I was just thinking about taking the arts exam and you said I've been playing supporting roles

Chapter 371: Departure from Berlin, Event Report Ratings Released!
Wow!
The curtain fell on "The Flowers of War" amidst continuous applause from the entire audience.

Many people had tears in their eyes, especially female viewers who were moved by several scenes in the film. The male audience, on the other hand, were more emotional.

Reflections on history and battlefields.

Many Chinese and people of Chinese descent developed a deep hatred for the Japanese.

It was an awakening that originated from one's blood and bones.

Although "Jinling" does not directly depict the brutality and massacre of Chinese people by the Japanese, many scenes subtly portray these atrocities.

This is actually more infuriating than showing the public the true history directly.

Because of... association.

The images you conjure up in your mind are the most terrifying.

This is why, in later generations, "Nanjing! Nanjing!" couldn't compare to "Jinling" in a single way.

Many directors in later generations actually understand the psychological and physical harm that exposing victims can cause to the audience; for example, rape and bullying are actually a way of stabbing some viewers in the back again.

Those who have experienced these things will definitely feel extremely uncomfortable seeing these images.

You were bullied, and a movie director even used you as a still frame to film the most tragic scene.

How can this not be considered a form of victim punishment?!

The person you photographed was probably a criminal, a bully.

He's a bad guy.

They are the ones you need to expose, the ones the film should condemn.

Just like in "Jinling", you should film the daily lives of ordinary people, show how wicked they are, so that people will feel indignant against them!

The same applies to bullying, rape, and so on. If you film bad guys, it will resonate strongly with the audience. They will get what they deserve, and it is their own fault.

Viewers will feel relaxed and clear-headed watching this instead of repeatedly exposing the massacre of civilians and the Japanese killing civilians in Nanjing. This will only cause pain to the audience, especially those who experienced it firsthand.

Zhang Yimou truly deserves his reputation as a master; he avoided plot points that would have triggered a strong psychological breakdown in the audience.

There were no civilians, no shootings of ordinary people, and of course, no competition to see who could kill the most.

Yes, it was the Japanese who were perverted, beastly, and cruel, treating the Chinese people as less than human.

The film focuses heavily on the Japanese, the thirteen women of Nanjing, the students, Officer Li, and Bale's fake pastor, highlighting the more brutal side of the Japanese from a side perspective.

This is justice.

The same scene of killing civilians appears in Lu Chuan's "Nanjing" as the Japanese stabbing an extra to death; while in Zhang Yimou's film, it's just a scene of the Japanese wielding knives and firing guns.

No ordinary people appeared on screen, but all viewers could understand it, and the imagery in their minds was actually stronger.

Whether it's the impact, the imagination, or the aftereffects of watching the film, the latter shot has the upper hand.

The plot is the same, but the focus of the shots is different, so the feeling they give people is also different.

Snapped!Snapped!Snapped!
The applause at the Berlin Film Palace lasted for a full eight minutes without stopping.

In particular, the event's chairman, Dieter, and jury chairman, Mike Lee, among others, stood up and applauded Zhang Yimou and "The Battle at Lake Changjin." Then more and more people, including Hollywood figures and Chinese film fans, stood up to give the film the highest respect.

Because it's worth it!

This is a film that truly exposes history.

Through the stories of a few clergymen in a church, a group of young ladies from wealthy families hiding in the church, 13 courtesans from the Qinhuai River fleeing the war, and 6 wounded soldiers crawling out of a pile of corpses, the film subtly reflects the courage and resistance shown by the people of Nanjing and China during the massacre.

"China's Schindler's List!"

Some people were whispering among themselves, but a Chinese student nearby immediately retorted, "No, he's not some Chinese version of Schindler!"

"It is Jinling, the Thirteen Beauties of Jinling in China!"

"The Thirteen Beauties of Nanjing during the Nanjing Massacre!"

"Correct!"

"Yes!"

"..."

Countless international students were there supporting their compatriots' protest. The white man who had spoken couldn't help but shrug and raise his hands in surrender: "Okay, maybe I was wrong, I apologize!"

"I understand how you feel. If my country had experienced all of this, I think... I would hate the Japanese even more than you do!"

"Thank you!"

One yard owned by a yard.

Incorrect statements should be pointed out, but correct expressions can also earn respect.

"thank you all!"

"Thank you!"

Zhang Yimou, along with Chen Jin and other key members of the creative team, had already taken the stage. He pursed his lips, clearly a little excited, partly because he had watched the film and could empathize with the characters every time, and partly because of the emotional value provided by the audience.

Everyone understood this film; that was Zhang Yimou's original intention in making it.

He wanted everyone in the world to know about the heinous crimes committed by the Japanese in Nanjing in 1937.

Just like Spielberg's "Schindler's List," it made the world aware of the crimes committed by the Nazis against Jews.

Although this seems ridiculous to later generations.

This is why the international student didn't want "Nanjing" to be called the Chinese version of Schindler's List.

Anyone who learns about the true history knows that the Nanjing Massacre was a real atrocity, and the Jews...emm, it's indescribable.

Many international students believe that Schindler is unworthy of the title.

"Director Yi Mou, this is truly a masterpiece!"

"Berlin definitely needs films like this to showcase its value!"

The applause gradually faded, and the routine Q&A session followed. Dieter first asked Zhang Yimou about his initial motivation for filming, and also asked Bale and Chen Jin about some interesting anecdotes from the filming, trying to ease the heavy atmosphere in the room.

Everyone knew Old Dieter's purpose and tried to avoid steer the conversation toward heavy topics.

Movies are meant to help people understand, not to give viewers more to say after they've finished watching; a well-made movie is enough to be talked about and have a lasting impact, allowing viewers to experience the film for themselves.

Only by returning to normal life after the film ends can we better embrace the present moment; that is the purpose of making a film.

Constantly emphasizing the massacre and the Japanese will only alienate the audience; in fact, many viewers already know much of the truth after watching the movie, so there's no need for you to emphasize it again.

Soon, the Berlin premiere in Nanjing came to an end amidst countless responses.

Although the audience was still deeply saddened, they were at least much better off than immediately after watching the film, as the post-screening interaction provided a good outlet for their emotions. The responses from Chen Jin and others made it clear to them that China today is vastly different from China over 80 years ago.

This further highlights the greatness of the Chinese people.

This is a remarkable nation.

As the last audience member walked out of the movie theater, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

"Director Zhang, are you relieved now?"

Chen Jin was laughing, but Zhang Yimou waved his hand and said, "What I'm relieved about isn't the movie, but I'm really worried that the little rascals will cause trouble again!"

"They probably wouldn't dare!"

"At most, they'll pretend to be spectators when they enter. If they cause trouble at the beginning, it's pointless and will backfire!"

This is how Chen Jin analyzed it.

"If you cause trouble during a movie, you could very well get beaten to death!"

"After watching the movie... it'll be even less likely!"

This may not be the reason why the holiday hasn't arrived, but Chen Jin's analysis still makes some sense; in fact, once is enough, twice is enough. In the eyes of some forces, the intimidation before the film festival and on the red carpet is enough.

Doing it a few more times will only make things worse.

But right now, they must be having a headache too.

Because soon, entertainment media all over the world will begin to report on the premiere of "Jinling".

That's certainly not the key point. The full attendance of the jury, the participation of the organizers and Hollywood stars in the screening was the real game-changer for them.

They tried to make the jury hesitate, but their attempt backfired, making the jury members even more determined; sometimes, some artists are indeed very pure.

Although Chen Jin's public relations efforts have already begun, she hasn't actually resorted to using her beauty as a weapon yet; unexpectedly, Xiao Rizi's actions seem to have forced some judges to start endorsing "Jinling".

This was something Chen Jin herself hadn't expected.

It can only be said that Berlin truly lives up to its name; the film festival inherently carries political elements, resulting in a highly biased jury.

"Let's go!"

"I might be going to the premieres of a few other nominated films this afternoon to show my support!"

Today, the directors and leading actors of some of the shortlisted films are all here. For both personal and professional reasons, Chen Jin also has to go and pay her respects to the "master" with Zhang Yimou!
While Chen Jin and the others were having dinner, media outlets around the world, especially several major Chinese portals and Sina Weibo, published news about the Berlin premiere of "The Flowers of War".

Unlike previous film festival premieres where Chinese audiences hadn't seen the films before and were eagerly anticipating them, many Chinese netizens today have seen "Jinling," which is still playing in theaters.

Therefore, the discussion was particularly intense, and the level of interest was significantly higher than before the film was released.

After all, "Jinling" was the most popular show during the Spring Festival.

The film *The Flowers of War* premiered at the Berlin Film Festival, receiving rave reviews from the audience and jury!

A 10-minute round of applause—"Jinling" was a resounding success!

The Holocaust is being discussed again abroad, and the international student community is showing remarkable unity!

……

The topic was hotly debated on Weibo, Baidu Tieba, and major portal websites. In the afternoon, the Berlin Film Festival's program booklet, Screen, also released its latest issue.

This is a daily publication that runs throughout the Berlin Film Festival and is available for free to the public. In addition to listing the films shown each day, it also analyzes many of the films selected for the festival, especially those in the main competition.

This rating system has always been highly regarded by filmmakers and audiences.

While the highest score doesn't guarantee a big prize, a higher score does increase your chances of winning the final award.

The ratings for "The Flowers of War" are prominently listed.

Of the four films in the main competition that have already been released, he is currently ranked second.

Nine European media outlets and renowned film critics participated in the scoring, with the highest score being four stars and the lowest being one star. The final average star rating was taken as the film's final score in the festival's daily publication.

The rating for "Jinling" is 2.9. Three media outlets gave it a perfect score of four stars, while two others gave it only one star.

It can be said that the polarization is severe.

One of the top-scoring reviews came from Bloomberg reporter Catherine Hickley, who gave the film a perfect score: "The film's restrained use of color achieves a great balance between visual impact and commercial appeal. Although I am not familiar with this history, I was deeply moved by the war. This is an epic drama."

There's also the comment from renowned European film critic Kevin: "Ichimoku's innovation lies in abandoning dialogue-driven narrative. The most shocking moments in the film need no words: Japanese soldiers' boots crushing crosses, children clutching blood-stained dolls, soldiers' bodies slowly collapsing against walls—fear and resistance are frozen in that frozen moment… These are the true footnotes to history. This visual narrative transcends cultural barriers, allowing global audiences to touch upon shared humanity!"
……

Chen Jin was also flipping through the reviews. Generally speaking, these perfect reviews were quite fair, showing that the reviewers had watched the movie carefully.

Moreover, it should be one's own personal reflection after watching the film.

But those few that gave it one star are just like roadside trash; they've definitely been bought off by some powerful forces.

Andrew Pulver, a film critic for The Guardian, believes the film is an excessive form of Chinese red propaganda. While Zhang Yimou excels in creating war scenes and a tragic atmosphere, the narrative is self-constrained by the church setting and tends to mislead historical truth.

This is clearly an attempt to whitewash the situation.

The London Weekly also deserved a one-star rating, criticizing the film for its excessive ideological propaganda, its sentimental plot which dulled the dramatic tension, and suggested a more detached perspective. They also criticized the soldiers' heroic sacrifice as overly staged and for government interference that artificially elevated the narrative.

The implication is that Chinese soldiers aren't that great, and this part made the lackeys uncomfortable.

"Hahaha!"

Chen Jin couldn't help but laugh more as she looked at it. Giving it 2 stars was one thing, but 1 star... was just too blatant.

Your desire to take money is practically written all over your face!

"The program score isn't really that meaningful; the jury won't take that vote into account!"

"You can only say that a movie with a lot of buzz has a higher chance of winning an award, but... being a huge hit can also mean certain failure!"

Chen Jin saw Ni Ni flipping through the program booklet and was very angry, so she couldn't help but say something to him.

Zhang Yimou knew this, so he just smiled after reading it and didn't take the comments to heart; if he really argued with these people, they would jump up and bite back like mad dogs.

They might become even more excited, just like those internet celebrities who try to ride the wave of trending topics on social media platforms in the future.

Many European media figures are actually just "internet celebrities" who profit from others' misfortunes by generating traffic!
Over the next few days, Chen Jin and the others were forced to stay here because they had to give interviews to domestic media and attend the so-called "Night of Chinese Filmmakers".

To everyone's surprise, although the score of the "Jinling" program was not very high, it was incredibly popular!
The film received a great deal of attention throughout the film festival.

The reason is quite simple: the spontaneous promotion by many international students, the explosive popularity in China, and the word-of-mouth reputation... This can indeed create a huge wave at film festivals. Many films have become popular at film festivals through this continuous fermentation.

"Jinling" became the top choice for countless people attending the film festival.

Other films in the main competition were not so lucky; because this year's Berlin Film Festival lacked masters, it also lacked buzz and appeal.

"Jinling" has indeed become the most popular film at this year's Berlin Film Festival due to the special political factors in Berlin, without exception!

(End of this chapter)