The 15th Beijing International Film Festival (BJIFF) saw the Norwegian marital drama Loveable emerge as the biggest winner, claiming four prestigious awards, including Best Feature Film at the Tiantan Awards. Directed by Lilja Ingolfsdottir, the film not only won Best Feature Film but also earned Best Director, Best Screenplay, and Best Actress for Helga Guren. This marks a major achievement for the small yet impactful production, which tells the deeply personal and empowering story of Maria, a woman who embarks on a journey of self-discovery and healing after the collapse of her marriage. Throughout her emotional journey, Maria learns to embrace her imperfections, finding strength and clarity through the support of those who truly care about her.
Helga Guren, who plays the lead role of Maria, accepted the Best Feature Film award on behalf of the director, who was absent from the ceremony. In her emotional speech, Guren acknowledged the film’s modest scale, highlighting the dedication and hard work of the small crew and cast. “This is a very small project with a small crew and actors, so everyone has given everything to this small feature film,” she said. She also expressed her hope that the film would inspire people to form deeper, more meaningful connections, and help foster relationships built on genuine understanding and love. Guren reflected with gratitude on the work of director Lilja Ingolfsdottir, stating, “I’m so sad Lilja isn’t here. She will be so proud of this. I’m so happy for her because she fought so hard to make this film happen.”
The Tiantan Award, a hallmark of the BJIFF, saw a record number of submissions this year, with a total of 1,794 feature films from 103 countries and regions, a 19% increase compared to last year. The competition was intense, with the films chosen for the shortlist being evaluated by a distinguished jury led by Chinese filmmaker Jiang Wen. Other jury members included renowned personalities like Joan Chen, David Yates, Ni Ni, Teemu Nikki, Vincent Perez, and Tim Yip. Their decision culminated in the selection of winners across ten categories, including Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Screenplay.
One of the highlights of the festival was the award-winning Chinese crime thriller Trapped, directed by Zhang Qi. Set against the tense backdrop of China’s 1995 firearms ban and a devastating sandstorm, the film follows three outgunned police officers as they face a brutal showdown with 44 bandits in a remote border town. This thrilling and visceral tale of survival earned Geng Le the Best Supporting Actor award and recognized Zhang Qi and Sun Yue with the Best Screenplay award. Zhang Qi expressed his passion for filmmaking in his acceptance speech, stating, “Do you remember why you fell in love with cinema? Movies are like elegant rainbows of illusion—they dissolve time into pure experience, letting us surrender to dangerous dreams while savoring every thrill. They forge shared memories among strangers and remind us that other lives also deserve tears or applause.”
Trapped also received high praise from critics, winning the festival’s Critics’ Grid Award for Best Ratings, as voted by accredited press, influential critics, and bloggers. The film is set to open nationwide on May 1, during the Labor Day weekend, promising to captivate Chinese audiences with its intense narrative and exceptional performances.
In a unique twist, this year’s Tiantan Award featured multiple dual winners. The Best Supporting Actor award was shared between Hai Yitian for Better You, Better Me and Geng Le for Trapped. The Best Screenplay award was equally divided between Loveable and Trapped. Additionally, the Best Actor award went to Pierre Bastin and Benjamin Lambillotte, who portrayed local policeman cousins in the Belgian film Vitrival – The Most Beautiful Village in the World.
Another standout was The Message, a collaboration between Argentina, Spain, and Uruguay, which took home three major awards, including Best Artistic Contribution, Best Cinematography for Gustavo Schiaffino, and Best Supporting Actress for Mara Bestelli. The film impressed audiences with its evocative storytelling and artistic execution.
In addition to the competitive categories, the 15th BJIFF also celebrated the remarkable career of veteran Chinese actress Tian Hua, who was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award. At 96 years old, Tian Hua received a heartfelt tribute for her decades-long contribution to Chinese cinema. The ceremony concluded with a stirring salute to Tian Hua’s legacy, acknowledging her as one of China’s most cherished and respected figures in the entertainment industry.
The festival also featured a number of other notable films and performances. The Enrico Berlinguer biopic The Great Ambition won Best Music, and Nawi: Dear Future Me, a Kenya-Germany collaboration directed by Toby Schmutzler, Kevin Schmutzler, Apuu Mourine, and Vallentine Chelluget, received the Special Jury Award. The closing ceremony was a star-studded affair, attended by hundreds of filmmakers and industry professionals, and included performances by singer Zhou Shen.
This year’s BJIFF was part of a larger celebration of cinema, marking 120 years of Chinese cinema and 130 years of world cinema. The nine-day festival was a significant cultural event, featuring forums, masterclasses by French icon Isabelle Huppert and Chinese directors Jia Zhangke and Jiang Wen, and a variety of other activities such as film carnivals, exhibitions, and AI-generated content programs. Over 300 films were showcased in more than 1,000 screenings across 34 theaters in Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei Province, drawing over 190,000 attendees.
The festival also launched the inaugural China Film Global Distribution and Promotion Awards, recognizing domestic and international distributors for their outstanding contributions to promoting Chinese films on the global stage. Additionally, the Beijing Film Life Festival ran concurrently with the BJIFF, attracting millions of visitors to commercial districts and generating significant economic impact for the city. With a combined total of 30.77 million visits across 28 participating districts and consumer spending reaching 11 billion yuan, the event further solidified Beijing’s status as a global cultural hub.
As part of the “China Film Consumption Year” initiative, the BJIFF played a crucial role in integrating cinematic experiences with broader cultural, tourism, and commercial activities. The festival’s success highlighted the growing international recognition of Chinese cinema and its expanding influence on the global film industry.
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