On January 4, 2026, the 15th "Light and Shadow Chronicle" — China Academy Awards of Documentary Film, a grand annual event in China's documentary industry, concluded successfully at the Communication University of China (CUC) in Beijing. Hosted by CUC, co-organized by its Television School, and undertaken by the China Documentary Research Center of CUC, this ceremony attracted nearly 600 guests from home and abroad, including representatives of media organizations, government agencies, enterprises, universities, studios, and individual practitioners. Together, they witnessed the glory of China's documentary industry.
The Award Ceremony Venue
With the theme of "Being Present", the 15th awards ceremony emphasized touching reality and understanding others through human perspectives and warmth. In an era where technology continuously expands the boundaries of images, it firmly upholds the humanistic essence of documentary filmmaking. The ceremony was hosted by the renowned host Chen Xiaonan.
Distinguished guests in attendance included Hu Zhanfan, former Editor-in-Chief of Guangming Daily, former President of China Central Television, and Vice Chairman of the 10th China Federation of Literary and Art Circles; Jin Delong, Deputy Leader of the Theoretical and Documentary Film Creation Leading Group of the National Radio and Television Administration; Liu Jianzhong, former Director of the Film Bureau of the National Radio and Television Administration, former Director of China Central Newsreel and Documentary Film Studio, and Chairman of Huaxia Film Distribution Co., Ltd.; and Zheng Peng, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and Secretary of the Disciplinary Inspection Commission of CUC. Their presence not only highlighted the high status of the awards in the industry but also reflected the widespread recognition of CUC's leading role in promoting the development of China's documentary sector.
Photo of the Winners, Nominees, and Award Presenters of the Jury Grand Prize
A total of more than 1,270 documentary works from around the world participated in this year's awards, covering a wide range of subjects and styles. After rigorous evaluation by the final review committee, 17 individual awards were announced at the ceremony, including the Best College Student Documentary Award, the Best Innovative Documentary Award, the Best Newcomer Documentary Award, the Best Cinematography Award, the Best Editing Award, the Best Music and Sound Award, the Best Online Documentary Award, the Best Micro - Documentary Award, the Best Mobile Documentary Work Award, the Best International Communication Award, the Best Foreign Language Documentary Award, the Best Documentary Film Award, the Best Historical Documentary Award, the Best Series Documentary Award, the Best Short Documentary Award, the Best Long Documentary Award, and the Jury Grand Prize. Among them, Shen Zhou 13 stood out and was awarded the prestigious Jury Grand Prize, demonstrating the high level of documentary creation at home and abroad. Apart from that, it is worth mentioning that the Best Mobile Documentary Work Award remained vacant, reflecting the rigorous selection standards of the awards.
The Recipients of the "Special Contribution Award" — Zhai Zhigang, Wang Yaping, and Ye Guangfu, Astronauts of the Shenzhou 13 Mission
In addition to the individual awards, the ceremony also set up a special award - giving session to honor those who have made outstanding contributions to the documentary industry. The "Contribution Award for Promoting Documentary Development" was awarded to the National Library of China and the China National Museum of Ethnology, in recognition of their efforts in preserving the national visual memory. The "Special Contribution Award" was presented to Sun Zengtian, Zhang Li, Duan Jinchuan, Li Chengcai, and the Shenzhou 13 astronauts Zhai Zhigang, Wang Yaping, and Ye Guangfu. The Shenzhou 13 astronauts, in particular, made remarkable contributions to documentary creation by conducting China's first large - scale ultra - high - definition live shooting mission in space, capturing the magnificent beauty of space and the Earth from a unique perspective. The "Outstanding Achievement Award" was given to Chen Duo, Liu Jianzhong, Liu Lang, Lin Xudong, Li Ying, and Xu Xiaoming, paying tribute to their long-term dedication and outstanding achievements in the documentary industry.
Since its inception in 2011, coinciding with the centenary of China's documentary industry, the "Light and Shadow Chronicle" — China Academy Awards of Documentary Film has been successfully held 15 times, with venues including the Great Hall of the People, Fangfei Garden of Diaoyutai State Guesthouse, CUC and Langyuan Vintage. Through years of accumulation and development, it has evolved into a series of activities including awards evaluation, film screenings and exchanges, academic forums and project ventures, establishing prestigious platform such as the "China Academy Awards of Documentary Film Ceremony", "Light and Shadow Image" and "Light and Shadow Forum".
As a flagship event in the field of documentaries in China, the awards have always adhered to the benchmarks of academic rigor, professionalism, humanism and cutting-edge vision. Standing at the new starting point of its 15th anniversary, the awards will continue to exert profound and lasting influence in the industry, academic circles and society, promoting the development of China's documentary industry to new heights. For CUC, as the organizer of this prestigious event, it not only demonstrates the university's leading position in the field of media and communication education but also reflects its commitment to promoting cultural inheritance and innovation. Through hosting high-level cultural events, CUC has further strengthened academic exchanges and cooperation with domestic and foreign institutions, providing a high-quality platform for cultivating outstanding documentary talents and making important contributions to the prosperity of China's cultural undertakings.
Group Photo
Looking forward, as the organizer of the China Academy Awards of Documentary Film, CUC will continue to uphold the concept of "rooted in China, facing the world, inheriting culture, and innovating art", and make unremitting efforts to promote the high-quality development of China's documentary industry. The university will further strengthen the construction of documentary disciplines, improve the talent training system, enhance academic research capabilities, and deepen international exchanges and cooperation, striving to cultivate more outstanding documentary talents with international perspectives and humanistic feelings, and make greater contributions to the inheritance and development of Chinese culture and the exchange and mutual learning of world civilizations.
Editors:Fang Yiran, Li Linlu, Ou Chuyao
Managing Editor: Shao Jianyu
Editor-in-chief: Yu Ran, Yang Zhongtian
