director of the millennium

Although it was embarrassing, it was impossible for Wu Yuan not to meet Wang Xiaoshuai after knowing that the crew of "So Long, My Son" was also shortlisted for the main competition unit in Berlin.

And he has to take the initiative to invite the other party.

Although China does not have the same morbid etiquette between seniors and juniors as Japan and South Korea, as the birthplace of Confucian culture and the most orthodox inheritor of Confucian culture, and as a Chinese, Wu Yuan must respect his senior brothers who have helped him.

So Wu Yuan not only invited Li Xiaoshuai to the sausage restaurant that Li Xiaoshuai had brought him to Berlin to eat, but also came with the mentality of making amends and apologizing.

"Brother, I'm so sorry, we are fighting each other."

"Originally, we were planning to go to Cannes for the film Cai Wenji, but Sissi is pregnant now, and the due date is in July or August. If we go to Cannes, her belly will be seven or eight months big by then, which is really not convenient."

"This is my fault!"

In front of Wang Xiaoshuai, Wu Yuan picked up a glass of dark beer, a specialty of Germany, and gulped it down, toasting him to apologize.

Wu Yuan's attitude really gave Li Xiaoshuai enough face. No matter what he thought in his heart, he had a smile on his face. He quickly stood up and stopped Wu Yuan from swallowing.

"Hey, what you said."

"If we brothers do this, it will become alienated."

"Besides, this movie isn't directed by Director Zhang, and it has nothing to do with you. Why are you apologizing here?"

"It's a great thing that Director Zhang can come to the Berlin Film Festival. I am also very happy to be nominated together with Director Zhang."

"Junior brother, what you are doing is really boring."

Wang Xiaoshuai persuaded Wu Yuan to stop drinking more wine, and after pulling him to sit down again, he said calmly, "It's really not a big deal."

"Those of us who are engaged in art are never afraid of competition. Besides, Director Zhang is also my senior, and Berlin is not organized by me. It is a good thing that you are participating. How could I be unhappy?"

"The bigger your business is, the more you feel constrained. You're always worried about offending this person or that person. That's because you think too much."

Does Wang Xiaoshuai really not mind at all?

That is impossible.

After all, he really came to the Berlin International Film Festival this year with great ambition, and he didn't just come here casually.

Although the domestic attention to the European Big Three has indeed declined in recent years, as a leader among the sixth generation of directors who grew up among the European Big Three and was influenced by the fourth and fifth generation directors, Wang Xiaoshuai has always had a filter for the European Big Three and regards them as the most important dream creed in his life.

This kind of thinking is impossible to change. Even if the top three European teams may not be cared about by the Chinese public in the future, Wang Xiaoshuai will still care about them.

Although Wang Xiaoshuai's journey to win the top three European awards was relatively smooth, he still lacked a truly heavyweight award.

"The Bicycle Thief" won the Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize in the Competition Unit at the 2001st Berlin International Film Festival in 51. This was Wang Xiaoshuai's most glorious moment that year, and he achieved it together with Wu Yuan.

But since then, although his status in Europe has risen and he has become a regular at Europe's top three, he has never won such an important or even more important award again.

In 2005, Qinghong won the Jury Prize at the 58th Cannes Film Festival. In 2008, Left and Right won the Silver Bear Award for Best Screenplay and the "Special Attention" Award at the 58th Berlin International Film Festival.

In 2010, "Rizhao Chongqing" was shortlisted for the main competition unit of the 63rd Cannes International Film Festival.

In September 2014, "The Intruder" was shortlisted for the main competition unit of the 9st Venice International Film Festival.

It can be seen from Wang Xiaoshuai's road to winning awards in Europe over the past decade that it has been going downhill all the time. "The Bicycle Thief" is actually his most glorious experience.

Since then, his performance has undoubtedly been getting worse and worse, from winning the Best Screenplay Award to only being shortlisted for the main competition unit.

If this continues, let alone realizing the dream of winning the Palme d'Or, Golden Bear or Golden Lion, I'm afraid even being shortlisted for the main competition unit will become more difficult.

Wang Xiaoshuai certainly doesn't want to see such a future, so this time he has poured all his efforts into his most proud work "So Long, My Son", in order to create another good result like "The Bicycle Thief", or even higher!
Originally, everything went smoothly. Whether it was campaigning or lobbying behind the scenes, Wang Xiaoshuai did his best.

Even though "So Long, My Son" has not officially premiered in Berlin yet, Wang Xiaoshuai has already established good relationships with many filmmakers who may influence the European film industry, and they have all seen the original film.

Privately, Wang Xiaoshuai has received a lot of support, and the capital behind him has also helped him lobby several judges, who will favor him in the final award ceremony.

But just when everything was ready, "Cai Wenji" suddenly broke into the competition circle and was squeezed into the main competition unit at the last moment when Berlin finished selecting films.

Although this movie came out in a hurry, it shouldn't pose any competitive threat to "So Long, My Son" which was already fully prepared.

But who can blame Zhang Yimou for directing this movie? And there’s investor Wu Yuan behind the scenes.

This is not a dragon crossing the river, but a tiger on the ground!

It is impossible to say that Wang Xiaoshuai has no resentment about the sudden addition of "Cai Wenji".

But he also knew that he couldn't possibly go for a Berlin award and offend Zhang Yimou, a great senior, and Wu Yuan, who held the power of discourse in the Chinese and even the entire Asian film industry.
It's already stressful for him to offend one person, what would happen if he offends two at the same time?
He could win awards at film festivals every year, but if he offended either of them, he might not even have the chance to win awards in the future.

Wang Xiaoshuai, who is very "clear-headed", naturally would not do anything irrational. Instead, he explained to Wu Yuan that he really didn't mind and was very happy to see "Cai Wenji" included in the Berlin Film Festival. It was his honor.

As for how much of these words are sincere and how much are false?
Does it matter?

Not important at all.

However, Wu Yuan's apology was genuine. He really did not think that he would become a stumbling block for Wang Xiaoshuai in his bid for Berlin this year.

So even though he and Zhang Yimou had already mobilized their connections to build momentum for "Cai Wenji", he did not use any connections to stop Wang Xiaoshuai's actions, and even provided some convenient support.

What facilities and support?

"Cai Wenji" is a biographical film about a female protagonist. There is no way this film can possibly have any hope of winning the Best Actor award!
However, "So Long, My Son" is a strong contender for the Best Actor award!
Under the brilliant sunset, Wu Yuan and Wang Xiaoshuai smiled at each other and raised their beer glasses together in tacit understanding.

"Then let us wish all the best at this Berlin Film Festival!"

The two foxes, one big and one small, laughed very happily. (End of this chapter)