The excitement of the entertainment industry always hides unexpected twists.
Just a few days ago, there was heated debate over the group photo of female stars, and in the blink of an eye, Xin Zhilei emerged with the honor of the Venice Film Festival Best Actress,
using solid achievements to change the direction of the “star ranking” debate—no matter how bright the superficial halo, it cannot outweigh the weight of a trophy.
Group photo positioning sparks controversy: Liu Yifei takes the center stage, why is Xin Zhilei marginalized?
The viral group photo of 11 female stars, dressed in striking red, hides a battle for positioning.
Liu Yifei undoubtedly occupies the center position, “surpassing” the accomplished Song Jia and “overshadowing” the popular Yang Mi,
with eye-catching jewelry around her neck, hands on hips, and a demeanor that exudes the aura of a “high mountain flower”.
Meanwhile, Xin Zhilei was placed on the edge, almost “scraping the floor” alongside Zhang Xiaofei.
Regrettably, her styling did not highlight her advantages: her signature slicked-back hairstyle appeared greasy, her distinctive full lips lost their recognition, and her unique “wild beauty” was diluted among similar red outfits.
At that moment, no one expected that just one day later, the two would completely reverse their fortunes.
How significant is the Venice Film Festival Best Actress award? What allowed Xin Zhilei to make history?
What enabled Xin Zhilei’s comeback was the heavily weighted Venice Film Festival Best Actress award.
As the world’s first international film festival, Venice is known as one of the “three major European awards” alongside Cannes and Berlin, making it extremely difficult for Chinese actresses to win awards—
previously, only Gong Li and Yip Sin-Man had received this honor, and Xin Zhilei is the first from mainland China.
This honor received full recognition: CCTV published an article early in the morning stating that she “brings glory to Chinese cinema,” and even the nearly “semi-retired” Li Bingbing stayed up late to congratulate her.
Interestingly, before winning the award, Xin Zhilei was exceptionally low-key: no pre-marketing, wearing black with the crew on the red carpet, overshadowed by Zhang Songwen,
until the solo shots revealed her “subtly powerful” leopard-like beauty, reminiscent of early Gong Li.
From “bravado” to dream fulfillment: How much hardship is hidden in Xin Zhilei’s comeback?
Before the competition, Xin Zhilei had already prepared for an “early exit”, as her competitors were top-notch; she only wanted to “gain experience”.
However, the judges voted for her unanimously, and when accepting the award, she calmly mentioned her “bravado” from years ago: “I am the international superstar Xin Zhilei”.
Back then, this statement was mocked as “having lofty aspirations”, but now, at just under 40, she solemnly added, “I am the Chinese actress Xin Zhilei”, filled with pride and a deep appreciation for her identity.
This confidence stems from her resilience: she comes from an ordinary family in Hegang, where her “eldest sister acted as a mother” and bore the family responsibilities; at 19, she was discovered by Donnie Yen, not understanding “wrap-up” but knowing “quick money” and thus entered the industry;
her first film was shot in the icy waters of the Yangtze River, and in the same year, her father and grandfather passed away.
This time, she was favored by the director also due to her natural and decisive character in “Flowers and Youth”, which matched her role in “Day Hanging in the Sky”.
Audience feedback praised her acting as “transformed”, carrying the film on her own.
Achievements are the hard currency: what should define the “dignity” of the entertainment industry?
In contrast, Liu Yifei, despite her high luxury and stable popularity, still has a blank slate in her acting career regarding mainstream awards.
Previously nominated for the Bai Yu Lan but withdrew before the awards, losing both face and substance.
This time, although her center position in the group photo aligns with commercial value, the audience values “acting skills, works, and awards” more, and such a center position ultimately lacks support.
After Xin Zhilei won the award, the entertainment industry buzzed with discussions about “Zhou Xun regretting pushing the script” and “the landscape of the 85 flowers is about to change”.
However, the market is not simply “either-or”; Liu Yifei has fashion appeal, while Xin Zhilei possesses solid acting skills, and both shining in their own ways is a healthy ecosystem.
After all, superficial positioning will eventually be forgotten; only real achievements can endure.
Xin Zhilei’s comeback reminds everyone: the dignity of the entertainment industry is not about seizing the center position, but about earning respect through works and awards.