Chinese Director Wins Award for Best Director at the Sofia International Film Festival

Chinese director Zhou Ziyang, aged 38, won the award for Best Director at the 25th edition of Sofia International Film Festival (SIFF). The award went to Zhou for his film Wuhai, said SIFF in a press release on March 20.

“This movie is really a crystal,” which concentrated the essence of life and traditions from a very big and different country, said SIFF. “Through this movie, we can understand something about another part of the world and about ourselves.”

Wuhai, literally meaning “black sea,” is Zhou’s second feature film. Grounded in realism, it tells the story of a young couple living in the small city of Wuhai, who struggle with financial problems, split, and get back together after a storm.

Zhou has previously won the award for best young director from the Chinese Film Directors’ Guild for his first feature film Old Beast.

SIFF is the biggest film festival in Bulgaria and the only Bulgarian film festival recognized by the International Federation of Film Producers Associations (FIAPF). This year’s edition presented a total of 134 films from 53 countries and regions.