Deep Quiet Room

Source: Celluloid Dreams

Taiwan’s Deep Quiet Room and Iraq’s The President’s Cake scooped the top prizes on the closing night of the 9th Pingyao International Film Festival.

Shen Ko-shang’s Deep Quiet Room claimed the Fei Mu Award for best film in the festival’s Hidden Dragons section, featuring first or second films by emerging directors. It included a cash prize of $137,000 (RMB1m), half of which is intended to support the filmmaker’s next project while the remainder goes to the film’s Chinese distributor.

The film, in which a husband uncovers dark family secrets after the suicide of his pregnant wife, also won best actor for Joseph Chang.

Hasan Hadi’s The President’s Cake won the Roberto Rossellini Award for best film in the Crouching Tigers section, made up of rising international filmmakers. The feature, about a young girl given the intimidating role of baking Saddam Hussein’s birthday cake, was the first Iraqi film to play at Cannes, where it won the People’s Choice award in the Directors’ Fortnight sidebar.

Further Roberto Rossellini Award-winners included UK-Nigeria filmmaker Akinola Davies Jr, who won best director for My Father’s Shadow, while South Korea’s The World Of Love by Yoon Ga-eun picked up the jury award.

The festival, founded by renowned director Jia Zhangke, rand from September 24-30 in the walled city of Pingyao, in northeastern China’s Shanxi province.

Pingyao International Film Festival 2025 Winners

Fei Mu Awards (Hidden Dragons section)

  • Best film: Deep Quiet Room, dir. Shen Ko-shang (Tai-It)
  • Best director: Zhang Zhongchen, Nighttime Sounds (China)
  • Best actress: Ranice Tay, Amoeba (Sing-Neth-Fr-Sp-S Kor)
  • Best actor: Joseph Chang, Deep Quiet Room (Tai-It)
  • Jury award: The Toddling Youths, dir. Qi Yanyan (China)

Roberto Rossellini Awards (Crouching Tigers section)

  • Best film: The President’s Cake, dir. Hasan Hadi (Iraq-US-Qat)
  • Best director: Akinola Davies Jr, My Father’s Shadow (Nig-UK)
  • Jury award: The World Of Love, dir. Yoon Ga-eun (S Kor)

Further prizes

  • Youth jury award: Amoeba, dir. Tan Siyou (Sing-Neth-Fr-Sp-S Kor)
  • Tong Ye award: Daughters, dir. Miao Zhuangzhuang
  • Netpac award best first film: Daughters, dir. Miao Zhuangzhuang
  • Cinephilia critics award: Amoeba, dir. Tan Siyou (Sing-Neth-Fr-Sp-S Kor)
  • Chinese filmmaker of the year 2025: Huo Meng, Bi Gan, Cai Shangjun
  • Feimu awards best short film: After The Cat, dir. Chu Hoi Ying

Pingyao Project Promotion

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