Chinese comedy-drama Her Story scooped the Golden Mulberry for best film at the Far East Film Festival (FEFF) in Udine, Italy. Shao Yihui’s femi
Chinese comedy-drama Her Story scooped the Golden Mulberry for best film at the Far East Film Festival (FEFF) in Udine, Italy.
Shao Yihui’s feminist feature is about a single mother and her friendship with a recent female neighbour, which proved a major box office hit when released in China last November, grossing nearly $100m.
Scroll down for full list of winners
FEFF’s top awards are decided by a public vote and saw the Silver Mulberry go to the extended version of The Last Dance, Anselm Chan’s funeral rites drama that ranks as Hong Kong’s biggest local film of all time.
The Crystal Mulberry went to Like A Rolling Stone. another female-directed Chinese feature that tackles gender equality. Directed by Yin Lichuan, it stars Yong Mei as a 50-year-old woman who breaks free of the past and embarks on a solo driving trip across the country. It also proved a commercial success at the Chinese box office.
The Last Dance – Extended Version added a second trophy on the night with the Black Dragon critics prize.
Winner of the White Mulberry for best first time director was Filipino director Janus Victoria for Diamonds In The Sand, which stars Lily Franky of Palme d’Or winner Shoplifters as a lonely Tokyo salaryman who travels to Manila with a Filipina migrant worker. Jurors for this award comprised Sundance programmer Kim Yutani, Japanese industry veteran Sakoda Shinji and Japanese celebrity Megumi.
The Mulberry for best screenplay went to Japanese psychological thriller Welcome To The Village by Hideo Jojo, the acclaimed director with more than 100 credits to his name.
FEFF titles racked up more than 10,000 hours of streaming on digital platform MYmovies ONE, the most popular of which was Janchivdorj Sengedorj’s hard-hitting Mongolian noir Silent City Driver, to which the MYmovies community awarded the Purple Mulberry prize.
Filmmaker Tsui Hark received the Golden Mulberry for lifetime achievement on Wednesday (April 30), presented by Hong Kong actor Tony Leung Ka-fai, who has starred in several Tsui films including his latest martial arts epic Legends Of The Condor Heroes: The Gallants, which screened after the ceremony.
The following night, Taiwanese actress and filmmaker Sylvia Chang took to the stage of the Udine’s Teatro Nuovo to accept the Golden Mulberry for lifetime achievement. Daughter’s Daughter, for which she received an honourable mention at Toronto in September, screened at the festival alongside a restored version of Tsui’s 1984 comedy Shanghai Blues.
FEFF organisers said that the 27th edition of the festival had recorded 65,000 spectators, 3,000 guests and 1,993 accreditations. Some 77 films from 12 countries were screened, which included 12 world premieres and 22 international premieres.
More than 200 industry professionals attended the Focus Asia platform, which saw Filipino project What’s Left Of Us win the TAICCA/Focus Asia Co-Production Award.
The 28th edition of FEFF is set to run April 24 to May 2, mirroring this year’s dates.
Far East Film Festival Awards 2025
Golden Mulberry: Her Story (China)
Silver Mulberry: The Last Dance – Extended Version (HK)
Crystal Mulberry: Like A Rolling Stone (China)
Black Dragon Audience Award: The Last Dance – Extended Version (HK)
White Mulberry Award (first time director): Diamonds In The Sand, Janus Victoria (Phil-Japan-Malay)
White Mulberry Award (first time director) special mention: The Square, Kim Bo-sol (S Kor)
Mulberry Award (best screenplay): Welcome To The Village, Hideo Jojo (Japan)
MYmovies Purple Mulberry Award: Silent City Driver (Mong)
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