Rebirth: The Path to Hollywood Queen

Two completely different extreme evaluations

Eva's short film quickly garnered high praise from Rosen and was forwarded to other judges. Eventually, the judges convened a seminar to discuss which high-scoring works would be shortlisted for the competition unit. Each of these works demonstrated a good degree of completion, but the standout was undoubtedly Eva's "The Kingdom Where Angels Come."

What surprised the judges most wasn’t the five-minute long shot—after all, they were seasoned filmmakers from the Irish Film Institute and weren’t easily intimidated. Instead, they were astonished that an 18-year-old freshman majoring in directing, with no prior experience, could produce such a film.

"I think it's a foregone conclusion that this film will be nominated. There's basically no doubt about it. What do you think?" one judge remarked.

"Indeed, when Rosen first showed me this film, I thought it was excellent," another replied.

"After reading that girl's resume, I found it even more interesting," a third added.

"She is a very good candidate. I support her inclusion in the list," came the consensus.

After their discussion, Eva's short film was shortlisted for the competition unit alongside other outstanding works. All shortlisted films would be showcased on the official website of the Irish Film Institute, with a jury of film professionals set to vote for the final winners. Soon, the competition unit was listed on the site, though the names of the directors were temporarily hidden.

The Irish film industry closely followed this competition, as the first-place winner was often a promising newcomer. Many companies were ready with contracts, eagerly awaiting the revelation of this "rookie king." As the shortlisted films were exhibited, viewers were impressed by the exceptional quality of this year's entries, which included rigorous documentaries up to 30 minutes long, thought-provoking dark shorts around 20 minutes, and purely visual pieces of about 10 minutes.

However, it was the five-minute film "The Kingdom Where Angels Descend" that drew the most skepticism. After all, five minutes is typically too short to tell a deep story. Yet, there had to be a reason it made the shortlist, right? When viewers clicked on the short, they were stunned by the long shot that perfectly embodied the concept of "one shot to the end." Its colors, lens work, and texture were all outstanding, earning high praise from both viewers and film professionals alike.

"I originally thought the best would be the 30-minute documentary, but I didn't expect this five-minute film to excite me so much," one viewer noted. “The director is very talented.” The film quickly caused a stir, with clicks soaring as audiences recognized that no newcomer had dared to produce a short film in one continuous shot before. This was an impressive feat!

Media outlets began reporting on Eva's short film, often highlighting it as one of the most stunning entries. Phrases like “A perfect one-shot” and “Stunning colors” filled the headlines. Many expressed a desire to interview the contestants, eager to learn more about the creators behind such exceptional work.

However, as to whether Eva would ultimately win, uncertainty lingered. Other nominated works were also strong contenders with diverse styles that couldn't be directly compared to Eva's. For now, she remained an ordinary college student, attending classes by day and working at night, but always making time to call her mother in County Louth. Growing up in a single-parent household, Eva's mother had been her only caretaker, never mentioning her father, which Eva never questioned—understanding that silence often concealed a painful story.

Eva's mother worried about her daughter's experiences with men, frequently warning her about emotional cheating. Eva would reassure her, saying, "Mom, you think too much. I am not interested in love affairs, and I am not interested in men." But this statement was often misleading.

At school, discussions about the short film competition were rampant, especially within the directing department. “Hey, have you paid attention to this year's competition? There’s a five-minute short filmed in one take!” one student exclaimed. “Wow, it’s amazing! I’ve watched it multiple times. There’s so much to learn from it,” another chimed in. As they debated the film’s merits, Eva felt a swell of pride—it was her work they were discussing.

However, speculation about the director's identity ran rampant, with classmates guessing at the filmmaker’s background. “Maybe it’s a hidden master,” one suggested. “Perhaps a hermit who’s lived in seclusion,” another speculated. No one considered that it might be Eva.

Before the award ceremony, Rosen had a task to perform: interviewing those close to the finalists to gather their thoughts on the candidates. He spoke to Eva’s teachers, who expressed harsh criticism. “This girl is terrible,” one remarked. “She rarely attends class and misses often. I doubt she’ll graduate,” said another. "Her talent is average, and her grades are among the lowest," they echoed.

Rosen was baffled. This was the same girl who created the acclaimed short film? He then interviewed the studio and actors Eva had worked with, receiving a starkly different perspective. They praised her dedication, intelligence, and professionalism. “This girl is a monster!” one actor declared. “She’s truly amazing!”

With such contrasting evaluations, Rosen found himself perplexed.

It seemed Eva had a remarkable talent, yet her school persona painted a different picture. The more he learned about her, the more intriguing she became.