Karst and The Sparrow In The Chimney Triumph at Pingyao International Film Festival
In a remarkable showcasing of cinematic talent, Yang Suiyi’s film Karst secured the top honor at the Fei Mu Awards for emerging Chinese filmmakers during this year’s Pingyao International Film Festival. Meanwhile, Swiss director Ramon Zurcher’s The Sparrow In The Chimney clinched the best film award at the Roberto Rossellini Awards, aimed at up-and-coming international directors.
The Fei Mu jury heralded Karst, which delves into a woman’s journey of rediscovering her childhood in Guizhou Province, for its “great fullness, simplicity, subtlety, and portrayal of both a region and a woman.” The prestigious award comes with a significant cash prize of $143,000, with half allocated to the director for their next project and the other half designated for the Chinese distributor. Notably, this award was partially sponsored by renowned Chinese actor Duan Yihong.
Within the context of the Fei Mu Awards, Tang Yongkang earned the best director accolade for Stars And The Moon. Additionally, Xu Lei’s Green Wave received both the Jury Award and the best actor award for Xu Chaoying. Jiang Zhuojun was awarded best actress for her performance in Zhou Quan’s Betwixt And Between.
The Fei Mu jury consisted of prominent figures, including director Miguel Gomes, Cannes Film Festival’s Christian Jeune, critic Mark Peranson, and filmmakers Qin Hailu and Yu Lik-Wai. In the meantime, the Roberto Rossellini jury praised The Sparrow In The Chimney as a “dark family drama that is warm yet painful,” effectively capturing the emotional complexities among the characters during a two-day birthday gathering for two sisters. The jury’s commendation highlighted the film’s intricate portrayal of trauma and relationships.
The best film award for The Sparrow In The Chimney came with a cash prize of $20,000, again split between the director and the distribution company in China. Boris Lojkine received the best director title for The Story Of Souleymane, while US-Japanese filmmaker Neo Sora garnered the Jury Award for Happyend. India Donaldson from the United States earned a Special Mention for her work on Good One.
The Pingyao International Film Festival, which began on September 24 and concluded on September 30, was founded by acclaimed director Jia Zhangke. Its mission is to spotlight emerging Chinese filmmakers while also introducing global cinema to Chinese audiences. The festival features a project market, Pingyao Project Promotion, which awarded its top prize to Billy’s Almost Lovers.
Other notable winners at this year’s festival included Shen Tao’s Floating Clouds Obscure The Sun, which took home the NETPAC Award for Best First Film, and Zhu Xin’s A Song River, which won both the Youth Jury Award and the Cinephilia Critics’ Award. Wang Chuwei’s Tiger In Cages received the Tong Ye Award.
In a nod to cinematic history, the festival’s Retrospective section showcased restored versions of classics such as Chen Kaige’s Yellow Earth, Satyajit Ray’s Pather Panchali, and Auguste Francois’ Images De Chine. Chen Kaige and Walter Salles were honored with the Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon East-West Award. The festival’s opening film was Liu Juan’s A River Without Tears, and the world premiere of Wang Yitong’s short film Knocking On The Door Of A Fortress highlighted the special presentation during Pingyao Night.