SIFF YOUNG | Young Filmmakers Are Supported to Step onto a Bigger Stage

On June 15th, SIFF YOUNG, the Shanghai International Film Festival project to support young filmmakers, announced the list of seven selected filmmakers: directors Wen Muye, Shen Ao, Liu Xunzimo, Shao Yihui, Li Xiaofeng, producer Dun He, and screenwriter You Xiaoying.

SIFF YOUNG expanded its selection criteria this year to include producers and screenwriters in addition to directors. After a comprehensive evaluation by 15 institutions and 15 professionals, the final selection was made by a panel of renowned filmmakers led by acclaimed director Huang Jianxin, producer and supervisor Chen Zhixi, producer and actor Nai An, screenwriter Shu Huan, and director Zheng Dasheng.

Seven Young Filmmakers Stood Out

Established in 2021, SIFF YOUNG aims to discover and support exceptional young Chinese filmmakers. The selected filmmakers for this year’s SIFF YOUNG have already garnered widespread attention for their successful creative experiences and possess immense potential.

Director and screenwriter Wen Muye’s feature films DYING TO SURVIVE and NICE VIEW not only achieved great box office success but also received multiple film awards. The panel praised him, saying, “Through his realistic works, director Wen Muye demonstrates a genuine and unwavering focus on the state of life, the living environment, and the profound changes of our time. He skillfully and effectively uses cinematic techniques to express respect for human nature. With a restrained yet touching style, his films accurately capture the details that correspond to the human soul, fully showcasing the characteristics and allure of modern cinema. Wen Muye’s films are inspiring and exemplary in today’s film industry.”

Director Shen Ao is signed with Bad Monkey Film. Since his international award-winning short film THE OPPOSITE SHORE in 2005, his self-written and directed feature film debut MY DEAR LIAR also won major domestic awards. His new film “HIGH SALARY WORLD” and the web series REGENERATION will meet with audiences later this year. The final selection panel gave him the following commendation, “Young director Shen Ao has a keen sense of real-life, sharp viewpoints, and warm undertones expressed through black humor. He explores the best solutions within authorial expression and market genres, using a distinctive visual style to tell stories with attitude. With sincere and steady efforts, he shows great promise as a rising filmmaker.”

Director Liu Xunzimo gained recognition through works such as the web series REPORT TO THE BOSS. His debut feature film BE SOMEBODY received multiple awards in China in 2021, showcasing his remarkable directorial talent. The final selection panel praised him, saying, “Although BE SOMEBODY is Liu Xunzimo’s directorial debut, it already demonstrates his unique filmmaking techniques and structural abilities. The film employs multiple perspectives, layers upon layers, and delivers surprising twists while revealing the complexity of human nature. The director effectively handles the relationship between comedy and suspense, creating a captivating film. We look forward to Liu Xunzimo’s future works.”

Director Shao Yihui rose to fame with her self-written and directed feature film B FOR BUSY, which received both critical acclaim and commercial success. The final selection panel commended her, saying, “Director Shao Yihui excels at capturing ordinary yet shining moments from everyday life, which requires a passion for life, solid creative skills, and occasional flashes of talent. Fortunately, she possesses all these qualities. Her works balance drama and everyday life, presenting a natural, composed, and intimate portrayal on screen. They demonstrate insight into important themes of life and showcase the rare humor of a female director. We look forward to more of her exploration on this path.”

Director Li Xiaofeng gained recognition in the SIFF YOUNG with NEZHA. His film BACK TO THE WHARF was also nominated for the Golden Goblet Awards for Best Feature Film. The final selection panel praised him as such: “A versatile filmmaker with an inclusive approach to creativity. Through his directing, he actively explores the harmony between genre and authorship, striving to combine commercial appeal with artistic value. His narratives excel in portraying the emotional struggles and dramatic conflicts beneath the calm surface of real life. We anticipate more touching works from him in the future.”

Producer Dun He is also an outstanding young filmmaker who has long attracted the attention of the SIFF. He has invested in and produced several films by young directors, aiming to create realistic films that balance authorial expression and market value. His produced film SEND ME TO THE CLOUDS(directed by Teng Congcong) was nominated in the Asian New Talent at the 22nd SIFF. His film BACK TO THE WHARF (directed by Li Xiaofeng) was nominated in the Main Competition of the 23rd SIFF Golden Goblet Awardss. His film ABSENCE (directed by Wu Lang) became the opening film for the Belt and Road Film Week of this year’s SIFF. The final selection panel recommended him for “constantly exploring innovative themes and genres, committed to supporting young Chinese creators and finding the perfect balance between artistic and commercial value.”

Screenwriter You Xiaoying is a familiar name among film enthusiasts. Her works, such as LOVE EDUCATION in 2018 and SISTER in 2023, have received multiple awards. The final selection panel recommended her, because “she possesses a delicate and keen insight from a female perspective, as well as a caring observation of individual lives based on universal human nature. With rich life details, she succinctly and accurately captures the essence of stories. Although young, You Xiaoying seamlessly integrates emotions and techniques, individuality and empathy. She has already presented us with skillfully made screenplays full of sincere feelings, making us look forward to her becoming a leading figure among young screenwriters.”

Shanghai Has Established a Comprehensive Whole-Chain Support System

In 2021, SIFF YOUNG was officially launched, hosted by the Shanghai Film Administration and organized by the SIFF. This program expanded the SIFF’s existing six-tier talent development program, forming a 6+1 tier system for nurturing new talents.

Relying on the policies at the municipal and district levels in Shanghai, SIFF YOUNG has established a long-term support mechanism, providing comprehensive support for young actors from script development to shooting, post-production, and promotion. Meanwhile, it recommends works to participate in international film festivals to enhance international influence, effectively creating a support system that covers the entire industry chain.

In 2021, SIFF YOUNG introduced five young directors who promoted their works to the world at Cannes Film Market. Currently, with the support of SIFF YOUNG, the first batch of selected young directors is working on their creations and experiencing rapid growth. Rao Xiaozhi’s film HOME COMING was produced and approved in Shanghai, receiving support from the SIFF YOUNG program. It became the box office champion during the National Day holiday in 2022. Liang Ming’s second feature film CARPE DIEM received approval and funding in Shanghai and has completed shooting. Wang Jing’s THE BEST IS YET TO COME was released in March this year and achieved excellent box office, surpassing RMB50 million as a low-budget debut film.

THE BEST IS YET TO COME

Poster

HOME COMING

Poster

Now, the returning SIFF YOUNG has been upgraded. The support scope has expanded from directors to include producers and screenwriters, strengthening the promotion of innovation, diversity, and sustainable development in the film industry. The level of support has also increased, as the Shanghai Cultural Development Foundation has specifically set up a support mechanism with its film fund for young filmmakers’ projects in Shanghai, creating a green channel for the selected filmmakers in this program.

Huang Jianxin, Chair of the final selection panel, pointed out that young filmmakers are crucial to the development of the film industry. He said, “The film industry always sees waves of outstanding young professionals who refresh our perspectives, present challenges, and bring more diverse content. They are the source of new vitality in the entire industry. Just like the ‘motif’ in music composition, the ‘motif’ of the film industry is ‘young life’ and ‘burning life.’ Directors, screenwriters, and producers are the core components of the film structure. They accumulate experiences together, complement each other, and grow together.”

As an “old man” in this industry, he emphasized, “As we grow older, we have accumulated some experience and resources which we should utilize to support the younger generation, because the previous generation of filmmakers supported us in the same way. So, I have discussed with director Tian Zhuangzhuang and a few others that we should all actively participate in such support programs. For example, in the youth spy film BURNING STAR, of which I was the executive producer, the young director Xu Zhanxiong has his unique aesthetics and an individual visual style and narrative structure. His innovation and uniqueness, combined with my years of experience in producing genre films, bring a youthful perspective and distinctive story to the creation.”

However, he also believes that individual efforts are limited, and “government and institutional support plays a crucial role in the industry.” That’s why he highly praises SIFF YOUNG, saying, “In my impression, Shanghai and the SIFF pay special attention to supporting young filmmakers, such as director Xu Zhanxiong who I recently collaborated with. He emerged as a promising director from the SIFF YOUNG and Asia New Talent. SIFF YOUNG is a very professional support program that directly targets outstanding talents rather than immature projects.” This kind of support, he said, “is real empowerment, not just empty words, so I also hope that outstanding young filmmakers will cherish such opportunities.”

Policies and a Favorable Environment For Creation

In recent years, Shanghai’s film industry has been progressing by leaps and bounds. Excellent film companies and filmmakers have successively landed in Shanghai. A lot of “Shanghai productions” have performed well during major holidays such as the Chinese New Year and National Day, and recently, both the first and second top-grossing films during the May Day holiday came from Shanghai. This indicates that the industrial environment in Shanghai continues to improve, forming a virtuous cycle. The Shanghai Film Administration is striving to provide comprehensive services for productions in Shanghai, further establishing the “Made in Shanghai,” “Shanghai Services,” and “Shanghai Culture” brands in the domestic film industry.

Currently, Shanghai is advancing the construction of a global film and TV production center. Shanghai High-Tech Film and TV Park has 19 professional film and TV shooting bases, including those in Chedun and Shengqiang, with 28 high-tech studios and a total area of 50,000 square meters. Among them, the LED virtual studio of the Yangtze River Delta International Film and TV Centre provides virtual and real-scene services for virtual production projects. Haopu Film and TV Base has the largest high-tech photography studio and underwater studio in Shanghai, covering an area of 5,000 square meters. At the same time, Shanghai’s film and TV production service agencies provide coordination services free of charge to film crews nationwide. They have received high praise from numerous production crews that have come to Shanghai for location shooting. The “Shanghai experience” has spread throughout China.

The selected young directors expressed their intentions and confidence in creating works in Shanghai. Director Wen Muye, who is currently filming overseas, said via video that he will “strive to make better films in Shanghai to give back to the audience.” Director Liu Xunzimo stated, “This is both an encouragement and motivation. Let me just say, see you in the next film.” Director Shen Ao, whose new film was just announced for release at 10 a.m. today, said, “Two of my films and one of my dramas were approved in Shanghai, and my own company is also in Shanghai. So, I have deep feelings for Shanghai and the SIFF.” Director Shao Yihui expressed gratitude to Shanghai, saying, “I have lived in Shanghai for so many years, and every year, as a film lover, I would participate in various activities of the SIFF and watch films. This city has a strong artistic atmosphere and a cultural environment. I hope to make more films here.” Director Li Xiaofeng mentioned that his second film, NEZHA received honors from SIFF YOUNG and was approved in Shanghai ten years ago. He said, “I’m happy to receive support from SIFF YOUNG again after ten years. Shanghai has treated me so well.”

The newly added supported filmmakers – screenwriters and producers – have also felt the warmth from Shanghai. Screenwriter You Xiaoying expressed, “I will work even harder to write good scripts and not disappoint this honor.” Producer Dun He, who has studied and worked in Shanghai for 10 years, said, “Every time I return to the SIFF, I feel a strong sense of familiarity. I hope to establish roots in Shanghai and create more and better works in the future.”