Gala Night｜The 25th Shanghai International Film Festival Opens Tonight
This year marks the 30th anniversary of SIFF. The Red Carpet gathered a large number of renowned filmmakers and crews linked to productions THE GREAT WAR, CREATION OF THE GODS I, ADVANCING OF ZQ, WAR CUSTOMISED, MOONSTRUCK, WHO’S THE SUSPECT, HEROES OF DUNHUANG, LOVE STORY OF SANGUI, MEG 2: THE TRENCH, OPERATION MOSCOW, UNSPOKEN, THE COLDEST CITY, THE EX-FILES 4: MARRIAGE PLAN, RAGE, LOOK AT ME, BE WATER, MY FRIEND, and more. Prominent figures from the film industry, such as Chen Kaige, Kris Phillips, Kara Wai, Jason Statham, Shen Teng, Nicholas Tse, Anita Yuen, Donald Chow, Zhu Yawen, and Zhu Yilong, also graced the red carpet. The entire international jury of the Golden Goblet Awards, walking side by side, made their presence at the ceremony.
Red carpet photos
Red carpet photos
The Gala Night that followed the Red Carpet commenced with the light and shadow show “The River of Light and Shadow.” Two renowned filmmakers, Chen Kaige and Donald Chow, took to the stage as special witnesses of the 30-year history of the SIFF. Chen Kaige said, “Sixteen years ago, I was chair of the jury at SIFF and I had beautiful memories here.” Donald Chow recalled his first encounter with this stage in 2012 and said, “I received support and encouragement on this stage, and I won an award! In the following ten years, I have come here many times to meet countless filmmakers from home and abroad. Coming here feels like coming home.”
The two then invited another guest onto the stage with thunderous applause. Slowly, the LED screen displaying “Glorious Days of SIFF” opened, and Chinese-American actress Michelle Yeoh, who won Best Actress at the 95th Academy Awards, emerged from what looked like a time tunnel and walked hand in hand with Donald Chow. Attending SIFF for the fifth time, Michelle Yeoh expressed her joy at being back in Shanghai and meeting everyone. As an old friend of SIFF, she extended an invitation to filmmakers worldwide in English, saying, “Allow me to welcome you all!”
The three old friends of SIFF shared their memories of SIFF and their own 30-year journey. At such a nostalgic moment, Chen Kaige couldn’t help but say, “People gathered here today can be described with the title of a classic film starring you two: ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’.”
This year’s SIFF Golden Goblet Awards include five main competition categories: Main Competition, Asian New Talent, Documentary, Animation, and Short Film. The jury consists of 21 members from 12 countries and regions, including Polish director Jerzy Skolimowski, Kyrgyzstan director Aktan Abdykalykov, Swiss director Christian Frei, Japanese animation producer Taro Maki, and Taiwanese producer Peggy Chiao. After their introduction, Jerzy Skolimowski, Polish director, screenwriter, producer, actor, artist and chair of the jury for the Main Competition, delivered a speech on behalf of the jury. He said, “I am happy to be here because my father was born in China. My grandfather, Kazimierz Skolimowski, an architect, made contributions to urban planning in China. I am fortunate to be standing here, experiencing the magnificent culture, vitality of the country, and its glorious history. Of course, we are gathered here for the cinema. Cinema has the power of change. It bridges the gap between people, and connects distant cultures. Let us cherish this moment together!"
As the only A-list international film festival in China and a leading film festival in Asia, the SIFF has held true to its mission of “being rooted in Asia, promoting Chinese-language films, and supporting new talent” for the past 30 years. The shining Golden Goblet trophy has witnessed the glory of its history, the spirit of the times, and has illuminated the dreams of countless filmmakers. The festival has gradually established a comprehensive “6+1” system for cultivating young talents, which includes short videos, Golden Goblet short films, SIFF Next, SIFF Project, Asian New Talent, Golden Goblet Awards, and SIFF Young, providing aspiring young people with a path for growth and for realizing their dreams in the world of cinema. Young talents including Zhang Zifeng, Chen Feiyu, Wang Yuan, Zhang Xueying, Liu Juan, Hu Xianxu, Wen Qi, and Wu Lang expressed their love for cinema through a joint performance of the song “A Love Letter to Filmmakers.”
At the Golden Goblet Awards Ceremony, Chinese actor Wu Jing, British actor Jason Statham, Chinese director Wuershan, and Chinese actor Xia Yu announced the 12 films in the Main Competition section. Chinese actress Shu Qi and comedian Shen Teng unveiled the opening film, the Chinese film “Love Never Ends”. Director Han Yan, along with the film's lead actors Ni Dahong, Kara Wai, Tony Leung, and Cecilia Yip, took the stage together to showcase the warmth and romance that the film brings to the world. After that, the audience and the guests watched this reality-based, “Made-in-Shanghai” film.
Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism
