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

Chapter 376: An acceptance speech that went viral across the internet!

The Flowers of War!
The Flowers of War!
The movie's name echoed throughout the theater, and related clips appeared on the big screen... Several characters played by Bale, Chen Jin, and Ni Ni flashed by, finally settling on a still shot of thirteen swaying women.

This is a family portrait of the characters in "Jinling", and it is also a still with special significance.

Snapped!Snapped!Snapped!
Old Dieter led the members of the organizing committee and the judging panel, who had already stood up and applauded in the direction where Zhang Yimou and Chen Jin were located.

Then the applause spread to everyone in the cinema, and everyone stood up to give the warmest applause.

"Director Zhang, you've won an award!"

Chen Jin also spoke to Zhang Yimou, whose eyes were slightly red.

Zhang Yimou hummed in agreement, stood up and gave him a tight hug, followed by Bale, Ni Ni...

"Congratulations!"

Congratulations, Director Zhang!

Several members of Wang Quan'an's "White Deer Plain" crew went up to Chen Jin and gave her encouraging hugs.

Even competitors are, in essence, one of our own.

At this point, there's no need to fight to the death. Showing respect to the other party is the greatest form of recognition and will also earn you goodwill from within the industry and from viewers watching the live stream.

"Thank you!"

Zhang Yimou patted Wang Quan'an on the shoulder, took his daughter Zhang Mo's hand, and followed by Chen Jin, Bale, Ni Ni, *** and others. The eight main creators walked together toward the awards stage.

The Golden Bear is a collective award, the highest honor bestowed upon a film. It does not belong to the director alone, but rather... an honor for the entire crew.

This is a film made by a team through collective effort.

Standing on the stage, looking at the countless filmmakers dressed in their finest attire below, many people once again gave him a round of applause.

Jury president Mike Leigh tactfully gave the stage to the creators of "The Golden City," and the emcee, carrying the Golden Bear trophy symbolizing the best film at this year's Berlin International Film Festival, came before the audience.

After bowing politely, Zhang Yimou raised the trophy high above his head.

Even though I've received it once before, the last time was in 1988, 24 years ago.

Zhang Yimou won the most prestigious award at China's first international film festival for his film "Red Sorghum".

Yes, it was the first international award symbolizing the best film. Even though Hong Kong and Taiwan had developed film industries at the time, they were a year behind the mainland. No director in Hong Kong had ever won one of the three highest awards.

Hou Hsiao-hsien's "A City of Sadness" was the first major award won by a Chinese director at the Venice Film Festival in 1989.

Twenty-four years later, Zhang Yimou won the Golden Bear for the second time, and he still has many feelings about it.

Even though he didn't actually care about the award as much as others, when he heard that "Jinling" had won the Golden Bear, he was still so excited that he couldn't control himself, and his emotions instantly welled up in his eyes.

This film is of extraordinary significance to him and to Chinese cinema.

"Thank you!"

After handing the trophy to Chen Jin, Zhang Yimou walked to the stage, bowed slightly to the jury chairman Mike Lee and the jury members, and then smiled and said, "I really didn't expect to be standing on this stage again!"

"Thinking back to the last time, it was 24 years ago... In the blink of an eye, 24 years have passed. I'm so glad I'm still making movies!"

"The creation of this film was full of twists and turns, but thankfully, it finally fulfilled a long-held wish of mine!"

"Here, I would like to thank everyone in the crew for their hard work, and thank the jury and organizing committee for their unwavering decision to award this film!"

"Special thanks must go to Chen Jin!"

Zhang Yimou suddenly pointed at Chen Jin, who was standing behind him, and pulled him to the front of the podium, teasingly saying, "The following acceptance speech is up to you!"

"what?"

This script is clearly something Chen Jin never even considered!
"Next, please welcome the lead actors and producers of this film to give their acceptance speeches!"

Zhang Yimou laughed heartily, leaving the stage to Chen Jin, who looked somewhat disheveled.

The key point is that many foreigners below were also cheering and supporting them, and this little episode was undoubtedly the version they liked the most.

Moreover, this is the last major award, so multiple speakers are actually quite common.

Finally, Chen Jin simply stood there and shrugged, then her expression suddenly turned serious: "Thank you. Although Director Zhang has already thanked the judging panel and the organizing committee, I am still grateful!"

"The Flowers of War is a very special film!"

Perhaps it was because Chen Jin used the technique of delivering lines, with some profound language, that her performance had an impact on everyone present.

Many of the initial cheers and applause gradually faded into silence, replaced by... a sense of tranquility.

"What makes it special is that it's a story about darkness, but even more so about hope!"

"It happened in the cold winter of 1937, when a lingering gloom hung over the city of Jinling!"

"The machine of war has crushed countless innocent lives, my millions of compatriots—they are not just numbers, but vibrant individuals!"

"It left behind shocking ruins and wounds of history that are difficult to heal!"

It is quite now!
The entire cinema was so quiet you could hear a pin drop; clearly, Chen Jin's tone of voice possessed an irresistible magic.

Chen Jin had to use this platform to expose the Nanjing Massacre.

The best form of publicity is letting more people know about it.

"We choose to tell this story not to wallow in the abyss of suffering, but to seek the light of humanity that has never been extinguished even in the deepest darkness—the glimmer of light ignited by women, soldiers, and internationalists, by their seemingly fragile yet incredibly resilient souls!"

“Especially this country beneath my feet, which has also witnessed the scars of war, also produced an internationalist fighter who helped more than 25 Chinese compatriots in the Nanjing Massacre—Mr. Rabe!”

"Therefore, this Golden Bear award belongs to them!"

"It belongs to all those who fought bravely in war for dignity, for love, and for life itself!"

Snapped!Snapped!Snapped!
All the Germans present applauded with utmost respect.

This history is actually known to many people in Germany, especially Dieter Sr.!
He was from Hamburg, a fellow Hamburger of John Rabe, and participated in the construction of the memorial when he was in charge of Hamburg's cultural department.

This is actually why he so strongly invited Zhang Yimou to attend the Berlin Film Festival.

It is his persistence in standing on the platform like this!

"Thank you to the judges for their recognition and support of this film. This award is not only an affirmation of our film, but also a respect for that period of history!"

"We hope that through this film, more people will learn about the history of the Nanjing Massacre and feel the cruelty of war and the preciousness of peace!"

"We sincerely hope that this film can serve as a bridge, allowing the world to gain a deeper understanding of the profound suffering endured by the ancient land of the East, and how the people there forged such a resilient, profound, and warm-hearted spirit amidst trauma!"

Chen Jin held her head high, her voice already choked with emotion.

He took a deep breath before saying, "I think the reason we love movies is perhaps because they can break down language barriers, allowing a Chinese girl's tears to fall on the back of a German old woman's hand!"

"Let the story of Nanjing become a shared memory for all mankind!"

"Just like the graffiti on the Berlin Wall that says 'Freedom never comes on its own, it needs to be fought for,' our films are perhaps a kind of 'fighting'—fighting to remember, fighting to understand, fighting to let more people know, and fighting to let more and more people remember!"

This time, even Zhang Yimou and the others on stage started clapping.

Zhang Yimou clearly hadn't expected that this kid... would actually come prepared?

Was it because he knew he could win an award?

Actually not!

Chen Jin felt that if she won an award, she could use that same approach in interviews. Unexpectedly, Zhang Yimou asked her to speak on the spot, and this globally broadcast platform was the perfect opportunity for publicity!

"Finally, please allow us to solemnly dedicate this honor to all the victims and survivors of the Nanjing Massacre who were invaded by Japan, and to those souls who illuminated one another in the long night and resisted the beasts with their bodies and spirits!"

"The movie will eventually come to an end, but this history and that spirit will forever be worth writing about, remembering, and passing on!"

"Some stories are more important than awards. They are hidden in your grandmother's old photos, in the glass cases of museums, and in the hearts of everyone who is willing to listen. I hope that when you grow up, you will still remember that on the land beneath our feet, someone once risked their life to protect dignity!"

"Under the starry sky above us, there have been those who used warmth to fight against barbarity!"

"Thank you to everyone who helped make this film!"

"May the light of the Golden Bear forever illuminate the direction of humanity..."

"Thank you Berlin! Thank you film!"

"Thank you!"

Chen Jin finished speaking her last heartfelt words in one breath, and then bowed deeply.

His eyes were completely soaked with tears.

He seemed to see a young character he had played, smiling at him with satisfaction... Chen Jin could not be as great as him, but she would inherit a certain power in his will.

This, perhaps, is one of the meanings of his being an actor.

Wow! Wow! Wow!
The applause erupted again. Many people knew the purpose behind Chen Jin's acceptance speech.

In fact, the reason why "Jinling" won the award was indeed because Berlin is a special place.

His political and military background is a guarantee that he will win the highest award.

Even if you went to Venice or Cannes, you might not win an award, let alone the top prize.

"Hey kid, when did you prepare this speech?"

Zhang Yimou said, somewhat amused and exasperated.

He genuinely hadn't considered this aspect. He didn't let Chen Jin speak because she was an investor and producer, but simply because, as a director promoting an actor, Zhang Yimou wanted more people around the world to see that China had such a young actor.

This kid is probably really going to become famous now.

To recount a piece of history unknown to many in front of so many movie fans worldwide, this acceptance speech was no different from a denouncing manifesto.

If things go wrong, they might even have to impose a ban on Chen Jin and dogs entering their country.

Meanwhile, on several major domestic platforms watching the Berlin Film Festival live, the barrage of comments was absolutely inundated.

"Fuck, that's awesome!"

"Chen Jin, I respect you as a true man!"

"I'm a fan!"

"I'm buying tickets to see Nanjing right now, that's incredibly brave!"

“I felt Chen Jin hadn’t done anything wrong at the Golden Horse Awards. What did he say wrong? Wasn’t it just about unification?”

"Exactly, who in the entertainment industry would dare to say that to Chen Jin?"

"..."

Countless people are showing their support there.

Public opinion has undergone a complete reversal.

These netizens are quite endearing; when it comes to matters of principle, they definitely support artists like Chen Jin.

That's incredibly outspoken!
The previous incident at the Golden Horse Awards, coupled with Chen Jin's resolute and eloquent speech, completely shattered his patriotic image.

If the Golden Horse Awards were just a small experiment, then this one, witnessed by so many netizens, completely reversed the public opinion surrounding his previous disastrous Golden Horse Awards, and even made netizens more favorable towards him.

Because everyone now understands that if you put yourself in Chen Jin's shoes, you'll know why he said those things at the Golden Horse Awards.

Guangweizheng!
No wonder she played that role.

Who in the entertainment industry right now dares to be like Chen Jin?!

They wouldn't dare offend a Taiwanese celebrity, let alone be so openly provocative towards her at an awards ceremony like the Berlin Film Festival.

This is actually very risky, as it involves facing various underhanded tactics from Japanese extremists.

Many people in the Chinese entertainment industry are trying to avoid this kind of thing, let alone something involving politics?
Don't die!

So even though the Berlin Film Festival has ended, countless netizens are still chatting and arguing in the live stream.

Chen Jin's Weibo account had been growing slowly for a while, and she even lost some followers. Suddenly, countless netizens flooded in. Some left comments, some became fans, and some even unfollowed her before following her again.

In 2012, there were many pro-Japanese individuals and public intellectuals who fawned over foreign things, but there were even more Chinese people who loved this land.

Basically, many movie fans who watched this live broadcast speech fell in love with the actress Chen Jin.

This might be more effective than the impact and fan base generated by the several movies he starred in; moreover, this statement will be reported in the news and spread, so more people will definitely know about it by then.

Netizens will spread the word, and fans will be extra enthusiastic... This is similar to what will happen after Wu Jing finishes filming "Wolf Warrior".

Wu Jing may have created a persona, but Chen Jin genuinely loves this land from the bottom of her heart.

He has a clear conscience.

Patriotism is not shameful; blindly following trends and extreme nationalism are what are undesirable.

Chen Jin was unaware that his acceptance speech had garnered him a massive following in China late at night. He was currently backstage with Zhang Yimou, preparing to be interviewed by media from around the world.

Having won the Golden Lion, delivered a splendid acceptance speech, and become the Venice Film Festival Best Actor, it's clear that many people want to interview him.

Especially several domestic media outlets.

Zhang Yimou was surrounded by the largest number of people, as he had been away from the Three Kingdoms for a long time and was making a triumphant return.

This is the news's breaking point and generates traffic.

In China, Chen Jin's popularity is undeniable, so reporters are eager to hear his thoughts!
"Hello Chen Jin, was your acceptance speech prepared in advance?"

Tencent reporters have already gathered around.

"Yes, but I'm not sure if I'll be able to use it. I originally wanted to use the interview to speak out through foreign media, but it would definitely be better to say it during the awards ceremony!"

"So that means you actually asked Director Zhang to give you the opportunity to give your acceptance speech?"

"of course not!"

Chen Jin knew these guys had misunderstood, and emphasized, "I never expected Director Zhang to ask me to give a speech, but since it was an occasion he asked me to speak, it wouldn't be good to refuse on stage!"

"Moreover, I also hope that the whole world will know about the crimes the Japanese committed against China back then!"

"This is a great opportunity!"

Chen Jin looked directly at the reporter, her confident demeanor making the reporter lose some of his confidence.

The Sina reporter next to him immediately followed.

He had been browsing Weibo in China the whole time, and even at 5 a.m., all he saw were comments praising Chen Jin.

His acceptance speech was so satisfying!
(End of this chapter)