Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Chinese director Bi Gan won the Special Prize on May 25 at the 78th Cannes Film Festival for his epic fiction feature “Resurrection.”
Director Bi Gan (center) poses with cast members of “Resurrection” on the red carpet at the film’s premiere during the 78th Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, May 22, 2025. [Photo courtesy of Lima Media]
Visionary auteur Bi’s “Resurrection” premiered on Thursday at Cannes to a 10-minute standing ovation and widespread critical acclaim. The art house sensation, starring Yi Yangqianxi, Shu Qi, Mark Chao and Li Gengxi, represents the sole Chinese-language contender in the main competition.
In his acceptance speech, Bi expressed gratitude to the festival, jurors and all those who contributed to his film’s creation on behalf of the cast and crew.
The film has not yet set a release date, but it has sold widely following its world premiere, with companies from Italy, Germany, Spain, Greece, Switzerland, South Korea and others acquiring distribution rights.
“Resurrection” unfolds through labyrinthine-like six sensory chapters of “visual,” “auditory,” “gustatory,” “olfactory,” “tactile” and “consciousness,” mirroring the Buddhist philosophy of the six senses. Set in a world where humanity has lost the ability to dream, one creature remains entranced by fading illusions — until a woman with the rare gift of perception appears, and she ventures into the monster’s dreams to uncover their hidden truth. The director uses this two-hour-and-forty-minute film to showcase his love for cinema, while framing a century-spanning fever dream through sensory and mental dimensions.
On May 23, Bi Gan and the creative team took part in a Cannes press conference to discuss the film’s creative process. When addressing his signature long takes, Bi called them his “most familiar technique,” while Yi Yangqianxi revealed their pivotal sequence took 15 consecutive days of midnight-to-sunrise filming, completed with “ideal weather conditions.” Bi elaborated on the leads: “Yi’s character Fantasmer drifts frenziedly through time and space, while Shu Qi’s embodies absolute rationality — yet becomes mesmerized by his character.”
Within the film’s setting, Yi portrays five distinct roles across the chapters — marking his first multi-character performance. He meticulously crafted their unique voices, postures and movements to embody the director’s vision, creating instantly recognizable traits for these multiple identities.
Renowned Chinese sci-fi writer Chen Qiufan, who served as script consultant for “Resurrection,” described the film as “sci-fi poetry cinema” at a Cannes event on May 19 and revealed his frequent discussions with the director about consciousness.
The film is Bi Gan’s first feature since the 2018 festival sensation “Long Day’s Journey into Night,” a groundbreaking 3D experiment. Festival organizers described his work as a showcase of his evolving creativity that maintains the sensory and poetic qualities defining his style. They also noted that at just 35 years old, he has established himself as a major force in shaping China’s new generation of art house cinema since his directorial debut “Kaili Blues” a decade ago.
At the post-closing ceremony press conference on May 25, jury president Juliette Binoche revealed the jury unanimously created this special award for Bi because of the film’s singular creativity, stating, “‘Resurrection’ is like a UFO — an amazing invention.”
Binoche also remarked on the film’s uniqueness. “Visually, it really moved me. I found it extraordinary. This film allows for dreams, subtexts that we feel and that are real. It’s full of poetry and allows us to feel something within ourselves,” she said.
Bi added, explaining his inspiration: “There should be a film about the cinema that can comfort people in this world full of changes.”
This year’s Cannes Film Festival featured 22 films competing for its top honor — the Palme d’Or. The competition section awards were announced at the festival’s closing ceremony. The Palme d’Or went to Iranian director Jafar Panahi’s “Un Simple Accident.” Joachim Trier’s “Sentimental Value” received the Grand Prix, while the Jury Prize was shared by Oliver Laxe’s “Sirat” and Mascha Schilinski’s “Sound of Falling.” The night’s big winner was Brazil’s “The Secret Agent,” earning best director for Kleber Mendonça Filho and best actor for Wagner Moura. Best actress went to Nadia Melliti for “The Little Sister,” and Belgium’s Dardenne brothers claimed best screenplay for “Young Mothers.”