Chapter 327

"Yes, that's right, it is precisely because of this film that she and I..."

In the eyes of Erika Schmidt, a famous beauty reporter for *Der Spiegel*, the young and handsome interviewee before her suddenly revealed a hint of a gentle smile, and a joyful light followed in his eyes.

Wow. She thought to herself that this was certainly much more tempting than a vibrator.

"... Very cute, known each other for a long time, but..."

The digital recorder worked faithfully, recording the other party's answers. Erika could devote most of her attention to subtle observation.

He was answering questions fluently, clearly carrying out a promotional mission, completely different from the previous "ask one, answer one" style.

Just as she had thought while preparing for the interview over the past few days, as long as the direction was right, he would be a very good interviewee.

Young, energetic, expressive, and clearly very clear about the dividing line between being witty and being frivolous.

This style should feel very fresh to their old-school *Der Spiegel* readers, even if they knew it was for promoting a film, they wouldn't be too repulsed. And promoting the film was part of the agreement they reached for the interview.

Erika Schmidt felt a bit of regret; the weekly magazine could ultimately only present a few pictures and cold text, and there was no way to completely convey what she was feeling right now to their readers. This, without a doubt, would make their interview lose a lot of its luster.

She felt that this Chinese actor before her had an attraction that had nothing to do with age or ethnicity.

Just like when she went skiing at the Kniebis ski resort last month, when the outside temperature reached minus twenty degrees at night, and she and her friends were huddled around the fireplace in a small cabin, the kind of scorching heat she felt when she stretched out her fingers.

She crossed her legs, shifted her hips, and made a subtle adjustment to her sitting posture.

No wonder he, as a Chinese actor, could actually have tens of millions of fans in Europe and America.

Everything Erika Schmidt knew about Chen Nuo came from the materials she had prepared over the past few days; she hadn't watched a single one of his films at all.

She couldn't even remember the last time she went to a movie theater, or what the last foreign film she watched was called.

As a 29-year-old single woman, she felt that films, like love, were just some kind of bourgeois, redundant fantasy.

A vibrator could solve physical emptiness, and work could fill spiritual dissatisfaction, so why would one need love or films?

However, she had changed her mind a little now.

She suddenly wanted to see what he would look like on the movie screen.

Erika Schmidt decided at this moment.

Tonight, she would also go to attend the premiere of this Chinese film; this would not only satisfy her curiosity but perhaps also provide more seasoning for her interview article.

"... In short, I believe I have delivered the best performance since I started acting. And she is the same..."

Anyway, every time a new film is released, it must be the "best."

Chen Nuo was used to it.

Just like how he talked about the love between him and Liu Yifei for an estimated three minutes surrounding *Under the Hawthorn Tree*.

You couldn't tell at all that he had already decided to "break up."

If they were to fall out because of this and Liu Yifei wanted to part ways with him, it just so happened that the box office share for *Twilight* had almost arrived; the company was about to pay dividends anyway, and after the dividends were paid, he would use 20 million to buy back the shares, and finally, "The Condor Heroes, vanished from the world," it wouldn't be a waste of having known each other.

That's right, this was the decision he finally made after thinking for quite a while after being kissed by Liu Yifei earlier.

Chen Nuo knew exactly what he was like.

Regardless of whether Liu Yifei was truly too deep into the role or was being real.

He knew one thing.

His love had long been smothered in the bed of some woman in his past life.

Likewise, as far as he knew, it was absolutely impossible for Liu Yifei to be like other women and tacitly accept certain things. Even if she agreed, what about Liu Ayi? It was also impossible.

Not to mention that his relationship with Liu Yifei hadn't reached that point, if he really had to give up the whole forest for one tree, it might have been possible four years ago.

Now?

The forest is also made up of individual trees.

Everyone is a tree, so where does the distinction of high or low, noble or cheap come from?

So sorry, playing pure love will have to wait for the next book.

"... I am also looking forward to tonight's premiere, and I haven't seen the finished film yet. I believe Director Zhang Yimou will give me a surprise." Chen Nuo finally covered all his thoughts under his smiling face, without revealing a single bit for the reporter to glimpse.

Erika Schmidt really did a lot of homework; by the time this interview ended, it had lasted a full two hours, going over almost everything about Chen Nuo in minute detail.

It felt like the combined length of those two interviews by *Time* and *People*.

Just as the interview was about to end, suddenly, a *Der Spiegel* staff member interrupted the interview and whispered in Erika Schmidt's ear for a long time.

After listening, Erika Schmidt had a smile on the corner of her mouth, as if she had heard some good news, and said: "Chen, I just received some news. Luo Man Polanski gave an interview to Deutsche Welle ten minutes ago, in which he mentioned you and your film."

"Oh? What did he say?"

"He said..."

"I respect Zhang very much; he is the kind of director I like, with a distinct style and his own ideas."

"For example, the passionate and primitive love expressed by Jiang and Gong in the sorghum field in *Red Sorghum* can move any filmmaker in the world."

"Ultimately, it being able to win the Jin Xiong in Berlin is absolutely well-deserved."

"However, today, Zhang has made a big mistake. Just like the jurors at the 55th Berlin Film Festival. They all chose the same male lead."

"The first time I saw *The Mute*, I didn't like it. I think it is a crudely made film, as clumsy as he is."

"I didn't expect it to win the Silver Bear."

"He is the most overrated actor of the current generation. His ability to show off far exceeds his acting skills."

"His performance in *The Dark Knight* is exaggerated to the point of nausea, mediocre to the extreme in *My Blueberry Nights*, and pretentious in *Twilight*."

"As for last year's *Mother*, hehe, the acclaim he received in Cannes simply makes me loathe it. The only reason I could sit in the cinema until the end and finish watching that so-called dance of miracles was Jin. His dance is a clumsy imitation of Jin. That Huppert could actually let him win Best Actor, I can only say, her taste is getting worse and worse."

"Zhang's trip to Berlin this time will ultimately end in total failure because of Chen. I don't even know what he came here for?"

"Does he think the Berlin jury will award him another Silver Bear? Just four years later? Does he think Berlin is some kind of Red Cross charity organization, where they give you a prize when you enter college and another one when you graduate?"

"Another Chinese film, Wang's *Apart Together*, I went to see the premiere yesterday."

"As the opening film of this year's Berlin Film Festival, it is absolutely qualified."

"Its audience numbers were so high that the organizers had to add another screening hall. The press conference attracted nearly a thousand media outlets, and because the questions were so enthusiastic, it set a record for the length of an opening film press conference in Berlin's history. All of this fully demonstrates that a truly good film doesn't need one or several good-looking faces to be sought after."

"However, I will also go to see Zhang's film tonight; I have already gotten a ticket for the premiere, and I will go."

"At that time, I will write down my true evaluation in *Screen*."

After finishing the program,

Luo Man Polanski, followed by two assistants and three bodyguards, the six of them walked out of the Deutsche Welle building together. When they were about to get into the car, a chilly wind happened to blow by, making the 77-year-old shiver.

The wind also blew the sparse and messy hair on his forehead, making it look more like weeds on barren land. The wrinkles on his forehead were like tangled hemp. His deep-set eyes revealed a gloomy look, and under his high-bridged nose, the corners of his mouth habitually drooped, bringing out a touch of gloom. The whole person exuded a surly and dark feeling that made people feel hard to get close to.

After getting into the car, his whole face was hidden in the shadows, and this feeling became even more obvious.

A female assistant in her 50s said cautiously: "There are two more interviews coming up, Luo Man, do you want to take a break?"

"No need. Continue."

"You still have to go to the movies tonight, really don't..."

Luo Man Polanski roared in a hoarse voice: "I said continue. Didn't you hear me? Retard. You bunch of brain-dead idiots, I swear if you dare to let another word pop out of that stinking mouth of yours, I will peel your brain open..."

Luo Man Polanski scolded for almost a full minute before gradually calming down.

However, except for the middle-aged woman who was almost drowned by his spit, everyone else was very calm, as if they were used to it. Luo Man calmed down, panting, and said fiercely: "Remember what I said, I am not old yet. Since that bunch of bastards in Zurich didn't catch me, this is the opportunity God has given me, I must this time..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but everyone in the car understood.

Last September, the Zurich Film Festival awarded Luo Man a Lifetime Achievement Award. Everyone had already prepared to set off to receive the award, but Luo Man Polanski caught a cold at the last minute, so he canceled the trip.

Later, they learned that if they had gone, the Swiss police would have arrested them immediately at the airport.

Since then, Luo Man Polanski has attached particular importance to this film of his.

Everyone knows.

Luo Man Polanski can be happy and free in continental Europe with an American arrest warrant on his back, partly because his case is too old.

This year is 2010, and it has been 32 years since he pleaded guilty in an American court in 1978 and fled back to France. The prosecutors in America responsible for his child sexual assault case have changed batch after batch, and they haven't been too serious with him.

On the other hand, as a dual citizen of France and Poland, the title of famous great director and the honors he has received are his true amulets.

The Zurich incident this time sounded an alarm for him.

In recent years, his aura has dimmed a lot, which makes his situation seem to have become somewhat dangerous.

Therefore, this time, in order to win an award in Berlin, Luo Man Polanski almost used all his means.

Except for the jury president Werner Herzog, one of the most famous directors in the New German Cinema movement, whom he couldn't handle.

He had passed words to everyone else through different intermediaries.

Among them, the news returned by the Somali savage Nuruddin Farah, America's Renée Zellweger, and China's Yu Nan was not positive.

However, he had received some promises, more or less, from Italian director Francesca Comencini, German actress Cornelia Froboess, and Spanish producer José María Morales.

His goal at this Berlin Film Festival was very clear: first is the Jin Xiong, followed by Best Director.

In the competition for these two awards, his opponents, in his view, were also very clear.

Even though Wang Quan'an's *Apart Together* had extraordinary momentum at yesterday's opening ceremony,

But Luo Man Polanski has lost count of the film festivals he has attended in his life; he knows too well which films have the ability to impact heavyweight awards and which films are all thunder and no rain.

Just now, bragging about *Apart Together* on the radio program, that was because he knew that *Apart Together* was the kind of film with great momentum that would at most win a consolation-type marginal award.

It posed no threat to his Jin Xiong and Best Director.

The one he should be most worried about was not someone else, but his young Chinese rival lead actor, and *Under the Hawthorn Tree*, which premieres tonight.

First of all, in terms of influence, it has the possibility of impacting all awards.

Director Zhang Yimou has a very deep connection with Berlin and has always been favored by local jurors.

And there is him.

When *The Dark Knight* was released, for his sake, the war of words between *Libération* and *Le Monde* lasted for several issues.

This time, when it was learned that *Under the Hawthorn Tree* was sent to Berlin, some German media even claimed that after having won Berlin and Cannes, this film was not sent to Venice but was sent to Berlin again, which was clearly Chen Nuo trying to make up for the regret of not being able to attend the scene to receive the award four years ago. This shows the status of the Berlin Film Festival in the world film industry.

In Polanski's view, this kind of rhetoric is the most terrifying rhetoric. It is also the rhetoric most likely to make the film win an award, and it is extremely likely to influence certain subtle tendencies of the organizing committee and the jury.

This made him really dare not rest; even if his body was tired, he had to run to more media outlets to build momentum for himself, while also suppressing his opponents.

He knew deeply that when the quality of the films is on par, public opinion is the deciding factor.

"Luo Man, there is a call from America." At this time, a younger assistant, covering the receiver of his official mobile phone, whispered.

"Who?"

"Harvey, Harvey Weinstein. He wants to talk to you about Chen."

When the two rivals began to contact each other, Chen Nuo had just finished the interview and was cooperating with the *Der Spiegel* photographer to take pictures.

He knew earlier that this issue of *Der Spiegel* would be on the market in five days, and this time he was a cover interview.

So he naturally assumed that the photos he was taking now were cover photos.

And this was clearly his misunderstanding of *Der Spiegel*, a world-renowned serious political magazine that takes "investigation and realism, exposing abuses, and criticizing bureaucrats" as its tenet.

Germany's *Der Spiegel* is not like America's *People*, an entertainment magazine that selects the 100 most beautiful faces in the world at the end of each year, nor is it as fashionable as *Time*.

It still uses the poster style from when it was founded in 1947.

After taking the photos, he realized that Germans are Germans; the photos he was taking now were only used as illustrations for the text.

The cover had actually been prepared long ago.

"We are not planning to use your photo this time, because *Time* has used it, and *People* has also used it." When Erika Schmidt said this, it felt to Chen Nuo like some scion of a scholarly family talking about some nouveau riche relative, with a faint look of contempt and disdain.

"They want to use your appearance to increase sales, but we don't. Many of the users who subscribe to our magazine have been passed down from generation to generation, starting from their grandparents. So, we are prepared to adopt another way. Like you, younger and full of personality. Also more impressive."

A white background, wrapped with several red borders, and in the upper left is the German word "Der Spiegel," which hasn't changed for nearly a hundred years.

In the middle of the cover are two large red Chinese Pinyin characters with phonetic symbols.

"Chen Nuo"

Below is a line of small German text.

Other than that, there are no pictures at all.

Chen Nuo and Qi Yuntian stood in front of Erika Schmidt's laptop, looking at this so-called young and personalized cover, really not knowing what to say.

Is this the so-called German aesthetic?

It is quite symmetrical, though.

"Wow." Chen Nuo sighed dryly, "It is indeed impressive."

Erika Schmidt said with a smile: "Do you like it? I chose it myself. Do you need me to explain the meaning to you? The name spelled out in Chinese Pinyin is not only a name but also implies your Chinese background. At the same time, the small text below was also drafted by me. It means the 55th Berlin Best Actor, a film actor from China. But I have changed my mind now."

"Why? I think it's quite good." Chen Nuo said.

Erika Schmidt shook her head and said: "No, no, no, it's not good, it's too shallow. It's not enough to summarize what I felt in this interview. After watching the premiere tonight, I'll think about it carefully. Especially the last paragraph you said..."

The Aryan beauty with long light-blonde hair and gray-blue pupils revealed a smile like the one her ancestors showed when they conquered France or Poland decades ago. Cold, like a ski resort at minus twenty degrees.

"As a professional political reporter and an amateur entertainment reporter. My personal evaluation is that although you linked Luo Man Polanski's impunity to the decline of America, it was slightly far-fetched."

"However, the slogan that followed. I think it's quite interesting, enough to attract the attention of many Americans."

"At least, after it spreads, Obama will definitely notice it."

"It seems you really want Luo Man Polanski to die of old age in some prison in America. Chen."

Chen Nuo shook his head and said: "No, no, no, please don't say that, Erika. It's just because my girlfriend is American, I love the house and its crow, and I sincerely hope that America will be great again."

"For the sake of dissemination, besides your magazine, I am also prepared to abbreviate this sentence as a hashtag topic and post it on FB, just like #MeToo back then. Do you think this can make America great again faster?"

"Damn, you want him to go to jail quickly, right? If I were Polanski, I would definitely kneel at your door today... So, you mean, you are going to call it MAGA?"

"Yes, MAGA."

(End of chapter)