BJIFF 2019: Tiantan Award winners announced at closing ceremony

After seven days of citywide events, film screenings, star-studded forums, and deal signing ceremonies, the 9th Beijing International Film Festival (BJIFF) concluded on Saturday, with the top Tiantan Award for Best Feature Film going to Danish film "A Fortunate Man."

The members of the jury of the 9th Beijing International Film Festival on stage during the closing ceremony, on April 20, 2019, in Beijing. [Photo: CGTN]

The Best Director award was given to Hungary's Laszlo Nemes for his film "Sunset," Iran's Forough Ghajabagli won the Best Actress award for her role in "Tehran: City of Love," and Greece's Aris Servetalis from "The Waiter" snatched the Best Actor award.

Forough Ghajabagli raises the trophy after winning the Best Actress award for her role in "Tehran: City of Love" at the closing ceremony for the 9th Beijing International Film Festival, on April 20, 2019, in Beijing. [Photo: IC]

The Best Supporting Actress went to Dou Jingtong for her role in "The Eleventh Chapter" directed by Chen Jianbin. It was the first foray of Dou, a singer and sognwriter, in the film industry.

John Henshaw from "The Keeper," a UK-Germany co-production, won the Best Supporting Actor award.

"The Eleventh Chapter" won the Best Screenplay award.

Chinese sci-fi film "The Wandering Earth" received the Best Visual Effects. In the film, the wild imagination of Chinese Hugo Award-winning novelist Liu Cixin was beautifully interpreted onscreen, and spectators were blown away by the scene of 10,000 fusion-powered thrusters pushing the Earth out of the solar system.

Star-studded red carpet

A number of big stars turned out for the red carpet before the closing ceremony. The casts of the shortlisted films walked together before embracing the thrilling moment when winners were announced.

Director Guo Fan of "The Wandering Earth" showed up with several actors. The sci-fi film based on Liu Cixin's namesake novel has become the biggest winner of 2019 after its debut during the Spring Festival holiday, claiming over 4.6 billion yuan (690 million U.S. dollars) in its box office earnings.

Director Guo Fan (L2) of "The Wandering Earth" poses on red carpet with crew at the closing ceremony for the 9th Beijing International Film Festival, on April 20, 2019, in Beijing. [Photo: CGTN]

Chinese actor Hu Jun and Kazakh director Xierzati Yahefu represented "The Composer," a co-production between China and Kazakhstan that depicts the story of a Chinese composer stranded in Almaty during the World War II.

Director of "The Eleventh Chapter" Chen Jianbin walked down the red carpet with his wife, actress Jiang Qinqin.

The daughter of "Diva" Faye Wong and a rising star herself Dou Jingtong, who was part of the movie, accompanied them, along with other cast members.

Some of the cast of nominated films, including "Tehran: City of Love", "Iro," "The Wild Pear Tree," "A Fortunate Man," "Ben is Back," "Happier Times, Grump," "Sunset," "Fear," and "The Unorthodox," also strutted their stuff on the red carpet.

Bollywood's "King Khan" Shah Rukh Khan was also in attendance. His movie "Zero" was selected as the closing film of the 9th BJIFF.

Bollywood's “King Khan” Shah Rukh Khan poses for photo at the red carpet, at the closing ceremony for the 9th Beijing International Film Festival, on April 20, 2019, in Beijing. [Photo: CGTN]

Zhang Han, Cheung Ka Fai, Kuo Tsai-chieh, Huang Xiaoming, Song Weilong, Wai Ying Hung, Guan Xiaotong and Tong Liya also walked down the red carpet.

The 9th Beijing International Film festival kicked off on April 13 in Huairou District of Beijing.

This year, a total of 77 corporations reached deals over 40 projects, worth 30.9 billion yuan (4.61 billion U.S. dollars), 18.44 percent higher than last year's edition.