director of the millennium

When Wu Yuan and his team set out, it was early morning on February 2th, Beijing time, but after more than 5 hours of flight, when they arrived in Berlin, it was still early morning in Berlin.

There was no way around it. Berlin time was 7 hours behind Beijing time, so Wu Yuan set off at 12 a.m., but when he arrived it was just 2 a.m. and it was still dark.

It was also to adjust to the jet lag, so during the flight, no one slept, choosing to stay up all night so that they could go directly to the hotel to sleep after landing, and the jet lag would be normal after waking up.

But Liu Yifei was different. After all, she was a pregnant woman and would rather sleep more than less, so she took a nap on the plane. When she landed and returned to the hotel, she was very energetic.

"Ha~~" Wu Yuan slumped down on the presidential sofa and yawned. He looked at his energetic wife helplessly, "Isn't it said that pregnant women are very sleepy? How come you are so energetic now after only sleeping for four or five hours on the plane?"

"Everyone's physique is different." Liu Yifei shrugged and explained to Wu Yuan: "It is common to feel sleepy in early pregnancy. Generally, people start to feel sleepy around six weeks of pregnancy, but I don't have that. Now it's almost four months, and my daily routine is still quite normal."

"It's just that the pregnancy reaction is a bit strong." When she said this, Liu Yifei frowned her beautiful eyebrows.

The so-called pregnancy reaction is the early pregnancy reaction, which is manifested as dizziness, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, aversion to greasy food, preference for sour food, gastrointestinal bloating, constipation and other symptoms.

Some pregnant women have milder symptoms, so they may be pregnant for three or four months, and only realize they are pregnant when their belly grows bigger. This is considered lucky.

However, most pregnant women have obvious pregnancy reactions, and Liu Yifei's condition is even more serious. Not only can she not eat much, but she also easily feels nauseous. It's as if her sense of smell is ten times more sensitive. If she smells the slightest smell, no matter whether it is fragrant or smelly, she will immediately feel nauseous and want to vomit.

Because of this, she didn't sleep very well on the plane and only slept for four or five hours in fits and starts.

But maybe because of the obvious pregnancy reaction, she was not very sleepy. It is hard to say whether it is a good thing or a bad thing.

Anyway, Wu Yuan was in a lot of trouble. After all, when one is not feeling well, one's emotions become unstable, and she then took her anger out on him as the "culprit" who got her pregnant.

"Oh, being pregnant is too painful. Having this one is enough." Liu Yifei said weakly with a droopy face.

"Why, you're not responding to the country's call?" Wu Yuan said with a smile, "When the second-child policy was implemented a few years ago, didn't you say you would respond to the call and have two children in the future?"

"And I heard that in two years, the policy of having three children will be implemented. Two children is not enough."

"Go to hell with you, you're going to be a father, but you still haven't done anything right." Liu Yifei slapped Wu Yuan on the back in dissatisfaction, but only got Wu Yuan's frivolous response.

Of course Wu Yuan was joking.

He might be a little interested in having a second child, but he has no interest in having a third child at all. It’s not that he can’t afford to raise one, but having too many children would be very tiring, and two are already enough.

If nothing unexpected happens, China's newborn birth rate will continue to decline in the next ten or twenty years, and the population will begin to decline. This major trend cannot be reversed by just having a few more children.

"Okay, I'm so sleepy, let's go to bed. Tomorrow we'll go around Berlin together. I'll take you to a delicious German sausage restaurant. I hope it's still open!"

第69届柏林国际电影节的举办时间是2019年2月7日至17日，7号开幕式，17号闭幕式。

Although the attention paid to the European Big Three has indeed decreased over the years, and the influence of art films has also been declining year by year, this does not mean that the European Big Three are not attractive. After all, there are still countless outstanding film directors in the world making art films every year, and art films are always at the top of the film contempt chain.

This year, in addition to "Cai Wenji", Wang Xiaoshuai's new film "So Long, My Son" was also shortlisted for the main competition unit, as well as Wang Quan'an's "Dinosaur Egg".

Needless to say, Wang Xiaoshuai is a perennial guest of honor at the three major European film festivals. Although he was first discovered by the Cannes Film Festival, he has always had a close relationship with the Berlin International Film Festival.

That year, "The Bicycle Thief" won the Silver Bear Award, the Jury Grand Prix in Berlin.

This film also marked Wu Yuan's first appearance in Europe, although as the leading actor rather than the director.

However, this also brought him into contact with Berlin. Not only did he become the best newcomer at the Berlin Film Festival and a direct descendant of the Berlin Film Festival as an actor, but because "Departures" also premiered in Berlin, he is also considered a direct descendant of the Berlin Film Festival in the field of directors.

Later, it seemed that he was poached by Venice, and he won the grand prize in Venice, which made Berlin a little unhappy, but the relationship between the two sides is still very good.

There is no way. Wu Yuan really cannot get rid of his identity as a direct descendant of Berlin, and Berlin is unwilling to let such a direct descendant director become estranged from itself.

So this time when "Cai Wenji" was coming to Berlin to participate in the competition, the organizing committee was very cooperative. Even though it was registered at the last minute, a green channel was immediately arranged, and they even temporarily cut in line to arrange a premiere at the Film Palace. It can be said that they gave it both face and substance.

This is also why the crew of "Cai Wenji" came to Berlin two days in advance and planned to stay for ten days, not only for the awards at the closing ceremony, but also to respond to the face given by Berlin.

However, Wu Yuan is not the main creator of the "Cai Wenji" crew, so for him, this trip to Berlin must be relatively easy.

After accompanying Liu Yifei to play in Berlin for a day and going to the German sausage restaurant that Wang Xiaoshuai had taken him to that year, the next day, on February 2, at the same restaurant, Wu Yuan took Liu Yifei to meet Wang Xiaoshuai, who arrived in Berlin a day later than them.

It’s not the same as it used to be. When people go abroad to participate in the three major European competitions, they still set up the Chinese Legion and set off together.

However, given the relationship between Wu Yuan and Wang Xiaoshuai, they would definitely get together as soon as possible in Berlin.

"Brother, congratulations. Are you here for the grand prize this time?"

In the restaurant, after Wu Yuan solemnly introduced his wife to Wang Xiaoshuai, he awkwardly chatted with him about this year's Berlin Film Festival.

Others may not know, but Wu Yuan himself knows very well that in the original time and space, the Best Actor/Actress award at this year's Berlin Film Festival was won by Wang Xiaoshuai's "So Long, My Son"!
Originally, he had no intention of letting "Cai Wenji" compete with "So Long, My Son". He had arranged for it to go to Cannes. After all, Wang Xiaoshuai is his direct senior and they have a relationship of support. There is no way they would have a civil war among their own family.

But who can blame plans for not keeping up with changes? Besides, "Cai Wenji" is strictly speaking a film by Zhang Yimou. Wu Yuan did not participate in any aspect of it, and this film really has nothing to do with him directly.

After confirming that Liu Yifei would not be able to attend the Cannes Film Festival in May due to her pregnancy, Zhang Yimou made a prompt decision to participate in this year's Berlin International Film Festival, and Wu Yuan had no reason to stop him.

Hence, today's somewhat awkward meeting. (End of this chapter)