“All right, Niko-se,” Juen said, once again sounding like the goodnatured uncle Ru knew. Ten minutes later, Ru was left standing on the front steps of his school, relieved and resentful, watching the Roewolfe turn out of the parking lot and drive toward home.
CHAPTER
23
Friends of Friends
the fourteenth year, sixth month
Wen attended the Janloon Film Festival as the guest of Ren Jirhuya, the artist she’d met seven months ago at a fundraiser luncheon. At his invitation, she’d given a speech at the annual conference of the Charitable Society for Jade Nonreactivity and done a short filmed interview, which was being used in television ads to raise awareness and combat superstition. Wen had taken a liking to the Abukei artist; he struck her as genuine, personable, and motivated. She was pleased when he landed a position as the assistant art director on a movie being produced by Cinema Shore, one of Kekon’s few major film studios.
When Wen asked him to introduce her to people he knew in the industry, Jirhuya agreed but voiced reservations. “I’d like to help you, Mrs. Kaul, but I don’t have any influence with the studio,” he explained.
“I’m not seeking any sort of influence,” Wen assured him. “I only want to learn about the business, and I prefer to meet people as friends of friends.”
At the festival, Jirhuya introduced her to actors, directors, writers, and to Sian Kugo, producer and co-owner of Cinema Shore. “Mrs. Kaul,” Sian exclaimed, glancing nervously at Wen’s bodyguards. “I had no idea you’d be here.” The Janloon Film Festival had been growing steadily over its six-year existence, but was not widely known. The country’s movie industry was small compared to that of nearby Shotar.
“I enjoy getting out and attending cultural events whenever I can.” It was easier for Wen to do so now that she was more confident in her body and needed to rely on the cane less often. She would never be completely healed, of course, but she’d become adept at hiding moments of weakness or imbalance. To most people, she appeared normal in speech and gait. “Mr. Sian, will you sit down with me at the bar? I’d like to ask you some questions about the business, if you’ll indulge me.”
The filmmaker was happy to talk. “Kekon is a small film market. It’s hard to compete against the big-budget foreign films from Espenia and Shotar. And there’s television, of course—everyone has a screen at home and people wait for movies to show up in video rental stores. I’m hoping the Janloon Film Festival will grow and attract more interest.”
Wen took a sip from her cocktail glass. She was on her first drink; the effusive studio executive was on his third. “Why do you think the Shotarian films are so popular?”
Mr. Sian wrinkled his nose. “Because people have no taste!” Then he laughed and said, “I have to admit, they have a unique stylish, pulpy aesthetic. And their crime dramas are addictive. They’re always about grumpy but heroic Shotarian policemen solving murders or conspiracies. The Shotarian studios probably employ more Kekonese actors than we do, just to portray barukan gangsters.”
“So most of the time, when foreigners see Kekonese actors on-screen, they’re watching them play criminals in Shotarian movies,” Wen said. “Does that bother you, as a Kekonese filmmaker?”
Sian shrugged. “Sure, but that’s capitalism. Shotar is a large market and if actors are able to make a living by taking these stock roles, what can you say?”
“When I was growing up, I remember my brothers were always reading comic books about Baijen, and there were movies set during the occupation with heroic Green Bones fighting the Shotarians.”
“I grew up on those too, but war films aren’t popular right now, and there’s no international audience for Kekonese mythology,” the producer opined. “I’m focusing Cinema Shore on medium-budget projects that have a better chance of getting overseas distribution. Action movies, spy thrillers, drama, horror.”
Wen smiled and said, “Mr. Sian, I’m not a businesswoman and I don’t know much about the film industry yet, but what I do have is the ear of the Pillar as well as the Weather Man.” She paused. Even well on the way to his fourth drink, she could see she had Sian’s full attention. “How would you go about growing the Kekonese film industry?”
_______
Wen convinced her husband they should take a vacation, just the two of them. Niko and Jaya were at the Academy and could call their uncles or aunts if they needed anything. Ru could stay with his aunt Lina and cousin Cam for a few days, and besides, he was not allowed to go out with his friends for the rest of the month as punishment for the trouble he and his brother had caused. Hilo and Wen had no doubt whose idea that had been.