Chapter 142 — Double Happiness
Pacific Palisades, Santa Monica.
Inside the hillside villa overlooking the Pacific.
Nicole Kidman stepped out of the shower and saw Aaron set his phone aside.
"Something wrong?"
"Nothing major," Aaron replied. "Steven Spielberg just arrived in Hawaii for the Jurassic Park shoot. Schindler's List only just wrapped and he already jumped straight to the next set."
He shook his head. "That man never slows down."
Nicole climbed onto the bed.
"I hear Dawnlight has more and more projects lined up. And you're developing a Zorro film with Columbia Studios… with Ridley Scott attached as director. Is that true?"
"It is," Aaron answered, leaning down to kiss her.
"Interested?"
"What kind of film?"
She slipped off her robe, letting him pull her closer.
"An action-adventure picture. Zorro means sword fights, stunts—the works."
He smiled. "Do you think you could handle all those action scenes?"
Nicole thought for a moment, then looked up at him.
"If you're with me, then probably."
Aaron chuckled.
"This one isn't really right for you. I'd worry you'd get hurt."
She didn't argue.
"Fair enough. Insurance would be a nightmare if I broke something."
Then she remembered something.
"Do you remember the New Zealand director Jane Campion?"
"Of course," Aaron replied.
"She made Sweetie—it competed for the Palme d'Or and lost to Sex, Lies, and Videotape."
"Yes," Nicole nodded.
"Lately she's been preparing a new drama—The Piano."
She explained:
"It's set in the mid-19th century. A mute woman leaves her husband, takes her daughter to New Zealand, and falls in love with a neighbor through a piano."
Aaron blinked.
"The Piano?"
He immediately became interested.
"She'll be shooting in Australia, right? Does she need funding?"
Nicole hesitated.
"Would you invest? Her films don't exactly make money."
Aaron smiled.
"Don't worry—an Australian film won't cost much. And Jane Campion's work always gets attention during awards season."
Then he added:
"Tell her New Moon Pictures will back her project."
New Moon Pictures and Twilight Pictures had just been formed—
films like Damage, Reality Bites, and Farewell My Concubine were exactly the kind of prestige projects he wanted for them.
"She's still polishing the script," Nicole said quietly.
"With your support, she can start filming soon."
She leaned in and kissed him.
Aaron laughed.
"Darling… is that all I get in return?"
Nicole whispered near his ear, her voice playful.
"What if I invited one more person… for double happiness?"
He sucked in a breath.
"You're generous tonight."
She smiled.
"Maybe. We'll see how you behave."
---
By April, Scent of a Woman finished filming and entered post-production, set for release during the awards season alongside Schindler's List.
Meanwhile, Indecent Proposal and Sleepless in Seattle were scheduled for summer release.
As for Jane Campion's new project, The Piano—
New Moon Pictures invested $1.5 million as its production budget.
Although The Piano had few locations and a small cast, the entire story simply revolved around a handful of characters—and a single piano.
Dawnlight Pictures' true heavyweight project at the moment was the action film Speed, with a production budget of $33 million.
Filming was to take place primarily in Los Angeles.
The lead role was played by Keanu Reeves, fresh off his collaboration with Aaron on Bram Stoker's Dracula. With his experience from Point Break, this kind of high-adrenaline film posed little challenge for him.
---
Meanwhile, back on the East Coast in New York, Aaron Anderson's old acquaintance Harvey Weinstein was in a much darker mood.
Compared to Dawnlight's unstoppable rise, Miramax was sinking.
Over the past two years, Miramax had aggressively acquired foreign art films and backed independent productions—yet none of them had recreated the success of Sex, Lies, and Videotape or Cinema Paradiso.
Last year, Miramax's highest-grossing release barely reached $15 million—a documentary titled Madonna: Truth or Dare.
Compiled from behind-the-scenes footage of Madonna's 1990 "Blond Ambition" tour, it had attracted attention mostly for its raw and intimate portrayal of the pop icon.
---
Inside Miramax's New York office, Harvey raked his fingers through his thinning hair and let out a bitter sigh.
The resentment toward Aaron had long grown beyond jealousy—it had become obsession.
The beating. The humiliation. The sense of helplessness.
All of it still burned inside him.
How had the gap between them grown so large, so quickly?
Forget about Ghost winning the box office crown or The Silence of the Lambs sweeping the Oscars—
Even a low-budget social drama directed by a young Black filmmaker—Boyz n the Hood—had crossed $57 million at the box office.
That alone was enough to drive him mad.
---
"Harvey, it's time to change direction."
The office door swung open.
Bob Weinstein stepped inside.
"Miramax doesn't need critics anymore.
We need box office."
Harvey looked up sharply.
"What are you talking about?"
Bob walked closer, eyes burning with conviction.
"I want to build a label dedicated to genre films—
violent movies, horror, exploitation, and films packed with sex appeal."
"Pure commercial cinema," he said flatly.
"That's how Miramax survives."
For Bob, nothing mattered more than profit.
Unlike his brother, he didn't care about Oscars, critical acclaim, or festival buzz.
The only metric that counted was this:
Did it make money?
Or didn't it?
Harvey stared at him in silence for a long moment.
At last, he spoke.
"Miramax's core direction won't change.
We still make bold, independent films."
Then he waved his hand dismissively.
"But if you want a genre label—
Go ahead and do it."
---
(Note: New Moon Pictures and Twilight Pictures both subsidiaries of Dawnlight. They will mostly support Indie films.)