Chapter 25: The Audition

At the same time, in Zhang Yimou’s studio.

Old Zhang rubbed his temples, kneading his brow with a headache, and leaned back wearily against the sofa. Casting has always been a source of great frustration for him.

Because of the overwhelming criticism he received for "A Simple Noodle Story," Zhang Yimou had become extremely cautious in his work. He didn't dare to collaborate with famous actors. He agreed with Zhang Weiping’s idea to establish their own talent agency, but for the notoriously demanding Zhang Yimou, picking suitable new actors was a task that left him paralyzed by choice.

Moreover, he wasn't just casting for one film, but two: "Under the Hawthorn Tree" and "The Flowers of War." While the two films wouldn't start production simultaneously, neither had its cast finalized. Even the lead actor for "Under the Hawthorn Tree," which he considered the simpler project, remained undecided.

"If there’s really no other way, I’ll just have to pick someone from the Beijing Film Academy!"

His old classmate, Zhang Huijun, currently the president of the Beijing Film Academy (BFA), had called him several times, urging him to prioritize BFA students during casting. The gap between the Central Academy of Drama’s (CAD) performance department and those of other institutions was widening, with the CAD clearly dominating the field. As the president of BFA, Zhang Huijun naturally hoped that Zhang Yimou, who was himself a graduate of the BFA cinematography department, would use BFA actors whenever possible.

The most ridiculous rumor circulating outside was that BFA directors preferred using CAD actors. Was that even reasonable? The rumor grew more absurd by the day, much to the amusement of the folks at the Central Academy of Drama. Yet, the fact remained: Zhang Yimou, the golden boy of the BFA cinematography department, had cast CAD actors as leads in all his films. Zhang Ziyi in "Hero" and "House of Flying Daggers," Gong Li, Liu Ye, and Qin Junjie in "Curse of the Golden Flower," Sun Honglei in "A Simple Noodle Story"... the evidence was ironclad.

That was why Zhang Huijun had to make those calls. Furthermore, parents of prospective acting students were watching; they trusted a great director’s choices, so they naturally wanted their children to get into the best school. Consequently, the Central Academy of Drama’s performance department had no shortage of applicants. The rumor that BFA only took students rejected by CAD—that wasn't true, of course. To dispel it, the BFA had gone to unprecedented lengths to promote Yang Zi and Zhang Yishan, two students who hadn't even considered applying to CAD. They were now the faces of the BFA’s performance department, and reporters hounded them daily.

If Old Zhang continued to use CAD actors this time, Zhang Huijun would likely block the entrance to his studio. Regardless, the president had already made his offer: Zhang Yimou could pick any BFA student he wanted, and they could even hold on-campus auditions. Since it had come to this, Zhang Yimou had to show his old classmate some respect.

Knock, knock, knock!

The sound of the knocking startled Zhang Yimou, who was leaning back, and he straightened up instantly. "Come in!"

In front of outsiders, Zhang Yimou always maintained an appearance of boundless energy. Many veteran journalists had noted that they had never seen Zhang Yimou yawn or doze off—whether it was a facade, a carefully crafted persona, or he simply possessed a constitution of innate, tireless vitality, no one knew.

"Director Zhang, I took some more footage yesterday. Would you like to take a look?"

"There’s one BFA applicant among them that I think is quite good."

Fu Lulu said this while holding a copied flash drive.

"Alright! Let’s have a look."

Zhang Yimou was most concerned about casting right now. He rubbed his eyes and looked toward the projector as Fu Lulu began setting it up.

"Oh, Lulu, there’s a group audition at BFA on the 5th of next month. You’ll have to put in some hard work then."

"Understood!"

Fu Lulu had actually been aware of this for a long time. Every student at the BFA had received a notice from their teachers: Zhang Yimou was looking for a lead actor and actress for his new film, "Under the Hawthorn Tree," and anyone with time could go and audition. This was a "benefit" secured by President Zhang Huijun himself.

"No."

"This one isn't right either..."

The casting footage Fu Lulu had shot over the past two days flashed onto the white wall. One handsome face after another was passed over by Zhang Yimou, until a photo showing a wide-toothed, beaming smile made him reach out: "Wait, go back to the previous one!"

Snap!

Chen Jin stood relaxed, captured in a full-body shot laughing heartily against the setting sun. The image appeared before Zhang Yimou’s eyes.

"This one works!"

Zhang Yimou smiled at Fu Lulu, who then replied with a smile of her own: "That’s actually the student I was referring to!"

She certainly hadn't dared to mention it beforehand, fearing Zhang Yimou might suspect something inappropriate between her and Chen Jin—like backdoor deals or unspoken rules. But by bringing it up now, she ensured Zhang Yimou would acknowledge her eye for talent.

"This smile is very infectious!"

"Do you have other photos?"

Fu Lulu immediately switched to several close-up and focused shots of Chen Jin.

"He can come in for an audition. How many have we got now?"

Zhang Yimou didn't look too closely, just glanced at the screen and asked.

Auditions and casting didn't require long, careful study; it was about a feeling—either it worked, or it didn't. Especially for Zhang Yimou, who came from a background in cinematography, his eye was notoriously sharp. Chen Jin’s smile was what had struck him instantly; it was the point that moved him and what distinguished him from the others. It was very unique.

Among so many casting photos, he was the only one who dared to show his teeth in a hearty laugh, which, of course, made him very recognizable.

"Four. Including this one, four."

"Good. Is he a BFA student?"

Zhang Yimou hadn't paid much attention to Fu Lulu’s initial introduction.

"An applicant!"

"He’s a BFA applicant!"

Fu Lulu said quickly. Zhang Yimou narrowed his eyes and chuckled: "Ha, is it time for the art exams again?"

"It’s been over 20 years. How time flies!"

He had taken the BFA cinematography exam in 1977, back when it wasn't even called the Beijing Film Academy.

"It was the Central May 7th Arts University Film School; it didn't regain its status until '78. I was the oldest person in our class, ha-ha!"

"At first, I wanted to apply to the Art Academy, and then I thought about the Northwest Agricultural College... There were art exams back in '77 too, and it was all about your ability to handle a camera..."

Once he started talking about the art exams of the past, Zhang Yimou became quite talkative. When he opened the floodgates, he had plenty to say.

The entire studio actually knew these old stories, including the time he sold his blood at the State Cotton Mill to buy a Seagull 4-type twin-lens reflex camera—a moment that changed his life... but it certainly wasn't because he was poor. It was because his family didn't support him. They were a prominent family from Lintong; his ancestors were Nationalist officers, and his uncle had lived in Taiwan for years.

"So, Director Zhang, should I call him in for an audition?"

Fu Lulu pointed to Chen Jin’s photo.

"Sure, let’s do tomorrow. Have him come to the company tomorrow afternoon, and I’ll take a look. And schedule the others, too! No point in having everyone running back and forth," Zhang Yimou said.

Fu Lulu stood up immediately: "Right, I’ll go notify them now!"