Zhang Yimou Honors Centenarian Lu Yan at Golden Goblet Ceremony
SHANGHAI — The 28th Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF) opened on June 13 with a Golden Goblet Gala Night that celebrated the passing of the torch between generations of Chinese cinema. In the evening’s most poignant moment, acclaimed director Zhang Yimou presented the Lifetime Achievement Award to 100-year-old Chinese-American actress Lu Yan at the Shanghai Grand Theatre, as reported by The Paper.
A Historic Night for Chinese Cinema
Lu Yan, born in Beijing in 1927 and known internationally as Lisa Lu, is a pioneering figure who has bridged Hollywood and Chinese cinema for over six decades. She has won three Golden Horse Awards and appeared in landmark films including “The Last Emperor” (1987), “The Joy Luck Club” (1993), and “Crazy Rich Asians” (2018). In May 2025, she became the oldest person ever to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, according to Wikipedia.
Accepting her award, Lu Yan charmed the audience with characteristic wit. “I was born in the Year of the Tiger. This year, by Chinese reckoning, I am 100 years old,” she said. “By today’s standards, I’m also a standard ’00s kid’ (post-2000 generation). Since I’m a ’00s kid,’ I’m still a new generation.” She added, “If there are any roles suitable for me in the future, please be sure to contact me. I’m still here, I can still act. I don’t want to retire, and I still want to keep performing!”
Actress Chen Chong introduced Lu Yan’s life story during the ceremony, recalling how Lu Yan’s home in Los Angeles became “a safe haven” for Chinese filmmakers overseas. “At this age, she still carries a small suitcase and travels all over the world — wherever there’s a role, she goes to film it,” Chen said, as City News Service reported.
Zhang Yimou’s Unprecedented Double Honor
The evening also marked a historic milestone for Zhang Yimou, who received the Outstanding Contribution to Chinese Cinema Award — becoming the first filmmaker to earn this honor twice, having first won it 20 years ago, according to Overseas Idol.
“I’ve been making films for over 40 years, and my original intention has never changed,” Zhang said in his acceptance speech. “Loving cinema, making films with dedication, and telling Chinese stories well — that is what I persist in most. I see this award as a new starting point.”
The ceremony reinforced the theme of intergenerational connection with the presence of a 9-year-old child actor and a 73-year-old retired poster artist, who presented Zhang with a hand-painted portrait incorporating elements from his many films.
Festival Sets Records
SIFF, one of only 17 A-list competitive film festivals worldwide, received approximately 4,100 submissions from 125 countries and regions this year — a new record. More than 420 films will be screened in over 1,600 showings across Shanghai and the Yangtze River Delta region, as PRNewswire reported. Audience enthusiasm was extraordinary, with 250,000 tickets sold within the first 15 minutes of online sales on June 5.
Tony Leung Chiu-wai serves as president of the main competition jury. “I’ve played many characters in many films, yet cinema continues to captivate me,” Leung said. “Through every role, I get to experience different lives and different stories.”
What to Watch For
The Golden Goblet Awards winners will be announced on June 20, and the festival runs through June 22. The opening film, “Afterpiece” directed by Keane T.K. Wong and produced by Derek Yee, made its world premiere at the gala. As the festival continues, the Belt and Road Film Festival Alliance — now including 57 member institutions from 50 countries — underscores SIFF’s growing role as a platform for international cinematic exchange.
For Lu Yan, the Lifetime Achievement Award is clearly not a farewell. As she declared from the stage: “I’m still here, I can still act.”