On November 16, the 37th China Golden Rooster Awards ceremony was held at the Xiamen Strait Grand Theatre. Chen Kaige won the Best Director award for his film "The Volunteers: Heroic Charge."

The selection committee noted that the film represents "a breakthrough for Chen Kaige in the epic war genre and a significant advancement for new-generation mainstream blockbusters." Award presenters Yin Li and Li Shaohong presented the trophy to their old classmate.

"The people I want to thank the most are the crew members who have worked alongside us for three years, capturing nearly ten thousand shots, both in front of and behind the scenes. They worked quietly, as ordinary as the volunteer soldiers from seventy years ago, yet they are anything but ordinary. In closing, all the glory and honor belong to the volunteers," Chen Kaige stated in his acceptance speech.

"The Volunteers: Heroic Charge" also received the Special Jury Award at this year's Golden Rooster Awards.