Director of Photography Department of Huayu

Chapter 506 The Selection: A Bold Proposal
With the countdown to the opening ceremony of the Berlin Film Festival down to single digits, vehicles are constantly driving in and out of the China Film Group building in the cold wind.

A silver-gray minivan stopped at the top of the steps. The trunk was quickly opened, and a sturdy hard-shell box was carefully lifted out. The seals and serial numbers on the box were particularly eye-catching in the winter light.

The corridor was warm, and the digital clock on the wall ticked.

The head of China Film International Department personally came out to greet them, his expression more cautious than usual.

This time, it wasn't a regular film submission; Wu Chen's "1939" was to be sent directly to the Berlin organizing committee to complete all the procedures before the surprise film's announcement.

Regular channels are too late; any delay could mean missing the final release opportunity.

The process of signing for, registering, confirming the screening format, and providing a list of accompanying German and English subtitles proceeded rapidly amidst the sounds of the heater and the printer.

The person in charge looked up at Wu Chen and smiled, "Director Wu, don't worry, the personnel are ready and we can set off immediately."

"Trouble!"

Wu Chen smiled and nodded, thus finishing explaining the matter of "1939".

Back in the Starry Sky Pictures office, the wind and snow outside left a fine layer of watermarks on the floor-to-ceiling windows.

The production schedule for "Scarlet Heart" sent by Xiaoma Benteng was spread out, with the styling plans and costume budget clearly marked.

Wu Chen flipped through the documents.

Cai Yinong, the core team member of Tangren Media, would definitely not let go. Thinking of this, he picked up the phone and dialed a familiar number.

After a few seconds of beeping, the line was connected, and a slightly happy female voice came from the other end: "Director Wu!"

"Sister Hu Jing, are you busy?" Wu Chen asked with a smile.

"What could I possibly be busy with? I'm so bored, I'm dying of boredom." Hu Jing yawned, and in the background, she could faintly hear a child's babbling. "Director Wu, you're not asking me to act in a movie, are you?"

She clearly still remembered her experience filming "The Dark Side," and her tone held a hint of anticipation as she asked, "After all these years, are we going to work together again?"

"It's not a movie. Looks like you're having a pretty good time in Malaysia."

Wu Chen chuckled. He had to admit that among the students from the same cohort at the Central Academy of Drama, Hu Jing had the most comfortable and stress-free life.

Are you interested in a historical drama series?

"Is it 'Scarlet Heart'?" Hu Jing blurted out almost immediately.

Wu Chen raised an eyebrow: "Oh, it seems you're in Malaysia and quite interested in the mainland film and television industry."

"It's not that I'm paying attention, it's just that Xingchen Pictures is involved. The reputation of this film is getting louder and louder, who wouldn't know about it?" Hu Jing chuckled on the other end of the phone.

"Well, how should I put it? It'll probably be up and running in April."

"Director Wu, please keep this for me."

Hu Jing readily agreed. She was no stranger to period dramas, especially since this was the lead role.

At this very moment, following Ku6.com's "drastic measure";

Several major video websites, including Youku and Tudou, suddenly announced a formal alliance to completely remove all pirated video content from their sites and replace it with legally licensed videos purchased at high prices.

Netizens who are used to "free lunches" have some complaints, but the trend towards genuine products is already a foregone conclusion.

In a short time, the price of legitimate content soared, and Starry Night Pictures, which had accumulated a large number of long-term copyrights to films and television dramas, became one of the focal points for many video websites to purchase.

Of course, another beneficiary is NetEase Culture, which invested in legitimate film and television content in the early stages. However, compared to the growth rate of other companies that purchased legitimate film and television content, NetEase Culture did not have a significant advantage.

Li Feng's phone call was also filled with congratulations and confidence in his own judgment.

"Director Wu, congratulations! It seems our initial choice was right. Legitimate films and television are the ultimate winners."

"Congratulations, Mr. Li." Wu Chen smiled, still wanting to persuade Li Feng again.

"Mr. Li, are you really planning to stick to the path of legitimate channels in internet cafes and anti-piracy? Now that video websites are moving towards legitimate content, the path of anti-piracy might not be so wide anymore."

“Wangshang Culture is the leader in this industry, with no competitors. Moreover, we plan to launch a cinema chain this year, whether online or offline!” Upon hearing this, Wu Chen fell silent.

This step has not only become increasingly large, but it has also gone astray.

Physical cinema chains are not something that can be run by people without substantial capital and real estate resources. Moreover, they are asset-heavy, have a slow return on investment, and without follow-up funding, they will definitely hinder the company's development.

At this time, the major production companies in the industry were somewhat envious and jealous.

"Brother, Wu Chen has stockpiled a lot of copyrights! Xingchen is going to make a fortune, and I heard many of them are long-term rights."

Wang Zhonglei was incredibly envious.

If these copyrights belonged to Huayi, the stock price would have skyrocketed; those two brothers would have made a fortune.

"We still have some, don't we?"

"Not many left."

Wang Zhonglei added quietly, and Wang Zhongjun couldn't help but roll his eyes.

He was also upset that he didn't see her, so he finally found a reason to comfort himself.

"You don't make much money from copyrights. Our focus should be on the capital market. Just buy some things, put them on the market, and you'll earn more than that."

While the industry was still discussing legitimate copyrights and the impending increase in actors' salaries, on the other side, in the screening room of the Berlin Film Festival organizing committee building.

The heavy blackout curtains were drawn tightly shut, and the clock on the wall pointed to three in the afternoon.

The silver DCP hard drive was placed into the projector, the cold lights came on, and the giant screen slowly unfolded.

When the first frame appeared, the blond engineer in charge of technical review subconsciously glanced at the timecode.

As the story unfolded, the committee members around the conference table gradually quieted down, and those who had been flipping through their notes stopped their fingers on the paper.

Snowstorm, gunshots, panting.
The camera remains focused on the backs of the two messengers as they traverse forests, snow-covered landscapes, and traverse ruins. The interplay of war and human voices almost makes one forget that they are watching a movie.

Twenty minutes later, someone finally couldn't help but whisper, "Is this a one-shot shot?"

The female committee member sitting opposite me frowned, her eyes glued to the screen: "But it's been too long; there must be some cuts."

The senior committee member in charge of video technology was practically standing up, his eyes almost pressed against the screen: "I don't see any obvious signs of editing. How did they manage to make this video?"

The film is still ongoing.

As the subtitles slowly appeared, there was a full five-second silence in the room before everyone looked at each other.

Someone murmured, "This film..."

His tone was filled with shock, but also with barely concealed excitement.

The discussion then began.

"The shortlist will definitely be announced; the level is beyond question. Even if it weren't this high, since Wu is here, we have to give him a spot in the shortlist."

No one objected to the judge's realistic response.

Some world-renowned directors are invited to submit their films, and even if the film is subpar, they will still be given a nomination slot, as this is a matter of personal favors between the two parties.

They just won't award prizes during the judging process.
At this moment, a German committee member opened the memorandum.

"This year marks the 60th anniversary of Berlin. Originally, we planned to use Yoji Yamada's 'Brother' for the closing ceremony. It was heartwarming, but it didn't quite fit the theme."

"1939" is a film about anti-fascism during World War II, and its audiovisual presentation is one of the most innovative works in the Berlin main competition in recent years. I have a bold suggestion: let's change the closing ceremony to this film."

Are you sure about that?

(End of this chapter)