allendalepharm Chapter 57 Golden Bear
Chapter 57 Golden Bear
The Berlin Film Festival officially opened on February 5.
The area in front of the Palais des Festivals was packed with people, and the media areas on both sides of the red carpet were already occupied by cameras and microphones.
The biting wind couldn't dispel the sweltering atmosphere created by the fusion of movies, celebrities, flashing lights, and anticipation.
As a film selected for the main competition and chosen for a special screening on the opening day, the creators of "No Country for Old Men" were given a relatively late appearance, which made it seem more solemn.
At 3 p.m., the largest screening room in the cinema was packed.
Filmmakers, critics, journalists, and some lucky audience members from around the world held their breath in anticipation.
A solemn silence filled the air.
The lights dimmed, and the screen lit up.
146 minutes, the camera work is cold and restrained, the narrative pace is slow but full of inner tension.
The violent scenes are sudden and clean, without any unnecessary embellishment, which makes them all the more shocking.
The struggles of humanity, the ambiguity of morality, and the insignificance of individual fate under the wheels of time are portrayed vividly.
The screening ended and the lights came on.
silence.
The silence lasted for nearly ten seconds, as if all the viewers were still immersed in the dark and despairing atmosphere of the video.
Immediately, applause surged forth like a tidal wave. At first, there was some hesitation, but it quickly became enthusiastic and prolonged, with many people standing up.
Fu Yibai led the main creative team to the stage to express their gratitude.
The atmosphere during the ensuing Q&A session was complex.
Most of the issues focus on the film's social significance, directing techniques, and actors' performances.
The next few days were filled with intensive media interviews, industry cocktail parties, and small-scale screenings and exchanges.
Fu Yibai is like a precise instrument, switching to the most suitable state in different situations.
On February 15th, Fu Yibai received a call from the organizers at the hotel, informing him to attend the awards ceremony that evening.
Although he was prepared, Fu Yibai was still somewhat excited after receiving the call.
After sharing the good news with the team, everyone immediately began to tidy themselves up and prepare for the evening's grand event.
At 6 p.m., Fu Yibai once again led his team into the venue.
Fu Yibai and the team behind "No Country for Old Men" sat in the reserved seats in the front row.
The awards ceremony was hosted by a senior German film critic known for his humor and erudition.
After a few appropriate opening remarks, the awards ceremony officially began.
The first awards presented were technical awards and short film awards.
When the Best Screenplay award was given to another European film, Wang Peng, sitting next to Fu Yibai, took a slight breath and tightened his grip on his knees.
Fu Yibai's expression remained unchanged; he simply patted his arm lightly.
The Best Actress award has been announced, and surprisingly, there are two winners.
One is Catarina Sandino Morino from "Maria".
One is Charlize Theron from "Monster".
The applause from the audience was thunderous and prolonged, especially for Charlize Theron's transformative performance in "Monster," which received extremely enthusiastic praise.
Charlize Theron herself was also moved to tears.
Fu Yibai clapped calmly, but his heart was filled with subtle turmoil.
After the two actresses left the stage, the Best Actor award was presented.
There is no absolute protagonist in "No Country for Old Men"; theoretically, Li Xuejian and the other two are all male protagonists in this film.
If I had to choose a male lead, it would probably be Li Xuejian, who plays the veteran policeman.
Fu Yibai didn't skimp on public relations expenses. He's also looking forward to seeing if the Best Actor award will go to "No Country for Old Men," and if it does, who will win it.
The host didn't keep Fu Yibai waiting long. His voice clearly echoed throughout the hall through the speakers, and he held the familiar envelope with the Berlin Bear pattern in his hand.
"...The winner of the Best Actor award at the 54th Berlin International Film Festival is—"
The brief pause stirred the nerves of countless people.
Sun Honglei unconsciously held his breath, and Zhang Yi's Adam's apple bobbed.
Liu Yan's hands, resting on her knees, secretly clenched the hem of her skirt.
"No Country for the Old" – Li Xuejian, Sun Honglei, Zhang Yi!
As the host's clear and resonant voice faded, a brief silence was followed by thunderous applause that quickly coalesced into a continuous wave of sound, interspersed with cheers and exclamations of amazement.
The fact that three actors shared a silver bear is a landmark event in the history of the Berlin Film Festival, fully demonstrating the jury's high recognition of the collective performance power in this film.
The spotlight shone precisely on the area where the No Country for Old Men team was located.
Teacher Li Xuejian was slightly taken aback at first, then revealed a relieved and gratified smile. He gently patted Sun Honglei, who was wide-eyed with excitement and seemed unable to believe it, and nodded to Zhang Yi, who was equally stunned on the other side.
The three quickly exchanged glances, and their shared sense of honor instantly dispelled the last trace of tension or competition.
"Get up, children, let's do it together."
Li Xuejian, in a calm and steady voice, stood up first and straightened his dignified Zhongshan suit.
Sun Honglei took a deep breath, wiped his face hard, and tried to make his expression "serious" again, but the grin on his lips was impossible to suppress.
Zhang Yi followed closely behind, his eyes already slightly red and his fingers trembling slightly.
The three walked side by side onto the podium, their steps firm.
Following a brief prior communication, Li Xuejian, the most senior representative, was invited to speak.
He stood in front of the microphone, his gaze sweeping across the audience before finally settling on Fu Yibai, where he paused for a second.
"Thank you to the Berlin Film Festival, and thank you to the jury for this tremendous honor."
Li Xuejian's voice resonated throughout the hall through the speakers, carrying a unique richness and power, while the translation proceeded simultaneously.
…………
The speech was brief and powerful, consistent with Li Xuejian's usual style and also in line with the tone of the film.
The audience erupted in enthusiastic applause once again.
The three held up the trophy and posed for a group photo.
Even the usually composed teacher Li Xuejian couldn't help but smile after stepping down from the stage.
Sun Honglei and Zhang Yi were even worse off.
If Fu Yibai hadn't reminded them, the corners of their mouths would have stretched to their ears.
Tomorrow, unflattering photos of the two will be circulating wildly in China.
Although neither of them are handsome.
Then, smaller prizes were awarded interspersed with larger prizes.
As the Best Director award and other jury prizes were presented one after another, Fu Yibai's breathing became increasingly rapid.
"Next, we will present the highest honor of the 54th Berlin International Film Festival—the Golden Bear for Best Film."
The audience was silent.
The film that won the Golden Bear award is—
She opened the envelope, glanced at it, and gave a knowing and appreciative smile. Her gaze turned toward the No Country for Old Men team, and she clearly read out the name.
"No Country for Old Men," directed by Fu Yibai.
"boom--!"
Applause, cheers, and whistles erupted instantly, more enthusiastic and longer than ever before!
Many filmmakers stood up to pay tribute to the young Chinese director who had created miracles in Berlin for two consecutive years.
Two consecutive years, one Silver Bear and one Golden Bear – such a rapid rise and solid film strength are enough to make the world film industry remember the name "Fu Yibai".
The spotlight followed closely, fixing its gaze firmly on Fu Yibai.
He slowly stood up and buttoned the only button on his suit jacket that was undone.
Wang Peng, who was standing next to him, was too excited to speak, and just patted his back hard.
Liu Yan quickly and professionally straightened out the non-existent wrinkles in his collar.
Fu Yibai walked steadily onto the podium, shook hands with the chair of the jury, and accepted the golden bear trophy from her, which was heavier than the silver bear and had a slightly different shape.
The weighty feel of the hand represents both honor and expectation.
He stood in front of the microphone, and the audience gradually quieted down, with countless eyes focused on him.
"Thanks."
He spoke in Chinese, his voice clear and steady as it traveled through the microphone.
"Thank you to the Berlin Film Festival, and thank you to the jury for recognizing 'No Country for Old Men'."
…………
Finally, thank you for the movie.
It allows us to see and understand each other.
This golden bear belongs to all those who believe in the power of film.
Thanks."
The speech was concise, focused on the work, full of gratitude, and tasteful, once again winning enthusiastic applause from the audience.
Fu Yibai held the Golden Bear trophy high, and the flashbulbs captured his tall figure and the golden glory in his hand, making it one of the most dazzling scenes in Berlin tonight.
The awards ceremony concluded at its climax.
At the subsequent official reception, Fu Yibai and the "No Country for Old Men" team were completely surrounded.
Congratulations, conversations, invitations, interview requests... came flooding in.
Fu Yibai handled the situation calmly, while Wang Peng and Liu Yan assisted him on either side.
The three actors were surrounded by media and colleagues, sharing in the joy.
News of the Berlin Film Festival was immediately relayed back to China by these media outlets.
It wasn't until late at night that everyone was able to return to the hotel.