The 26th Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF) opened with a dazzling gala on June 15, as hundreds of filmmakers and celebrities graced the red carpet. The festival, which runs until June 23, promises an abundance of events, activities, and films over the coming week.

The jurors of the Golden Goblet Awards meet the audience on stage at the opening gala of the 26th Shanghai International Film Festival held in Shanghai on June 15, 2024. [Photo courtesy of the SIFF Organizing Committee]

"Shanghai, as the birthplace of Chinese cinema, has accumulated rich cinematic and cultural resources and has given birth to the cultural extravaganza that is the Shanghai International Film Festival," said Gong Zheng, the mayor of Shanghai and honorary chairman of the SIFF organizing committee. 

He emphasized that the SIFF focuses on Asia, pays attention to Chinese-language films, and supports new talent. By gathering the finest films from around the world and bringing together high-quality resources, the festival has become the most influential film event in the Asia-Pacific region, he added.

Dancers perform on stage in a segment themed around the 26th Shanghai International Film Festival's opening film "Red Radio Over Shanghai" in Shanghai on June 15, 2024. [Photo courtesy of the SIFF Organizing Committee]

Gong said he hopes the festival will enhance cultural exchanges, effectively share Chinese and local Shanghai stories, and showcase global cultures while accelerating innovation, supporting new talent, and boosting the film industry's development. He also expressed a desire for the event to engage the public with exciting cultural activities and build a globally influential Shanghai cultural brand, which would strengthen the city's cultural influence and contribute to China's cultural advancement.

The festival features 461 films from around the world and 1,624 showings across Shanghai. Organizers estimate that around 450,000 moviegoers will attend, with 450,000 tickets already sold. The festival began on June 14, with screenings and several events already held. Zheng Dasheng's dance drama film "Red Radio Over Shanghai" was selected as the opening film.

Actors Zhuang Dafei and Da Peng pose with a minion from "Despicable Me 4" on the red carpet of the 26th Shanghai International Film Festival held in Shanghai on June 15, 2024. [Photo courtesy of the SIFF Organizing Committee]

The 26th SIFF's Golden Goblet Awards feature five competition categories: feature-length films, Asian new talent, documentaries, animated films, and short films.

In the main competition section, Chinese films "A Man and a Woman" by Guan Hu, "Don't Worry, Be Happy" by Wei Shujun, "The Hedgehog" by Gu Changwei, and "Starfall" by Zhang Dalei will compete alongside 10 films from 11 other countries. The awards for best film, jury grand prix, best director, and best male and female actors, among others, will be announced at the Golden Goblet Awards ceremony on June 22.

French director and screenwriter Tran Anh Hung, the jury president of the Golden Goblet Awards' main competition section, along with jury members Rolf de Heer, Matthias Glasner, Tony Leung, Santiago Mitre, Sonthar Gyal, and Zhou Xun, met the press on June 14. Speaking of the upcoming selection process, Tran Anh Hung described it as a "great responsibility" and stated, "Being able to focus on discussing films will be a blessing."

The jurors of the Golden Goblet Awards meet the press in Shanghai during the 26th Shanghai International Film Festival on June 14, 2024. [Photo courtesy of the SIFF Organizing Committee]

Australian producer and director Rolf de Heer said that if there's one phrase to summarize his expectations in the city of film, it's "engagement with film." He added, "Everyone asks, 'What is film?' Film is universal, global, and this is its true meaning."

This year's festival received over 3,700 submissions for entries and exhibits from 105 countries and regions across five continents. After a selection process, 50 entries from 29 countries and regions were chosen to compete in the five categories of the Golden Goblet Awards. Among these, there are 38 world premieres, six international premieres, and six Asian premieres, setting a new record for the number of premieres in the festival's history.

Director Wuershan (center) and the cast of "Under One Person" pose for a photo on the red carpet of the 26th Shanghai International Film Festival held in Shanghai on June 15, 2024. [Photo courtesy of the SIFF Organizing Committee]

Various events, including forums, a film market, Belt and Road film week, and sci-fi film week, will also take place during the festival.

To mark the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and France, a French film week is specially planned. It will feature 38 new French films and over 30 French classic films or co-productions, presented to Chinese cinephiles in various screening sections, including 15 films recently premiered at the Cannes Film Festival.

Visitors explore an exhibition to mark the 100th anniversary of Columbia Pictures during the 26th Shanghai International Film Festival in Shanghai on June 14, 2024. [Photo courtesy of the SIFF Organizing Committee]

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