Tong Yao as Gu Jia 
Yu Hewei as Chen Duxiu. The actor was unable to attend due to scheduling conflicts.
The Magnolia Awards are here, and it’s another year of wishing that my favourite shows, or at least recipients deserving of the accolades, take home the awards. It’s always a delicate balancing act when it comes to giving out the awards, but I’m happy to report that there were no major surprises tonight (apart from the fact that Liu Lin didn’t win…again). Best Actress was the closest race this year, and Tong Yao edged out Reyizha to take home the award.
Judges include director Liu Jin (White Deer Plain), director Fu Dongyu (The Thunder), Tao Hong (A Little Reunion), Tong Dawei (A Love For Dilemma) and screenwriter Zhang Lei (Chinese Style Relationship).
Best Television Drama:
- Mining Town 山海情
- Live A Flowing River 2 大江大河2
- Crossing the Yalu River 跨过鸭绿江
- My Best Friend’s Story 流金岁月
- Trident 三叉戟
- Nothing But Thirty 三十而已
- The Age of Awakening 觉醒年代
- Fearless Whispers 隐秘而伟大
- With You 在一起
- Building the Stage 装台
Best Director:
- Zhang Yongxin, The Age of Awakening
- Li Xue, Huang Wei, Like A Flowing River 2
- Shen Yan, My Best Friend’s Story
- Zhang Xiaobo, Nothing But Thirty
- Kong Sheng & Sun Molong, Minning Town
Best Original Screenplay:
- Long Pingping, The Age of Awakening
- Pu Wei & Huang Chen, Fearless Whispers
- Shui Qianmo & Wang Xiongcheng, Go Ahead 以家人之名
- Wang Sanmao, Wei Xi, Xiao Jue, Lei Zi & Lie Na, Minning Town
- Zhang Yingji, Nothing But Thirty
Best Adapted Screenplay:
- Ma Xiaoyong, Building the Stage
- Jia Dongyan, The Message 风声
- Qin Wen, My Best Friend’s Story
- Shen Rong & Lv Zheng, Trident
- Tang Yao, Like A Flowing River 2
Best Actor in a Leading Role:
- Yu Hewei, The Age of Awakening
- Chen Jianbin, Trident
- Huang Xuan, Minning Town
- Wang Kai, Like A Flowing River 2
- Zhang Jiayi, Building the Stage
Best Actress in a Leading Role:
- Tong Yao, Nothing But Thirty
- Ni Ni, My Best Friend’s Story
- Reyizha, Minning Town
- Tan Songyun, Go Ahead
- Yan Ni, Building the Stage
Best Actor in a Supporting Role:
- You Yongzhi, Minning Town
- Li Zefeng, Nothing But Thirty
- Ma Shaohua, The Age of Awakening
- Dong Zijian, Like A Flowing River 2
- Zhang Jiayi, Minning Town
Best Actress in a Supporting Role:
- Huang Yao, Minning Town
- Qin Hailu, Building the Stage
- Liu Lin, The Age of Awakening
- Mao Xiaotong, Nothing But Thirty
- Ren Min, Serenade of Peaceful Joy
Best Cinematography:
- Yang Zhenyu, Minning Town
- Like A Flowing River 2
- The Age of Awakening
- Fearless Whispers
- Building the Stage
Best Art Direction:
- Di Kun, My Best Friend’s Story
- The Age of Awakening
- Serenade of Peaceful Joy
- Minning Town
- Building the Stage
Ni Ni
Nominees Wang Kai, Dong Zijian from Like A Flowing River
Nominees Li Zefeng, Tong Yao, Mao Xiaotong from Nothing But Thirty
Mao Xiaotong 
Tong Yao
Nominees Huang Yao, Reyizha, Huang Xuan from Minning Town
Best Actress nominee Tan Songyun (Go Ahead)
Best Supporting Actress nominee Ren Min (Serenade of Peaceful Joy)
Bai Baihe
Chen Yuqi
Guan Xiaotong
Zhou Yutong
Qin Hailu
Tao Hong
Tao Hong’s dress! So unique and stunning, and she carried it perfectly.
Unlike a lot of c-netizens, my biggest problem with the main awards is actually the Age of Awakening director win. For one, he does not know how to director actors. Every other show nominated had consistent acting even from the extras so that the show felt immersive. The Age of Awakening felt like a play stage where each actor was allowed to run wild with their own acting abilities, with many extras and supporting characters feeling completely out of place.
Must say I’m disappointed Reyizha didn’t win!
Interesting that Age of Awakening won Best Director+Screenplay+Leading Actor, you’d think one that aces these criterion would be the obvious choice for Best TV series xD. I hope it’ll get subbed in English some day.