Posted by unintendedchoice on March 6th, 2012
LTR friend JellyBeanRainbow went to Berlin this weekend & saw Bel Ami AND Rob. Here is her story:
Dear Letters To Rob headquarters,
soooooo, I went to Berlin. To see Bel Ami, to see Rob.
Berlinale palace grand entrance
I kept convincing myself it was fate, but it wasn’t really. I was off that weekend (I wasn’t really, but I’m friends with the girl who does our general schedule and she changed some dates). I was on Twitter when tickets for the movie went on sale and, what a coincidence, I got one (no, I knew beforehand what time the tickets will be on sale and I prepared myself, set up the alarm clock at 10 am, credit card nearby and everything). The 5 star hotel nearby was incredibly cheap and I got a room with a view of the red carpet (true about the price, but I asked the lady at the reception desk for the view).
I was excited to go, but kept asking myself what the hale I was doing and why. I travelled to Berlin and spent hundreds of euros to see a movie. Really?
I stayed at Hyatt hotel where the press conference was scheduled, but I realized that after I booked it. I imagined myself sitting at the hotel lobby bar with a cool diet Coke in hand , cool as fu*k ( the phrase some brit rock stars use) while Rob would arrive and mayhem and madness would start. I imagined myself being able to take a quick look at the press conference hall, a wandering hotel guest, being lost and being allowed to do so, just for a minute. Nothing of this happened as my flight was delayed for more than 5 hours due to snow at the airport I had to travel via on my way to Berlin. I arrived well after the press event was over and Rob was gone.
It was 4 pm by the time I changed and left the room. Red carpet was ready and there were some people, but there was still enough place in the first row on the side. I decided to take place across the red carpet, near the press area. First row, great view, I wouldn’t be able to get a photo or an autograph, but I’d see everything.
My original spot
It was 4:30 and although it wasn’t that cold, around freezing temperature ( it was waaaay below friezing the days before), there was terrible wind and icy rain was starting to fall down. Half an hour of waiting and I was so cold my neck and back started to hurt. I was dressed nicely, as you’re supposed to be for that kind of event, nice coat, a scarf, cute boots… No fleece, no ugly hat, no Edward blanket, like some of the people waiting. Of course I was cold, but I looked good. Later I found out there were people with a banner that said: Freezing for Rob for 30 hours.
Well, I’m not that fan and I had a pneumonia and 3 bad colds this winter so far, so I did the unimaginable: I left the red carpet, I left my good spot, I left the first row and went to the Starbucks to warm myself with a hot cocoa and to check via free wi-fi what was going on.
When I came back there were many more people there, but not only fans of the female kind, also families, older people who would have gone no matter who was the star of the evening. The first row was packed, but there were some empty spaces at the side. I was stupid and didn’t go there, because it looked too far away. What a mistake, Rob went there first to start signing when he finally arrived. I choose to stand on a small pedestal (one of many) at the top of the viewing area. There were no bracelets, no numbered spots, just a few security people. A half an hour before stars were supposed to arrive, anyone could still enter the red carpet fan area.
The view was great and behind me the limousines we’re waiting in line to drive to the red carpet.
I was looking at them and trying I recognize someone inside, I saw Dean, but thought no, it’s too early. Mistake, again, it was Dean and Rob was one of he first to arrive. Everything was calm, if I haven’t seen Rob, I couldn’t tell he was there. No screaming, no mayhem,nothing, just a slight excitement in the air, it could have been anyone famous.
Suddenly I felt I was too far away and wouldnt get any good photos, so I had to go closer to the red carpet. It was easy, people just stayed on their spots and in seconds I was very close to Rob. I took several blurry photos, felt my knees go weak, again starting to ask myself WTF I was doing there, stared at him, forgot to take more photos… and then he went away, walking along first row to the right side. My pedestal wasn’t available anymore so I went to the other side- the second row was still available. Rob stopped signing at the middle of the area and went to the right side and suddenly he was standing almost in front of me, again. Still no screaming among the fans, but a lot of pushing, for a moment I thought we all will fall down. I was so surprised he came to the right side so fast I forgot to put my Bel Ami book out of my bag, but it was too late, couldn’t do it anymore, in a second there was a lot of people behind and around me and I couldn’t move. Took some more photos and he was out of my sight soon.
I couldn’t believe my luck, I placed myself to the right spot twice so far. Well, almost. I felt so great, like an experienced fan, being so good at choosing the place to be, but soon the WTF am I doing moment kicked in. I was so excited, but I was alone. No friend to be excited with next to me. No one to talk about when the limousine stopped right in front of us and the Pattinson family exited. Not in the middle of the red carpet, but at the side. No one recognized them, they walked unnoticed. I was conflicted: should I say something, like “Hi Dick&Claire”, or maybe Hello Mr. and Mrs. Pattinson, so I didn’t say anything. But I was freaking inside, proud of myself that I know who they were… And the WTF moment kicked again.
Pattinson family: Can you believe I was so close an I didn't yell at them?
Pattinsons walked for some time unnoticed, until the official photographers saw them and then they started to pose. I think Victoria was the one with the boyfriend and I remember he looked a little like Stephen from Vampire Diaries, but taller. Some other stars arrived and they posed for cameras forever. At that time there was a lot of people in the fan area some brought the ladders with them and if standing at the back, you couldn’t see anyone on the red carpet anymore. But there were a lot of huge monitors so everyone could see what was happening.
I was taking the photos of monitors from then on. When they finally went inside, Christina, Holliday and Rob signed their huge photos hanging in the lobby and it was over. The majority of people left, but some stayed. I went back into my hotel and looked what’s happening from time to time through my window, but got bored soon. Did the fans really think Rob will exit the place through red carpet and sign some more?
I had ticket for the Bel Ami screening that was the next day, in another place. I too walked the red carpet, but so did everyone who went by. It was just a movie, no cast, no fuss, no announcement…
After the jump, SPOILER ALERT– it’s JellyBeanRainbow’s review of Bel Ami Continue…
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