SIFF YOUNG｜SIFF YOUNG 2023 Announces Lineup of Final Selection Jury

SIFF YOUNG 2023 announces today the lineup of its final selection jury, which is led by the well-known director Huang Jianxin, followed by the producer and supervisor Chen Zhixi, the producer and actress Nai An, the screenwriter Shu Huan, and the director Zheng Dasheng.

Young filmmakers are an invaluable asset to the Chinese film industry. They, the innovation engine of the industry and the key force in inheriting and developing the art of cinema, have brought unfailing new vitality and impetus into the film industry with their fresh perspectives, novel thinking and unique expressions. Over the years, Shanghai, always being concerned about the growth of young filmmakers, has kept providing them with opportunities to showcase their talents and introduced the brand new programme SIFF YOUNG in 2021. Directed by the Shanghai Film Bureau and organized by the Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF), this programme is designed to discover outstanding young Chinese film talents and provide all-round support for young filmmakers and their works to access domestic and international film industry resources based on Shanghai's film development policies, the industry platforms of SIFF and the 6+1 step-wise new talent cultivation system.

The final selection jury of SIFF YOUNG is composed of five senior filmmakers, and each of them has a wealth of experience in the industry and has been following and actively working with young filmmakers for many years. The final selection jury will select the filmmaker candidates for this SIFF YOUNG through rigorous and thorough discussions. The scope of recommendation has been expanded this year from directors to producers and screenwriters, and the shortlist will be announced during the 25th SIFF.

Jury President

Huang Jianxin

 Chinese film director, screenwriter, producer

Chairman of Beijing Film Specialist Association, vice chairman of Beijing Federation of Literary and Art Circles, part-time professor of Beijing Film Academy and Central Academy of Drama. As one of the representatives of China's "5th generation of directors", he has directed films such as THE BLACK CANNON INCIDENT, DISLOCATION, STAND STRAIGHT, DON'T BEND OVER, BACK TO BACK, FACE TO FACE, THE FOUNDING OF A REPUBLIC and 1921, and has been honored by a plethora of awards. In 2005, he was awarded the title of "National Film Artist with Outstanding Contribution".

"I’d like to see some qualities in young directors. First, the ability of percept, for example, their understanding and expression of cultural values, ideals, society, and psychology issues; second, the ability to imagine and innovate, as films are totally the fruits of imagination, which is actually the long-term driving force of SIFF. We have also noticed films by female directors. And they have brought out the glamour of cinema from a feminine perspective – with subtler perception of life that male directors may fail to achieve, and these subtle perceptions may further reveal the nature of human life.”

Jury Members

Chen Zhix

Producer and supervisor

The executive director of Ruyi Holdings and the president of Ruyi Films. Works produced and supervised by her include: ONE AND ONLY, POST TRUTH, HI, MOM, THE REUNIONS, ANIMAL WORLD, DETECTIVE CHINATOWN, LOST IN THAILAND, etc. As of now, the cumulative box office scooped by films produced by Chen Zhixi has exceeded 10 billion, with HI, MOM, a hit during the Spring Festival, contributing nearly 5.413 billion. Chen Zhixi is also known as one of the most successful producers in the industry.

"A good young producer must firstly have an aesthetic sense; secondly, he or she must cherish talent. When you discover a talented director, you must readily give your all for him or her. At the same time, one must be persistent. Actually, it is by no means easy to finance a film for a young director. If you fail to keep that determination, it may be impossible to present a young director's work to the audience in the end."

Nai An

Supervisor and actress

Graduated from the Department of Directing of the Central Academy of Drama in 1991, and started film production as an independent producer in 1993. In 1999, Nai An established Beijing Menggongzuo Culture and Art Co., Ltd., and the feature films supervised by her include BLIND MASSAGE, THE SHADOW PLAY and so on. She has served as a jury for the World Cinema competitions of the Sundance Film Festival and for the New Talent section of the Hong Kong International Film Festival.

"Young producers should first have a good scent for talent – and be able to discover talented creators, not only directors, but also photographers, artists, sound engineers or even performers, and assist the director to determine proper candidates; secondly, they should have leadership or be experienced in coordination and management; lastly, they must know how to create, since only in this way will they offer more assistance to the director and help deliver a quality project."

Shu Huan

Screenwriter and director

Vice chairman of the Beijing Film Specialist Association. He is engaged in the creation of a wide range of work genres, including films, TV dramas, sitcoms and sketches. His major screenwriting works include: CALL FOR LOVE, LOST IN THAILAND, LOST IN HONG KONG, JIAN BING MAN, COWARD HERO, MY PEOPLE, MY HOMELAND, EMBRACE AGAIN, etc., as well as the sitcom I LOVE MY FAMILY and the TV series THUNDERSTORM and A UNQUE MILITIMAN.

"For young screenwriters, aside from rich imaginations and ample emotions, it is important to have some special qualities, something that surprises people, such as a sense of humor, a sense of suspense, the subtle expression of unique details, etc. These qualities manifest the personality of a screenwriter, as we all know skills determine the basic ability of a screenwriter, while characters and emotions tell us his or her potentials. "

Zheng Dasheng

Director

His work BANGZI MELODY won the Annual Jury Special Commendation Award of the 9th China Film Directors’ Guild in 2017, the Grand Jury Prize of the 25th Beijing College Student Film Festival, and the nomination for the Best Director Award of the 31st Golden Rooster Award. And his films such as THE INCORRUPTIBLE OFFICIAL YU CHENGLONG, THE DEATH OF WANGBO, ANTIQUES, USELESS MAN, THE DEADLY RECLAIM, DV CHINA, Fleeting Time, A TAO and 1921 have won many domestic and international awards.

"For a young director, instead of focusing on a certain work, it is more valuable to retrace the changes along his or her creative path. Those who have continued to make works in the past three to five years are true creators. I expect that from the growth process of a director in recent years, we can learn if he or she brings us more creation possibilities that are inspiring and potential. We also hope that: everyone will delve into their own direction, and only when creation is under way in rich realms and multiple dimensions will the industry thrive."

**In the pinyin order by the first letter of the surname**

The following is the messages from the seniors in the final selection jury to young Chinese filmmakers.