Golden Horse Awards: Chinese docudrama about COVID-19 lockdowns wins best narrative feature

Taipei, Nov. 24 (CNA) "An Unfinished Film" (一部未完成的電影), a docudrama about COVID-19 lockdowns, triumphed over strong competitors to clinch the high-profile Golden Horse Award for Best Narrative Feature on Saturday.

The film -- starring Qin Hao (秦昊), Mao Xiaorui (毛小睿), and Qi Xi (齊溪) -- follows a film crew who reunited near Wuhan, China to finally finish a film after production was halted ten years prior, only to find themselves stranded by a lockdown as COVID-19 starts to spread.

The film was put together using documentary footage, online footage from the COVID era and fragments from director Lou Ye's (婁燁) past films, and is a "powerful drama in recognition of a nation's collective trauma," according to its introduction on the Toronto International Film Festival's website.

Lou's wife Ma Yingli (馬英力), the movie's producer, accepted the award on behalf of Lou, who had prior work-related engagements.

"Lou had always said that if he won, he would dedicate the honor to everyone involved in making the movie," Ma said.

She added that the movie had an "unorthodox" production process that progressed organically with how the pandemic developed.

The key message is that anyone can make a movie anytime, even during trying times, Ma said, thanking everyone who participated in making the movie.

Other films nominated for the Best Narrative Feature category included Stranger Eyes (默視錄), Bel Ami (漂亮朋友), Dead Talents Society (鬼才之道), and All Shall Be Well (從今以後).