SIFF PROJECT｜NOW.HERE shortlisted for Berlin International Film Festival

The 73rd Berlin International Film Festival will be held from February 16 to 26, 2023. On the shortlist of its competition Generation 14plus is the film NOW.HERE directed by Zhao Hao. Formerly 15 SECONDS OF SPOTLIGHT, the film is now a short instead of a feature.

Up to now, 68 projects shortlisted for SIFF PROJECT in previous editions have finished production and been selected by various major film festivals, of which 43 have been shortlisted for A-category international film festivals. This year’s SIFF PROJECT is open for submissions, with early bird registration fee applicable until 24:00 tonight. For the convenience of applicants, a series of related questions and answers are attached at the end of this article.

-NOW.HERE-

A poster of NOW.HERE

The short film NOW.HERE tells the story of football goalkeeper Chen Wenhui (played by Lu Qi). As he recalls the highlight moment when he was about to come off the bench to defend a penalty kick, more memories are brought back. Wandering in the memory fragments, he looks for the reason for and meaning of the journey that brings him where he is now.

Director Zhao Hao (middle) at the negotiation site of SIFF PROJECT 2020

Just like the protagonist Wen Hui in the film, when we look back at the journey of Zhao Hao as a young director, the 2020 Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF) may also be an important part that is memorable. That year, a film project called 15 SECONDS OF SPOTLIGHT was selected for the "New Talent Project" sub-unit of SIFF PROJECT. With its realistic theme, 15 SECONDS OF SPOTLIGHT tells the story of an ordinary person’s dream comes true from the perspective of a substitute goalkeeper. Its narrative appeal and ability to strike a chord with the audience these days have put it in the spotlight of the industry.

Zhao Hao graduated from New York University. In 2021, his short film AN INVITATION was shortlisted for La Semaine de la Critique (International Critics' Week) of the Cannes Film Festival,　and the Best Short Film competition of Stockholm International Film Festival among other international film festivals. In 2022, he was selected as a fellow of the Busan International Film Festival Asian Film Academy (BAFA 2022). After honing the project for a long time, Zhao Hao finally decided to develop 15 SECONDS OF SPOTLIGHT as a short film and renamed it NOW.HERE. The film was completed in 2022, and will be presented at the Berlin International Film Festival this month, where it will participate in the Best Short Film category in the Generation 14plus competition program.

A still from the short film NOW.HERE

Currently, Zhao Hao is preparing his first feature film, which is adapted from the novella of the same name If I See a Rainbow by young writer Wang Zhanhei. The project was selected for the 9th Next Step workshop of Cannes’ Critics Week with a 3 weeks-long residency at the Moulin d'Andé-CECI and won the Hubert Bals Fund’s Screenplay and Project Development Support of International Film Festival Rotterdam in 2023.

SIFF PROJECT 2023 is now open for submissions, and the early bird submission deadline is February 15.

The submission deadline for screenplay projects is March 1, and that for Work in Progress Project is March 25. Questions and answers about SIFF PROJECT submissions are as follows:

I.  How do I make a submission to SIFF PROJECT? Is there a fee?

Submission:

1. Visit the official website of Shanghai International Film Festival (www.siff.com), enter the "PROJECT SUBMISSION" channel and sign up for an account;

2. Select the project type (Chinese language project or co-production project), fill in the complete information as required and submit it;

3. Within two working days after submission, SIFF staff will conduct a preliminary review of the materials;

4. After the project passes the preliminary review, the project team will receive a confirmation email. Please follow the instructions in the email to pay the registration fee online on the official website;

5. The online payment must be completed within seven days after passing the preliminary review, and if it is overdue, it will be regarded as an automatic waiver of the project submission;

6. After payment for the project is confirmed by SIFF staff, its current status will be displayed as "Registration successful", and it will enter the selection process;

Fee:

A registration fee applies to submissions to SIFF PROJECT, which is RMB 300 per project, with the "early bird price" of RMB 180 for valid projects submitted before 24:00 on February 15, 2023.

*Once the registration fee is paid, it will not be refunded.

II. Which sub-units do screenplay projects fall into?

Screenplay projects include three sub-units: “Pre-production Project”, “Co-production Project” and “New Talent Project”.

III. Do Work in Progress projects need a shooting permit to be submitted?

Work in Progress projects that have not obtained a shooting permit will not be affected during the submission stage and can be submitted. However, if the permit is still not obtained by May 15, 2023, it will affect the chances of the project being shortlisted.

IV. I'm a screenwriter, can I submit my own screenplay?

Project submitted must have an identified director. If you are also the director for the project, you can submit it. In order for the reviewers to have a more complete understanding of the project, please submit the project plan, screenplay outline, the complete screenplay and other project information. You are also welcome to sign up for a spot in SIFF NEXT as a trainee screenwriter.

V. I am a director and I have no experience in feature film shooting. Can I submit a project?

Yes. SIFF PROJECT is open for new director submissions. Its "New Talent Project" sub-unit is specially set up for the first and second feature films of new directors. At the same time, we also recommend you apply to participate in the director training program of SIFF NEXT.

VI. Is there any age limit for directors to submit a project to the "New Talent Project" sub-unit?

The "New Talent Project" sub-unit is specially set up for the first and second feature films of new directors, and there is no age limit for the director himself.

VII. Can I just submit a producer or screenwriter if I haven't found a director for my project yet?

Project submitted must have an identified director. If in this project, the producer or screenwriter also serves as the director, it can be submitted. You are also welcome to apply to join the producer or screenwriter training program of SIFF NEXT.

VIII. Are there any regional or country restrictions for project submission?

SIFF PROJECT accepts projects from all over the world.

However, an international project to be submitted must have the feasibility of Sino-foreign co-production, while the "New Talent Project" sub-unit only accepts Chinese-language film projects.

IX. How many projects can each applicant submit at most?

There is no limit to the number of projects submitted by one applicant. In order to ensure the quality of the negotiation, however, the same applicant will have at most one project shortlisted in principle.

X. Do I have to submit previous works? Are there any format restrictions for submitting previous works?

You can fill in "None" for previous works, but submitting previous works to prove your ability as a director will give a greater chance of being selected. Previous works include feature films, short films, commercials, and web series.

Please provide a link that can be watched in mainland China, and a password if the video requires one. In consideration of the review period, please set the validity period of your previous works to more than 90 days.

XI. When and how will I know if my project is shortlisted?

The finalists will be announced on the official website and official WeChat account of SIFF in mid-to-late May. Prior to this, SIFF staff will notify and confirm the result by phone or email. Please make sure your contact information is accurate and we can reach you by it. Be sure to let us know in advance if there are any changes in it.