Smeared Type

The last time I talked with Jay Chen, founder and publisher of Asian Fortune, a monthly newspaper based in the Washington D.C. area, was December 2011. He said he might attend the Detroit Auto Show, and if so, would swing by Chicago. We talked about getting together. He didn’t come, and shortly before the Chinese New Year, we exchanged a couple of emails, wishing each other a happy Year of the Dragon.

I was so shocked and saddened to see the frontline news announcing his passing when I opened the latest issue of Asian Fortune today. Jay had been sending me a copy of his monthly newspaper ever since we met in 2009, and I had told him more than once that Asian Fortune was the only newspaper I read from cover to cover. I could still hear his hearty laughter coming through the phone line.

Jay wrote to me after my book publicist sent him a press release on the publication of Mulberry Child back in 2008. Not only he published the release in his paper, but also assigned a freelance reporter to interview me and published a featured story soon after. We met in January 2009 when he made a stop in Chicago after attending the auto show in Detroit. We had dinner in Chinatown and shared our growing up experiences in China. I gave him a copy of my book when we parted. He accepted the book, but told me politely that he would not read any book about the Cultural Revolution.

He called me two days later, telling me a snowstorm got him stuck on his way back to Washington D.C. in a small hotel in the middle of no where. Having nothing else to do or read, he opened my book.

“I couldn’t put it down,” he said in his booming voice. “I cried,” he added after a pause.

Jay was ten years older than me and lived through the Cultural Revolution, experiencing and remembering a lot more about the absurdities of the time than I do. His comments meant a great deal to me.

We became friends afterward. He introduced me to several Asian organizations and a few of his friends. He was genuinely happy that I wrote the book and wanted me to share my story with more people.

In May of 2010 when I gave a commencement speech at Loyola University Chicago, he congratulated me and released a cover story on my speech written by Jing Zhao, a freelance writer and friend.

“How many copied would like to have?” he called me after the release of the coverage in his paper in June.

“How about 50?” I asked timidly, thinking that might be too many.

“I’ll run some extra and send you 500,” he said without hesitation.

True to his word, 500 copies of the June issue came in the mail in 4 large boxes! I was very touched by his generosity.

We talked over the phone from time to time, or exchanged a few brief messages here and there. He told me he went to China for a month, following a Buddhist master and learning to do meditation. He said he liked taking long walks and kayaking by himself. He was tall for a Chinese, and I often imagined he must look great in his kayaking gears.

I was expecting to see him in Chicago or Washington D. C. sometime soon. At 61, he passed away prematurely, “the result of a brain aneurysm”. I couldn’t make sense of it and couldn’t believe it was true.

I read all the coverage on his passing and his funeral in the paper and online, absorbing all the praises people said about him, which resonated well with my feelings and impression of him—a generous, friendly visionary and a key player in the Asian community.

I’ll always remember and miss him.

By Ellis Goodman

We live in a society that worships youth.  The 18- 34 demographic is the target audience of television, magazines, newspapers, movies and of course fashion.  Worshipping at the “fountain of youth” in this modern age has created a multi-billion cosmetic surgery industry.  Elective surgery that was used for nose jobs, breast enhancement reduction, and other surgeries for medical reasons, is now almost casually used for having “some work done” (facelift), tummy tucks, cellulite reduction, butt-raising, and fat extraction – ugh!

My wife sometimes watches “Desperate Housewives” on television, a program that doesn’t hold much fascination for me.  However, the other evening when she was watching, I could not help but notice the three lead actresses were hardly recognizable from the Hollywood beauties that I had known for many years previously.  Teri Hatcher, Felicity Huffman, and Marcia Cross have all had obvious face lifts.  In my observation, Teri Hatcher a beautiful woman with a wonderful figure, now seems to have a frozen expression on her face and nothing moves above her lips.  Felicity Huffman’s face has been drawn back so dramatically, it appears she can hardly move her lips and her whole head looks lopsided.  Marcia Cross, the beautiful redhead, has been transformed into a China doll and one feels that if she were to laugh or move unexpectedly, numerous cracks would appear.  Even the beautiful Vanessa Williams has “had work done.” 

These actresses of course are not unique.  They’re following the current Hollywood trend, where every actress over 40 believes she has to look 30!  This follows the fashion that today states that today’s 50s are yesterday’s 40s; and 60s are yesterday’s 50s.  Over the past fifteen or twenty years, there has been a mad rush for every actress over 40 to “have work done.”  To my observation as a male film buff, none of these actresses have really benefitted from the surgery.  Maybe they feel they look younger, but in effect, they have eliminated all character from their faces.  Some are worse than others.  Cute little Meg Ryan, for instance, now has the plumped up lips and china-plastered face that makes her look totally robotic with no connection to her former self.  Nicole Kidman “had work done” far too young.  Suddenly she doesn’t look like Nicole Kidman anymore. 

You can continue down the list with a sigh of sadness – Annette Bening, Julianne Moore, cute little Marisa Tomei, and even the “Queen” herself Dame Helen Mirren.  I’m sure Hollywood insecurity drives these actresses to feel that they must reach for a youthful look.  But for the most part, what they think they may gain looking younger, they lose in expression and character.

On many occasions, this elective surgery turns out to be disastrous.  You just have to look at poor old Joan Rivers.  Is that a face from which the old voice, personality and jokes come from?   Surgery is not to be taken lightly and can even be life threatening.  A friend of ours who went through the process ended up with a blood clot that nearly caused her death.  Another friend was so badly mauled during the surgery that, despite many lawsuits, she now has permanent scars for all to see.

I visit the Southern California Desert on many occasions and there large billboards advertise the names of cosmetic surgeons who apparently can perform miracles.  It seems that everybody in that area gets “freshened up” nearly every year.  The results are either horrific, funny, or just downright sad.  A 70-year-old woman with a 40-year-old face but hands and body that are clearly in their 70s, just does not work.  I think I read that film production companies are also taking a tougher line.  Apparently some are calling for auditions by actresses in their “natural state.”  No facelifts allowed.

One can only pray that this fashion or fad of elective, self-destructive surgery will pass.  There is nothing wrong with aging gracefully.  George Bernard Shaw in one of his beautiful descriptions said of a lady of the time, “She had reached the age where a beautiful woman had become magnificent.”  Perhaps our Hollywood actresses should look at the current British series “Downton Abbey” and observe the magnetism of untouched Maggie Smith, not only in her exquisite acting, but also in the character of her face and appearance.

Ellis M. Goodman, author of Bear Any Burden: www.bearanyburden.com

By Ellis Goodman

Image via Wikipedia

My wife and I have recently undergone, in her case surgery, and in mine a colonoscopy.  It’s been an interesting experience to see the flood of paperwork that followed these two procedures.

In her case the total costs of her surgery, which was an outpatient procedure, was $25,000.  Initially, we received notification from the hospital that the procedure was not covered by our insurance and therefore the total amount was due and payable.  I had learned from previous experience, not to panic when one receives that sort of notice.  I did however phone the hospital and make sure that they had all the correct insurance information. They said they would resubmit it, and sure enough the next communication we received from our insurers stated that, “This is not a bill,” but we might owe $728.  Since it was not a bill, I didn’t pay anything but waited patiently.  My wife has Medicare and supplemental insurance, so we were involved with two different insurance parties.   Again, I waited patiently and sure enough the supplemental insurance finally confirmed that they were covering the extra costs and now the amount due was $25.  Altogether I received seven communications on this one surgery experience.

In my case, I had a colonoscopy, a repeat of my previous examination 5 years ago. This saga is still unfolding. I have had numerous communications from my insurer assuring me that “This is not a bill” and indicating the various amounts, gradually declining that are still due for my procedure.  Again I am not panicking and will await patiently, the continuing stream of paperwork that will come through advising me that “This is not a bill” until eventually perhaps I will have to pay some nominal amount to settle these total costs.

We all know that the administrative costs of our healthcare system is not only unbelievably complicated but also accounts for some 60% of our total annual healthcare costs. If Obamacare can achieve one major objective, it should be the simplification of the paperwork procedures and the reduction in administration costs.

I know that there are many in the US that are critical of the single-payer system that exists in Canada and many European countries.  These systems are not perfect, and maybe at the top end, the services are not as good as those in the US.  However all citizens are covered and the systems despite glitches and inadequacies, do work, and at a cost substantially below that of the US.

My daughter lives in Paris, and is covered under the French healthcare system.  Her recent experience I found very interesting.  She had been suffering from back pain for some months and eventually went to her internist to discuss the problem. The internist felt she might have some degradation in her hip, and was possibly walking incorrectly.  He filled in a slip of paper and sent her for an X-ray to a doctor’s office around the corner.  She went and found there was no receptionist, just a very small reception area and no paperwork to be completed.  The radiologist appeared, and escorted her into a room and took the X-ray.  She was told to wait for ten minutes or so, and then received a large envelope, with her X-ray inside and was told to return to her doctor.  She went back to her doctor’s office, gave him the X-ray; and, as a result, he sent her to be fitted for some orthotic shoe supports which would help reposition her hip.  At the end of her visit, she was asked to swipe her Medical card.  She never received a receipt, paperwork, or descriptions of what had transpired, but could have got this information Online, if she had wanted.  The shoe orthotics worked and her pain subsided and now she is fine.

Apparently the purchase of drugs is on a similar basis – swipe the card and that’s it.  Sometimes there are modest payments for drugs but usually only $5-$10.

Now of course, the French pay mightily for this healthcare service and indeed it is probably a disincentive for employers to hire, since the employers are responsible for the major contribution to health care costs. But nevertheless every citizen is covered, and the costs to both employer and employee compare very favorably to healthcare costs in the US and the system appears to work very efficiently.

Maybe there are lessons to be learned.  Perhaps, despite what many of our legislators may think, our healthcare system may not be the best in the world, and before we criticize other countries, we might like to look at their systems closely and see if we can learn something.  Because clearly our healthcare system, as it stands at the moment is unsustainable, our costs are prohibitive and rising, and Obamacare excruciatingly eking out congressional agreement, did not go nearly far enough to solving our problems.

Ellis M. Goodman, author of Bear Any Burden: www.bearanyburden.com

After three sold-out screenings in the “Stranger than Fiction” documentary series in January, Mulberry Child returns to Chicago with 11 screenings from March 30 to April 5 at the Gene Siskel Film Center, in partnership with the Chicago Public Library’s One Book One Chicago spring program.

My heartfelt thanks to you all for your support! The responses I’ve received are overwhelmingly touching. I’m thrilled and humbled.

Please help us spread the word of the upcoming screenings if you have seen the film. For those who couldn’t make it in January, hope you can join us this time. Once again, we strongly recommend obtaining your ticket(s) in advance.

My daughter Lisa and I will do Q & A after the last screening each day except Wednesday, April 4.

“a powerful and touching film,” stated Roger Ebert who gave the film 3 ½ stars.

Read full review.

I had a discussion about the film with Phil Ponce on Chicago Tonight Show, WTTW.

Watch the interview.

MULBERRY CHILD

Directed by Susan Morgan Cooper, USA, 85 min. Narrated by Jacqueline Bisset

This many-layered documentary saga begins in Chicago with a disconnect between Chinese-born Jian Ping and her thoroughly American daughter Lisa Xia, and journeys into the heart of China for a personal history of one family’s trauma and eventual triumph over Mao’s Cultural Revolution. Through colorful reenactments, historical records, and moving interviews, director Morgan Cooper (AN UNLIKELY WEAPON) follows the trail of Mulberry Child, Jian’s powerful memoir of growing up amid the hardship and injustice of the Cultural Revolution, and traces daughter Lisa’s gradual understanding of family love. Presented in partnership with the Chicago Public Library’s One Book, One Chicago program, which features Gold Boy, Emerald Girl by Yiyun Li this spring.

Screening schedule: (Gene Siskel Film Center, 164 N. State, Chicago, tickets are now available at the box office or the Ticketmaster)

Fri, Mar 30th at 8:15pm

Sat, Mar 31st at 3:15pm; 5:00pm; and 7:45pm

Sun, Apr 1st at 3:15pm; and 5:00pm

Mon, Apr 2nd at 6:15pm and 8:00pm

Tue, Apr 3rd at 8:00pm

Wed, Apr 4th at 6:15pm

Thu, Apr 5th at 8:15pm

Hope you can join us at one of the screenings if you are in the vicinity. Thanks.

Jian Ping, autor of Mulberry Child: A Memoir of China

So now we know.  After the circus that was the GOP primary election in Florida, the American people were given a preview of what the general election is likely to look like in November 2012.   Our Democratic election process continues to be eroded. This election will be about the negative advertising of the Super PACs, bankrolled by some of the richest individuals and corporations in America, many of whom under the “Citizens United” decision of the Supreme Court last year, will not have to reveal their sources.

Recent campaign finance reports covering the year ended December 2011 show that corporations and some of the richest people in America have written large checks to both the Republican and Democratic Super PACs that are now exempt from the $5,000 campaign donation limits. So we may well have the leader of the free world – the President of the United States – elected through the funding support of a Las Vegas casino operator, oil and gas billionaires, unions, and the usual Wall Street titans led as always by Goldman Sachs. Also included will be Mitt Romney’s former partners at Bain Capital where he is reputed to have made $240 million.  (With an income in 2011 of over $21 million, the $240 million is more likely to be nearer $400 million.)

With these resources behind them, we can be sure that it’s going to be a bloody election cycle.  We are informed that 92% of the television advertising in Florida paid for by the Super PACs and campaign committees of the GOP primary contenders were negative. Clearly, negative advertising works.  In today’s world, the American people are fed sound bites, fear mongering, and scandals which often substitutes for real news. So it is not surprising that this form of vicious advertising of candidate-against-candidate will influence voters. The GOP primary campaign is surely the most vicious and personal, in living memory.  Even though there are plenty of reasons for candidates’ past activities – both personal and commercial – to be aired in public, the lack of civility and respect is quite awful. No wonder the GOP is deeply divided between the Tea Party Conservatives and the Republican establishment.  Sound bites and negative ads are now substituted for the real facts.  Misleading information, exaggerations and downright lies have become the norm.  As a result, the American people have never been so ignorant of the truth about the current state of affairs in the US.  While the candidates in Florida were desperately chasing the Hispanic vote, it was interesting but perhaps not totally unexpected, to read that 53% of the Florida Hispanics did not know that they were represented by a Hispanic Senator – Mark Rubio.

We know that probably less than two-thirds of the registered voters in the US will actually participate in the general election of the President.  Nevertheless it is already evident that GOP governors in many swing states are putting so-called antifraud voting legislation on the books, requiring voters to produce drivers’ licenses, or identity cards prior to casting their vote. Of course it is mainly the poor Black citizens who will be disenfranchised by this legislation, having neither a driver’s license nor an ID.

Democratic Senator Charles Schumer of New York recently told reporters, “The voters deserve to know the ugly truth of who is behind the Super PACs.” The level of disclosure is totally inadequate.  “American Crossroads,” a conservative Super PAC founded by former Bush White House Campaign adviser, Karl Rove, had raised $51 million at the end of 2011 of which $33 million doesn’t have to be disclosed in terms of who the donors of that money are. The GOP Super PACs are looking to raise over $200 million over the next few months to support Republican prospects in both the Presidential and Congressional elections.  Mitt Romney’s Super PAC’s “Restore our Future,” has already raised $20 million and intends to more than double that amount over the next few months.

When casino owners, oil and gas billionaires, and Wall Street financial institutions, make large donations to the GOP, you can guarantee that they’re expecting a big payoff if their man gets elected.  Is this good for America?   I don’t believe so. There is now so much money in the election process that what we’re seeing is a giant lobbying effort bordering on bribery and corruption.

These elections won’t be pretty. The American people will be undoubtedly influenced by these groups and their negative ads; and, if we continue in this fashion, one day the United States will be led by a puppet, selected by corporations and the wealthiest individuals in America.  If we get there, we will have a dictatorship, in fact if not in name.

Ellis M. Goodman, author of Bear Any Burden: www.bearanyburden.com

Audience at Q & A with Jian and Lisa after watching Mulberry Child

All three screenings of Mulberry Child at the Gene Siskel Film Center were sold out.  I was amazed and touched that the audiences of different ages and backgrounds connected with our life stories!

At our 2^nd screening, I was pleased to see a number of Chinese in the audience. I was most eager to hear what they had to say. The moment I stepped down from the podium after Q & A, a young Chinese woman in her 20s stood up from her front row seat and hugged me.

“Thank you for sharing your story,” she said in a low voice. I realized she was crying.

I put my arms around her as she laid her head over my left shoulder and sobbed. Two of her friends stood by, their eyes welled up with tears.

The young woman lifted her head and gave me an embarrassed smile, wiping away her tears.

“It’s OK,” I said, padding her on her back as she lowered her head over my shoulder again.

Lisa and Jian addressing audience's questions

“Just call your mother tonight and tell her you love her, too,” I said, trying to make it light.

A young Chinese couple, both graduate students from UIC, waited patiently as our conversation kept being interrupted by friends who came to give their congratulations and bid farewell. It turned out that they both came from Changchun, the city where I was born.

“We never learned much about the Cultural Revolution,” the wife said. “I feel I get to know my parents much more by watching your film.”

I was deeply moved by their reaction and comments.

More than two dozens of people lingered behind and talked until the staff at the Gene Siskel Film Center called out to close the theatre at 11 p.m.

The last screening was equally moving. Only one or two people left when we started the Q & A. I felt the connection from the audience and took turns with my daughter Lisa to address their questions on China, our relationship, and the impact of the film on us.

The next day, I found one posting from a Chinese woman named Li. I remembered talking to her the night before. She was Lisa’s age. She wrote: “Every Chinese should watch this film.”

Jian with graduate students from IIT

I received numerous moving comments from my friends via email during the week after the screenings. I was so touched that I selected a few each day to forward to my director Susan and executive producer Ellis, stating these are the “love letters of the day.”

Mulberry Child was so well received by the audience that the Gene Siskel Film Center invited us to come back for a weeklong screening from March 30 to April 5, with 11 shows. The Chicago Public Library also invited us to participate in the spring’s One Book, One Chicago program, stating Mulberry Child would be a “wonderful companion” to the selected book, so we formed a three-way partnership.

I’ve committed to do Q & A with Lisa at the last screening of each day during the screening period. I look forward to connect directly with as many viewers as possible.

Jian Ping, author of Mulberry Child: A Memoir of China, which has been developed into a feature-length documentary film by Susan Morgan Cooper and narrated by Jacqueline Bisset.

At the reception of Mulberry Child

At 7 p.m. on Saturday, January 21, the reception area at the Gene Siskel Film Center became alive with the arrival of our friends, friends’ friends and Mulberry Child’s viewers who had all managed to purchase their tickets in advance.

We had a pre-screening reception, sponsored by Wintrust Commercial Bank. Our first screening in Chicago was sold out three weeks before the scheduled date. Each of us, my executive director Ellis, my daughter Lisa, and I, had received emails or phone calls from friends who tried to get help from us to buy tickets. Unfortunately, we didn’t have access to any—they were all sold out. In the end, I even gave my ticket to a friend.

I was very touched by the support we had received in Chicago and the overwhelmingly positive response from the audience at the Heartland Film Festival in Indianapolis and more recently, the Palm Springs International Film Festival where we had sold out screenings and was selected as “Best of the Fest”, an honor bestowed to only 14 films out of 188 from 73 countries at the festival. We were thrilled.

With Lisa and her friends

Last week in Chicago, shortly before our premiere, we were overjoyed to read Roger Ebert‘s review of Mulberry Child, with a rating of 3.5 stars out of 4. My director Susan was in tears when she heard the news. “Roger Ebert is my god,” she said, referring to his highly-respected film critic voice in the industry.  “You have no idea what an honor that is,” she said to me.

I think I got the idea when Phil Ponce, anchor of the Chicago Tonight Show, opened his interview with me about the film with Roger Ebert’s rating last week.

“This is a powerful and touching film,” Roger Ebert wrote.

We were all “over the moon,” to use a word Ellis said. Indeed, we all felt overjoyed and honored.

At the reception on Saturday, I did the best I could welcome people, only to regret that I had no time or opportunity to introduce them to Susan and Ellis.

I was especially pleased that Lisa introduced me to a few of her friends.

“Tell me if you still love her after watching the film,” I joked with them.

“They will,” Lisa cut in, a big smile crossing her face. “Because they are my friends!”

With my friend and fellow writer Jennifer Anton

We had plenty of food and drink at the reception. Shortly before 8 p.m., everyone walked into the theatre for the screening. Lisa, my supportive husband Francis, Chao, an ITT student who was working with me throughout the evening, and I were the only people remained in the reception area. Lisa and I had both given out our tickets to our friends, and even if we had tickets, we might not have the nerve to watch the film with so many people who know personally, a big difference from attending film festivals at other cities.

We walked into the theatre for Q & A a few minutes before the end of the film. The theatre was very quiet, except for an occasional sniffing from one seat or another, indicating someone was crying. A mere glance on the screen on which my father was giving me his last wave shortly before his passing brought tears to my eyes.

We had a long Q & A session and most of the people in the audience stayed until the last minute.

Thank you all from the bottom of my heart!

Roger Ebert’s full review:

http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120118/REVIEWS/120119987

Interview with Phil Ponce on Chicago Tonight Show, WTTW:

http://chicagotonight.wttw.com/2012/01/19/mulberry-child

Jian Ping, author of Mulberry Child: A Memoir of China.

We finished PSIFF with a bang!

In the afternoon of Saturday, Jan. 14, the eagerly expected list of the “Best of the Fest” was announced. We, the entire crew of Mulberry Child, were thrilled to see (or hear from immediate phone calls or emails) that Mulberry Child was among the 14 narrative and documentary films included in the “Best of the Fest”. There were more than 180 films attending PSIFF, and we all felt so excited and honored that Mulberry Child was regarded as one of the best films at this prestigious festival!

Today Camelot and Regal, the two theatres engaged with PSIFF, will be showing the “Best of the Fest” starting at 10 a.m. Mulberry Child is scheduled for screening at 6 p.m. at the Camelot theatre. See list and screening time at the link below:

http://www.psfilmfest.org//_uploaded/psiff12bestoffestflyerpreliminarylist_774383.pdf

Lisa answering audience's question after a screening of Mulberry Child

We are looking forward to the screenings of Mulberry Child at the Gene Siskel Film Center on Jan. 21, 24 and 26 (tickets for Jan. 21 have been sold out, but the other two days are still available) in Chicago, and at the Sedona International Film Festival in February.

Jian Ping, author of Mulberry Child: A Memoir of China. The feature-length documentary film based on the book is directed by Susan Morgan Cooper and narrated by Jacqueline Bisset.

Lisa and "Nainai"

We had our second sold-out screening at the Regale 9 theatre on Tuesday, Jan. 10. I watched the film on the large screen for the 5^th time and found myself still shedding tears at a few scenes that were so personal to me.

We had a long and animated Q & A session after the screening. A special surprise and delight for me for this screening was to meet “Nainai”, who was 80 years old. Her daughter and son-in-law accompanied her all the way from Los Angeles to attend the screening. I loved her grandmotherly image in the film and was thrilled to hug her and call her “Nainai.”

At Regale 9 Theater

I was able to watch a couple of other films at the Festival while Lisa worked away at her computer or on conference calls most of the time, taking care of her daytime job. During the first 4 days of the film festival, we had two television interviews with KVCR_TV host Gloria Greer and local CBS,  and two radio interviews with Charlie Dyer and Bill Feingold at KNEWS FM 94.3, and attended Variety‘s photo op at the critics’ award luncheon where we faced numerous cameras like a movie star.

We received a lot of positive feedback on the film from fellow filmmakers, festival staff and the audience. We also got several invitations to attend other film festivals. We were thrilled by the response.

Jian Ping, author of Mulberry Child: A Memoir of China, which has been developed into a feature-length documentary film by Susan Morgan Cooper and narrated by Jacqueline Bisset.

Jian, Susan and Lisa, brushing shoulders with the stars at PSIFF

I heard the cheers and yelling from the balcony of my hotel room before arriving at the 23^rd Annual International Awards Gala. I realized the walk on the red carpet had already started. Lisa and I rushed to the hotel lobby in our evening gowns and high heels and joined Susan to go to the Palm Springs Convention Center located half a block away where the Awards Gala was held.

The dark night was illuminated by flashlights from countless cameras as hundreds of people lined up on both sides of the street to watch the arrival of film stars. Everyone attending the Gala appeared as glamorous in their tuxedos and evening dresses as the stars.

The stars. I had never seen any film stars in person before. Watching them step out of their stretch limos and hearing the roar of the crowd, it felt so unreal. Through a forest of raised cameras, I saw George Clooney posing for the paparazzi, Tom Hanks waving, and Jessica Chastain smiling…. Lisa couldn’t resist the temptation to take snap shots of a few stars with her iPhone.

We filed into the Convention Center slowly, accompanied by the clicking and flashing of cameras. We found Ellis and Gillian, already inside, waiting for us at the entrance of the enormous auditorium where formal dinning tables were set up for a record attendance of 1,900 people. A large bunch of purple tulips was displayed on each table as a center piece, lightening up the atmosphere. Waiters dressed in white and black uniforms managed to walk around offering various appetizers, and people gathered in small groups chatting or looking for more opportunities to see the stars.

We eventually made our way to our table, 401, at the 4^th row from the front, a very good seating. Lisa disappeared from us to take more photos of the celebrities as they walked to their tables.

Harold Matzner, Chairman of the Festival, gave a welcome speech; Mary Hart acted as MC of the ceremony. As the evening unfolded, numerous actors and filmmakers were presented with awards, including Gary Oldman, Glenn Close, Brat Pitt, Jessica Chastain and Michelle Williams. As their awards were being announced by equally renowned actors such as Tom Hanks and Al Pacino, clippings of their performances were presented on the three large screens in the front. Waves of cheers and applause filled the auditorium.

It was amazing to see all these stars in person, and surprisingly, they appeared somehow smaller in real life than their images on the film screen.

Hours later, as we walked out of the auditorium to attend the “by-invitation only” after party at the Parker Hotel, my feet were killing me. I wonder how many of the women, who were walking with their heads up and chests high, were experiencing the same kind of pains.

Once outside, I was surprised to see hundreds of people were still waiting outside behind the security lines to see the stars. Despite the exerted efforts of traffic control, numerous limos stood still on the street, unable to move on. There was no way for Ellis to get his car anytime soon, so we walked the short distance to our hotel. By the time he finally came to take us to the after party, Susan and I had changed into more comfortable shoes, though Lisa braved through the rest of the night in her high heels.

Jian Ping, author of Mulberry Child: A Memoir of China, which has been made into a feature-length documentary film by Susan Morgan Cooper and narrated by Jacqueline Bisset.