"Dearest," Peter Chan's gripping drama, was named Best Film. Based on a true story, the movie starred Zhao Wei and Huang Bo. (Photo : TIFF)
Films, filmmakers and actors received awards in the recently concluded 22nd Beijing College Student Film Festival, with Peter Chan's film "Dearest" recognized as Best Film.
It was a close competition; Zhang Yimou's "Coming Home," Jean-Jacques Annaud's "Wolf Totem," and Lou Ye's "Blind Message" were also top contenders for the highly coveted award.
For Peter Chan, however, the fact that the film was well-received is prize enough.
"The success of 'Dearest' actually came after it resonated with the college students. In today's day and age, we must find a way to be in line with youth," he said.
Frenchman Jean-Jacques Annaud was named the Best Director for his feature film, "Wolf Totem," an adaptation of the 2004 autobiographical novel of the same name written by Lu Jiamin.
"College students are the today and tomorrow for China's film. I'm very honored that you have selected and enjoyed my film. This is a big award for me," shared Annaud.
The actors were not entirely forgotten as the film festival recognized individual stars' stellar performances. "Forgetting to Know You's" Tao Hong and "Dearest's" Zhao Wei shared the floor for the Best Actress Award, while Qin Hao won Best Actor for his role in "Blind Massage."
Action star-turned-director Wu Jing was awarded Best Directorial Debut for "Wolf Warriors." He recalled the hardships he overcame during filming and thanked the students for the recognition.
Other winners of the night included Lu Han (Most Popular Actor), Wang Likun (Most Popular Actress) and Zhang Huiwen (Best Newcomer).
The 22nd Beijing College Student Film Festival was organized by the College of Art and Media of Beijing Normal University and co-organized by other national institutions such as the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television.
