China’s ‘Her Story’ Claims Top Prize at Udine’s Far East Film Festival

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This past weekend, the 27th annual Far East Film Festival (FEFF) held in Udine, Italy, came to an end. The Chinese movie “Her Story” was awarded the Golden Mulberry prize, signifying a notable victory for women directors at this prestigious event.

1) In the festival, it was Director Yihui Shao’s blockbuster that received the highest audience-voted honor, known as the top prize. Meanwhile, Anselm Chan’s “The Last Dance – Extended Version” from Hong Kong won the Silver Mulberry. Completing the podium was director Yin Lichuan’s film “Like a Rolling Stone,” taking home the Crystal Mulberry in Mainland China.

2) The audience-selected top honor went to Director Yihui Shao’s box office success, while Anselm Chan’s “The Last Dance – Extended Version” (Hong Kong) earned the Silver Mulberry. Finally, director Yin Lichuan’s “Like a Rolling Stone” from Mainland China won the Crystal Mulberry to round out the winners.

3) The festival’s top prize was given to Director Yihui Shao’s hit movie by popular vote, and Anselm Chan received the Silver Mulberry for his film “The Last Dance – Extended Version” (Hong Kong). Completing the trio of winners was director Yin Lichuan with the Crystal Mulberry for “Like a Rolling Stone,” which hailed from Mainland China.

4) The festival’s top honor, chosen by audience votes, went to Director Yihui Shao’s successful film, while Anselm Chan won the Silver Mulberry for his movie “The Last Dance – Extended Version” in Hong Kong. Finally, director Yin Lichuan took home the Crystal Mulberry for “Like a Rolling Stone,” which was produced in Mainland China.

5) The festival’s highest audience-voted award went to Director Yihui Shao’s blockbuster, and Anselm Chan secured the Silver Mulberry for his film “The Last Dance – Extended Version” (Hong Kong). To complete the winners, director Yin Lichuan won the Crystal Mulberry for “Like a Rolling Stone,” which came from Mainland China.

6) In the festival, Director Yihui Shao’s hit movie was awarded the top honor by audience votes, and Anselm Chan’s film “The Last Dance – Extended Version” (Hong Kong) won the Silver Mulberry. To round out the winners, director Yin Lichuan’s “Like a Rolling Stone” from Mainland China took home the Crystal Mulberry.

7) Director Yihui Shao’s box office success received the festival’s top honor by audience votes, while Anselm Chan’s film “The Last Dance – Extended Version” (Hong Kong) secured the Silver Mulberry. Completing the podium was director Yin Lichuan’s “Like a Rolling Stone,” winning the Crystal Mulberry in Mainland China.

2021’s awards showcased gender equity in Asian filmmaking, as two out of the top three prizes were given to female directors from mainland China. These wins occurred during a festival that was noted for its focus on societal concerns.

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This year’s awards revealed a focus on gender equality within Asian cinema, with two of the top three awards going to female directors from mainland China. The victories took place at a festival that emphasized social issues.

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The 2021 awards spotlighted a push for gender parity in Asian filmmaking, as two out of the top three accolades were presented to female directors from mainland China. These successes occurred within a festival that prioritized societal concerns.

The April 24 to May 2 festival held at Udine’s Teatro Nuovo and Visionario venues attracted massive attendance. Festival organizers Sabrina Baracetti and Thomas Bertacche reported that over 65,000 spectators watched screenings at both locations. Additionally, the event welcomed over 3,000 visitors to the northern Italian city. The number of professional accreditations reached a record high of 1,993, with 130 university cinema students from six different countries among them.

Approximately 200 industry experts actively took part in the Focus Asia industry events, while the Filipino production “What’s Left of Us” was honored with the TAICCA/Focus Asia Co-Production Award.

Additionally recognized were the following winners: “Diamonds in the Sand” by Filipino filmmaker Janus Victoria, which secured the White Mulberry for outstanding debut film, as chosen by jurors Kim Yutani, Sakoda Shinji, and Megumi. The Japanese psychological thriller “Welcome to the Village,” directed by Jojo Hideo, received the Mulberry award for exceptional screenplay. Furthermore, the jury granted a special recognition to Kim Bo-sol’s animated South Korean love story “The Square.

Over 10,000 hours of streaming were recorded on FEFF’s online platform across its 23 digital movies. The Mongolian noir “Silent City Driver” by Janchivdorj Sengedorj was a favorite among viewers, having won the Purple Mulberry award from MYmovies community. Additionally, Hideo Jojo’s Japanese thriller “A Bad Summer” garnered 1,426 hours of viewership.

Sylvia Chang, a Taiwanese actor and filmmaker who was honored with the Golden Mulberry Award for Lifetime Achievement alongside Tsui Hark, expressed the festival’s essence during her acceptance speech. She said, “In these chaotic times we find ourselves in, it’s a blessing that we still have films. We still have movie theaters to visit… whether you seek solace, tears, laughter or shared emotions – at least for those two hours, we can believe that the world is beautiful.

After a triumphant 27th installment, FEFF has officially revealed the dates for its upcoming event. The 28th edition is slated to take place from April 24 to May 2, 2026, right here in Udine.

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2025-05-03 19:16