Shanghai International Film Festival

The Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF) is the largest film festival in China and one of the biggest events of its kind in Asia, along with the Tokyo International Film Festival. It is one of the few Asian film festivals to be accredited as an A-category film festival by the FIAPF (the International Federation of Film Producers Associations).

The Shanghai International Film Festival was founded in 1993. The inaugural festival was held from October 7 to 14, 1993. It screened 167 films from 33 countries and attracted around 300,000 attendees. The international jury of the first SIFF included renowned international filmmakers such as Oliver Stone (USA) and Karen Shakhnazarov (Russia).

Originally held biennially, the Shanghai International Film Festival became an annual event in 2001 to receive the FIAPF accreditation. In order to be given competitive status by the FIAPF, an international film festival must be held every year. The 2003 edition of SIFF was canceled due to an outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome in southern China but there have been no other cancellations since then.

The festival is organized by the Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture, Radio, Film & TV and one of China’s largest media conglomerates, Shanghai Media & Entertainment Group (SMEG).

SIFF hosts an international film competition. The main award presented at the festival is the Golden Goblet Award (Jin Jue). It is given in several categories: Best Feature Film, Best Actress, Best Actor, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Music, Best Cinematography, Jury Grand Prix. Winners of the festival’s Documentary Film Competition and Animation Competition also receive the award. Other awards presented at SIFF include the Asian New Talent Award and the CCTV6 Movie Channel Media Award.

Alongside its competitions, the Shanghai International Film Festival hosts Film Panorama. It is a series of out-of-competition film screenings in multiple sections such as SIFF Highlights, Tribute to Masters, Focus China, Restored Classic Film Panorama, Revisit Classics, Global Village, etc. SIFF’s Film Panorama provides a platform for international filmmakers and showcases the main trends in world cinema.

Other highlights of the festival are Film Forum, an industry exchange platform for professionals from around the world, and Film Mart, an international film trading platform designed to bring together film professionals and international buyers.