Press Conference for the 26th Shanghai International Film Festival and the 29th Shanghai TV Festival Embrace Audiovisual Feast in the City of Film

Beijing, May 14, 2024: The press conference for the 26th Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF) and the 29th Shanghai TV Festival (STVF) was held today in Beijing. Organized by the China Media Group (CMG) and the Shanghai Municipal People's Government under the guidance of the China Film Administration, the 26th SIFF will be hosted from June 14 to June 23 this year. Organized by the National Radio and Television Administration, CMG, and the Shanghai Municipal People's Government, the 29th STVF will be hosted from June 24 to June 28 this year. The press conference also announced the list of jurors for Main Competition and Asian New Talent of the Golden Goblet Awards of the 26th SIFF and the full list of jurors for the Magnolia Awards of the 29th STVF, released posters for this year’s SIFF and STVF, and provided general information about 2024 SIFF and STVF.

Growing international recognition of the Golden Goblet Awards and the Magnolia Awards

The Golden Goblet Awards of SIFF and the Magnolia Awards of STVF are both internationally competitive, recognized, and influential awards in the film and television industry. More than 3,700 films from 105 countries and regions have been received for this year’s SIFF competition and screening. There are 1,375 world premieres and 390 international premieres among the 2,224 entries for competition, the increasing number of premieres reflects the growing international influence of SIFF. As a remarkable brand of “Shanghai Culture”, SIFF is actively welcoming the world with firm cultural confidence and a more open attitude.

The Magnolia Awards of this year’s STVF received nearly 1,000 entries from 57 countries and regions across five continents. In the Drama section, there are approximately 190 TV series from China, while the number of foreign TV series increased to nearly 170 from nearly 110 the previous year, representing a notable 53.7% growth. Significantly increasing entries have been received in both the Documentary section and Animation section where domestic and foreign works play together, and the proportion of foreign entries has increased year by year. Foreign entries accounted for 60% of the total submissions in the Documentary section this year, renowned foreign TV organizations such as BBC, Sony, HBO Warner Bros. Discovery, National Geographic all submitted high-quality programs.

SIFF is a grand gathering of filmmakers around the world. This year marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France and China-France Year of Culture and Tourism, and SIFF will organize a French Film Week by selecting excellent French films from other major international film festivals of the past year, offering the audiences a diverse perspective on contemporary French cinema, and showcasing the latest explorations in the essence of film and the visual boundaries in the global film industry.

The Belt and Road Film Festival Alliance initiated by SIFF already has 55 member institutions from 48 countries and was included on the list of multilateral cooperation documents and practical cooperation projects of the 3rd Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation last year. The Belt and Road Film Week relying on the alliance is jointly organized by SIFF and Pudong New District, and it will focus on the film art of Latin America this year, and continue to embrace the Yangtze River Delta region.

A ladder training system continues to provide opportunities for new talent

Over the past 30 years, SIFF has been positioned to focus on “Asia, Chinese films, and new talent”. Today, it has formed a “6+1” ladder-type system to cultivate emerging filmmakers. As a competition platform established in 2004 for cultivating new talent and supporting the emerging Asian film power, Asian New Talent focuses on the development of Asian film industry to expand the international influence of Asian films. Over the past two decades, Asian New Talent has discovered a galaxy of talented filmmakers who are active in the industry. Recent acclaimed films such as TIMES STILL TURNS THE PAGES, GONE WITH THE BOAT, and IN BROAD DAYLIGHT were all shortlisted in the last year's Asian New Talent. This year's Asian New Talent will have a series of activities themed with “Heritage & Prospect”, such as screenings, forums, award ceremonies, and so on, to provide a capacious stage for the new Asian talent and their works with emerging opportunities.

This year, SIFF EXPLORE will be renamed in Chinese in its fifth year and has collected more than 1,300 entries from over 70 countries and regions. The creation features younger, more diverse, and more exploratory characteristics. Meanwhile, some creators are embracing new technologies and tools, including AI, in film production.

As a part of the Golden Goblet Awards, Short Film unit was launched in 2017. Since then, short films of both animations and live action competing for the awards have maintained a high standard, and some of them are new works from famous directors. SIFF NEXT will be conducted in two phases of Training Workshop during the SIFF in June and Development Workshop at the end of this year, at length two “Best SIFF NEXT Projects” will be selected and supported to translate into the primary focus of the “6+1” ladder type system which cultivates emerging filmmakers. A total of 380 projects were submitted to SIFF PROJECT, including 330 New Talent Projects, Pre-production Projects, Co-Production Projects, and so on, along with 50 Work in Progress Projects. Aligned with Shanghai’s supportive policy in the film industry, SIFF YOUNG aims at cultivating a goup of young filmmakers with national influence. The selected filmmakers for the 3rd session of SIFF YOUNG will be announced during this year’s SIFF.

The cultivation, emergence, and promotion of film talent serve as the driving force behind the continuous evolution and vitality of the film industry. The “6+1” ladder type system to cultivate emerging filmmakers consists of SIFF EXPLORE, Short Film Unit, SIFF NEXT, SIFF PROJECT, Asian New Talent, and the Golden Goblet Awards, plus SIFF YOUNG. It establishes an interconnected mechanism, and a comprehensive approach not only actively provides emerging filmmakers with practical experience, but also reflects the responsibility of SIFF as the international competitive feature film festival in China.

Technical innovation and industrial rejuvenation in multi-level cooperation platform

The film and television industry is characterized by a lengthy supply chain, boasting high aggregation and strong derivative effects. Driven by the waves of technology, the industry is experiencing unprecedented reform. The international, professional, and pioneering SIFF and STVF always pay special attention to technological innovation in the film and television industry.

SIFFORUM will kick off with the industry leaders and offer their insights about the high-quality development of the film industry. The New Ecology of Film Distribution Forum will delve into differential distribution mechanisms, such as the mode of film distribution in which different films are shown in different theaters and the mode of “weekend film slot”. The Film and Urban Forum will focus on the integration between film and urban development while the Sci-fi Forum will feature “AI + Film”. From June 16 to 18, SIFF MARKET will be held at the Shanghai Exhibition Center through two sections of exhibition and market events. Focusing on the whole industry chain of film and television, SIFF MARKET will present diverse industry events including project promotion meetings, IP promotion meetings, industry panels, market screenings, and one-on-one discussions.

In collaboration with Putuo District, the SIFF XR unit will host seminars about the film and television industry’s future and offer immersive screenings by AR, VR, MR, and other image technologies to bring a more diversified, immersive and integrative experience to the public. “China Movie & TV Night” has become a grand annual event of Chinese film and television, showcasing the charm of the Chinese film and television industry to the world from the perspective of the China Media Group. The 4th “China Movie & TV Night” themed on “Chinese Stories in the World of Light” will be held at the Shanghai International Media Port during the festival. As an annual event for Chinese filmmakers and media professionals, “The Media Focus Unit of China Movie Channel” shows their support and passion for Chinese cinema. This year, the event themed on “the Future is Promising in Winds and Waves” will be held at SMG Theater during SIFF.

STVFORUM, which brings together diverse content from the radio and television industry, will not only discuss hot topics such as “the integration of culture and tourism” and “international communication”, but also delve into critically thoughtful exploration under the context of new technologies. The theme of STVFORUM mainly includes “the integration of popular film and television IP with culture and tourism development”, “the empowerment of international film and television content collaboration through overseas festivals”, “ultra-high-definition video and the integration of intelligence and innovation of all media”, “focus on apply and administer the new quality productive forces AIGC”, as well as more specialized areas such as “the cultural salon of the documentary CHINA BEFORE CHINA”, “the new blueprint for animation development under the dual driving forces of technology and art”, and “the new directions for Internet movies”. STVF MARKET is more relaxing compared with STVFORUM, and will also focus on the future trends of the radio and television fields and the rapid development of cutting-edge technologies such as AIGC. Focusing on the theme of “high quality, all media, grand audiovisual,” STVF MARKET will host technical seminars on new quality broadcasting technologies in radio and television, the integration of county-level media communication, and the creation with AI technology, delving into the practical aspects of exploring the landing and realization pathways of technological innovation under the trend of development.

Last year, online audio and video contents across the board competed for the Magnolia Awards for the first time, which has enhanced the emerging “grand audiovisual” pattern. This year's STVF will further pay attention to the remarkable growth of online creation by organizing the Shanghai Micro-dramas Conference, a series of industry activities, themed forums about micro-dramas, and outstanding projects for exhibition, investment, and negotiation. A gradually successful fusion between humanistic heritage and the vitality of life is revealed in advocating the transition of micro-dramas from high popularity to high quality.

Encountering diverse audiovisual experiences in the City of Film, and the Magnolia Awards Ceremony Blossoming in Lin-gang

The poster for this year's SIFF is unveiled at the press conference, and themed on “City of Film”. The poster features silhouettes of people walking in the city, with iconic Shanghai theaters blending into the city's night scene, resembling a movie about to be released. It symbolizes encountering a better time and more beautiful life in Shanghai, the birthplace of Chinese films.

Tickets of the festival’s film exhibitions will be available for purchase on Taopiaopiao.com starting from 12 pm on June 7. On the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China and the liberation of Shanghai, a special screening unit titled “City in Light and Shadow: Celebrating the 75th Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China and the Liberation of Shanghai'' has been curated, featuring domestic new films and Shanghai-themed films in different period. It will also showcase the red culture, Shanghainese culture, and the culture of regions south of the Yangtze River, which all have influences on the city of Shanghai through film language. The Sci-Fi Film Week focuses on the theme of AI and selects classic AI-themed films from past to present for screenings. Familiar sections such as the “Premiere Ceremony” and “Tribute to Masters”, will also proceed as scheduled.

Screenings will take place in 47 cinemas across 16 districts in Shanghai. These cinemas have witnessed the city's renewal and development, as well as the growth and expansion of cultural demands among citizens, showcasing the new trends in cultural development. The film festival will join hands with cinemas in the central urban area and plan “Walking with Films” urban walking routes, to recommend the beauty of the city to film enthusiasts.

The cultural landmark of Shanghai, the Oriental Pearl TV Tower, is faintly revealed in the poster of the 29th STVF, telling the story of the development of China's broadcasting and television industry. Capturing the dynamic changes in the spherical light landscape of the Oriental Pearl TV Tower through real shots, it showcases the current trend of diversification in television media and content.

Irrespective of the era of the television industry, screens have always been intimately linked with the audience. The Magnolia Excellent Program Exhibition selects outstanding works from the STVF submissions each year. Through widespread coverage of television platforms, online video platforms, and offline screenings, transforming the TV festival into a warm local feast. This year's offline screening tour features a range of themes, including families, sports competitions, domestic animation, popular overseas dramas and etc. The screenings will be freely accessible to citizens at approximately 20 art venues across 16 districts in Shanghai. These venues, such as the China Art Museum, Power Station of Art, Bund 18 Jiushi Art Gallery, Shanghai Book City, and the East Branch of Shanghai Library, are popular destinations connecting the cultural heritage of the city for locals and tourists to appreciate art. By weaving audiovisual content with urban spaces, STVF enriches the “watching TV” experience in the era of multiple screens with more chic elements and social experiences.

The Magnolia Awards Ceremony will make its debut at the Lin-gang Performing Arts Center, which is an important supporting set for the cultural development of the new area which is located in the “Scientist Community” Lin-gang Center. At that time, the most shining stars of the TV industry from home and abroad in the past year will gather in this young area, and an industry feast will inject heat here to achieve the same frequency resonance of cultural vitality and urban development.

The jurors for the Magnolia Awards of the 29th STVF were announced

Winners of the awards will be announced at the awarding ceremony on the evening of June 28. Here is the full list of the jurors:

1. Drama Section

Jury President, Drama: 

YAN Jiangang 

Director 

China

(1) Chinese Drama：

Jury Member: 

HAI Qing

Actress  

China

HAN Zhong

Art Director 

China

LI Yuesen

Writer, Film and Television Commentary

China

WANG Xiaoqiang 

Scriptwriter 

China

YANG Lei 

Director 

China

YOU Yongzhi

Actor

China

(2) Foreign Drama：

Jury Member:

Eirwen Davies

Producer

UK

Andy Friend 

Actor 

France

2. Documentary Section

Jury President, Documentary:

Vikram Channa

Director, Producer 

India

Jury Member:

XIAO Han 

Director 

China

Ton van Zantvoort 

Documentary Film-maker 

Netherlands

3. Animation Section

(1) Jury President, Animation: 

Frederic Puech 

Animation Producer 

France

(2) Jury Member: 

CHEN Liaoyu 

Animation Director 

China

Mari OKADA 

Animation Scriptwriter, Director 

Japan

*The jury members’ names are sorted by first letter

The jurors for Main Competition and Asian New Talent of the Golden Goblet Awards of the 26th SIFF were announced

Winners of the Golden Goblet Awards will be announced at the awarding ceremony that will take place at the Shanghai Grand Theater on the evening of June 22. Here is the list of the jurors for Main Competition and Asian New Talent:

1.Main Competition

President: 

Tran Anh Hung 

Director, Scriptwriter

France

Jury:

Rolf de Heer 

Director, Scriptwriter 

Australia

Matthias Glasner

Director 

Germany

Leung Ka Fai Tony

Actor 

Hong Kong, China

Santiago Mitre

Director, Scriptwriter 

Argentina

SONTHAR Gyal

Director, Scriptwriter

China

ZHOU Xun

Actress 

China

2.Asian New Talent

President: 

CAO Baoping

Director, Scriptwriter, Producer 

China

Jury:

Shin Adachi

Director, Scriptwriter 

Japan

Lila Avilés

Director, Scriptwriter, Producer

Mexico

Da Peng (DONG Chengpeng)

Director, Actor 

China

NI Ni

Actress 

China

SHEN Yang 

Producer, Curator 

China

*The jury members’ names are sorted by first letter