Director of Photography Department of Huayu

Chapter 508 Setting Off Together

The cold February winds blew across Europe and also reached the capital.

The news that "1939" would not only be selected for the main competition at the Berlin Film Festival but also screened as the closing film spread exceptionally quickly.
In the 60-year history of the Berlin Film Festival, the "dual identity" of films in the main competition and the closing ceremony has almost disappeared.

The closing ceremony film is more of a symbolic conclusion and is not related to the competition.
Wu Chen's "1939" carries two important responsibilities: it must be judged by the jury and serve as the final ceremonial film of the event, representing the spirit and stature of Berlin's 60th anniversary.

This is why industry insiders were more confused and curious when they heard the news.

While grading the directing department's graduation exams, Tian Zhuangzhuang couldn't help but discuss it with Mu Deyuan over the phone.

"Old Mu, why do you think Berlin is doing this?"

“How would I know? You’ll have to ask Dieter Koslick. Anyway, I don’t think it’s a bad thing,” Mude Yuan said with a chuckle.

Because the closing ceremony film is shown before the awards ceremony, almost all the core judges, media, buyers, and industry insiders are present. This is the "grand finale group photo of the film festival," resulting in extremely high exposure.

It's like the film festival did a free "closing ceremony marketing" for you. Whether you win an award or not, it will boost the film's influence and help you close out copyright deals, especially for a film in the main competition.

"Nonsense, of course it's not a bad thing." Tian Zhuangzhuang was quite speechless. It seemed that he wouldn't be able to get any results from discussing this with Mu Deyuan.

Meanwhile, domestic audiences gradually learned what this group represented through media reports, but most people did not pay attention to these things and did not understand them very well; whether or not they could win an award was the main focus of discussion.

"Everyone says that most opening ceremony films are just spectators, but now look what happened with the closing ceremony. Has there been any statistical analysis of the closing ceremony?"

"Statistics my ass! Didn't you see the reports saying it's exceptionally rare? There's hardly any data, how can we compile statistics!"

"Oh no, what are the chances of the films shown at the opening and closing ceremonies winning awards?"

"."

On Weibo's trending topics list, "Can '1939' win the bear?" has quietly surpassed other topics related to "1939" and climbed to the top of the list.

At that very moment, in Berlin, it was morning, and the sunlight pierced through the thick clouds, spreading as quickly as the commentary in the culture section of the Süddeutsche Zeitung's front page.

"The selection of Chinese director Wu Chen's '1939' as the closing film for the 60th Berlin International Film Festival is not only an affirmation of the film's artistic achievement, but also a signal that Berlin is sending to audiences around the world."
In the global film landscape, the voice of China is becoming increasingly important.

Compared to the somewhat subtle commentary in the Süddeutsche Zeitung, the Berliner Zeitung's commentary was more direct:
Whether *1939* wins the Golden Bear is a secondary question. The 60th anniversary of Berlin needs a work that represents innovation and courage, and it is said that *1939* perfectly meets that expectation.

The text, tinged with admiration, subtly reveals the reason why the film was chosen.

When the news reached China, the homepages of major portal websites were instantly flooded with related articles again, and the news continued to gain traction.

The State Administration of Radio, Film and Television building in Beijing.

Under the gray sky outside the window, the heating system had caused a layer of condensation to form on the office windows.

The secretary walked in quickly and placed the latest excerpts from overseas media on Tong Gang's desk.

Tong Gang took off his glasses, his gaze slowly sweeping over several lines of foreign language comments, his tone calm yet carrying a hint of weight:
What is the background to the 60th anniversary of the Berlin Film Festival this year?

The secretary lowered his head and immediately replied, "Sir, it's the 20th anniversary of German reunification!"

"Oh"

Tong Gang's eyes lit up, and after a moment's thought, he slowly said:

"The fact that three mainland Chinese films were shortlisted for Berlin together, coinciding with the city's 60th anniversary, demonstrates the country's support. Could you organize something to see if it's possible to arrange for the three film crews to depart simultaneously?"
Then, send out a congratulatory letter, similar in wording to the one used for the 60th anniversary of Cannes. Write it and show it to me. "Yes, sir!"

The secretary nodded and quickly left.

Meanwhile, Wu Chen's phone was ringing off the hook with congratulatory calls coming in one after another. The most excited were undoubtedly Zhang Yi and Li Gan, after all, they were the leads in the film.
Zhou Xun also called.

"Director Wu, when will you consider me for art films? I've only been to the three major film festivals once or twice."

“There’s a chance,” Wu Chen replied casually. “By the way, Lu Yang is working on the script for ‘Painted Skin 2,’ and it’s estimated that filming will begin this year.”

Zhou Xun was overjoyed.

Awards are important, but the commercial value corresponding to box office revenue is equally coveted.

"Great news! Director Wu, this is the first deal my personal studio has ever made. I'm so glad I did!"

"Oh, you've opened your own studio? Congratulations!"

"Oh, not at all. We still need Director Wu and you guys to make a living. I was squeezed out by others."

Wu Chen smiled upon hearing this.

Whether they've been squeezed out is hard to say, but the trend of personal studios is definitely going to take off this year.

Just then, Zhang Yi, who was working on the role in "Under the Hawthorn Tree," received a call from the bureau.

He had no objection to the suggestion that the three film crews travel together. They were going to the opening ceremony anyway, and even if they didn't travel together, their flight times would probably be similar, or even the same.

People always think things through carefully, and Zhang Yi was no exception.

While it's not uncommon for people to travel together before, the fact that this has suddenly happened now warrants some consideration.
"Reunion? 1939."

Zhang Yi quickly understood why the bureau had taken this action.

The chances of "A Simple Noodle Story" winning an award are slim, but the other two films are not, each with its own unique features.

Films like "Reunion" deal with the theme of separation and reunion between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait, with a broad background;
German media outlets have even described "1939" as a work that represents innovation and courage. To be honest, I'm quite curious about what kind of work Wu Chen has actually made.

At the same time, Wang Quan'an and Wu Chen also received the notification one after another.

No one raised any objections, and the news that the three film crews were going to the set together was also given special coverage by the bureau's mouthpiece, China Film News.
The mere mention of the names "Zhang Yimou" and "Wu Chen" is enough to generate headlines, not to mention that all three shortlisted production teams are preparing to depart at the same time.

[China Film News reports: Chinese filmmakers join hands in Berlin, showcasing new heights in national cinema!]

[The 60th Berlin International Film Festival Witnesses China's Strength: Three Films Selected, Ready to Compete!]

[A Glorious Departure: The Crews of "1939," "Reunion," and "A Simple Noodle Story" Will Head to Berlin Together!]

【.】

The news coverage was enthusiastic and sensational.

(End of this chapter)