"I hope to provide a new type of art film to international film festivals through Tuya's Marriage, which is more narrative and has the value of appreciation," Wang said. "Filmmakers should respect the aesthetic sensibilities of the ordinary audience and focus on the real life of contemporary China."

Before setting off to Berlin, Wang said on many occasions that Tuya's Marriage was not made for film festivals, and the first consideration was the "viewability" of the film.

From this perspective, Tuya's Marriage is a special film. It has a moving story and vivid images of ordinary people, which can be appreciated and accepted by a mass audience.

"I have all along pursued a balance between an art film and audience appreciation," Wang said. "I believe that as long as the quality of a film is guaranteed, it will be recognized by most viewers. Our audience is relatively rational nowadays."

Having an impact

In 1987, another Chinese director, Zhang Yimou, one of China's fifth-generation directors, won the Golden Bear prize for his film Red Sorghum, the first top honor awarded to a Chinese film at a major international film festival.

In the past two decades, Chinese films have frequently participated in international film festivals and won several prizes. After accepting the Golden Bear prize, Wang said that he hoped to bring some changes to Chinese filmdom as Zhang had done in those years.

"The Golden Bear prize not only will change the life of a director, but will also have some impact on the filmmaking industry of a country," Wang said.

In his view, after Zhang won the Golden Bear prize, China's filmmaking industry entered a period of rapid development for 15 to 20 years. And now, he hopes that the Golden Bear will also bring good luck to his domestic counterparts.

As a leading member of the sixth generation of filmmakers in China, Wang held that in terms of their age, it is right time for the fortysomethings to enter the mainstream. But he also said that compared with the fifth generation of directors, the sixth generation still has a lot to learn.

According to Wang, Tuya's Marriage will be screened in China in April. He hopes this film will attract a domestic audience and become a box-office hit.

In fact, the film sold very well in the overseas market. Wang said that soon after the film's production was completed, a French company purchased the overseas distribution rights.

The Golden Bear prize has also enhanced Wang's confidence in persisting in his unique manner of expression in films. "Paying attention to women and ordinary people is my way of expressing my outlook on life, and now I feel more confident and will have more opportunities to stick to it," he said.

Yu Nan, who played Tuya, was among the favorites to win the best actress award, but missed the Silver Bear prize. Nevertheless, she said she had no regrets. "The Golden Bear is a recognition of all of us, including me. I have no regrets, only happiness," she said.

"I feel very proud that our film won the highest honor of the festival, and I am also happy to see that the audience here can see the beauty of Tuya," she said. "Although she lives a hard life and her dresses are shabby, her heart is strong."

Yu was also the star of Wang's film Jingzhe. The director said Yu fits his films the best, and they have agreed to collaborate in his next film.