Liu Jiangjiang
Winner Profile
Best Directorial Debut
Director, Lighting Up the Stars
Jury Citation
In Lighting Up the Stars, director Liu Jiangjiang captures with keen insight the details of daily life in the funeral industry, depicts the characters' inner feelings with accurate empathy, and treats the weighty subject of life and death with humour and warmth. The film's multiple storylines are tight and fluent, its characters are distinct, and it shows the director's precise grasp of everyday life. Winner of Best Directorial Debut.
Lighting Up the Stars: Synopsis
Mortician Mo Sanmei (Zhu Yilong), recently released from prison, meets the orphan Wu Xiaowen (Yang Enyou) at a funeral. The girl's arrival unexpectedly changes his attitude toward his work and his life.