Chapter 534: Returning to Berlin, Director Wang Da

In early '03, Lin Nan went to Berlin for the first time with Li Yang, for "Blind Shaft."

Back then, he was just a freshman fresh out of high school, and Li Yang was his guide.

The second time was early '05.

Lin Nan brought his first awards-targeted film, "Return to Dust," and won his first major international film festival award — the Berlin Silver Bear for Best Director!

From then on, he stepped into the ranks of great directors, becoming the youngest international great director in the country!

And that time, it was also Li Yang who helped him find the connections, sparing him the registration and screening process and sending him straight into the competition for the nomination list.

Lin Nan was grateful, and cherished that bond dearly.

So in January '07, when Li Yang came to him in Hollywood seeking help, he was willing to spare no expense in making "Blind Mountain," investing in it for Li Yang.

Later, when the film was released, to secure as many screenings as possible, Lin Nan even used the distribution rights of "Painted Skin" as a bargaining chip, handing them over to Yu Dong's Bona.

That year was also Lin Nan's third trip to Berlin.

He brought the foreign-language film "Buried," and took home his second Silver Bear for Best Director, firmly cementing his status as a top-tier great director in the industry!

The only regret Lin Nan felt was that, that time, he had lost to Director Wang Da, lost to the latter's "Tuya's Marriage"!

Thinking of all this, a faint smile unconsciously appeared on Lin Nan's face, along with some nostalgia for his past "youth."

Speaking of which, he could indeed be considered a true Berlin International Film Festival insider, even though that most dazzling, most commemorative Golden Lion trophy was won at Venice.

"Lin, on behalf of the committee, I sincerely invite you back to Berlin. And the lovely Ms. Crystal, we look forward to seeing you on the red carpet in Berlin this February.

Lin, although the specific opening ceremony date hasn't been set yet, what we can confirm is that the closing ceremony will end before your Lunar New Year…"

Third-floor reception room.

With a head of brown hair and speaking less-than-standard Mandarin, the Berlin International Film Festival's Asian regional selector was sincerely inviting Lin Nan and Liu Liu Yifei.

"It's been almost eight years since the last time I went to Berlin," Lin Nan couldn't help muttering softly.

Liu Liu Yifei held his hand, nodded gently, and said with a smile as she reminisced:

"Mm, a full eight years. I remember I was still at the martial arts school back then, training hard every day for 'The Forbidden Kingdom.'

English lines, foreign-language film study, script reading, kung fu hidden weapons, fists and kicks, weapons routines, opera body movements…"

Hearing all this, the smile on Lin Nan's face turned a bit helpless, and he couldn't help wanting to roast Miss Liu in his heart:

"I know you can fight, and you keep at it. But do you have to give me a 'martial reminder' every now and then? Those muscles, that ab line, and that back muscle… I don't always…"

"Lin, what do you say? We truly hope to see 'Manchester by the Sea' in Berlin."

The Asian regional selector across from him continued the invitation with a smile.

There really wasn't much to hesitate about — after the small talk, wasn't it time for business?

Lin Nan nodded immediately:

"Of course. Liu Yifei, Leonardo and the rest of us will attend this edition of the Berlin International Film Festival. The print will be sent to the committee after the festival's official registration begins."

Hearing Lin Nan's words, the man across from him sat up straight at once and excitedly shook his hand as he said:

"Thank you, Lin, welcome back to the Berlin International Film Festival!

But you don't need to send it — I'll send someone to pick it up in person and bring it back to Berlin along the way."

"Mm, that works too."

A little over half an hour later, Lin Nan and Liu Liu Yifei saw the man off downstairs, then returned to the office.

"Liu Qianqian, you've got one more itinerary to add — keep me company to Berlin."

Liu Liu Yifei nodded happily: "Mm, sure, I'll just treat it as a trip with you. When we get back, we'll be just in time for New Year's Eve.

Huh? Now that I think about it, my brand sponsors will be thrilled again. They'll definitely come bother me about the red carpet — gowns, jewelry, luggage…"

"Next time I see them, I'll definitely make them pay more — they keep taking advantage of me!"

Lin Nan laughed helplessly. He doesn't take ads, so the high-end endorsement invitations Liu Liu Yifei receives each year are more than double what a normal top-tier A-lister gets.

Because the brands all know that as long as Liu Liu Yifei signs an endorsement deal, they can ride on Lin Nan's coattails — especially at major international film festival events, raking it in!

"Alright, haha…"

Leaning against Lin Nan's shoulder, Liu Liu Yifei laughed without a care in the world.

…………

This year's entertainment circle, to put it bluntly, is really damn interesting!

In just the time it took Lin Nan and Liu Liu Yifei to meet with the Berlin selector, the film and TV circle had suddenly been hit by an earthquake!

Approaching noon, the official Weibo of Safe Capital, Weibo trending searches, the front pages of portal websites…

Every media platform was reporting the same thing — "A great director played too wildly, caught red-handed by the police!"

What do the words "Jin Xiong director" mean?

For the film circle, it represents the very pinnacle, an international great director, representing a constant stream of top-tier resources and circles!

You have to know that over all these years, the entire Chinese-language film circle has produced only 6 Jin Xiong directors in total!

For the film and TV circle, this was a true earthquake.

And the tone online was even more "joyful":

"Oh my god! His wife is Zhang…, that figure, that face, that chest, that butt… isn't that enough for him?"

"There are so many pretty female artists in the entertainment circle who want to climb the ladder, who want to be taken advantage of — a great director like him just has to beckon, and he can have as many as he wants. Does he really need to go to that kind of place?"

"Alright, at least he didn't choose to exploit people. Others spend money to get things done, stimulating the economy… way better than a lot of hypocrites!"

"The flowers at home are never as sweet as the wild ones — it's all about the thrill! Hang in there, great director…"

These netizens had truly taken their love of watching the drama unfold to the extreme.

……

"Unbelievable! From the official report, they received a tip-off from the public on the evening of the 10th and caught him on the spot."

"Holy shit… the info after interrogation is even more explosive — turns out it was the 8th, 9th, and 10th, three days in a row…"

"Upstairs, highlight this — on the night of the 9th, it was still one man and two women…"

"Let me think, he's turning 50 by East Asian reckoning this year, right? At that age, this wild? Baldy really is something!"

The comments kept drifting further off-topic… many netizens were even discussing how the great director looks after himself — how he could still be so vigorous at his age!

……

"Our dear great director has always been a romantic genius. Count his exes — Jiang Wen… Yu…"

"Poor Miss Zhang — looks like on Weibo she's still traveling in New York! Got spotted by a netizen yesterday and even posted a selfie. The caption's even better: 'Did I get caught? My little love!'"

"Holy crap, did the Lady see it all coming?"

……

Speechless. Truly speechless.

After getting home with Liu Liu Yifei at noon, Lin Nan saw the news online and heard the whispers in the industry — it made him sick to his stomach.

Two hours earlier, when he'd met with the Berlin selection committee member, he was still lamenting that seven years ago Buried had lost to Tuya's Marriage.

But who could have imagined that Director Wang had already been taken in three days ago!

That said, no one in the industry could have expected a top-tier director to play things so "rustic," so "without restraint"!

In the end, Lin Nan sighed and hoped that when he turned 50, his body would be even "stronger" than Director Wang's! Hmm, he'd find an old Daoist Priest one of these days…

While helping Liu Liu Xiaoli serve dishes, Liu Liu Yifei came padding up to the kitchen doorway in slippers, an apple with two bites taken out of it still in her hand.

"Lin Nan, here, Chairman La is looking for you."

"Go on, I told you I don't need your help — just wait to eat."

Liu Liu Xiaoli urged him with a smile, then turned to her own daughter. "Dinner's almost ready and you're snacking again… sigh, and now you're running off too…"

With that kind of thing happening out there, Beside La La Peikang was bound to call.

Because part of the main cast list for The Mermaid had already been sent to China Film, and Beside La La Peikang knew that Zhang Zhang Yuqi would be appearing — and as one of the leads with a part on par with the female lead!

"Chairman La?"

Sitting cross-legged on the lawn, Lin Nan stroked the soft, fat orange cat with one hand and took the call with the other.

"Should we swap out the actress for The Mermaid? After all, her husband has caused such a huge mess. A national campaign was only held for a month last month, and soliciting prostitutes is…"

Beside La La Peikang's concern was reasonable, but unfair — after all, Zhang Zhang Yuqi herself hadn't done anything.

Besides, to be honest, a "ban" really can't reach the level of a Jin Xiong director.

Put another way — if Lin Nan is Berlin's protégé, then Director Wang is one of its chosen sons!

One Jin Xiong, one Silver Bear for Best Screenplay, one Silver Bear for Outstanding Artistic Contribution — his films can absolutely just sell the rights without ever being released!

"You forgot? We promised Director Zhou Zhou Xingchi we wouldn't interfere with casting. What you're suggesting, you'd have to see what Zhou Zhou Xingchi thinks. By the way, where did this idea come from?"

Lin Nan asked curiously — by all rights, Beside La La Peikang wasn't the type to think like this.

"Shanghai Film Group was asking about it."

Well, that explained it to Lin Nan; to Shanghai Film Group, Zhang Zhang Yuqi really had no value.

"Then should we check with Zhou Zhou Xingchi's side?"

Lin Nan didn't answer right away.

In his view, Zhou Zhou Xingchi loved money, sure, but he was just as stubborn. Once he'd set his mind on an actor, he wouldn't swap them out lightly.

Like this time — even though Wen Zhang's reputation had plummeted because of that incident, he still gave him a cameo, and one he'd specially designed at that!

"If you want to ask, then go ahead and ask — count me out. Since I promised not to interfere, that's exactly my stance."

Hearing Lin Nan say that, Beside La La Peikang paused for a moment.

"Fine, up to you. It's not like we have to swap her out, but China Film is a state-owned enterprise after all, so we still have to check with them."

"Mm, I understand."

Lin Nan replied.

Director Wang's incident was bound to have no small impact — Zhang Zhang Yuqi's side was only part of it.

"Lin Nan, come eat!"

Liu Liu Yifei stood at the villa doorway, hands on her hips, cheeks puffed out — clearly she'd just gotten a scolding from her own mother!

"Alright, coming right now. What did you do this time?"

"Hmph, son-in-law in, daughter out!"

Good lord, Lin Nan was at a loss for words — wasn't he the one who should be saying that? Watching Lao Lin was the one who'd forgotten his son the moment he got a daughter-in-law!

……

In the Chinese-language film world — specifically the Hong Kong side — there's one striking feature.

Every few years, someone steps up to launch a campaign to boycott Zhou Zhou Xingchi, and immediately a large group of Hong Kong actors and stars jump in to back it up, swarming to attack Zhou.

And on closer comparison, it's not hard to see that every time an "anti-Zhou campaign" happens, it's when Zhou Zhou Xingchi has a new film or work being prepared, in production, or about to be released!

…………