him speechless. Words were too pale; only by calming down and seriously feeling could one appreciate the madness and passion of this moment, the uniqueness of this moment.

Listen, the applause that would linger for three days was so beautiful. Clap after clap, it struck hard. Renly had almost no resistance, and his eyes instantly felt warm. Even when he won the Emmy, he hadn't experienced such overwhelming emotions, leaving him unprepared.

"Clap, clap, clap!" That intense and frantic sound seemed like it would never stop.

Oh God, he loved this moment of beauty so much. He loved the film festival's frenzy so much. He loved acting so much.

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200 powerstones - 1 bonus chapter

Yesterday we were on rankings, even if was in 180s... But today we are not even on rankings page ಥ⁠_⁠ಥ