Chimerica

'For the first time in huge numbers, the ordinary men and women of Beijing

adjoin the student protest,

lending their support to what has now taken on all the appearances

of a peaceful popular uprising against the oppressiveness of Communist rule.'

Er... thanks.

Demonstrators in the Chinese capital Beijing

say they face a military attack in five hours' time

if they don't leave Tiananmen Square.

'Since the government's decision to send in the army,

the determination of the protestors has only increased.'

She wants to know what happens after you get the dream of democracy.

She says, "I know what China is dreaming of. What is America dreaming of?"

Erm...

- "Why are you involved in politics at all?" - "I enjoy it. I enjoy the system."

"I doubt I'll ever be involved in politics beyond what I do now,

- but I do enjoy the system." - Frank Sams speaking.

Hi, Mr Sams. My name is Lee Berger.

I'm a photographer. I did an internship with you last summer.

Lee, it's late. You want a reference, call back tomorrow.

- I know, but I'm in Beijing. - What?

Yeah. I saw what was going on out here with the protest and everything

and I had a little money saved so I... I've been here for, like, ten days.

- In Tiananmen Square? - Yeah. It's incredible.

Yesterday with, like, the army... Do you know what's going on out here?

You mean 300 Chinese protesters being gunned down by their own government?

No, no, it's more that that. It's like...

300? Is that what they're saying?

Where are you now? Are you safe?

Yeah, but I have a few photos and I thought you might be interested.

- How soon can you get it back here? - I don't know.

There are soldiers outside the hotel. I can't make it to the airport.

- Son, are you OK? - They just opened fire on their own people.

- I had no idea it was gonna be like that. - No-one did.

Just sit tight.

Let me see if I can call in a favour.

"BBC might have a spot on their charter."

Oh, fuck. "Lee..."

"Lee?"

I know, I know. Give me 30 seconds, it's coming.

Come on, mother...

A lot of times when you're shooting in those kind of places, there's a lot of dust,

so I like to have a zoom lens. That's an EF24-70mm USM.

It's pretty standard, but... I like it.

OK, we're almost out of time. Does anyone have any questions for Lee?

- Yeah? - Do you know what happened to him?

No, I wish. I went back to Beijing in 1990 to try and identify him,

but if anybody knew anything, they wouldn't say. It's too dangerous, I guess.

He's probably dead by now, anyway, but...

My uncle told me it was a guy called Wang Guanyu.

He was, like, a medical student or something.

I never heard that one.

Erm, can you sign this for me, please?

Sure.

Actually, that's not mine. But you took the Tank Man photo.

I know, but there were, like, six other guys who took a really similar shot.

This one's Jeff Widener's, I think.

Yeah, that's Jeff's. Sorry, I can't sign that.

Hey, listen, good luck. All right?

Laura's got my e-mail if you have any other questions.

- OK. Thanks. - All right, take care.

I cannot wait to watch Hilary make him eat that fucking toupee.

"Hey, Mr Berger, my name's Alex Sguerra, I'm a photojournalist.

I wanted to ask a couple of things about your Syria front page.

I'd be super grateful if you could call me back."

Man, that was so depressing.

- You ready to go get booed in Pennsylvania? - Let's do it!

- "The state of Pennsylvania backs the vote for Donald Trump!" - Thank you.

So Frank says you're gonna win a Pulitzer.

For what, my poetry?

For your Syria front page, your douche noggin.

I don't know about that.

You wanna get a beer after this?

No. Erm...

I just...

Actually, I just went into AA, so...

I was gonna tell you, just it was while you were away,

and I didn't wanna write some cliched e-mail.

- You don't have authorisation. - Oh, that's impossible.

Mel Kincaid, The New York Courier. This is Lee Berger.

Sorry, ma'am, you're not allowed in.

- Do you believe that? - It's not just you, it's your whole organisation.

- Oh, is it, now? - Yes, ma'am. - Well, thank you for that information.

Thank you. Have a nice day. Next, please.

We're blacklisted. The whole newspaper! This is so fucked up!

"...join me in welcoming the next president

of the United States of America,

Donald J Trump!"

Fuck him! He's a joke. Who wants to go to China?

Yeah, I thought you'd like that.

Trump says he's standing up to China, but they're hand in glove,

he takes loans from Chinese banks.

Now, the Beijing business fair runs this week. I want footage.

I want America to hear "Vote Trump" from the enemy's mouth.

- You want video? - Yeah.

New editor's got the bit between her teeth about online content.

- You met Lou yet? - Uh-uh. - No?

Well, when you do, look busy. She's looking to take 10% off every department.

Plus, she made me join Twitter.

Well, it is the internet, Frank. It's not going anywhere.

Yeah, well, I'm still hoping it's a fad.

"Lee, this is Alex Sguerra again.

It's about your Syria picture. I have some questions you need to answer.

I think you know what I'm talking about."

Hey, Zhang Lin, it's Lee.

I think it's, like, 4am for you, but guess what. I'm on a plane to Beijing.

I really hope I get to see you. I miss you, man.

Alright, call me back.

You know that's her third since we sat down?

So?

15 hours next to Zelda Fitzgerald could be a bumpy ride.

A pansy with hair on his chest. Excuse me?

That's what Zelda Fitzgerald called Ernest Hemingway.

Switch seats with me. No.

- So, is this your first trip to Beijing? - Hey, I got a tip for you.

Don't eat the chicken. The average piece of Chinese chicken,

if you were an athlete and you ate this chicken,

the steroids that they pump into that shit, you would fail a doping test.

It is the Lance Armstrong of the poultry world.

OK, it's not my first time.

Oh.

You OK?

Take-off is the worst part. Once we're in the air, you'll be fine.

You know why they tell you to adopt the brace position?

So your teeth don't smash and they can identify your body by your dental records.

Don't be mean. She's scared.

- I'm Lee. - I'm sorry.

You're gonna be fine.

So what are you doing out there?

I'm consulting for an American credit card company.

They are taking a crack at the Chinesemarket.

I'm adapting their profiling system.

- I know, it's very sexy. - Profiling.

I mean, no offence, but you're going to a country of one billion people

to make some boxes to put them in? I mean, come on!

OK, erm, I've had, like, four wines,

but I would say that you are group O, group B characteristics.

Within that, I would place you as an anti-materialist,

maybe a bit of a bright young thing once, but I think that ship has sailed, don't you?

You see your work as a career, not a job.

You identify yourself as international, not national. You have no brand loyalty.

You think cannabis should be legalised, sanitary towels should be subsidised,

Donald Trump is a demagogue, veganism is a good but unattainable goal

and real men do cry.

You know, it's fine to say, "I don't wanna talk."

- You know, you can just say that. - OK.

Shut up! The Tank Man?

That is mental!

I used to wonder what was in his shopping bags.

Yeah, well, there are kids with iPhones who can do my job better than me now.

But I don't know how to do anything else. Kodak ergo sum.

Ooh!

I read that some place. I didn't come up with it. Thought so.

What?

I'm so pissed.

Helen, baby, I just got off a 15-hour flight.

Please do not put words in my mouth.

Say hi from me. Lee says hi.

Yeah, he's fine.

He fucked Margaret Thatcher on the plane.

I know. It's disgusting.

Hey, put Nathan on the line.

- Trump. Yeah, I know him. - I like him very much.

His hair is... defying gravity.

Is China scared of him?

He will destroy America.

Of the two candidates, who do you think would be best for China?

- Hilary is crooked. - Vote Trump.

- Vote Trump! - Vote Trump!

OK. Thank you very much.

- Zhang Lin? - Hey!

- Aghh! - Ohh!

Oh, man, I missed you!

- So, what's the story this time? - Three guesses. - Trump.

An election every four years. No wonder you cannot get anything done.

This is my brother, Jungwei.

You remember Mel, right? - Hi. - So good to see you.

And this is my friend, Tess.

I hope it's OK if I join you.

- Of course. Please, sit. - Thank you.

This is a great place. I hope you can handle the spicy food.

- I love spicy food! - Ah, people always say that!

No, I went back to Beijing in 1990. Zhang Lin was trying to teach me some Mandarin,

but I didn't get very far.

- Have you ever been to New York? - What for?

Starbucks, cockroaches, we have both of those here.

Hey, I teach Crazy English now. Did I tell you?

I take my students to the roof. We yell English into the sky.

You shout, you learn, you conquer English to make China stronger.

It's got sort of a fascist aspect, but it helps with the conjugation.

Tomorrow, hi! This is Tomorrow, she's one of my pupils.

- Hi. - You... the famous photograph? - Me? Am I famous? No.

No, I took one pretty famous photo.

You wanna see it? OK.

Erm... here it is.

I took it in Tiananmen Square in 1989.

After the protest

Hm, I don't know. Sorry.

I think we were followed today.

Probably. You're a journalist.

You don't think it's weird? It's never happened to me before.