Acclaimed Chinese filmmaker Lou Ye was awarded best director late Saturday (Nov 23) night for his docu-drama “An Unfinished Film”, which was also named best picture.
Lou was absent from the ceremony but his wife Ma Yingli read his acceptance speech, describing the film set during China’s lockdown of Wuhan in the earliest stages of the pandemic as “the most special directing job I have ever done”.
Chinese actor Zhang Zhiyong, who also did not attend the awards, won best actor for his performance in Chinese director Geng Jun’s same-sex drama “Bel Ami”.
Hong Kong’s Chung Suet-ying was named best actress for her role in “The Way We Talk”, which is about the deaf community.
Neither “Bel Ami” nor “An Unfinished Film” has been released in China.
Ahead of the awards, MAC spokesman Liang Wen-chieh told reporters that these films “may not be able to be screened in mainland China, but they still hope to have a free platform to participate and express themselves”.
“We welcome (them) very much,” he said.