VENICE, Sept 8, 2025 — On a dreamlike night at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival, 39-year-old Chinese actress Xin Zhilei claimed the Volpi Cup for Best Actress for her compelling performance in The Sun Rises on Us All—making her the first mainland Chinese actress to win the honor since Deanie Ip in 2011, and only the third ever, following iconic names like Gong Li in 1992.
A Triumph Years in the Making
Xin’s award-winning role—Meiyun, a beleaguered retail business owner forced into an emotionally charged reunion with her ex-lover—is subtle, profound, and evocatively performed. Her acceptance speech—“I feel like I am dreaming… I am proud of myself. I am also proud to be a Chinese actress…” —resonated both personally and symbolically.
In The Sun Rises on Us All, directed by renowned auteur Cai Shangjun, Xin’s raw portrayal of human fragility and resilience struck a chord with audiences worldwide. The film, adapted from a Cantonese opera, explores fate, forgiveness, and the quiet moral turbulence of reconnection—narrated with poetic subtlety.
Overcoming Humble Beginnings
Born in 1986 in Hegang, Heilongjiang, Xin grew up in a household marked by hardship. Forced into early responsibility, she juggled caretaking and school before nurturing her passion for the arts. Despite financial pressures, she pursued modeling and acting training at the Central Academy of Drama, ultimately landing minor roles before gradually breaking through.
Her breakthrough came with Crosscurrent (2016), which garnered attention at the Berlin Film Festival. TV fame followed with Ruyi’s Royal Love in the Palace (2018) and Wong Kar-wai’s Blossoms Shanghai (2023)—a testament to her nuanced screen presence.
A Cinematic Shift
Xin’s win signals more than personal triumph; it’s a milestone for mainland talent on the global stage. As echoed by film scholars, her Volpi Cup victory underscores the growing maturity of China’s film sector and the creative potential of post-1980s actors to deliver socially nuanced, artful performances.
Her journey underscores the power of perseverance. From balancing household responsibilities to embracing indie film under harsh filming conditions, Xin’s victory stands as an inspiring story of raw talent meeting artistic opportunity.
