Actors, directors, writers honored at 28th Shanghai TV Festival
Actor Lei Jiayin and actress Zhao Liying are named Promotion Ambassadors for the Chinese TV Program at the awards ceremony.
The award for best actress in a leading role goes to Wu Yue for "Bright Future."
Lei Jiayin won the Best Actor in a Leading Role award for his touching acting in "A Lifelong Journey."
The 28th Shanghai TV Festival closed on Friday night with a grand ceremony for the Magnolia Awards.
This year's Magnolia Awards honored outstanding productions in categories including Chinese TV drama, foreign TV series, foreign TV film, animation, documentary and variety show.
Belgium series "1985" was given the Best Foreign TV Series/Serial award while American production "Scene from A Marriage" garnered the award for best foreign TV film/miniseries.
The Best Chinese TV Series award went to heart-warming epic series "A Lifelong Journey" and realistic drama "Bright Future," which were also two big winners at the awards ceremony.
Based on Liang Xiaosheng's Mao Dun Literature Award-winning novel, "A Lifelong Journey" tells touching stories of an ordinary family in northeast China over the course of five decades.
Series director Li Lu received the Best Director award. Li said that the award will encourage him to present more excellent dramas that are deeply rooted in reality.
The series' leading actor Lei Jiayin won the Best Actor award for his touching portrayal of a worker.
"As actors we are not perfect," said Lei. "That's why we are eager to depict glamorous characters on the screen to resonate with audiences."
The award for best leading actress went to native Shanghai actress Wu Yue for portraying a rural grassroots cadres in "Bright Future."
"I want to tell every actor that all your efforts will pay off one day," said Wu.
Liu Dan was honored as the Best Actress in a Supporting Role for portraying a desperate mother in "Reset."
Ding Yongdai was named the Best Actor in a Supporting Role for his impressive depiction of a considerate father in "A Lifelong Journey."
"A Long Cherished Dream" by two-time Academy Award-winning British director Malcolm Clarke takes the Best Documentary Series award.
Liu Dan is honored as the Best Actress in a Supporting Role for portraying a desperate mother in "Reset."
Ding Yongdai is named the Best Actor in a Supporting Role for his impressive depiction of a considerate father in "A Lifelong Journey."
The Best Adapted Screenplay award was presented to Wang Hailing and Wang Da'ou also for "A Lifelong Journey" while Wang Xiaoqiang won the Best Original Screenplay award for "Bright Future."
Wang Hailing recalled that she spent three years writing the script in a quiet basement – and she enjoyed the feeling of solitude during the process of writing.
"Script is the foundation of film and TV drama," Wang said. "The final presentation of the production is the architecture above the foundation."
Liu Yongqi received the Best Art Direction award for "Three-Body." The Best Cinematography award went to Yu Xiaochen for "Left Right."
Chinese actor Lei Jiayin and actress Zhao Liying were also named Promotion Ambassadors for Chinese TV Program at the closing ceremony.
"The Fire Within: Requiem for Katia and Maurice Krafft," a joint effort of France, Colombia, Mexico, US, UK and Switzerland received the Best Documentary award.
Sino-UK documentary series "A Long Cherished Dream" by two-time Academy Award-winning British director Malcolm Clarke took the Best Documentary Series award.
In the animation category, "Moominvalley Season 3," a co-production of Finland and UK was named the Best Animation while Chinese series "Yao-Chinese Folktales" won the Best Storytelling award.
In the variety category, "Homes in Beautiful China" and "Chinese Festivals" Series shared the award for best variety program.
