Golden Horse Awards 2025: Zhang Yimou’s Dream Come True
After decades of international acclaim but no Golden Horse nod, Zhang Yimou finally snagged the coveted Best Director prize at Taipei’s glittering ceremony. His latest film, Shadow, is a monochrome masterpiece that looks straight out of a Chinese ink painting – a rare visual feast that paid off big time.
What It Meant for Zhang
When reporters tugged at him backstage, he sidestepingly admitted he hadn’t rehearsed a speech because every director on the stage was a star in their own right. “I’m only getting my first nomination, but maybe I’ll have more chances later,” he joked, his quiet humor lighting the room.
Other Award Winners This Year
- Best Feature Film – An Elephant Sitting Still (also Best Adapted Screenplay)
- Best Leading Actress – Hsieh Ying‑xuan for Dear EX, juggling a widow’s fight against her husband’s lover for inheritance.
- Best Leading Actor – Xu Zheng for Dying To Survive, the outlandish tale of a man turned drug‑pirate broker.
- Best Supporting Actress – Ding Ning for Cities Of Last Things, dazzled in a sleek gold gown.
- Best Supporting Actor – Ben Yuen for Tracey, a veteran stage star stepping into the spotlight again.
- Best New Performer – Si Pangoyod, a child prodigy from Taiwan’s indigenous Tao community, shows a bright future.
Drama & History: A Tonal Shift
With 12 nominations, Shadow took home three technical awards, proving that a film that looks like art can also win in the technical arena. The ceremony was a star‑packed affair, featuring Oscar‑winning director Lee Ang, the return of Gong Li (who once clashed with the awards), Hong Kong’s Andy Lau, Carina Lau, and Eason Chan. Even the jury showcased their evolution, with Gong Li now in charge, seemingly putting past quarrels to rest.
Documentary Showdown
Singapore’s James Leong battled for the documentary title with Umbrella Diaries: The First Umbrella – a deep dive into Hong Kong’s 2014 pro‑democracy movement – only to be edged out by Taiwan’s Our Youth In Taiwan.
It’s hard to forget the tragic note of Hu Bo, the mind behind An Elephant Sitting Still, who passed the devastating news of his 29‑year death last year. Yet the film’s acclaim shines brighter than ever.
In an event where banners, bows, and the whole cinematic world came together, Zhang Yimou’s victory felt like the closing of a long, luminous saga.
