The subtitles faded out, and the lights came back on. In the screening room, many people felt as if they were waking from a dream.
After a brief silence, applause erupted throughout the hall. With so few people, it wasn't exactly thunderous, but it was remarkably unified.
Due to budget constraints and other factors, the crew that had joined the production were mostly veterans who scraped by in the low-budget indie film circuit.
As filmmakers, they naturally cared deeply about the movies they made. But after seeing a few of the films they'd worked on in the past, they'd gradually lost all expectations.
Even with support from folks like Brian De Palma, most of the crew hadn't really believed a young guy like Simon could produce anything exceptional. Many had only shown up for this test screening because those big names would be there too.
They never expected the result to blow them away.
With the same few hundred thousand dollars in budget, compared to the B-movies they'd done before—ones that relied solely on sex and gimmicks—Run Lola Run might not be mainstream commercial fare, but it was worlds apart in quality.
In fact, many couldn't help thinking: This is what a real movie looks like.
In the front row, David Giler had been amazed by Simon's talent in filmmaking more than once before. He'd even seen rushes of Run Lola Run multiple times. But now, savoring the film's top-notch score, he was stunned all over again.
Director, screenwriter, cinematographer, lighting, editor...
And now composer.
David Giler was left with nothing but curiosity: What couldn't that kid sitting not far away do?
Beside him, Brian De Palma was lost in his own reflections.
A movie went through so many steps from the spark of an idea to the final cut. Any misstep along the way could result in a finished product that strayed far from the creator's vision.
Audiences often criticized bad films for clunky plots or lack of logic.
But those flops always started with a solid concept or script—otherwise, no studio would shell out tens of millions in investment.
Turning a perfect script into a mangled mess came down to the film's degree of completion.
A movie's completion wasn't just about whether it fully captured the story the script aimed to tell; it encompassed everything from visual effects quality to editing prowess to the score's impact.
After watching the final cut and comparing it to the script he remembered, Brian De Palma realized Run Lola Run was a film with an exceptionally high degree of completion.
If it were a commercial blockbuster, he was certain it would rake in impressive box office numbers.
Even though it wasn't—and its subject matter veered from the mainstream—anyone who saw it, even if the story didn't grab them, would still give it rave reviews.
That was Run Lola Run's edge.
In the screening room, thoughts swirled through everyone's minds.
But if anyone was hit hardest by the shock, it had to be Fox vice president Peter Sanders.
A few months back, when he'd casually heard about the stunning dailies Simon had shot, Peter Sanders had brushed it off.
Sure, the kid might have some talent behind the camera, but he was still a greenhorn fresh in Hollywood. Peter Sanders didn't believe for a second that a youngster like Simon could make a film that was even watchable.
And he'd heard the kid was handling editing, scoring, and a whole mess of other jobs too.
That was just ridiculous.
Pure chaos.
What a shame about that reported $650,000 investment.
As Fox's VP, he only pulled in that kind of figure in a good year, factoring in salary, bonuses, and everything else.
After decades in the industry, Peter Sanders knew all too well that in filmmaking, talent mattered, but experience and seasoning were king. Without grinding through a decade or so and a handful of films, it was impossible to produce something people would respect.
Then, those eighty minutes had completely upended his long-held beliefs.
His initial skepticism had turned into profound shock.
He might not be the most talented guy around, but to reach his position, Peter Sanders definitely had an eye for judging a film's quality.
Like Brian De Palma, he recognized that Run Lola Run was a movie with an incredibly high degree of completion.
A film like this might have a niche audience, but with the right handling, commercial success would be a breeze.
Human nature craved perfection.
A highly completed film was like a jade stone meticulously carved by a master artisan. Compared to shoddy knockoffs, consumers—even if they weren't fans of that particular type of jade—would always lean toward the one that was more refined and exquisite.
Mulling it over in his mind, Peter Sanders saw everyone getting up and chatting animatedly with Simon Westeros. He approached too, but with a distracted air. "Simon, I've got some things to handle back at the office. How about this: come by at four-thirty, and we'll talk."
Simon heard him out, smiled and nodded, then politely escorted him out of the screening room.
After that, everyone mingled warmly for a bit before the crew members who attended the test screening started heading out.
As the leads, Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves made a point to apologize to Simon. Both had new projects lined up and couldn't join him for the trip to Sundance in the coming days.
Simon understood, of course. Sundance was nowhere near the level of the Oscars, let alone the established old-guard festivals. Plus, Sundance didn't even have acting awards, so stars had little incentive to trek out to Park City.
After seeing everyone off one by one, David Giler and Brian De Palma surprisingly stuck around until the end.
Noticing only two women left by Simon's side, David Giler didn't hold back. "Sanders was just posturing earlier—you could tell. He's like that. So don't jump at his terms right away. If you can, hold off until after Sundance. Actually, Simon, I think you should take Run Lola Run to some more prestigious festivals. Cannes, Berlin, Venice—they're all way bigger than Sundance, and with your film's quality, they'd snap it up."
"I get it, David," Simon nodded, then added, "I've thought about Cannes and the like, but the film's only just wrapped, and we missed the deadline for the upcoming Berlin Festival. The others are too far off. Besides, I really want Run Lola Run to focus on the U.S. market."
David Giler nodded in understanding. He knew Simon's reasons for skipping the overseas festivals went beyond that. Funding was a big factor too.
And even if he went, the film would draw attention no problem, but given the subject matter, the odds of winning anything were slim—more likely to come back empty-handed.
The group chatted a little longer before David Giler and Brian De Palma said their goodbyes and left.
Simon retrieved the print of Run Lola Run and headed out of the screening room with the two women.