August 29, 2000, Lido Island, Venice, Italy.
“I’m so sleepy, Mom. Let’s hurry to the hotel. All I want to do right now is get some good sleep.” Han Zhiyan, who had been on a twelve-hour flight and couldn’t sleep at all on the plane, felt like he was falling apart.
“Okay, you rest first. I’ll go chat with some old friends,” Mia replied, looking at her phone.
Since it was only a short film, only Han Zhiyan and Mia came; the other main creators did not.
The moment Han Zhiyan saw the bed upon arriving at the hotel, he closed his eyes, and his mind went blank.
“Daxier, wake up, wake up! Get up and wash up. Your clothes are on the sofa. We need to go to the opening ceremony after you change,” Mia said, patting Han Zhiyan’s face to wake him up.
Han Zhiyan had slept straight through one night and one day. Mia even tried to wake him for lunch but couldn't.
At 7 PM local time, Han Zhiyan, standing 1.8 meters tall, wearing a sophisticated dark blue suit with gray pinstripes, and with his hair styled in a three-seven side-part, walked the red carpet leading to the Palazzo del Cinema with Mia.
At this time, there were no red carpet crashers; only the main creators of the films attended. The reporters on both sides of the red carpet didn't recognize him, only using a few precious film sheets when they saw Mia beside him.
After official staff took a few photos in front of the backdrop, the two entered the Palazzo del Cinema. They found their seats marked with their film's name, sat down, and looked around, not recognizing anyone.
Just then, a middle-aged man in a shirt and tie, looking somewhat anxious, walked in.
As a professionally trained director, Han Zhiyan immediately recognized him. “Isn't that Director Jia?” he thought. His films were rarely screened domestically, but as a film directing student, he had certainly seen them all.
If his memory served him correctly, because of “Xiao Wu,” Director Jia should have just been banned from directing for five years. This time, he was probably bringing “Platform” to Cannes for the first time.
Director Jia, who was looking for his seat, felt someone watching him. He looked up and met Han Zhiyan's gaze. Seeing that the other person seemed to be an Asian mixed-race, he thought for a moment, realized he didn't know him, but still nodded friendly.
Han Zhiyan smiled and nodded, then took out his phone to text Xiao Fei Bao.
As everyone took their seats, the festival jury president, Milos Forman, led the judges onto the stage. Milos Forman was a renowned director, known for films like “One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest” and “Amadeus.”
After the judges' speeches, the surroundings darkened, and the opening film of this year's festival, “Space Cowboys,” began to play.
“Space Cowboys” is a 2000 American adventure drama film directed by and starring Clint Eastwood, also featuring veteran actors like Tommy Lee Jones, Donald Sutherland, and James Garner.
The film tells the story of four “old cowboys”—Frank, Hoyt, Jerry, and Pete—who were once top test pilots for the U.S. Air Force. In the 1950s, they had the chance to become America’s first astronauts but were eliminated due to NASA policy changes and an accidental conflict, leaving their dreams on hold.
Decades later, an old Soviet satellite, “Ikon-1,” is about to crash due to orbital deviation. Its navigation system is the prototype Frank designed years ago, and only the four of them are familiar with its operation. To prevent the satellite from crashing and causing disaster, NASA is forced to invite these four “old pals,” now nearly seventy, to don their uniforms again and board a space shuttle to perform the repair mission. During the mission, they not only face the challenges of their physical capabilities and the dangers of space but also must resolve years of conflict between them, ultimately achieving a tribute to and redemption of their youthful dreams in space.
As the film ended, the film festival's opening ceremony also came to a close.
“Xixi, how's your studies with your teacher going? When I get back, you'll be going into the crew to shoot your scenes.”
Now, if Han Zhiyan and Xiao Fei Bao didn't have anything else going on in the evenings, they would always call and chat for a while.
“I feel incredibly strong now! Uncle Han even praised me for making great progress.” Hearing the somewhat proud little girl on the phone, Han Zhiyan thought, “How could someone with zero experience not improve quickly?”
“Well, I'll have to take a good look when I get back. If you don't act well, I won't call 'cut' on set. You're not allowed to cry then, okay?”
“Hmph, if you bully me, I'll tell Aunt Mia, and she'll spank you.”
Ever since Han Zhiyan broke a ceramic sculpture Old Han gave Mia and was spanked by Mia at home, which Xiao Fei Bao witnessed, she always teased Han Zhiyan about it.
“...”
The next few days involved watching movies daily and then, with Mia, meeting various directors, screenwriters, and behind-the-scenes personnel.
Han Zhiyan's short film was scheduled for screening on the third day. Mia, taking it very seriously, arranged a screening room for him with a capacity of about two hundred people.
After arriving at the screening room early with Mia, he handed the film reel to the projectionist, watched carefully as each step was performed, and then did a test screening. After confirming there were no issues, he went to the entrance of the screening room to welcome the audience.
“Director Jia, welcome, welcome. After the screening, you must give my younger brother some pointers.” A few days prior, he had also seen Director Jia's “Platform,” and the two had gotten acquainted, agreeing that Director Jia would come to support Han Zhiyan today.
As Milos Forman and the judges, who were the last to arrive, entered, and after an introduction by the host, Han Zhiyan briefly introduced himself and his creative concept, then the film began.
Soon after the film ended, waves of applause erupted in the venue. The judges also gave very high praise, and many in the audience were silently shedding tears.
“Although it’s only a sixty-one-minute film, it’s incredibly infectious. With its unique perspective and delicate emotions, it portrays the interwoven themes of regret and love, bringing profound emotional resonance,” Milos Forman said while clapping.
“The use of camera angles and composition is ingenious. The opening shot, with the dark green building contrasting sharply with Heather’s bright pink knit hat, sets an emotional tone of hope within melancholy. Sunlight illuminates Heather’s workplace, symbolizing brightness and hope, while Old John’s home is dominated by muted visuals like white cabinets, emphasizing his loneliness and despair. At the film’s end, in a white frame, the old man’s wife walks in holding a bright green bag, subtly hinting at the old man’s death while also bringing a touch of warmth and release. The use of color cleverly conveys emotional shifts,” commented the French director Claude Chabrol, full of praise.
After seeing off the audience, Han Zhiyan was introduced to the judges by Mia. These were all important figures to befriend in the future.
“Daxier, stop sleeping, stop sleeping! The festival bulletin scores are out. Guess how much you got?” Mia said, waking up Han Zhiyan, who was always half-asleep.
“I'm very confident. I guess 5 points!” Han Zhiyan said, rubbing his eyes.
“You’re way too confident! It’s 4.1 points! A short film getting 4.1 points means an award is practically guaranteed,” Mia said, rolling her eyes at him.
These past few days, Han Zhiyan had been feeling groggy, possibly due to jet lag. During this time, he also had dinner with Director Jia. His experience and knowledge from two lifetimes, combined with his first directorial work being nominated for the main competition, made Director Jia exclaim how promising he was at such a young age.
As the time came to the day before the closing ceremony, Mia paced back and forth in the room.
“Still no call? Is my phone dead?” Mia was a bit anxious.
“Mom, stop pacing. It's only a little past three, and there's nothing wrong with the phone,” Han Zhiyan said, acting nonchalant, but he was also very nervous.
Typically, the day before the film festival's closing ceremony, staff or judges would call the participating directors to invite them to the closing ceremony. This is mainly to avoid the awkwardness of a winner not being present at the awards. Thus, it gradually became an unwritten rule: if you receive a call the day before the closing ceremony, your film is definitely winning an award.
“Hello? Yes, alright, got it, thank you. We will attend on time.” Just as Mia was walking around, exercising in the hotel room of less than thirty square meters, Han Zhiyan received the call to attend the closing ceremony.