Gong Li, the only actress in the world who starred in films winning the highest awards at all three European film festivals (Berlin International Film Festival, Venice International Film Festival and Cannes Film Festival).
Gong Li served as the jury president and member in several international film festivals, such as the jury president at the 50th Berlin International Film Festival, the 59th Venice International Film Festival, the 16th Tokyo International Film Festival, the 17th Shanghai International Film Festival, as well as the jury member at the 50th Cannes Film Festival.
Internationally, the film Red Sorghum, the acting debut of Gong Li, won Golden Bear at the 38th Berlin International Film Festival. Later, Gong Li won the Best Actress at the 49th Venice International Film Festival for her performance in The Story of Qiu Ju, which was granted the Golden Lion also at the festival. At the Cannes Film Festival in 1994, Farewell My Concubine starring Gong Li was awarded the Golden Palm. In addition, she also won several international awards and titles for the film Breaking the Silence, including the Best Actress and Best Artistic Achievement at the 24th Montreal World Film Festival, the Best Supporting Actress of 59th New York Film Critics Circle and the Best Supporting Actress of the 77th National Board of Review Awards.
In Asia, she was granted the Golden Rooster Awards for twice and The People's Hundred Flowers Awards for three times, the most prestigious awards in China, titled the Outstanding Actress of Ornamental Column Awards in 2016, the Best Actress at Changchun Film Festival and China Film Director's Guild Awards. Her films also won Hong Kong Film Awards in 2007, Hong Kong Film Critics Society Award in 2007 and the Best Actress of Asian Film Awards. In 2021, with exceptional performance in the film Leap, she received the Best Actress of Hong Kong Film Critics Society Award and the film won the Best Feature Film at the 33rd edition of Golden Rooster Awards.
In the realm of literature and art, Gong Li was honored with the Insignia of Commandeur in the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, the highest distinction of French literature and art, presented by the Ministry of Culture in France, as the first Chinese actress with the honor. She was also elected as one of the 16 artists who influence human culture and arts by the United Nations and was appointed UNESCO Artist for Peace. In 2019, she was awarded the Women in Motion by the President of the Cannes Film Festival as the first Asian filmmaker to win the award.
In recent years, Gong has starred in the films such as Mulan and Leap.