From prison to Silver Shell: Zhao Xiaohong wins best actress at San Sebastian festival

Chinese actress Zhao Xiaohong's life has taken her from a prison cell to one of world cinema's most celebrated stages.

On September 27, she won the Silver Shell award for Best Leading Performance at the 73rd San Sebastian International Film Festival in Spain for her role in "Her Heart Beats in its Cage", the only Chinese film in this year's main competition.

Directed by Qin Xiaoyu and seven years in the making, the film tells the story of Liao Hong, who is jailed after killing her abusive husband in self-defense. The film follows her life behind bars and her journey to rebuild bonds with her son and mother-in-law after release.

For Zhao, the story is no fiction. At the film's press conference, she revealed, "This film is based on my personal experience. Many of the scenes and images in the film, are experiences I lived in person."

Qin first met Zhao while researching a prison documentary. Struck by her story, he decided to turn it into a feature, with Zhao not only acting but also co-creating the narrative. Her son and mother-in-law joined the cast, playing themselves.

With tears in her eyes, Zhao shared the significance of the project: "When the director approached me, I was nearing the end of my sentence. There's so much I've wanted to express, and this film felt like the right opportunity. Normally, when I share these experiences, no one really understands me. It makes me sad and painful."

This was the only award won by a Chinese film at this year's SSIFF. Zhao also became the third Chinese actress in 2025 to earn Best Actress at an A-list international film festival, following Wan Qian at the 27th Shanghai International Film Festival and Xin Zhilei at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival in Italy.

On stage, she expressed her surprise: "I didn't expect this at all. It's such an incredible gift. At this moment, I want to thank the most important person in my life, myself. Through hardships, struggles, and despair, I never gave up. I stayed by my own side until today."

Zhao ended her speech with encouragement: "To all women facing hardships, wherever you live, if you watch this film and find courage, comfort, or strength in it, that is the greatest meaning of why I made it."