The literary era since 1979

Although "Departures" is no longer eligible to be the opening film, the Berlin Film Festival organizing committee is still trying to salvage the situation.

The theater originally designated for screening "Departures" was transformed into the largest theater in the cinema complex, and contingency plans were even made for additional screenings, given the precedents set by "Farewell My Concubine" and "In the Mood for Love".

Under such circumstances, the media and audiences learned immediately that "Departures" was written by Fang Yan. Regardless of the snowy winter, they lined up at the ticket gate like a long dragon, because Fang Yan's works are so popular in Europe.

Fang Yan got up very early and stood at the entrance of the theater with Keiko Matsuzaka, Komaki Kurihara, and Ken Takakura to welcome the visiting guests.

As expected, Moritz brought over the judging panel and introduced each of them.

The jury chairs for this year's awards are co-chairs: the man is Michael Bauhaus, a renowned cinematographer from Berlin who was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Cinematography last year for "Broadcast News," and the woman is Margaret Menegitz, who is merely a second-tier Hollywood producer.

Perhaps in front of other participating film crews, they are high above, shining with glory.

But compared to the Hollywood sensation that is Fangyan, it pales in comparison, and instead, it is polite with a hint of flattery.

However, Fang Yan did not come away empty-handed among the judges; he discovered a familiar yet unfamiliar face.

That's Roberto Benigni, who directed and starred in "Life Is Beautiful," which tells the story of a Jewish father and son who are sent to a concentration camp. The father uses his imagination to lie and say that they are in a game. In the end, the father prevents his son's innocence from being harmed, but he himself dies tragically. Just like "Schindler's List," he won the Oscar for Best Actor for this film.

Despite the film being a great movie, considering the fate of later generations, it's sometimes quite understandable that art is always ahead of its time!
After a moment of wandering thoughts about dialects, and getting to know the judges, my attention was drawn back to Moritz.

Moritz said, "If one day we invite you to be a jury member at the Berlin Film Festival, I wonder if you would be willing to accept?"

He joked in a dialect, "The chairman of the judging panel?"

Moritz nodded without hesitation. "With your reputation, status, and ability, you are naturally the chairman of the jury that year."

Holy crap, Ah Zhen, are you serious?!

Fang Yan was taken aback at first, then narrowed his eyes into slits, pondering his purpose.

Moritz got straight to the point, explaining that the Berlin Film Festival felt a sense of crisis, especially since the Cannes and Venice Film Festivals were actively introducing Chinese films to the European market, and it was the Berlin Film Festival that first did so.

Clearly, the Berlin Film Festival was the first European film festival to award the Best Film award to "Red Sorghum," a Chinese-language film!
Despite being the first to arrive at the Berlin Film Festival, Chinese-language films have been flirting and getting along very well with the Cannes and Venice Film Festivals!
The Berlin Film Festival couldn't afford to start early and end late; Moritz hoped it would become the premier destination for Chinese directors.

"Actually, you can feel the sincerity of the Berlin Film Festival just from the fact that you set up a special section for Chinese-language films."

The dialect uses a technique of praising before criticizing, saying, "But what we have so far is probably far from enough. Venice and Cannes have done almost the same."

"What do you think we should do?" Moritz pressed.

"To further promote and develop exchanges and cooperation between Chinese and German film culture and film industry, it would be best to establish another award above the Chinese-language film section, to award outstanding films that have made significant contributions, as well as related directors, actors, and actresses, similar to the 'Golden Crane Award'..."

The dialect reveals what's on one's mind as if it were a treasure trove.

"None of what you've mentioned is unacceptable."

Moritz was very patient.

Fang Yan said, "In addition, our Huaxia plans to establish our own international A-class film festival in Shanghai. At that time, we will need the support of your established film festivals such as Berlin, Venice, Cannes, and Tokyo."

Moritz was greatly shocked, but what surprised him even more was that Marco Müller, the selection director of the Venice Film Festival, served as a consultant.

Why not me! Why not the Berlin Film Festival!

“Marco is quite experienced in this area, and he deeply loves China.”

Fang Yan chuckled.

Moritz's face darkened. "I can talk too! I can love China too!"
Fang Yan smacked his lips, not wanting to unconsciously reveal his identity at the Berlin Film Festival.
After all, he really is the person in charge of the Berlin Film Festival!

So they changed their approach, saying they wouldn't look at what the Berlin Film Festival said, but rather what it did for Chinese-language films; in short, they wouldn't look at the advertisements but at the results.

Moritz smiled knowingly and wisely refrained from asking further questions, leading the judges to their designated seats.

Before Fang Yan could catch his breath, the creative team behind "The Year of My Birth" burst out.

Xie Fei was quite surprised. "I just saw you guys chatting quite animatedly."

"I was talking to him about the Shanghai International Film Festival?" Fang Yan asked bluntly.

"I've heard about this too; the Film Bureau is discussing it right now."

Xie Fei stared intently at him. "It seems that setting up an international A-list film festival in Shanghai was your suggestion, wasn't it?"

Fang Yan frankly admitted that the way Chinese films go global is not limited to attending other countries' film festivals. He suggested that China could establish an international film festival on its own doorstep to promote Chinese films globally and bring foreign films into the country, thus facilitating exchanges between domestic and international film cultures.

Jiang Wen clapped his hands in delight, "That makes perfect sense!"

Xie Fei did not object, the only problem was that he preferred to hold China's international A-list film festival in Beijing rather than Shanghai.

The film and television industry these days is no longer the multi-national battleground of the early 80s, including Xi'an Film Studio, Beijing Film Studio, Shanghai Film Studio, and Changchun Film Studio. Instead, it has evolved into a struggle between the Beijing circle, the Shanghai circle, and the Northwest circle led by Xi'an Film Studio. Currently, the Shanghai circle and the Northwest circle have the upper hand.

"Why insist on whether it's Shanghai or Beijing? With the future size of China, it can easily have one in Shanghai and one in Beijing."

Fang Yan looked around at everyone.

"Is this...is this appropriate?"

Xie Fei, Jiang Wen, and the others looked at each other in bewilderment.

"What's inappropriate about that?"

In a dialect, he said, "It's just right to have one in the south and one in the north, one in the first half of the year and one in the second half, so that we can stagger the regions and times."

Everyone felt a surge of excitement and their reservations about the Shanghai International Film Festival lessened somewhat, after all, the promises made by Teacher Fang were incredibly tempting!
………………

The lights dimmed, plunging the theater into darkness. A projector quickly shone onto the giant screen, and "Departures" officially began. The audience was prepared for a dull film, as experience showed that most Japanese movies have rather bland plots and straightforward narratives, lacking any intense dialogue, dramatic pacing, or even physical conflict.

They often convey delicate emotions through the small details of daily life.

However, the dialect version of "Departures" seems to be a "freak". Not only does it have dramatic conflict, but it is also composed of progressively advancing contradictions. First, there is the fear, anxiety and disapproval of the protagonist, who used to be a cellist in an orchestra, towards the profession of mortician. Second, there is the misunderstanding, prejudice and rejection from family and friends. This conflict reaches its climax when the wife finds out that her husband has deceived her.

The wife, played by Keiko Matsuzaka, is unable to accept this fact and questions Ken Takakura:
"How could you do that kind of work? Aren't you ashamed?"

In Japan, in the pan-Asian cultural sphere, and even in Western cultures, dealing with the deceased is a taboo subject. However, as the protagonist, played by Ken Takakura, delves deeper into his work, he gains a new understanding of the profession of mortician.

Death is something everyone will face. Although my profession is different from others, it is not something to be ashamed of.

The wife, however, was unwilling to see her husband doing such a "dirty" job, and left home in shame and anger, returning to Tokyo.

But after discovering she was pregnant, she returned to the male protagonist's side for the sake of the child. Her condition for reconciliation was that she would not do the unclean work of an embalmer, not only for herself but also for the sake of her future child. Just when the couple was at a loss for how to resolve their conflict, news of a death arrived. The father who had abandoned his son had died in a rented room, his body rotting and unclaimed.

Thus, we arrive at the third dramatic conflict in the film, which is also the underlying theme throughout the entire movie: the "father-son relationship."

In this "fictional real world," the audience experiences both the warmth and coldness of reality, while maintaining a subtle distance from the plot and remaining clear-headed.

"I didn't realize it when I was reading Professor Fang's novel, but now that I've seen the film, I find the architectural design quite interesting."

Jiang Wen clicked his tongue in amazement.

"Yes, the timing of the resolution of the previous conflict and the emergence of the next conflict were very well coordinated."

Xie Fei's analysis was very logical. As time went on, each conflict was intensified and then resolved. Because it was so simple and completely in line with the audience's usual logic, the film allowed the audience to see the direction of the whole film and the protagonist's life background in the first thirty minutes.

"Although I don't think much of the theatrical style of Japanese actors, I have to say that the story alone is worthy of an award."

Jiang Wen's tone was tinged with admiration, "It truly is a notebook that only Teacher Fang could have written."

Xie Fei strongly agreed, saying that the structure was quite commercial, but it also had the delicacy of an art film, and only dialect could combine the two so well.

As everyone enjoyed the film from beginning to end, the theater's sound system began playing the end credits song composed by Joe Hisaishi. The instrumental melody, played on violin and cello, carried a subtle sadness that lingered in the hearts of every viewer.

Seeing that the scene was completely silent and motionless, Keiko Matsuzaka and Komaki Kurihara exchanged a glance and nervously gripped Fang Yan's hand.

Fang Yan patted him lightly with his backhand to comfort him.

Kurihara Komaki suddenly jolted awake, realizing she had lost her composure. Her eyes held a hint of apology as she met Fang Yan's gaze. The instant their eyes met, her heart pounded wildly, and she quickly turned her head away, unable to look him in the eye.

Just as she was lost in thought, a loud round of applause immediately interrupted her.

Seeing more and more people stand up and applaud, and hearing the increasingly loud cheers and applause, I felt my blood boil.

Keiko Matsuzaka, handpicked by Fang Yan to play the female lead, despite having won the Japan Academy Prize for Best Actress for two consecutive years, still struggled to control herself when facing the international stage of the Berlin Film Festival for the first time. The misty fog blurred her vision, making her look hazy, like a misty rain.

Fang Yan's heart skipped a beat. Judging from this situation, tonight was bound to be another fierce and bloody battle.

I wonder if my wife would be willing to share a bed with me tonight?
………………

After the rain, the sun came out. I've been in Berlin for more than ten days and it's rare to see the winter sun.

From dawn till dusk, the sun pierces through the snow mist, casting a pale yellow halo that falls upon the snow-covered ground, gilding it with a dazzling golden light.

A ray of sunlight shone through the glass and fell on Keiko Matsuzaka's face, making her radiant and her eyes filled with tenderness.

Fang Yan exhaled a smoke ring, and only when he entered a state of enlightenment did he vaguely understand how Cao Mengde could have written "Watching the Sea".

Facing the eastern cliffs of Jieshi, I gaze upon the vast sea. How murmuring the waters! How lofty the mountains and islands stand! Trees grow in abundance, and grasses flourish. The autumn wind is bleak, and the surging waves rise high. How fortunate I am! I sing to express my aspirations. No wonder the Japanese are so fond of Cao Cao—no, that traitor Cao Cao.

As the two were cuddling, they heard light footsteps and indistinct Japanese chatter outside.

"What happened?"

"I'll go take a look."

Keiko Matsuzaka put the clothes she had taken off the night before back on, and then opened the door herself.

Fang Yan also got out of bed, put on his bathrobe, and yawned. A person's day cannot be separated from three meals a day.

A new day begins, and all I'm missing is three meals.

Just as she was calling customer service to have breakfast delivered, Keiko Matsuzaka appeared with a big smile on her face, holding several program booklets in her hand.

"The ratings for our film 'Departures' are all out!"

"The Berlin Film Festival isn't an awards ceremony hosted by the media, so these ratings shouldn't be taken too seriously."

I don't care about dialects. Why do you always care about that rating system? It will distort people's efforts!

"Even so, it's always good to see the reviews!"

Keiko Matsuzaka glanced at the various festival publications and found that the ratings were generally between 3 and 3.5, which is already among the highest-rated Japanese films ever to participate in the Berlin Film Festival. Moreover, "Departures" received rave reviews, and was described as a Japanese film that was unlike any other in the Japanese style.

"Give dignity to the deceased, comfort to the living, and redemption to yourself!"

"The film portrays humanity in themes such as life, life, kinship, and family... It brings the deceased back to life and gives them eternal beauty. The process is peaceful, delicate, and gentle, and most importantly, it is full of love."

"..."

Fang Yan swallowed hard, feeling his mouth dry, but decided it was best not to drink champagne yet. (End of Chapter)