The 20th China Huabiao Film Awards, the nation’s highest honor for films, unveiled its winners in a star-studded ceremony in east China’s Qingdao city on Sunday. The event celebrated outstanding achievements in Chinese cinema from 2022 to 2024.
Ten films received the Outstanding Feature Film award, including Zhang Yimou’s courtroom drama Article 20 and the sci-fi epic The Wandering Earth 2, which also earned director Guo Fan the Outstanding Director award.
Zhang Yi won Best Actor for his performance in Endless Journey, while Kara Wai Ying-hung took home Best Actress for her role in Love Never Ends.
The blockbuster animated sequel Ne Zha 2 received a Special Contribution Award from the National Film Administration for its record-breaking global performance since its 2025 Lunar New Year release.
Shen Haixiong, president of China Media Group, attended the ceremony and presented awards to the winners of the Outstanding Feature Film category and to Ne Zha 2.
Organized by China’s National Film Administration, the Huabiao Film Awards recognized domestic films released between July 2022 and June 2024. The nominees and winners spanned a wide range of genres, including feature films, children’s movies, rural and minority-themed films, and animations. A total of 11 award categories and 20 winning titles showcased the recent developments and trends in Chinese cinema.
The event also highlighted upcoming films for the May Day holiday release and key domestic films for the 2025 festival season, generating excitement for new releases among the public.
This year holds special significance as the world celebrates 130 years of cinema, and China marks the 120th anniversary of its own film industry, reflecting on its rich cinematic history and looking forward to future innovations.
