SIFF & STVF Hold Beijing Press Conference for 2025 Edition

On May 20, 2025, Shanghai International Film Festival & Shanghai TV Festival held a press conference in Beijing. The 27th Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF), under the guidance of China Film Administration and co-hosted by China Media Group (CMG) and the Shanghai Municipal People’s Government, will run from June 13 to 22. This will be followed by the 30th Shanghai TV Festival (STVF), organized by the National Radio and Television Administration (NRTA), CMG, and the Shanghai Municipal People’s Government, from June 23 to 27. The conference revealed the full jury lists for SIFF’s Golden Goblet Awards and STVF’s Magnolia Awards, released official posters for both festivals, and provided updates on overall preparations.

Exchange through Key Milestones

Innovating While Honoring Tradition to Forge a New Chapter

This year’s SIFF coincides with the 130th anniversary of world cinema and the 120th anniversary of Chinese cinema, while STVF marks its 30th edition. These two cultural landmarks of Shanghai are embarking on a new journey of cinematic and televisual excellence.

Echoing this historic year for cinema, the opening session of the 27th SIFF will center on the theme “Era of Splendor: Dreams Ignite New Journeys”, celebrating the achievements of Chinese cinema across its 120-year history and inspiring filmmakers to embrace the new journey in a new era. Film Panorama will initiate a special section titled “Resonance: A Brief Encounter of Chinese and World Cinema”, curating iconic films from around the world to create a dialogue across cinematic history and highlight the mutual learning and growth between Chinese and international cinema.

Building on the success of the Belt and Road Film Festival Alliance initiated by SIFF, The Belt and Road Film Week this year will host a series of events, including Culture Forum, Industry Forum, Southeast Asia Bazaar, Charm Pudong Gala Night during SIFF. The curated film screenings will extend across the Yangtze River Delta region, with Nanjing, Suzhou, Hangzhou, Ningbo, and Hefei joining Shanghai to showcase selected works recommended by Alliance members.

2025 marks significant diplomatic milestones - the 50th anniversary of China-EU relations, 55 years of China-Italy ties, and 50 years of China-Thailand relations – which will bring increased engagement from European and Southeast Asian film companies through exhibitions, screenings, networking and co-productions. Renown Italian director Giuseppe Tornatore will chair the Jury for the Golden Goblet Awards’ main competition, and headline SIFF’s flagship “SIFF MasterClass” series. Film Panorama will also present a special “Italian Film Week”, featuring over 20 Italian cinematic masterpieces across nearly 100 screenings, from neorealist masterpieces like ROME, OPEN CITY to works as odes to cinema and various eras such as CINEMA PARADISO. This diverse lineup traverses half a century of film history, encompassing varied genres and themes, with each film delivering unique emotional depth.

Having chronicled three decades of China’s radio and television development, STVF enters its milestone 30th edition with the opening ceremony and opening session themed “Thirty & Thriving: Embarking on a New Journey”. The events will examine the dynamic interplay between the Magnolia Awards’ growth and industry progress, the awards’ expanding footprint in global communication landscapes, and strategic pathways for future audiovisual innovation and premium content development. During STVF, the new Magnolia Global Promotion Initiative will harness the festival’s established international prestige to cultivate its worldwide partnership network.

Conceived in China and named after Shanghai, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is ushering in the “Year of China” this year. And this year’s Magnolia Awards International TV Showcase will present six curated productions from SCO nations, featuring foreign dramas, animated features, and documentary films. This special showcase forms an integral segment of the NRTA “Visual Connections: Shared Screens, Shared Prosperity” SCO program screenings.

Golden Goblet Awards & Magnolia Awards: Twin Engines of Excellence

Elevating Prestige through Rigorous Standards

As China’s sole international competitive feature film festival and China’s first international television festival, SIFF and STVF have always drawn global attention to the selection processes of the Golden Goblet Awards and Magnolia Awards.

The 27th SIFF’s Golden Goblet Awards received a record-breaking 3,900-plus film submissions from 119 countries and regions across five competition categories. This includes: over 2,800 competition entries, with significant growth in submissions from the Americas and Africa; an 18% year-on-year increase in short film submissions; 1,820-plus world premieres and 520-plus international premieres among competing films; a combined world and international premiere rate exceeding 80%, the highest in the festival’s history.

The 30th STVF Magnolia Awards cover four major categories in five competition sections, including TV dramas (Chinese and foreign), documentaries, animation, and variety programs, attracting nearly 1,000 entries from 43 countries and regions across five continents. Notably, documentary submissions increased by approximately 10%, marking the most significant growth. In both the animation and documentary categories, where Chinese and international works compete together, the proportion of overseas entries has been rising steadily. Leading global television institutions such as the BBC, Sony, HBO, Warner, and Disney have all submitted high-quality programs for selection. Geographically, the awards have expanded their reach with first-ever submissions from countries including Chile, Denmark, and Iceland.

At film and television festivals, the discovery, exploration, and appreciation of outstanding audiovisual works not only constitute the ultimate source of professional fulfillment for filmmakers and TV professionals, but also serve as a vital bridge for deepening cross-cultural exchange among nations, ethnic groups, and regions. For this year’s Golden Goblet Awards, the Jury comprises 21 distinguished members from 13 countries and regions across Asia, Africa, the Americas, and Europe. This deliberately diverse geographical composition ensures comprehensive representation of global cinematic diversity and a judging process imbued with an international perspective and cultural inclusiveness. Moreover, the Jury of this edition demonstrates remarkable youthfulness, particularly in the Asian New Talent section. The jury panel spans generations from post-80s to post-90s and even post-00s, with an average age of 35, making it the youngest jury in the festival’s history.

The Magnolia Awards Jury for this edition consists of 15 distinguished members from seven countries and regions: the Chinese Mainland, Hong Kong China, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, the United States, and Japan. The Jury of the Chinese TV Dramas unit boasts a multigenerational lineup of industry leaders, nearly all of whom are past Magnolia Award winners themselves, while the jury panels of other competition units include both previous Magnolia laureates in their respective fields and celebrated creators whose works have been screened in past International TV Showcase sessions. Notably, the Foreign TV Drama unit welcomes its jury member from Hong Kong China for the first time.

Fresh talent is continuously entering the current film market, bringing with it a deeper understanding of new cinematic languages, new expressions of emotions, and new technologies. This also allows ongoing evolution of the “6+1” tiered new talent nurturing framework established over the years by SIFF through continuous optimization. As the fourth edition of SIFF YOUNG approaches, this year will see the introduction of producer slots to further refine the distribution of professional roles among selected participants and expand support for professionals, particularly those in key industry positions. SIFF PROJECT introduces “Genre Films” category, to encourage innovation within established frameworks by genre film creators and diversify the cinematic marketplace. This year, it has received 530+ qualified submissions - a 39% year-on-year increase. The newly upgraded SIFF ING, evolving from the foundational tier of the “6+1” framework for young talents incubation, this year casts a spotlight on “New Technologies, New Perspectives, and New Generation”. Coming with special tracks for AIGC and vertical-screen formats to discover and support emerging talent, it has attracted over 3,600 submissions. The award ceremony for Asian New Talent will be incorporated into the Golden Goblet Awards ceremony on the closing day this year. This marks the first time in its 21-year history that Asian New Talent has been officially combined with the Golden Goblet Awards. As this highly anticipated award unit embarks on its next 20 years, it will embrace the future with enthusiasm as ever.

As an internationally influential film festival, SIFF has long been a prominent platform for showcasing Chinese-language cinema and a vital arena for promotion and distribution. Approximately 60 Chinese films - including those nominated for competition, new releases, and beloved classics - are expected to be featured this year. The fifth edition of “China Movie & TV Night”, meticulously organized by CMG Shanghai Bureau and CMG Mobile, is set for June 15. This celebration will highlight The Gala Night, Journey of Light and Shadow, Light and Shadow Lounge, all centered around the theme “Chinese Stories in the World of Light”, presented in a rich variety of engaging formats.

Industrial Depth and Technological Leadership
Uniting Forces to Empower Industry Transformation

The promotional film and poster for the 30th STVF weave through the theme “Thirty & Thriving: Embarking on a New Journey”. Through a narrative blending retrospective and forward-looking elements, the film conveys wishes for the festival to “endure with timeless vitality”. The poster design is dominated by staircases as the core motif. The artwork, using gradient colorways and linear patterns to highlight the milestone of the “30th edition”,

silhouettes gazing toward the infinite horizon, creating profound spatial depth, symbolizing relentless advancement.

The radio and TV industry, born of technological innovation, flourishes through technological advancement, and transforms alongside technological evolution. In response to NRTA’s “Year of Ultra HD” initiative, the ultra HD productions release event will highlight a curated selection of outstanding ultra-high-definition series. During the festival, there will also be ongoing presentations for micro and short drama projects, providing a platform for emerging companies and their projects to show their works. This initiative aims to facilitate efficient connections between project developers and investors, driving the development of the micro and short drama market and collectively empowering various industries through these dramatic forms.

The STVFORUM will zoom in on hot topics, including premium content creation, international dissemination, the development of the international ultra-high-definition film and television industry, and development pathways for micro/short dramas. A total of 8 thematic forums will be held, bringing together the jury presidents of this year’s Magnolia Awards TV drama category, animation category, and documentary category in 3 MasterClass sessions. SIFF will organize 10 to 12 SIFFORUM sessions and 2 to 4 MasterClass sessions, covering topics ranging from technological innovation and international cooperation to literary adaptations and IP commercial transformation, all aimed at pooling wisdom and exploring new pathways for the high-quality development of Chinese cinema.

This edition of SIFF will seamlessly integrate SIFF MARKET and STVF MARKET into “International Film & TV Market”, hosted at Shanghai Exhibition Center across a 5-day period that overlaps with both festivals. The market segment will debut an “International Zone”, dedicated to showcasing the cultural diversity and industry achievements of various countries, creating new opportunities for global collaboration and exchange in the film and TV industries. The event segment will continue to strengthen its role as a hub for industry networking, with key activities including the “International Section”, “From Literature to Screen”, and “Film & TV+” activities. To further promote regional cooperation, special focus sessions such as “Focus Russia” and “Focus Thailand” will be organized, offering content presentations and industry matchmaking to deepen and drive international collaboration and exchange.

Humanistic Warmth Infused to Create a Cultural Celebration for All

City of Film: Where Every Frame Captures Life Stories

The official poster for the 27th SIFF draws inspiration from the city’s iconic architecture and everyday life. Designed as a triptych - one central poster complemented by three supporting visuals - it brilliantly embodies the creative concept: “City of Film: Where Every Frame Captures Life Stories”. Light and shadow merge into artistry; life itself becomes the frame. Through the silver screen, we glimpse the kaleidoscope of human experience.

This year’s SIFF has upgraded and adjusted its screening sections in a more distinctive way to offer a glimpse into a broader range of perspectives. The “Tribute to Masters” section will debut a “Master Duo” format, honoring two masters together. A new “Asia Now” section has been added, underlining the festival’s focus on Asia. Gathering the best new films in this region, this section will include a special “Filmmaker in Focus” program, offering a plethora of representative works from today’s most prominent filmmakers in Asia. The “Contemporary World Cinema” section will introduce the “UK Focus” program. Under the “Spectrum” section, a new “Amplify” part will present outstanding genre films from around the world. Additionally, the newly launched “Cinema and Beyond” will break traditional boundaries of film by incorporating experimental cinema, concert footage, and other diverse forms and content.

This SIFF’s screening schedule will be announced on June 3, with ticket sales starting at 12:00 on June 5 via the major platforms Damai and Taopiaopiao. The opening film, SHE’S GOT NO NAME, directed by Peter Chan, will have a special citywide screening after the Opening Ceremony on the evening of June 14 at over a hundred cinemas across Shanghai, creating an exciting vibe - “the city is alive with screens, where everyone becomes part of the story”.

In 2025, China’s year of cinematic experiences, SIFF will harness the power of cinema to pioneer “Film+” initiatives that reinvent “festival+” engagement. The newly designed public exhibition area of the “International Film & TV Market” will be open to the general public without registration for the first time. In addition to displaying the entire film and television industry chain, visitors will also have the opportunity to immerse themselves in film and television culture at the cultural and creative market dedicated to the industry. The Belt and Road Film Week, in collaboration with Pudong New Area District, will host a Southeast-Asia-themed “Belt and Road” lifestyle market at Bicester Village. SIFF XR, developed in partnership with Putuo District, will offer audiences an immersive interactive experience that blends film and gaming. Meanwhile, Sci-Fi Film Week, jointly presented by SIFF and Songjiang District, will explore new formats of “Film +” ecosystems.

STVF champions the philosophy of bringing cultural enrichment and soul-nurturing opportunities to everyone – “making it easy to join in, fun to experience, and rewarding for all”, turning Shanghai into a place where culture truly belongs to the people. International TV Showcase will present award-winning and new premium TV works from China and abroad, broadcast via channels such as Dragon TV.This year, the festival will once again join hands with the BBC to commemorate the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth by screening three BBC productions related to her work. The Offline Public Screening will continuously create a festive atmosphere of a “television festival at your doorstep” in the season of magnolia blossoms. Additionally, there will be special segments such as “Another Life”, highlighting excellent documentaries about renowned international architects and archaeologists like Laszlo Hudec, who has special ties to Shanghai.

Themed “30th Edition in Full Bloom: Where Sound Meets Splendor”, STVF is partnering with WeSing to roll out two exciting initiatives, TV Golden Hits Challenge and AI Songwriting Contest, to celebrate Chinese television’s timeless legacy through music and innovation. The Magnolia Awards Ceremony will be unveiled grandly once again in Lingang - “the young city for young people” on June 27th at the Lingang Performing Arts Center.

Jury List for the 27th SIFF’s Golden Goblet Awards (arranged according to the first letter of the surname’s pinyin or English alphabet)

Main Competition

Jury President: Giuseppe Tornatore, Director, Scriptwriter｜Italy

Jury Members: Iván Fund, Director, Scriptwriter | Argentina, HUANG Bo, Actor, Director | China, Thanassis Karathanos, Producer｜Greece, Kiran Rao, Director, Producer, Scriptwriter | India, YANG Lina, Director, Screenwriter, Documentary Filmmaker | China, Yong Mei, Actress | China

Asian New Talent

Jury President: Sho Miyake, Director, Scriptwriter｜Japan

Jury Members: DONG Zijian, Director, Actor | China, Phạm Thiên Ân, Director, Scriptwriter｜Vietnam, Nawapol Thamrongrattanarit, Director, Scriptwriter｜Thailand, ZHANG Zifeng, Actress| China

Documentary

Jury President: Kim Longinotto, Director｜UK

Jury Members: Petra Costa, Director, Scriptwriter | Brazil, YANG Fudong, Director, Artist | China

Animation

Jury President: Nora Twomey, Director, Scriptwriter, Producer｜Ireland

Jury Members: Koji Yamamura, Director, Producer, Animator｜Japan, ZHAO Ji, Director | China

Short Film

Jury President: YANG Chao, Director, Scriptwriter, Producer | China

Jury Members: Lise Fearnley, Producer｜Norway, Essam Zakarea, Film Critic, Scholar｜Egypt

Jury List for the 30th STVF’s Magnolia Awards (arranged according to the first letter of the surname’s pinyin or English alphabet)

TV Drama

Jury President: CHEN Baoguo, China/Actor

Jury Members:

Chinese TV Series: GAO Xuan, China/Scriptwriter, KANG Honglei, China/Director, Scriptwriter, TONG Yao, China/Actress, YIN Hong, China/Critic Scholar, YU Xiaochen, China/Cinematographer, Director, ZHANG Ting, China/Scriptwriter, Director

Foreign TV Series: Henk Handloegten, Germany/Writer, Director, WU Hang Yee, Hong Kong, China/Actress

Documentary

Jury President: Sarah Peat, UK/Producer

Jury Members: ZENG Hairuo, China/Director, TAKEUCHI Ryo, Japan/Documentary Director

Animation

Jury President: Rita Street, USA/Animation Producer, Writer

Jury Members: Alexis Ducord, France/Director, Storyboard Artist, LI Jianping, China/Director, Scholar

*The jury members'names are sorted by initial of the family name