Chen Kaige (middle) claims Best Director for The Volunteers: To the War at the 37th Golden Rooster Awards in Xiamen, Fujian province, on Saturday. [Photo by MA WENYI/FOR CHINA DAILY]

Wang says that the award is his first major accolade: "The trophy feels very heavy. This win is a great encouragement to me, my family and my working partners."

Endless Journey follows the story of a former group of police officers who reunite post-incarceration to pursue a murderer who had eluded their capture years earlier.

During an investigation involving a series of escalating crimes, an accidental death of a suspect lands the officers in prison.

Six years later, when the squad's leader Cheng Bing is released, he rallies his former squad members to track the killer across various hardships and locations.

Wang portrays Ma Zhenkun, a squad member who, driven by familial responsibilities, ultimately abandons the pursuit of the culprit.

Wang praises scriptwriter Zhang Ji for crafting a compelling and intricate story.

"When I got the script, each character vividly leapt off the page. Though I've often played police roles before, portraying an officer who becomes downtrodden after an accident is a rarity for me," Wang says.