Shanxi [China], September 30 : Taiwanese director Shen Ko-shang's 'Deep Quiet Room' claimed the top honour at the 9th Pingyao International Film Festival, the Fei Mu Award for best film, along with a cash prize of RMB1 million (137,000 USD), reported Variety.
Half of the prize will support Shen's next project, while the other half goes to the film's Chinese distributor. The jury praised the film's "solid narrative and incisive expression," noting how "the director brilliantly controls the rhythm, and advances the story layer by layer until it reaches its profound core," as quoted by Variety.
Joseph Chang took home the Fei Mu Award for best actor for his performance in 'Deep Quiet Room,' portraying a husband navigating family trauma, reported Variety.
Zhang Zhongchen won best director in the Fei Mu Awards for 'Nighttime Sounds,' with the jury noting his journey 'from a guard in a film academy' to 'self-taught director' who 'composes a poem with his lens.'
Ranice Tay earned the best actress prize for her role in 'Amoeba,' directed by Tan Siyou.
In the Roberto Rossellini Awards section for international films - the Crouching Tigers strand of the festival - Hasan Hadi's 'The President's Cake' won best film, receiving 20,000 USD.
Akinola Davies Jr. took the Rossellini best director prize for 'My Father's Shadow,' shot on 35mm film, whereas Miao Zhuangzhuang's 'Daughters' won both the Tong Ye Award and the Netpac Award for best first film, reported Variety.
Qi Yanyan's documentary 'The Toddling Youths' received the Fei Mu Jury Award.
According to the outlet, in the short film categories, Chu Hoi Ying's 'After the Cat' won the Fei Mu Award for best short film, while Li Longjianhui's 'Quick Pause, Quick Breath' from the Central Academy of Drama took best student short Film.
Special mentions went to Liu Canwen's 'I Wanna Fly' from Shanghai Vancouver Film School and Song Yibo's "Downstream" from Beijing Film Academy.
The festival also presented lifetime achievement honours, including the Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon East-West Award to filmmaker Feng Xiaogang and script supervisor Teruyo Nogami, and the International Contribution to Chinese Cinema Award to Busan International Film Festival co-founder Kim Dong-ho.
The 9th Pingyao International Film Festival concluded on September 30, 2025.