Ne Zha 2 Makes History at China’s Hundred Flowers Awards
The animated blockbuster Ne Zha 2 made history at the 38th Hundred Flowers Awards on August 10, becoming the first animated film to win Best Film in the award’s 64-year history. The ceremony, held at Beijing’s National Speed Skating Oval (“Ice Ribbon”), saw Yi Yangqianxi and Hong Kong actress Michelle Wai take home Best Actor and Best Actress honors, respectively, according to Xinhua News.
A Historic Return to Beijing
The 38th edition marked the Hundred Flowers Awards’ return to Beijing, where the first ceremony was held in 1962. This year’s event, themed “Hundred Flowers Swallow Returns, All Things Flourish in Beijing,” was the first to be held at an Olympic venue, with the ceremony taking place at the “Ice Ribbon” from the 2022 Winter Olympics. Beijing became the only Chinese city to host two major film festivals in the same year, alongside the Beijing International Film Festival, as China News Service reported.
The awards are unique among China’s major film honors as the only national award selected entirely by audience voting. This year, a record 12.673 million valid votes were cast during the public voting phase, with 101 public judges from diverse backgrounds making the final selections on-site at the ceremony, as detailed by Sina.
Winners Across Nine Categories
Ne Zha 2, directed by Jiaozi, won Best Film with 54 votes from the 101 judges. Zhang Yimou’s Silent Awakening took the Outstanding Film award. Da Peng won Best Director for The Lychee of Chang’an, while Xu Luyang, Zhang Ke, and Shen Ao won Best Screenplay for Nanjing Photo Studio, according to Beijing Daily.
Yi Yangqianxi won Best Actor for his role in The Small Me, becoming the youngest actor to win both Golden Rooster and Hundred Flowers Best Actor awards. In an exclusive interview, he reflected on his eight-year journey from newcomer to leading man: “Having good scripts and roles that stimulate me is happiness,” he said. “I know the ups and downs, the moments of pride and breakdown.”
Michelle Wai made history as the first Hong Kong actress to win Best Actress at the Hundred Flowers Awards, taking the honor for The Last Dance. “It’s a great encouragement, somewhat unexpected for me,” Wai said. “Any award is a great encouragement; whether I win or not, I will push myself.”
Other winners included Wang Xiao (Best Supporting Actor, Nanjing Photo Studio), Sa Rina (Best Supporting Actress, Catch the Doll), and Chen Lijun (Best Newcomer, The Swordsman: Wind Rising in the Desert).
Controversy Over Zero Votes
The ceremony was not without controversy. Wang Baoqiang, nominated for Best Actor for Detective Chinatown 1900, received zero votes from the 101 public judges despite the film grossing over 3.6 billion yuan at the box office. His co-star Liu Haoran received only one vote. The result sparked significant online debate, with critics questioning whether the “public” award truly reflects public opinion, as Sina Entertainment reported. This was not the first time a comedy actor received zero votes—Shen Teng faced the same outcome at the 36th awards.
Innovation and Expansion
The 38th awards introduced several notable firsts beyond the animated film victory. The ceremony featured the first AIGC (AI-generated content) category, receiving over 2,000 AI film submissions, and a new short drama honor unit. The opening ceremony was also the first outdoor opening in the award’s history, held at Chaoyang Park Shell Theater, as Dute News noted.
Beijing distributed 20 million yuan in film viewing subsidies through Maoyan and Taopiaopiao platforms, with 16 “super venues” across the city simultaneously broadcasting the ceremony. Ten themed travel routes were also launched in conjunction with the awards, underscoring the event’s role in Beijing’s cultural and economic strategy.
Looking Ahead
The Hundred Flowers Awards’ return to Beijing represents more than a homecoming—it signals the award’s evolution as it embraces new technologies, new formats, and new voices in Chinese cinema. With record audience participation and historic firsts, the 38th edition has set a new benchmark for how China’s “audience award” engages with both its legacy and its future.
As the ceremony concluded, the conversation has shifted to what comes next: whether animated films will continue to break barriers, how AI-generated content will reshape the industry, and whether the awards can bridge the gap between commercial success and critical recognition. For now, the 38th Hundred Flowers Awards have demonstrated that Chinese cinema’s most democratic honor remains as dynamic and contested as ever.