The 2025 Golden Panda Awards announces 27 winners across all categories
The 2025 Golden Panda Awards Ceremony opened in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, on Saturday evening.
The jury president Chen Kaige remarked that world cinema is a dialogue between civilizations. He stated that no culture can truly flourish in isolation; only through exchange can culture be better communicated. He also emphasized that the Golden Panda Awards are not restricted by region and focus solely on the quality of the work. "What we need is not a single culture, but a harmonious coexistence of diverse cultures," he said, adding that the Golden Panda Awards serve as a bridge for cultural exchange.
Winners of the Documentary Category at the 2025 Golden Panda Awards. /The 2nd Golden Panda Awards
The awards in the Documentary Category of the second Golden Panda Awards were the first to be unveiled. The Best Documentary Award was presented to the Norwegian production "A New Kind of Wilderness." The Best Editing Award went to "Memories of WWII," while the Best Cinematography Award was claimed by the German documentary "Parents in the Wild – Mating Games and Birth Days."
The Best Director Award in the documentary category was awarded to Chinese director Gao Song for his work, "My Hometown Across the Ocean."
Winners of the Animation Category at the 2025 Golden Panda Awards. /The 2nd Golden Panda Awards
The awards in the Animation Category were announced next. The Best Animation Award was presented to the Chinese animated feature "Ne Zha 2." The Best Animated Image Award went to the Chinese production "CHANG AN," while the Best Visual Effects Award was given to the Brazilian animation "Tainá and the Amazon's Guardians."
Winners of the TV Drama Category at the 2025 Golden Panda Awards. /The 2nd Golden Panda Awards
The highly anticipated TV Drama Category awards followed. The Best TV Drama award went to the Chinese story "She and Her Girls," a series inspired by the real-life story of renowned Chinese headmistress Zhang Guimei. The drama vividly portrays her unwavering dedication to education, as she commits herself to helping girls from remote mountainous areas gain access to schooling and change their destinies. The show also received the Best Screenplay award in this category. The Best Director award was presented to British director James Strong for his work on "Mr Bates vs The Post Office."
The Best Actress in a Leading Role was awarded to Chinese actress Tang Yan for her performance in "Blossom Shanghai," while the Best Actor in a Leading Role went to actor Francis Ng from the Hong Kong SAR, China, for his role in "Escape From the Trilateral Slopes." The Best Actress in a Supporting Role was given to Irish actress Sarah Greene for her role in "Bad Sisters," and the Best Actor in a Supporting Role was awarded to Chinese actor Guo Xiaodong for "Romance in the Alley." The award for Best Cinematography went to "The Crown – Season 6," and Best Original Score went to "Ludwig."
Winners of the Film Category at the 2025 Golden Panda Awards. /The 2nd Golden Panda Awards
The awards in the Film Category were then revealed. The Best Picture Award went to the Italian production There's Still Tomorrow. Chinese director Pema Tseden was posthumously awarded the Best Director Award for his work Snow Leopard. The Best Screenplay Award was given to Turkish filmmakers Nuri Bilge Ceylan, Ebru Ceylan and Akin Aksu for their work About Dry Grasses.
Chinese actor Zhu Yilong won Best Actor in a Leading Role for his performance in Only the River Flows, while Brazilian actress Denise Weinberg claimed Best Actress in The Blue Trail. The Best Actor in a Supporting Role was awarded to Malaysian actor Jack Tan for Abang Adik, while Danish actress Trine Dyrholm received Best Actress in a Supporting Role for The Girl with the Needle.
Kazakh cinematographer Azamat Dulatov took home the Best Cinematography Award for Qash, and Wan Pin Chu from Hong Kong, China, received the Best Original Score Award for The Last Dance.
Winners of the Special Jury Awards at the 2025 Golden Panda Awards. /The 2nd Golden Panda Awards
The Special Jury Awards were also announced. The International Communication Award for Chinese Stories went to the Chinese production Hotline Beijing, which portrays citizens' experiences with the 12345 public service hotline and the city's responses to public concerns. China Global Television Network (CGTN) received the Special Contribution Award for International Communication.