Pingyao Film Festival Winners: 'Final Payment' Takes Top Prize

"Final Payment," directed by Niu Niu, won the Fei Mu Award for best film at the 10th Pingyao Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon International Film Festival, organizers announced. The prize carries RMB1 million ($149,000), split equally between the director and the film's China distributor.

Niu Jianrong took best actor for "Final Payment," giving the film two awards on the night. Dong Jie's "Zoom In, Zoom Out" also collected two prizes: the Fei Mu jury award and the Cinephilia Critics' Award.

Xu Zao won the Unitree best director award for his debut animated feature "Light Pillar," which comes with RMB200,000 ($29,800). Sun Yi was named best actress for Wang Xiaozhen's "A Joke." The Fei Mu jury gave a special mention to Cai Chengjie's "Suzhou Quartet," produced by Huang Bo.

In the festival's international strand, Rafiki Fariala's "Congo Boy" won the Roberto Rossellini Award for best film and $20,000, while Rafael Manuel took best director and $10,000 for "Filipiñana."

Short film honors went to Lenti Liang's "Our Secrets," which won the Fei Mu best short film award and RMB50,000 ($7,450), and to Wang Wenting's "Black Goat," which took the Unitree best student short film award, earning RMB30,000 ($4,470) and a Unitree robot dog.

Earlier in the festival, Ann Hui received the Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon East-West Award. Pingyao also honored Marco Müller and Han Sanping with the International Contribution to Chinese Cinema Award, and producer Tang Yan received the 10th Anniversary Award, as reported by Variety.