Rebirth: A big star falls in love with me

Late January in Berlin was bitterly cold. Tang Yan wrapped herself tightly in a wool coat as she walked out of Tegel Airport with the crew of "Awakening of Insects". The foreign air was crisp and unfamiliar, making her instinctively move closer to Zhang Yu.

“Welcome to Berlin,” Zhang Yu said softly. He was wearing a long black coat and a dark gray scarf, which made him look particularly tall and imposing in the gray and white tones of the European winter.

The person who picked us up at the airport was Lin Wei, a Chinese girl who had studied in Germany for seven years and served as our translator and guide. Holding a sign that read "ZHANG YU," she smiled brightly and said, "Hello, Director Zhang, I'm Lin Wei, who will be in charge of hosting your team for the next five days. The car is outside; let's go to the hotel to check in first."

On the way to the hotel, Lin Wei explained the details of the Berlin Film Festival: "The main venue is Potsdamer Platz, the screenings are at the Palais des Festivals, the media screening of 'Awakening' is tomorrow afternoon at 3 pm, and the red carpet ceremony is the day after tomorrow evening at 7 pm. Also, Director Zhang, I have sent the schedules for the industry meetings you have booked to your email."

Zhang Yu nodded, turning to look at the Berlin street scene outside the window. This city, which had experienced division and unification, possessed a cold, austere beauty, completely different from the charming and diverse Shanghai. Tang Yan also gazed out the window, feeling both excited about attending an international film festival and apprehensive about being in a completely unfamiliar environment for the first time.

The hotel was located in the Mitte district, in a century-old building, yet the interior was modern and comfortable. Zhang Yu and Tang Yan's rooms were on the same floor, opposite Zhou Xun and Chen Kun's rooms.

"We'll meet in the lobby in an hour for a short meeting," Zhang Yu told his team members.

Tang Yan's room wasn't large, but it was clean and elegant. She put down her luggage, and the first thing she did was draw back the curtains—outside was a typical European street, cobblestone path, trams, and few pedestrians. She took a deep breath and told herself: Tang Yan, this is your first step into the world.

At the brief meeting, Zhang Yu clarified the goals of the trip: "The Berlin Film Festival is not just about screenings, but also a platform for industry exchange. We want the international film industry to see the level of China's new generation of filmmakers. Tang Yan, especially you, as a newcomer appearing on the international stage, your performance is crucial."

"Understood." Tang Yan nodded.

“Media questions may involve sensitive topics such as politics and cultural differences,” Zhang Yu continued. “Remember our principle: answer film-related questions in depth, and politely avoid questions that are outside the scope of film. Lin Wei will be on-site to assist with translation, but you should also be mindful of your own conduct.”

Zhou Xun added, "The audience at the Berlin Film Festival is very professional; their perspective on film is different from that of domestic audiences. There will be a Q&A session after the media screening tomorrow, and the questions may be quite pointed, so be prepared."

After the brief meeting, Zhang Yu kept Tang Yan behind alone: ​​"Are you nervous?"

"I'm nervous, but mostly I'm looking forward to it," Tang Yan said honestly. "I want to see how international audiences react to 'Awakening of Insects'."

"Keep this mindset," Zhang Yu smiled. "Remember, you're here to exchange ideas, not to prove anything. Relax and be your most authentic self."

In the evening, the team had dinner together at the hotel restaurant. It gets dark early in Berlin, and by four in the afternoon it was already dusk. The restaurant was filled with filmmakers from all over the world, a vibrant mix of languages, creating a lively and professional atmosphere.

“Look over there,” Zhou Xun gestured with her eyes, “Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda has a film in the competition this year.”

“That’s a French director over there,” Chen Kun said in a low voice, “the winner of last year’s Cannes Palme d’Or.”

Tang Yan observed silently, feeling as if she were attending a vivid lesson in world cinema. These names, which she usually only saw in film magazines, were now sitting right there, discussing cinematic language and narrative rhythm.

After dinner, Tang Yan returned to her room to prepare for the media briefing the next day. She took out her English notes to review and practiced the questions she might be asked. At ten o'clock that night, the doorbell rang.

The door opened, and there was Zhang Yu, holding a folder in his hand.

"Still not resting?"

"Preparing for tomorrow's Q&A session." Tang Yan stepped aside.

Zhang Yu walked into the room and placed the folder on the table: "This is a list of journalists who may attend the media event and their background information. I've marked a few that require special attention—this German journalist often asks questions about political metaphors, this French journalist focuses on the portrayal of female characters, and this American journalist likes to nitpick technical details."

Tang Yan opened the book and saw the dense annotations. She was moved and asked, "Director Zhang, when did you prepare all this?"

"On the plane," Zhang Yu said casually. "It's always good to be well-prepared for your first time attending an international film festival."

He walked to the window and looked at the Berlin night view: "Fifteen years ago, when I first came to Berlin, I also lived in this area. At that time, Chinese films were still on the margins internationally. When we brought our works, we often couldn't even get a decent screening."

"now what?"

“It’s much better now, but it’s not enough.” Zhang Yu turned around. “We have the technology and the funding, but we still lack works that can truly transcend cultures. ‘Awakening of Insects’ is an attempt to explore universal human emotions through a Chinese story—patriotism, personal choices, love and sacrifice.”

Tang Yan listened attentively, and these words gave her a deeper understanding of tomorrow's screening.

"Go to sleep," Zhang Yu said. "Get plenty of rest; tomorrow is your stage."

After Zhang Yu left, Tang Yan lay in bed unable to sleep. She got up and went to the window, looking at the streets of Berlin in the winter night. Suddenly, she remembered herself a year ago—worried about her mother's medical expenses and feeling lost about the future. And now, she stood in the heart of Europe, about to showcase her work to the world.

The change in fate began that afternoon of audition, and with Zhang Yu's question, "Would you like to play Lin Wan?"

She clenched her fist and said to herself: Tang Yan, you must live up to this trust.

……

The Berlin Film Palace can hold 1,600 spectators, and the media screening was packed. As the lights dimmed and the opening credits of "Awakening of Insects" appeared on the big screen, Tang Yan's palms were slightly sweaty.

During the two-hour screening, she repeatedly gauged the film's reception from the audience's reactions. During Lin Wan's monologue in the rain, she heard faint sobs around her; the tense scene when the underground workers' rendezvous was discovered brought the entire audience to a standstill; and the long shot of Lin Wan's sacrifice at the end was followed by three seconds of absolute silence, after which applause erupted like a tidal wave.

The lights came on, and the main cast and crew went on stage for interviews. Zhang Yu was in the center, with Zhou Xun and Chen Kun on either side, and Tang Yan standing at the very edge. Below the stage were reporters from all over the world, their cameras and microphones aimed at the stage.

The first question was posed to Zhang Yu: "Director Zhang, did you choose Shanghai in 1937 as the setting to have any real-world metaphors?"