This director loves making friends.

What Qin Keqing felt was amiss, Zhang Yimou thought was perfectly reasonable.

"What's so strange about that? Although Lissent is a senior selector at the Cannes Film Festival, he also recommends films to other film festivals. For example, if he thinks your film is more suitable for Berlin, he will recommend your film to Berlin."

"You know Yu Yuxi, right? She's the one who came to Berlin with Teacher Xie this time."

In 1980, she was sent to the Goethe-Institut in West Germany for further studies. In Berlin, she met Moritz de Hader, who had just taken office as the director of the Berlin Film Festival, and they formed a deep friendship.

She was appointed by the president of the Berlin Film Festival as a recommender for Chinese films competing in the competition, and she also collaborated with Mark Müller, the head of the Asian selection team at the Venice Film Festival, to select films for the festival.

Qin Keqing felt there must be something deeper, but Zhang Yimou didn't mention it because it might not be relevant.

Through Zhang Yimou's introduction, Qin Keqing met Pierre Lissent, a senior film selector at the Cannes Film Festival.

Pierre Lissent was a little more enthusiastic towards Qin Keqing than Berlin Film Festival director Moritz de Haderden was, but that was about it.

However, when Zhang Yimou told him that Qin Keqing was filming his directorial debut, Pierre Lissent immediately became much more enthusiastic.

Then, when he learned that Qin Keqing was filming a Hong Kong movie, although his enthusiasm seemed unchanged, his interest was clearly much less.

As is well known, Hong Kong cinema was very prosperous during this period, but that refers to commercial films. As for art films, the three major European cinema groups were not very interested in Hong Kong films, and some people like Wong Kar-wai had not yet gained recognition in Europe.

It could be said that at this time, Hong Kong cinema was, in the eyes of Europeans, a wasteland of art films.

This is probably why Moritz de Haderden, the president of the Berlin Film Festival, was not very enthusiastic about Qin Keqing.

Pierre Lissent and Zhang Yimou were very polite and familiar with each other.

"Is your next movie going to Cannes?"

After leaving Pierre-Lissent, Qin Keqing asked in a low voice.

He was grateful to Zhang Yimou for introducing him to Pierre Lissent, but he didn't pay much attention to it. After all, how much ability could a seasoned Cannes film selector have?

There are many film selectors at Cannes, so this title is worthless.

"Yes, that's a plan."

Zhang Yimou also said in a low voice, "I have already bought one of Yu Hua's novels and am preparing to adapt it for the big screen. I will start preparing for it after I go back this time."

Yu Hua's novels?

Qin Keqing immediately remembered the film that earned Ge You the first Chinese actor to win the Cannes Film Festival Best Actor award, and also the first Asian actor to receive this honor: "To Live".

Thinking about this, Qin Keqing had a sudden thought and felt that something was wrong.

"Director Zhang, with your current influence in Europe, if you wanted to go to the Cannes Film Festival, they'd be more than happy to welcome you. You wouldn't need to find any film selectors, would you?"

Qin Keqing asked in a joking manner.

After all, Zhang Yimou already has the Venice Golden Lion and the Berlin Golden Bear, and is only one Cannes Palme d'Or away from the three major European Grand Slams, which shows his status in the three major European Grand Slams.

Zhang Yimou smiled and shook his head. Perhaps because he was abroad, he talked a lot and seemed a bit "open."

"I'm definitely going to Cannes, but to win one of the three major European awards, having excellent work isn't enough; you also need someone inside to speak up for you."

Given Qin Keqing's relationship with Zhang Yimou, what he said, though somewhat veiled, was already quite "explicit".

Zhang Yimou's idea was quite simple.

Who is Xie Fei?

After becoming a strong contender for an award at this year's Berlin Film Festival, he specifically called over Qin Keqing, the assistant director, took her to a small circle of gatherings, and even introduced her to the president of the Berlin Film Festival at the celebration banquet...

This is incredibly important!

In addition, Zhang Yimou already had a good impression of Qin Keqing, so he took the opportunity to introduce Pierre Lissent to Qin Keqing.

Since Zhang Yimou had made it so "clear," Qin Keqing naturally understood the meaning behind it.

"Pierre Lissent is very...powerful in Cannes?"

Zhang Yimou smiled but didn't say anything until just before parting ways. He then said, "Pierre Lissent and Gilles Jacob, the president of the Cannes Film Festival, were both born in the 17th arrondissement of Paris. It is said that they have known each other since childhood, and he is Jacob's most trusted right-hand man."

Holy crap, is that really true?

Qin Keqing began to feel conflicted.

He was ready to "befriend" Moritz de Haderden, the director of the Berlin Film Festival, but...

"A Bittersweet Life" cannot wait until next year to participate in the Berlin Film Festival.

The three major European film festivals have regulations regarding the films in their main competition sections.

The Venice Film Festival has the strictest requirements, stipulating that the film must be a world premiere and cannot have been publicly screened or shown to the media in any country, including the country of origin. It has the highest threshold among the three major film festivals.

The Cannes Film Festival, in principle, requires international premieres, meaning the film can be screened in its country of origin but cannot have been publicly shown anywhere outside of France. However, French films must have a world premiere to qualify.

The Berlin Film Festival also requires films in the main competition to be international premieres. Films not produced in Germany can compete after their premiere in their country of origin, but films produced in Germany or co-produced by Germany must be world premieres, which is similar to the requirements of the Cannes Film Festival.

In other words, if "A Bittersweet Life" wants to participate in the Berlin Film Festival or the Cannes Film Festival, it can be screened in Hong Kong, but it cannot be screened in countries or regions outside of Hong Kong, otherwise it will not meet the requirements.

If they want to participate in the Venice Film Festival in September, they can't even screen their films in Hong Kong.

Win's Entertainment plans to release "A Bittersweet Life" in April. If the film does well at the box office, Win's Entertainment will definitely take advantage of the popularity to sell the rights to "A Bittersweet Life" to Taiwan, Southeast Asia, South Korea, and Little Life.

They will absolutely not wait until next year to sell the rights.

Why would Win's Entertainment possibly hand over the money? What reason would they have to wait until next year to sell the rights? All they're saying is that "A Bittersweet Life" will make a splash at next year's Berlin Film Festival?

Are you kidding me!

In other words, the most suitable event for "A Bittersweet Life" is the 46th Cannes Film Festival, three months later.

After a slight hesitation, Qin Keqing made his decision: Do it!

There will definitely be more opportunities to "make friends" with the president of the Berlin Film Festival. Pierre Lissent's timing was perfect. Qin Keqing was just worrying about how to "make connections" in Cannes.

After Zhang Yimou and Qin Keqing left, Pierre Lissent chatted for a while with a friend from the Berlin Film Festival organizing committee. He had come to Berlin with a specific purpose.

Pierre Lissent's friend and collaborator, Bertrand Tavernier, had an idea: to make a film about three teenagers who, in pursuit of their dreams of getting rich, stalk others to commit robbery or extortion, only to be caught and arrested by the police...

Bertrand Tavernier wanted to bring depth to such a simple story.

Of course, the so-called "creating depth" is just a way to win awards.

Pierre Lissent came to the Berlin Film Festival partly to test whether such a story had any potential, essentially acting as a scout for his friend Bertrand Tavernier.

He has already spoken with the president of the Berlin Film Festival, and just now he also spoke with an old friend on the organizing committee. They have tentatively confirmed what the film festival wants, and all they need to do is have their old friend write the "assigned essay".

He was still in a good mood. He picked up a glass of wine from the waiter's tray and turned around, just in time to see Qin Keqing not far away.

On second thought, this guy was the assistant director of Zhang Yimou's "The Story of Qiu Ju" (which won the Golden Lion at Venice, misunderstanding), and also the assistant director of Xie Fei's Golden Bear at this year's Berlin Film Festival. A director like that should make films with great depth.

So he raised his wine glass to Qin Keqing and walked over with a smile.