Chinese actress Xin Zhilei, who recently won Best Actress at the Venice Film Festival, has found herself at the center of heated debate after responding to accusations that her award was “orchestrated.”
On the day her new film “The Sun at Its Zenith” premiered, Xin posted a lengthy statement denying any “award manipulation.” However, many netizens found her tone defensive, suggesting she had become “arrogant” after winning the award.
During the Venice ceremony, Xin graciously thanked senior actress Zhao Tao—who reportedly lobbied on her behalf. But months later, Xin’s claim that she “didn’t know awards could be arranged” drew widespread skepticism. Her remark—“If awards could be arranged, why did it take 14 years to arrange one for me?”—was seen as dismissive and tone-deaf.
The timing of her post made things worse. Xin’s statement appeared to be a response to actress Hao Lei, who had criticized major film festivals and questioned the legitimacy of Xin’s win, joking that “pulling hair in a movie shouldn’t earn a Venice trophy.”
Despite Xin’s attempt to clarify, her response came as her film underperformed—earning only a few million yuan on its opening day and a projected total under 30 million.
For many viewers, awards mean little without strong box office or audience recognition. As one commentator put it: “Even fifty Best Actors together can’t guarantee a good movie.”
Xin Zhilei’s next step will be crucial. To silence doubts about her acting ability, she’ll need to let her work speak louder than her words.
