The Berlin Film Festival, similar to the Cannes Film Festival, has several competition sections.
Ethan's No Country for Old Men naturally entered the main competition section, competing with other films for the Golden Bear.
However, in the previous life, No Country for Old Men participated in Cannes instead, so it did not take part in the Berlin Film Festival.
The reason Ethan did not let No Country for Old Men participate in Cannes this time was that, in the previous life, the film had suffered a crushing defeat there and failed to win a major award.
Because of this, he had high expectations for the Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival.
After the official opening of the festival, audiences and film industry personnel from all over the world flooded into the venue.
Compared to other films, the audience turnout for No Country for Old Men was noticeably higher.
That was because Ethan Li Norton's name was more famous than most, and the film had a more striking hook than the others.
Everyone was curious about what kind of psychopathic killer the movie depicted.
And when they came out of the theater, they all agreed that this was the most terrifying and lawless killer they had ever seen.
"That was terrifying! I don't even dare to stay in a motel anymore," a married couple said in an interview with reporters.
"So scary. Do you carry a coin with you? I might never interact with people who carry coins again. Who knows if they'll suddenly make me guess heads or tails and then decide my fate on a whim?" a middle-aged audience member said during an interview.
"This actor needs to be thoroughly investigated! He must be a real killer in secret. Otherwise, there's no way he could act this realistically!" A middle-aged woman, still visibly shaken, commented after watching the film.
The next day, media reports on No Country for Old Men appeared.
"Western crime thriller—The killer in No Country for Old Men unsettles audiences."
The film's reception was somewhat polarizing.
Those who liked it believed it was incredibly realistic, deeply thought-provoking, and had an unconventional narrative. The entire story was filled with suspense and twists, making it an undeniably great film.
Those who disliked it criticized it for the protagonist's absurd death, the killer's random murders going unpunished, and the story feeling utterly confusing, leaving them unsure of what the movie was trying to convey.
Regardless of the opinions, No Country for Old Men was undoubtedly the most discussed film at the festival.
Among the other films in the main competition section, only The Good Shepherd, starring Angelina Jolie and Matt Damon, and Wang Quanan's Tuya's Marriage managed to draw a decent audience turnout.
Throughout the festival, Ethan was constantly being interviewed by the media.
He had always avoided appearing on screen too much, and many journalists and talk shows had trouble getting a hold of him.
However, he had recently decided to accept more interviews and variety show invitations because he needed to build hype for his upcoming film, Inception.
This was not a film he could take lightly.
It was Norton Pictures' first major investment, and only by achieving a staggering box office return could it propel the company to new heights.
More importantly, this film was his key to ascending to Hollywood's top-tier directors.
If Inception succeeded, then every Hollywood studio would welcome Ethan with open arms and entrust their most famous IPs to him.
After all, this was a completely original film that he wrote and directed himself.
If he could achieve massive box office success with such a project, it would be undeniable proof of his capabilities.
Speaking of IPs, although the industry wasn't as obsessed with them yet as it would be in the future, studios had already started recognizing their immense value.
Even a terrible movie could rake in huge profits if it had a strong IP behind it.
For this reason, Ethan had already sent Carl to negotiate with companies like Marvel and DC.
He wanted to acquire the rights to some superheroes to lay the foundation for Norton Pictures' future endeavors.
Although buying out Marvel outright was beyond his reach for now, chipping away at Disney's assets wasn't out of the question.
Moreover, Ethan was already making plans to take Norton Pictures public.
Once the company successfully went public, he could raise a massive amount of capital.
Of course, he had other plans for that money.
He knew that in just a year, the entire U.S. economy—and even the global market—would plunge into a financial crisis.
That would be the perfect opportunity to strike and buy assets at rock-bottom prices.
Even though Ethan wasn't a finance expert and couldn't pull off complex financial maneuvers, he at least understood the simple principle that buying into Goldman Sachs and major bank stocks during the downturn was a surefire way to make money.
Because of this, he desperately needed capital. Inception was a crucial part of his plan to amass wealth.
The festival screenings quickly concluded, and the awards ceremony followed.
Ethan was invited to attend the Berlin Film Festival's awards ceremony.
After walking the red carpet, he took his seat in the front row, right next to The Good Shepherd director, Robert De Niro.
"Hello, Ethan," De Niro greeted him with a handshake and a smile.
Ethan politely responded, "Hello, Mr. De Niro. I'm a huge fan of your performance in The Godfather."
Indeed, Robert De Niro had played Vito Corleone in The Godfather Part II and won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.
The Godfather series was Ethan's all-time favorite, so he naturally admired the actors from it as well.
"Thank you," De Niro chuckled. "If we get the chance, let's work together sometime."
"Of course, I'd love that," Ethan said as he took his seat, chatting with De Niro while waiting for the ceremony to begin.
Soon, the president of the Berlin Film Festival, Dieter Kosslick, stepped onto the stage to announce the winners of the various awards.
First, some awards outside the main competition category were presented, such as the Golden Bear for Best Short Film, which went to Hanro Smitsman's Contact.
The Teddy Award for Best Feature Film was given to Zero Chou's Spider Lilies.
Watching the film crews take the stage to accept their awards, Robert De Niro said, "I watched your No Country for Old Men. I think it's fantastic, especially the killer—what a character."
Ethan pointed toward Javier Bardem, who was seated not far behind them. "Look, the psycho killer himself is right here."
"Wow, his hairstyle has changed, but he's still just as intimidating." Robert De Niro shrugged upon spotting Javier Bardem, putting on an exaggeratedly fearful expression.
"Absolutely." The first thing Javier Bardem did after filming wrapped was cut his hair. Compared to before, his new haircut was much neater, making him look less gloomy than he did in the movie.
But he still looked terrifying.
Especially his smile.
Before long, the festival moved on to the main competition awards. Chairman Dieter Kosslick stood on the stage, picked up a card, and said, "Let's first announce the Silver Bear for Best Actor…"
At that moment, many people turned their gaze toward Javier Bardem.
He smiled slightly.
"Javier Bardem."
"Wow!" Applause erupted throughout the venue.
It was well deserved. Such an outstanding portrayal of a killer was unmatched by any other performance.
Standing on stage, holding the microphone, Javier Bardem said, "Thank you to the jury, thank you to No Country for Old Men, and thank you to Ethan for giving me this opportunity to play this role. Though, I really think that hairstyle was ugly… But that's Anton—he looks ridiculous but is actually the most principled killer."
Ethan smiled and clapped in the audience. After Javier Bardem received his award, the two exchanged a hug.
"Next is the Silver Bear for Best Director. The winning film is… No Country for Old Men, Ethan Norton!"
"Wow!" This time, the applause was even louder. Many were surprised that the jury had awarded this prize to Ethan.
Ethan stepped onto the stage and picked up the microphone. "I feel so lucky to receive this adorable little bear. It reminds me of those sleepless nights I had while working on No Country for Old Men… Now, looking back, everything was worth it. Thank you…"
After expressing his gratitude, he returned to his seat.
Before the awards ceremony, many assumed that Ethan's No Country for Old Men would win at most Best Picture and Best Actor. But now, things seemed less certain.
Who would the jury choose for Best Picture?
The answer was soon revealed.
"For the Golden Bear for Best Picture…" Paul Schrader held up the card, glanced around the audience, and then announced, "No Country for Old Men!"
"Wow!" The entire crew stood up, embracing each other in celebration.
"Congratulations, Ethan!"
"This is amazing, Ethan!"
Ethan and his team took the stage once again. A beaming photo of him was captured by the media and spread across the United States.
"No Country for Old Men sweeps the Berlin International Film Festival with three major awards!"
"No Country for Old Men wins Best Director, Best Actor, and Best Picture—Ethan secures his first international directing award!"
"No Country for Old Men is set for release—will it be the next Juno?"
Although the media kept comparing No Country for Old Men to Juno, anyone who had seen the film knew it wasn't the kind of movie that would achieve a massive box office run.
Not because the story wasn't good, but because its theme and narrative style weren't as broadly appealing.
Its audience reach was simply not as wide as Juno's.
However, everyone agreed that the film would easily recoup its costs and turn a profit. Some even speculated that its worldwide box office might hit the $100 million mark.
Yet, once the film was released, it exceeded all expectations.
"$28 million in its opening weekend!"
Jimmy sat in his office, accompanied by James Wan and Carl.
Ethan sat across from them.
"This is incredible, Ethan! Everything you make is a box office success!" Carl exclaimed. He had watched Ethan rise from nothing and knew exactly how much effort had gone into reaching this point.
"Yeah, Ethan could film a dog, and people would still go to the theater to watch."
Jimmy wasn't just exaggerating. Recently, The Hollywood Reporter had released its director box office rankings.
Ethan ranked fifth, with a total global box office of $1.18 billion.
Steven Spielberg was first, followed by Peter Jackson, and James Cameron was third.
Christopher Nolan was ranked tenth, behind Ethan.
Although Ethan hadn't directed any major blockbusters, every one of his films had achieved impressive box office results across various genres—and he had never lost money.
Because of this, The Hollywood Reporter labeled Ethan as a "Hotpot Director"—someone who could mix any genre together and still make it work.
"No Country for Old Men should do well at the box office. Maybe it'll even surpass $100 million domestically?" Jimmy speculated.
Ethan shook his head. "Not that easy. This film's strong opening weekend aside, I predict its total domestic box office will be around $70 million—not much higher."
No matter how high the film's quality was, its audience reach simply wasn't as broad as Juno's, nor was it the kind of movie people would watch multiple times.
However, the film's DVD sales were expected to be strong. Movie fans wouldn't hesitate to add a Berlin Golden Bear-winning film to their collection.
"Alright, let's move on. James, how are things going?"
Hearing Ethan's question, James Wan replied honestly, "To be honest, not great."
His film Dead Silence had already been released, co-financed and distributed by Lionsgate and Norton Pictures. But its box office performance was dismal.
So far, it had only grossed about $10 million.
It didn't even match No Country for Old Men's opening weekend numbers.
For James Wan, this was a major setback.
"Don't lose heart, James. I remember you once asked for my opinion on this film…" Ethan crossed his arms. "Didn't I say its box office wouldn't be high?"
"You did." James Wan admired Ethan's keen insight—it was spot on.
"But I've updated my thoughts." Ethan grinned. "I think this film's DVD sales will be strong."
"Why?" James Wan was puzzled.
"Because it's scary enough—truly terrifying." Ethan explained, "It's a solid horror film. The problem isn't its quality but rather its lack of visibility and buzz."
"A small-town horror story naturally creates a disconnect with audiences. People watch horror films for excitement and thrills. That's why Saw had a higher box office—its setting in a city, with a focus on punishing wrongdoers, made it more compelling."
"Or, you need to find an angle that genuinely draws people in—like basing it on a real-life event. That's why those cheap slasher films where college students go on a trip still sell. They're objectively bad, but audiences relate to them and want to watch."
"So, you're saying the script needs stronger relatability and universality?" James Wan summarized.
"Exactly. People need to feel like this could happen in real life—or that it already has. That's what makes horror films endure." Ethan had learned a lot from directing multiple movies.
"For example, have you heard of the Society for Paranormal Research?"
"What?" James Wan had never heard of it.
"Carl, explain it to James…"
Carl, who had been looking noticeably thinner lately due to the workload Ethan had assigned him, stood up.
He no longer even had time for his beloved afternoon tea.
But he was becoming increasingly skilled at handling the company's affairs.
Flipping through his files, Carl began explaining his recent findings to James Wan.