Huayu Entertainment 1995 started with hijacking.

Chapter 106 Are all genius directors this kind of monster?
"God! This is the best movie I've seen all year, I'm breathless from it!"

"How could this movie be made like this?! It's completely different from all the movies I've seen before! It's like a video game where you can reload your save file! I mean, it's so cool!"

"I absolutely love this director! I don't know how to describe it, but I've never seen a movie like this before. It's not just the daringly inserted animations, but even the actor introductions are like showcasing game characters. It's like a live-action film of a game existing in four-dimensional space!"

"My hormones were pumping from the very beginning of the movie. I was on edge the whole time. It felt like I was running passionately alongside Lola! The immersion was incredible, it was so thrilling!"

"Don't you think the theme of this movie is more compelling? Lola's misstep alone triggered several changes. And think about how many butterfly effects there are in the world, where everyone is making choices every moment?"

"Yes, remember that poem by T.S. Eliot quoted at the beginning? 'The end of exploration will be its beginning.' It's absolutely brilliant to put it in this movie and then reload the save file!"

"I remember now, those few conspicuous people in the crowd at the beginning were all influenced by Lola! And that animation, that was undoubtedly a time tunnel!"

At this moment, the audience in the theater could no longer contain their excitement and began to discuss it enthusiastically with the people around them.

Especially for young people, this movie is just right for the tastes of the new generation that grew up in the "audiovisual generation". It is anti-traditional, anti-classical, and pursues individuality and stream of consciousness, but it is not artistic for the sake of art. It is completely different from traditional art films!
"Please welcome the creative team behind 'Run Lola Run'!"

Hearing the voices from the stage, the excited fans snapped out of their daze and saw Wu Yuchen standing in the center of the stage with the male and female leads. They immediately burst into enthusiastic applause and cheers.

Wu Yuchen, greeted by the enthusiastic response from the audience, bowed and thanked the male and female leads. He also felt that the multi-faceted promotional methods were indeed effective, as the premiere screening was almost full, much better than last year's "Car 44".

After the thanks, the Q&A session quickly began.

"Dear Lola, I love you so much! You made me climax the whole time!"

Li Xiaoran was overjoyed when she heard the translated words and thanked them in simple words.

The girl who was called was very excited, and she said excitedly:

"This movie is truly insane! I mean, it not only drove me crazy, but it's just so unique! I was constantly amazed while watching it, I never knew movies could be made like this! Director Wu, how did you manage to make 'Run Lola Run'?"

Upon hearing this, Wu Yuchen on stage smiled, took the microphone, and said:
"Thank you for your appreciation! I am personally quite interested in the concept of time travel. I previously made a film on the same subject called 'The Night the Comet Came,' which some of you may have seen."

"Once, while waiting for a game to load, I wondered what it would be like if we had the ability to reload. That's the origin of my initial inspiration!"

This drew applause from many of the young people below, many of whom had played video games and some had even had the same idea of ​​"reloading their life save."

"Director, this movie is truly amazing. It has changed my perspective on the world. I want to ask, can we, like Lola in the movie, really have such a huge impact on our future fate just by a few seconds of difference, or even by glancing at someone more?"

The second person to stand up was a bespectacled, well-mannered young man.

Wu Yuchen thought for a moment and said, "I can't give you a definite answer. May I ask what made you want to come see our movie?"

"I was drawn here by the content of your flyers," the boy honestly replied.

"Let's make a hypothetical scenario: if you had been 3 seconds late when you passed by our flyer-giving staff, they might have approached someone else, and you might not have seen our movie at all. Do you think this consequence would have affected your future?"

After hearing this, the boy pondered silently. It seemed that a few seconds did indeed have an impact.

Wu Yuchen then smiled and said, "We can make a further assumption: maybe you met a girl in the movie theater today because of watching a movie, and she will be your wife in the future."

The boy opened his mouth and said, "Ah, that has a huge impact; it's like changing the course of my life!"
Then Wu Yuchen continued, "We can go even crazier. Maybe your child with your wife will be a genius who surpasses Einstein and will have a significant impact on the progress of all mankind and the development of civilization in the future."

The boy's eyes widened, and he thought to himself, "My God, could a few seconds really affect the entirety of human civilization?!"

Seeing that Wu Yuchen seemed about to continue, the boy quickly said, "Director, that's enough. I don't think I'm that important! What you're saying is all too coincidental!"

"Of course, so that's just a hypothesis. But even the smallest coincidence, once it happens, becomes inevitable, doesn't it?" Wu Yuchen smiled and shrugged.

The boy sat down, somewhat dazed. Did he realize that a few seconds really mattered that much?
Meanwhile, the audience members listened thoughtfully. Many had been completely absorbed in the film's thrills and hadn't given it much thought, but now they realized the film also contained profound meaning. Recalling the opening lines of poetry now, they felt a surge of sophistication!
The boy who was called on immediately asked, "Director, I want to ask about Lola's scream. Is it a tribute to Oscar, the protagonist in 'The Tin Drum'?"

"The Tin Drum" is a classic German film that won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film and the Palme d'Or. Its protagonist has a special ability: he can shatter glass when he screams.

Wu Yuchen laughed and said, "Yes, you saw right through me~"

Does this represent dissatisfaction and protest against the surrounding society and the world?

Wu Yuchen gave a vague answer: "It depends on how you interpret it."

At this moment, the female reporter Hannah was called upon and asked Wu Yuchen, "Director, why did you choose to make the main character a woman?"

Wu Yuchen countered, "Why can't it be a woman?"

Hannah smiled upon hearing this and asked further, "So, do you support the women's rights movement?"

Wu Yuchen smiled slightly: "I support gender equality, enjoying the same rights and fulfilling the same obligations."

When Hannah heard this, she understood that Wu Yuchen had expressed his support for their feminist movement, since the current slogan of feminism is the pursuit of gender equality.

At this point, the staff called on an older man, who stood up and said:

"Director Wu, I really like the theme you've expressed; it has profound philosophical implications."

But Mr. Director, don't you think that adding animation, music video, and game-like elements into the film makes it seem out of place?

Wu Yuchen glanced at the old man and understood what he meant. In traditional thinking, movies are art, while cartoons, music videos, and games are considered vulgar and cannot be compared to movies at all. Clearly, the old man in front of him was a believer in this kind of thinking.

However, Wu Yuchen was prepared for this. His film was avant-garde, and while groundbreaking, it would inevitably face considerable criticism. He smiled and said:
"Sir, as you can see, I am only 20 years old. Like many of the audience members here, we are a generation that grew up drinking Coca-Cola, watching cartoons and MTVs, and playing video games. I call it the audiovisual generation."

I appreciate traditional films, but using games as a story framework, incorporating animation into the narrative, and adding music video-style editing—if used well—can all be powerful tools for filmmaking!

"Well said!" "Run Lola Run is fantastic!"

Before the old man could speak, the group of young people below immediately burst into enthusiastic applause and cheers upon hearing Wu Yuchen's answer. These elements were all part of their upbringing, things that had always been looked down upon by elders or authorities. But what the director said was so cool—why couldn't these elements be made into movies, why were they inferior to so-called tradition?
Seeing that Wu Yuchen's answer had won the support of so many people, the old man did not refute anything further. He just remembered what Wu Yuchen had just said about the "audiovisual generation," and at the same time, he began to wonder if the times were about to change.

Meanwhile, female reporter Hannah listened to Wu Yuchen's speech thoughtfully, while quickly writing down words such as "avant-garde" and "rebellious" in her notebook.

“Director, I really love this movie! But I think in the real world, we don’t have the ability to reload save files like Lola…” a girl said after standing up.

Wu Yuchen thought for a moment, then answered with a smile again:

"Yes, maybe you can't have the chance to reload a save like Lola. The world is constantly changing, and fate is beyond one's control. But you can keep running like Lola!"

Undoubtedly, this is also one of the themes of the film, inspiring people to strive forward.

Amid applause, reporter Hannah wrote "Female Forrest Gump" in her notebook again.

……

After seeing off the audience at the first show, Wu Yuchen specifically sought out female reporter Hannah, one of the reporters he had approached earlier. He considered it a bonus if even one of them showed up.

He smiled and said, "Miss Hannah, I'm so glad you came to see our 'Run Lola Run'!"

Hannah shook hands with him and said, "Following the Berlin Film Festival is part of my job, and I think it was worth the trip!"

Seeing that she had a good attitude, Wu Yuchen figured she must have enjoyed the movie, so he asked her:

"Miss Hannah, could you say a few kind words for our film?"

Hannah smiled. "I really like Lola, if there's a chance~"

Wu Yuchen smiled and nodded, then watched Hannah's figure disappear into the distance. To be honest, he didn't know if this reporter was useful or not. Even if she liked him, she might not have the power to publish an article. It all depended on the editor-in-chief's opinion.

However, he has done everything he could. The premiere of this screening was a great success. The audience was very enthusiastic, and most of the reviews were positive. Young people were especially excited, and many said they would definitely bring their friends to see it a second time.

The German Film Academy, located in Berlin, was founded in 1966 and is the most prestigious film school in the country. February is the time when German universities are on spring break.

Cross tapped the lectern: "Ladies and gentlemen, I know you're all eager to rush out of the classroom and have some fun, but before that, I have an extra holiday assignment."

The students below stared at the old man on the podium, eager to quickly write down the homework he was giving them so they could start enjoying their holiday.

"There's a film called 'Run Lola Run' being screened at the Berlin Film Festival. After watching it, write an analysis of its audiovisual language. I think that will be very helpful to you."

After Cross finished speaking, he wrote the movie title on the blackboard before announcing the end of get out of class.

If Wu Yuchen were here, he would recognize that this Kross is the same little old man who asked him the question yesterday.

Muller, holding his head, asked his best friend, "Hey, Reuss, how about we go to the film festival together later?"

“Can’t it be tomorrow? I want to rest today,” Royce asked.

Muller shrugged: "My girlfriend and I made plans to go on a two-week vacation to Spain and Portugal tomorrow, so I have to do my holiday homework today."

Upon hearing this, Royce revealed his jealousy towards the rich second-generation: "Damn it!"

Muller laughed and put his arm around his friend, saying, "I'll treat you to dinner after we finish watching it. It's more fun to discuss film analysis together!"

An hour later, the two arrived at the screening room. Looking at the different posters at the entrance, Muller said, "It's a Chinese film, but the style doesn't seem like it at all!"

Royce nodded in agreement: "It's a completely different style from films like 'Farewell My Concubine' and 'Red Sorghum.' But since Professor Cross specifically assigned it as homework, it must have something unique about it."

After they finished speaking, the two bought tickets and entered the theater. They found that there were quite a lot of people. If they had come any later, they might not have been able to buy tickets at all. Most of them were young people, and some of them were telling their friends that it was really exciting.

The two exchanged a glance, wondering if Professor Cross would enjoy this supposedly exciting movie. They sat down and patiently awaited the start of the film.

An hour and a half later, after the movie ended, Muller exclaimed, mouth agape, "Unbelievable!"

Royce nodded blankly as well: "Muller, just about Lola running, do you know how many methods this director used to film it?"

"Front view, side view, low view, high view, bird's-eye view, close-up, medium shot, long shot, moving shot, stationary shot, slow motion shot, jump cut shot, dissolve shot, foreground shot, background shot, live-action shot, animation shot..."

I've fucking lost count, and he even combines these methods in pairs to create entirely new combinations!

"I bet you can find the same composition in every running scene in every movie in this one!"

"No, it's not just about running! I dare say that if you can figure out all the shooting, composition, and editing techniques in 'Run Lola Run,' you'll be a master! Ten other movies don't use as many of them as this one!"

"Is this why Professor Cross wanted us to watch this movie? If I hadn't just watched it, I would have really thought the director was just showing off his skills!"

"Show-off skills?! No, no, no, 'Run Lola Run' is a great, pioneering, and innovative film! I can't help but admire it!" Royce's eyes lit up with excitement, and he even felt a tremor run through his body.

Unlike ordinary viewers who are merely excited after watching, those who understand filmmaking are the ones who realize how amazing the director's filming and various techniques are!
There are many scenes of Lola running in "Run Lola Run". If a normal director were to film this, the audience would have long felt tired of such repetitive running. However, every time Lola runs in this movie is novel and full of energy!
Moreover, it's clear that the director wasn't just showing off; he genuinely mastered various techniques, making the most of each one. The fresh editing and story structure deliver a completely new sensory experience. At the same time, the film possesses profound themes and deep meaning, not only resonating strongly with audiences but also prompting deep reflection. Isn't that amazing?!
When the young director Wu Yuchen came on stage to give his thanks, the two stared at him with wide eyes and disbelief. The director of this film was even younger than the two of them!

"Fuck! This damn talent!"

"Are all genius directors these kinds of monsters? My dream of becoming a director has been deeply shattered!"

(End of this chapter)