Chinese Entertainment: Academic Director

Chapter 18 An unexpected surprise
Li Xiaoran opened her mouth slightly and stared blankly at the big screen.

At this moment, the screen on the stage began to play the scene of Li Xiaoran drawing a portrait on the beach.

On the screen, Li Xiaoran looked into the distance, her expression gradually blurred, and she murmured like a dream, "I wonder if he will miss me as much as I miss him?"

"Hua Hua Hua..."

Accompanied by applause, Cao Yang gently took off Li Xiaoran's headphones. Li Xiaoran came back to her senses and stood up stiffly, covering her mouth.

A few months ago, she was still a minor supporting role in a TV series, and she had to rely on recommendations from friends to get an important supporting role.

Now, she is standing at one of the highest halls of art films, the Berlin International Film Festival, and has won the Best Actress and Berlin Film Queen award. Is there anything more incredible than this?
Li Xiaoran hugged Cao Yang and said excitedly: "Thank you, Cao Yang."

Afterwards, he hugged Zhao Tiantian who stood up next to him, and politely hugged Lao Tian with one hand, then walked towards the stage.

Over at Wang Xiaoshuai's crew, Gao Yuanyuan's eyes widened, and she said to Xun Ge'er beside her in surprise, "She really won the Best Actress award? She's the first domestic winner of the Berlin Film Festival, and the second winner of the three major film festivals. It's really amazing."

Although he had expected it, Xun Ge'er was still envious. He stared at Li Xiaoran who was accepting congratulations from the award presenters and corrected Da Meiyuan, "Including Xiangjiang Wanwan, this is her second Berlin Film Festival winner, her fourth at the three major film festivals, and the first Berlin Film Festival winner from the mainland."

"That's amazing too."

Brother Xun just stared at the stage and ignored Da Meiyuan.

Of course she is amazing. Zhang Ziyi keeps sending out press releases saying that she has made it into Hollywood and is an international superstar, but what important awards has she won? Didn't she rise to fame thanks to the national director's "My Father and Mother"?

Last year, "My Father and Mother" won the Jury Prize at the Berlin Film Festival. Originally, Zhang Ziyi had nothing to do with it, but unexpectedly, she squeezed her way up, followed the national master on stage, wearing a big red bellyband, which attracted a wave of public opinion.

With that kind of energy, no wonder they can be more successful.

Li Xiaoran took the silver bear from the award presenter and couldn't help but take a look at it. It was quite heavy and was said to be made of pure silver and handmade. She didn't know if it was true.

A lot of chaotic thoughts came to Li Xiaoran's mind in an instant. He took a deep breath and walked to the microphone.

"Thanks! I...I..."

It’s over. I forgot the words. I was memorizing them well yesterday. It’s all Cao Yang’s fault.

It’s better to listen to Cao Yang. It’s Chinese.

It’s all Cao Yang’s fault.

"Thank you, thank you Berlin International Film Festival, thank you jury, thank you all the crew and actors, thank you my parents. Special thanks to director Cao Yang, thank you for giving me the opportunity. Thank you to my former self, your efforts have not been in vain!"

After saying that, he raised the Silver Bear in his hand and glanced at the frozen screen behind him. He was looking into the distance with a dazed expression, and the subtitle below read, "I wonder if he will miss me as much as I miss him?"

So, he lowered his head into the microphone and said again, "I'm still thinking about you."

He raised the Silver Bear again and walked off the stage.

Is this a bid to win Best Actress again? Many people can't help but wonder.

"What a big ambition." Brother Xun muttered softly.

After another round of applause, the Best Actor award went to Benicio Del Toro for Traffic, a film directed by Steven Soderbergh, who had won the highest award at Cannes, the Palme d'Or.

After the Best Actor award is given, there are theoretically three awards left: Best Director, the Grand Jury Prize, and the Golden Bear Award for Best Film.

In comparison, the Golden Bear Award is the highest award, followed by the Jury Prize, also known as the Second Best Film. It is slightly more important than the Best Director, but in fact it is about the same.

Sometimes there is also a jury award, which is just a consolation and not as important as the Best Director award.

This year, the Jury Prize was given to "Italian Language Class", a work by Danish female director Basil Shafie. That has more meaning, after all, it is directed by a woman. Cao Yang is not very ambitious. He has achieved his goal by winning the Best Actress Award. From now on, he is no longer an unknown person and can brag about being a "famous director". It will not be so difficult for him to make movies again.

Therefore, he didn't care much about who would win the award next. He was playing with Li Xiaoran's Silver Bear in his hand, thinking about the investment and cast of the next movie.

Wang Xiaoshuai was a little nervous. All the remaining prizes were big prizes, so he was inevitably nervous. He secretly guessed which one was his, and at the same time, he coveted the Golden Bear.

Who wouldn’t want to win the only Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival?

Until I heard the guest on the stage read out "Wang Xiaoshuai, 17-Year-Old Bicycle."

Wang Xiaoshuai was in a daze for a moment, feeling a little regretful and a little relieved.

It’s a pity that I didn’t win the Golden Bear and that the movie didn’t pass review, but I’m glad to have the help of Teacher Xie and Sister Jiao, and I got the Best Director award.

Cao Yang applauded and felt confused. He remembered that Wang Xiaoshuai once won the Grand Jury Prize, which made him, like a butterfly, become the best director with a flick of his wings.

Actually, it’s not that bad. Although it’s a little less important than the Grand Jury Prize, for people in China who don’t know much about it, Best Director sounds more impressive than the Grand Jury Prize.

Wang Xiaoshuai was very excited. This was the first time he won a major award. He thanked many people on the stage and talked a lot, which was a bit inconsistent with his introverted personality.

Cao Yang felt that Wang Xiaoshuai should be satisfied. It was worth it to win the Best Director Award in Berlin despite the risk of being banned from directing.

With this Silver Bear for Best Director, Wang Xiaoshuai has also entered the ranks of famous directors.

Cao Yang was distracted here, Lao Tian poked him and asked in a low voice: "Aren't you nervous at all?"

"Why should I be nervous?" Cao Yang was a little stunned. He had already taken what he was supposed to take, so what was there to be nervous about?

"I just counted them out of boredom, and only 'Intimacy' has not won an award, but there are still two major awards left."

"Ok?"

Cao Yang suddenly had a strong premonition in his heart that the themes of "Intimacy" and "Alone on the Beach at Night" are both love and extramarital affairs, and both express human loneliness through these.

Same theme, different expression.

"Intimacy" is about a silent affair between two strangers. Actually, it is not really an affair. Every time the heroine comes, it is her husband who brings her here... The purpose is achieved by turning sex into love.

In Cao Yang's hands, the entire film was supported by Li Xiaoran's superb acting skills. There were no erotic scenes in it, but the purpose was achieved perfectly.

In comparison, it seems to be much more "advanced" than "Intimacy". In fact, its reputation is indeed much better than "Intimacy", and its program book rating is far ahead of "Intimacy".

Although the plot is simple, it can't stand the contrast.

Could it be that the two films were neck and neck for the Golden Bear?

And yesterday there was a finale screening to compensate, so...

"The winner of the Grand Jury Prize is: Wow, the youngest and most handsome director this year. I think he should also be the youngest director and grand prize winner in the history of the Berlin International Film Festival, Cao Yang, "On the Beach at Night Alone". Congratulations."

The big screen on the stage began playing a clip from "Alone on the Beach at Night". This time it was a clip of Li Xiaoran smoking and singing outside a cafe.

Just a few lines of a cappella singing, as if believing that time will dilute everything, but the longing has not diminished at all, becoming more and more intense, unable to stop, and the sadness and loneliness in the heart leapt out.

"What a pity." Tian Zhuangzhuang muttered.

　Please give me a monthly ticket, brothers, please, thank you.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)