The 26th SIFF to Kick Off on June 14
2024-04-02
The 26th Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF) will kick off on June 14, 2024, and run until June 23, spanning 10 days, with the Opening Ceremony to be held on the evening of June 15 and the Golden Goblet Awards Ceremony of June 22 at the Shanghai Grand Theatre.
This year’s call for entry launched on December 15, 2023, and by March 31, SIFF had received over 3,300 entries from 105 countries and regions across five continents, among which over 2,300 films were submitted for the Golden Goblet Awards Main Competition, Asian New Talent, Documentary, Animation, and Short Film, including new works by established directors and those by new talents. The list of nominees for the Golden Goblet Awards is expected to be announced in May.
As the only international competitive feature film festival in China, SIFF serves as a crucial corridor for the world to perceive signals of Chinese film development. In 2023, the Belt and Road Film Festival Alliance established by SIFF was listed in the outcomes of the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. In 2024, SIFF will further cooperation and exchanges between countries, as the second "golden decade" of jointly building the Belt and Road has been unveiled. It will screen films recommended by institutions from Belt and Road countries across the Yangtze River Delta region, initiating dialogues across borders.
Adhering to the philosophy of "Asia，Chinese and New Talents", SIFF has established a “6+1” system for cultivating young talents, which includes SIFF EXPLORE, Golden Goblet Awards Short Film, SIFF NEXT, SIFF PROJECT, Golden Goblet Awards for Asian New Talent, Golden Goblet Awards Main Competition, and SIFF YOUNG.
The SIFF EXPLORE , for films with a length of 5 minutes, is now in its fifth year and has received over 1,000 entries. A continuous increase is seen in overseas submissions, which account for about one-third of the total. Special screening salons will be organized for Short Film unit of this year’s SIFF, featuring excellent works honored in previous years. At the new starting point, they are about to embrace new waves.
As one of the five main competition units, Short Film calls for animation and live-action short film entries around the globe. This year's entries include new works by renowned directors. The Short Film section for international film screenings will curate a collection of nominated works or winners from major film festivals, as well as outstanding Chinese-language works.
The SIFF NEXT, upgraded to a two-stage-in-one-year model in 2019, has refined the process and welcomes its fifth year. A total of 331 valid applications were received, including 39 producers, 42 screenwriters, and 250 directors. The SIFF PROJECT has been held for 16 years. Works from Germany, Iceland, Italy, and other countries are also included in this year's international cooperation projects, aside from those of the United States, Japan, and France, which are commonly seen in the previous years.
The third SIFF YOUNG will continue to recommend outstanding young directors, producers, and screenwriters, and the list will be announced during the festival in June.
As a barometer of the film industry, The SIFF Market will explore the prospects of the industry through exhibitions, market events, and market screenings with film institutions and practitioners from home and abroad. The SIFForum, attended by masters from around the world, will continue to share insights into film art. The thematic forums and MasterClass will provide valuable insights into current research and practices, as well as future developments and innovations from multiple perspectives such as industry landscape, film creation, technological frontiers, and cultural exchanges for reference.
Amidst the technological wave, innovation brings both opportunities and challenges to the film industry. The Sci-Fi Film Week introduced last year will explore how to boost the film industry with the development of artificial intelligence as this year’s focus. The 26th SIFF will host themed screenings and special forums,, around hot topics like "Sora", and plans to introduce new activities such as the Sci-Fi Masterclass and Sci-Fi IP Pitch. Of course, AI not only accelerates and upgrades the system building of the film industry but also transforms the daily lives of ordinary people. VISION LAB will also be open to the public, where visitors can experience cutting-edge imaging technologies.
This year, the SIFF screening invitation has received responses from 114 cinemas in Shanghai. From June 14 to 23, let's walk into cinemas and enjoy the beauty of this city brought by films.
