VENICE, Italy: China’s Xin Zhilei won the Volpi Cup for best actress at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival on Saturday for her leading role in Cai Shangjun’s drama “The Sun Rises on Us All”.
Xin was presented with the trophy by Chinese actor and jury member Zhao Tao. In her acceptance speech she thanked the film’s cast and crew and told young women to “dare to imagine” and pursue their dreams, saying she felt “honoured and proud” to stand on the Venice stage as a Chinese actress.
Cai’s film — which centres on a fraught reunion between former lovers haunted by the past — won praise for its performances, with reviewers singling out the chemistry between Xin and co-star Zhang Songwen.
The awards ceremony also handed the festival’s top prize, the Golden Lion, to Jim Jarmusch’s Father Mother Sister Brother, a surprise choice that beat several frontrunners.
The Silver Lion Grand Jury Prize went to Kaouther Ben Hania’s The Voice of Hind Rajab, while Benny Safdie won best director for The Smashing Machine. Toni Servillo was named best actor for his role in La Grazia.
Ben Hania’s Gaza-set film drew one of the longest standing ovations of the festival and sparked debate over politics on the Lido, underlining the year’s tense backdrop of films that engage with contemporary conflicts.
The Venice jury, chaired by Alexander Payne, delivered a line-up of awards that mixed political documentaries and intimate dramas.
Xin’s win marks a significant European recognition for the 39-year-old actress, who rose to prominence in films such as Crosscurrent and in popular Chinese television, and who has been praised for bringing emotional subtlety to roles that explore ordinary people under strain.
The 82nd Venice International Film Festival ran from 27 August to 6 September on the Lido.
The awards round-off drew strong attention for both its artistic surprises and the political themes threaded through this year’s official selection.
