hou's films have been awarded top prizes from prestigious international festivals such as the venice film festival, cannes film festival, berlin film festival, hawaii international film festival and the nantes three continents festival. six of his films to date have been nominated for the "palme d'or" (best film award) at the cannes film festival. hou was voted "director of the decade" for the 1990s in a poll of american and international critics put together by "the village voice" and "film comment".