Director Zhang Lü's film Gloaming in Luomu wins the Best Film award at the Busan International Film Festival. Photo: VCG

 The 30th Busan International Film Festival announced its list of winners on Friday, with Chinese films standing out in particular. Director Zhang Lü's film Gloaming in Luomu won the Best Film award, Shu Qi was named Best Director for her film Girl, and director Bi Gan's epic feature film Resurrection received the Artistic Contribution Award.

In her acceptance speech at the awards ceremony, Shu, who is also an actress born in the island of Taiwan, expressed gratitude to the staff and crew involved in making the film, as well as to investors, industry veterans, and her family. Following the announcement of her win, fellow celebrities Li Bingbing and Chen Kun congratulated her on social media platform Sina Weibo.

The Best Film winner, Gloaming in Luomu, stars Chinese actress Bai Baihe and was directed by Chinese filmmaker Zhang. The film tells the story of the protagonist, who, carrying a postcard given by her ex-boyfriend, travels alone to a small town of Luomu. During her stay at a guesthouse, she searches for traces of her former lover. Earlier, at the 78th Cannes Film Festival, Bi's Resurrection had already received the Special Award in the main competition section, and now, at another international film festival, it has brought home the Artistic Contribution award.

Actress and director Shu Qi attends the 2025 Busan International Film Festival. Photo: VCG

Recently, Chinese filmmakers have consistently achieved notable results at influential international film festivals. In addition to Bi's film winning at Cannes, at the 82nd Venice Film Festival, Chinese actress Xin Zhilei won the Best Actress award for her role in The Sun Rises on Us All. Shu's Girl was also shortlisted for the main competition section at the Venice Film Festival.

"Successes at international film festivals have been pouring in, which, to some extent, signify that Chinese cinema has entered a new phase where artistic individuality, cultural confidence, and industrial maturity converge," Shi Wenxue, a veteran film critic told the Global Times on Saturday. "Despite differing in themes and genres, these films share common traits: distinct auteur styles, exploration of universal emotions, and strong cultural roots with local expression. This progress stems from growing cultural confidence and is supported by the expanding Chinese film market and technological advancements," said Shi.

"These achievements are primarily the result of the sustained creative output by Chinese filmmakers over the past two years, especially directors working in arthouse cinema. Their continuous creative efforts and pursuit of uniquely Chinese cultural narratives are the inevitable outcome of such dedication. At the same time, more experienced Chinese filmmakers are now serving as jurors at these international film festivals, helping Chinese cinema bridge cultural gaps and receive greater international attention. This is the power of passing the torch," Li Sixue, a film critic and researcher based in Beijing and London, told the Global Times on Saturday.

Li also noted that these accomplishments will inspire more creators to bring unique Chinese imagination and storytelling to the international stage, using bolder and more experimental approaches to showcase the distinct characteristics of Chinese cinema.

Founded in 1996, the Busan International Film Festival is the first international film festival in South Korea and is one of the most influential film events in Asia, according to Xinhua News Agency.