Global Film Emperor

Chapter 391 "Rebirth" First Trailer
August 21st, Berlin, Germany, sunny, Hilton Hotel, the last stop of the film wrap-up promotional press conference for the movie "Rebirth".

"They're here, time to get to work."

The new female colleague didn't seem to like the smell of smoke. As a long-time smoker, he was quite self-aware and fanned the smoke with his palm to avoid being given a dirty look by the girl. Although the old reporter liked to take a puff every now and then, he thought that as long as she continued to do this job, she would get used to it sooner or later, but he hoped that the habit would come later.

Good people are always more enlightened than bad people.

He tossed the cigarette butt into the ashtray he carried with him, shook it twice as if a child were listening intently to see how many candies were left in the candy jar, and finally pursed his lips before putting the ashtray into the pocket on the front of his vest.

I turned on the camera, refocused, adjusted the brightness and color, aimed it at the oncoming convoy, and quickly secured the best position. I pressed my face close to the camera, closed one eye, and wrinkles instantly appeared, with only the sound of the shutter continuing to ring.

The convoy arrived, all Maybachs. As the daughter of a Mercedes-Benz performance car design engineer, Camilla certainly wouldn't lack luxury cars.

Fans who had heard the news were already eagerly waiting. When the convoy stopped by the roadside and all the main cast members got out of the cars, cheers erupted. Of course, for the time being, these cheers belonged only to Kamiya.

"What a magnificent sight..."

The female colleague was young and had a strong liking for Kamiya. She stood on tiptoe, craned her neck, and looked in Kamiya's direction with a dreamy look in her eyes, as if she were worshipping him or fantasizing about him.

"There will be plenty of opportunities to see such a glamorous scene in the future. Now you should get back to work, Hannah, unless you want to go back and get a severe scolding from the editor-in-chief."

In her imagination, she shouldn't be a spectator, so her words were somewhat annoying, but she didn't argue. Holding the long microphone, she squeezed into the crowd, hoping to find a better spot.

Something felt off about the photo. He put down his camera, checked the picture he had just taken, and found it was a bit dark. He readjusted the lighting, chewed a piece of gum, and looked at the girl. She was only standing in the third row. She could have easily squeezed in further, but she chose to stay where she was. He didn't say anything, just made the sound of chewing gum, and raised his camera again.

……

The promotional event covered seventeen stops across nine European countries. It didn't go to Asia, couldn't be shown in China, and had limited screenings in Japan and China, so it wasn't worth the trip. Therefore, Lu Ze would have to wait a few more years before he could attend events in China again.

Because the publicity budget was relatively small, the schedule was somewhat tight, with 27 stops to be completed within 20 days. Every day they were either facing reporters or in the air. Now that they had reached the last stop, even in Kamiya's hometown, no one had the energy or spirit to muster up any energy.

At first glance, the group of people looked dejected, their heads swaying erratically, their faces full of depression. They didn't look like important members of the film crew attending a movie press conference at all; rather, they looked like relatives of the deceased who had come to attend a funeral.

Instead of entering in turn, a group of people rushed in, skipping even the major event of the press conference, the red carpet. They simply took a few photos, signed their names on the backdrop, and, to the astonishment of the reporters, completed in just five minutes what other film crews would take an hour to do.

Once all the reporters and invited guests were seated, Lu Ze and his entourage stood quietly outside the venue, waiting for the host to announce their entry.

At this moment, Lu Ze looked up at the screen on the stage. Although it wasn't the first time he had seen the poster for "Rebirth", the feeling of excitement still rose in his heart wherever his gaze fell.

Although the poster was rushed out, it amazed everyone in the production team. The poster was predominantly black and white, with the upper half in black and the lower half in white, divided by figures and scenery, making it seem as if the sky and earth were upside down.

The portraits and buildings are dark gray, which stands out against the black and white background without being too jarring. The portraits are arranged with the larger ones in front and the smaller ones in the back, a standard order of importance for the characters. Lu Ze and Kamiya stand at the very front, facing the audience outside the poster, their faces expressionless, staring straight at everyone.

The poster's brilliance lies in its inverted black and white color scheme, subtly hinting at the film's content. Furthermore, the artist's use of unnatural light angles—light angles that don't exist in nature—similar to the lighting techniques often employed in horror films, such as lighting the face from below, creating a sense of unease and oppression for the viewer.

As expected, the guests started whispering and talking amongst themselves as soon as they saw the poster. Lu Ze, standing outside the door, could hear some of the conversations between the guests closest to the door.

"The poster looks a bit...depressing, I can't quite put my finger on it. Sure enough, the new movie has that kind of depressing plot again. I was originally thinking of taking my kids to see it, but now... I think I'll pass."

"Just as I expected, it's the kind of thing Mickey Taylor always does. I'm used to it. The newspaper called me here this time, otherwise I wouldn't have contributed to the box office of a movie that would make me depressed for days after watching it."

"Who says it's not?"

Although Europe and America have always been the main sources of box office revenue for art films, you have to believe that most audiences in Europe and America don't actually like these kinds of movies. When it comes to disliking masochistic films, people all over the world are surprisingly consistent in their attitude.

"Now, please welcome the main creators of the 'Rebirth' drama to the stage to answer your questions. Ladies and gentlemen, please give them a round of applause."

The host didn't waste much time. He pointed to the door and then led the applause. Mickey, the first soldier, straightened his clothes, coughed twice, and strode onto the stage.

Unsurprisingly, in the UK, the media focused on Mickey himself, but in Berlin, Kamiya's home turf, reporters naturally wanted to dig up some scoops about Kamiya.

For a moment, the focus of the questions wasn't on the film itself, but rather on Camilla's life: questions like, "Have you created any new paintings lately?", "Why did you return to the entertainment industry?", and "What are your plans for the future?"

As a local star, and with Camia returning to the big screen after a six- or seven-year hiatus, Mickey and the others gave the reporters plenty of time to talk to Camia. However, the atmosphere was somewhat awkward. Lu Ze, who was always playing away from home, could only be thankful that there was plenty of bottled water on the table, otherwise it wouldn't have been enough for him.

About ten minutes later, under the host's guidance, the reporters' questions returned to the main topic, focusing on the film itself. However... with Camilla present, Lu Ze was still incredibly bored.

"Of course, the reason I chose to continue acting this time was because Mickey's script moved me. To be honest, I've been acting since I was five years old, and playing other people has taken up most of my life. Time has been eroding my love for movies. When I was twenty-seven, I found that I couldn't love movies anymore. I was bored, just like I had no feeling for sex. Until Mickey approached me, and after reading the script, I was terrified. Even now, I can't guarantee that this movie has rekindled my love for movies, but at that time, my mind kept telling me that I wanted to play her."

"This is truly a fantastic team. Working with them is incredibly enjoyable. They are efficient and decisive, never dragging things out. Mickey, Kesha, Lucas, and Luze are all highly skilled and have boundless imaginations when it comes to filmmaking. Especially Luze; after working with him, I realized that my acting skills definitely have room for improvement, and the room for improvement is ridiculously large."

This was not a lie, but the reporters took Kamiya's words as excessive praise for Lu Ze and didn't take it seriously, only snapping a photo of Lu Ze awkwardly smiling.

The one-hour interview ended with Lu Ze speaking less than twenty sentences. It wasn't a small number, at least more than the two brothers from the Lao Men family, but for the protagonist, it was indeed rather meager.

In the final segment of the press conference, Mickey spoke, picked up the microphone, nodded slightly to the audience, and subtly adjusted his pants.

"The original plan was to release the first trailer at 8 p.m. tonight, but after thinking it over, since we're here, we'll let everyone see it first. It will also make it easier for everyone to write a column beforehand, which will benefit everyone. Thank you to all the media for your support of the 'Rebirth' production team."

This news was a pleasant surprise for the reporters. Even if they only saw the trailer a few hours earlier than others, those few hours were enough for them to write an article first and earn a little more bonus. Instantly, the applause from the audience became much louder and more genuine.

The lights were turned off, leaving only the wall lamps on to avoid alarming the guests. The main cast and crew left the stage, took their seats in the first row, and quietly looked at the screen as the trailer began.

……

"Once, we believed we could be spared from human suffering..."

The screen went dark, white text appeared, and a male voice with a bubbly tone murmured softly. Then the sound of an engine gradually approached, and the screen slowly lit up. The scene seemed to be at dawn, or perhaps at dusk. A light blue filter revealed a calm yet melancholic style. A dark blue old Ford drove along the coastline from the end of the road.

The piano accompanies the violin, devoid of any fervor; the melody is like an endless spiral staircase, drawing the listener's thoughts in, gradually ascending, captivating yet oppressive. "So how much should I pay each month? Two thousand four hundred and nineteen pounds?"

The tobacco burns on my fingertips, which meet the sea breeze on the car window. The wind can't move my fingers, but the tobacco burns faster, turning into ashes, which are blown away by the wind, running along my arm, and then being overtaken by the vehicle.

The call ended, and the phone was tossed onto the passenger seat. It bounced twice on the soft foam before ceasing its struggle and lying there quietly.

The cigarette butt was given a final, passionate kiss by stubble-covered lips, and then unhesitatingly thrown out the window. The camera stopped following the vehicle and instead moved downwards, focusing on the cigarette butt. It rolled twice on the asphalt, the bright sparks gradually dimming, before being suddenly crushed by a vehicle that followed.

……

"The family is maintained with false emotions, and the family uses false emotions to warm us..."

The music's melody grew complex, yet it continued to swirl and rise. The screen dimmed, then lit up again, illuminating a sharp knife trembling above the baby's head...

Jump cut, the camera shows a woman's face, expressionless, looking at the tip of the knife, seemingly calm, but the hand gripping the hem of her clothes is so tight that it changes color.

Breathing... heavy, trembling uncontrollably, the fingers gripping the knife handle began to engorge with blood, the screen flickered, dimmed, then lit up again, then dimmed again, like a light that might go out at any moment.

A drop of water falls and hits the baby's face. He is still fast asleep, unaware of the danger. The camera pans down, showing the water droplet rolling off the baby's rosy skin and being absorbed by the pillow...

……

"We know very well that we are just ordinary people, that our careers will not be successful, our families will not be harmonious, and our ideals... will never be realized."

He was shoved hard against the bookshelf, knocking over a large number of books. He bent down, his hands trembling, and hurriedly picked up the books, putting them back in their original places.

He bent down to pick up the books a second time, but before he could stand up, he was kicked a second time and fell to his knees, clutching his stomach. He still tried to pick up the books, but eventually, the arm that was supporting him from the ground trembled violently, and he fell down, curled up, too afraid to roll. The books he had just picked up fell to the ground again, spreading out and being blown about by the wind that rushed in from the window.

The pages rolled and rustled. It was a copy of the New Testament: the Gospel of John. On one page, Jesus was nailed to the cross, and blood was flowing on the cross. No… this blood was his.

The camera pans down, lingering on the book. Blood flows, flowing over Jesus, over the cross, and finally flows horizontally through the characters, as if adding a bright red marker to the sentence.

"In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."

……

"When the false emotions used to maintain a family become genuine, it is destined to become the beginning of all suffering..."

The music began with passion and continued to linger, the violin conveying emotion, and the audience gradually clenched their hands, finally erupting in emotion.

"Jason! Maybe I can help you! Jason! What happened to you at school? Jason!"

He knocked on the door, his face full of worry. He was getting old, just like any other parent. Perhaps it was his constant questioning that angered Jason, so he angrily pushed the door open and confronted his father.

"So what? I'm out, so what! So what!"

"Why?"

"So what can you do to help me! Do I look like I need help! Do I have 'Save me' written all over my face! Or do you want me to learn to complain about life from the moment I'm born, like you? If I can't even save myself, who can? But... I can't, I can't go on like this..."

He grabbed his father's collar, his face flushed, and roared. With a sudden burst of strength, tears welled up in his eyes. Finally, he ran out of strength, slowly knelt down, hid in his father's arms, and wailed loudly.

She leaned against the doorframe, watching the father and son, exhaled, her cheeks puffing out with effort. Finally, she looked out the window, wiped her eyes with her fingers, and as the camera panned down, tears streamed down her fingertips, slowly evaporating on her skin.

……

"We are born alone and we die alone. Although we are here, we are in fact completely sealed in our own bodies."

Lying quietly on the cold iron bed, the old man placed his hands on his lower abdomen, his face showing a hint of expectation. He turned his head and smiled and nodded at the people outside the glass window.

A white towel covered his face, and a pillow slowly pierced his aged, wrinkled skin. Pink liquid flowed slowly through a tube, gradually... entering his bloodstream.

Quiet……

Half a minute later, he began to react. He twisted his body but was restrained on the iron bed. His hands and feet were bound, and he could not sit up. He began to struggle, using all his strength to drag his limbs, slamming the iron bed with a loud bang. He began to convulse, his hands and feet twisted into deformities, and the white towel collapsed into a crater. In fact, he could no longer breathe, but he just opened his mouth, hoping to inhale even a little bit of oxygen.

Finally, silence...

The screen went dark again and didn't light up again. Only the white text changed once more. The husky male voice spoke for the last time, sighing as if in lament.

"How tragic..."

The final scene change was followed by complete silence; even the music had come to an end, and the entire venue was eerily quiet.

"The film 'Rebirth' will be officially released on January 1, 2024..."

"..."

P.S.: I was originally embarrassed to recommend any more books, but a very good friend asked me a long time ago to recommend one. I've been very busy with family matters lately, so I've been delayed. I'm really sorry. I believe many of you have already read the new book "Outstanding Youths of the Ming Dynasty" by the veteran author Tianhuang Guizhou. If you've read it, I won't say anything more. If you haven't, you can check it out. It's a very interesting book. See you in the chapter comments.

I'll try my best tonight; there's one more chapter, which I should finish writing in the latter half of the night.

Everything's finally over. Sigh, it was quite tiring and frustrating. Here's the song title from the trailer: Experience. If you're interested, you can give it a listen.



(End of this chapter)