SIFF PROJECT | SIFF PROJECT of the 26th SIFF Calls for Entries!

SIFF PROJECT of the 26th (SIFF) will be held in Shanghai in June 2024. Starting from January 1, SIFF PROJECT will openly solicit high-quality film projects from filmmakers around the world. Representatives of shortlisted projects will be invited to participate in related activities of the 26th SIFF.

Group photo of project holders at SIFF PROJECT 2023

As an influential film project financing initiative in Asia, the SIFF PROJECT has been successfully held for 16 sessions since its establishment in 2007, witnessing 87 projects entering the production phase, many of which have won awards at major film festivals and received great attention and recognition from the industry. It is not only an incubator for excellent works, but also a major platform for the industry to discover new talents for Chinese-language cinema. SIFF PROJECT is committed to bridging industry resources, supporting emerging Chinese-language filmmakers, and promoting Sino-foreign cooperation, and has gradually introduced four sub-units: PRE-PRODUCTION PROJECT, CO-PRODUCTION PROJECT, NEW TALENT PROJECT, and WORK-IN PROGRESS PROJECT (WIP). Every year, there are a total of 30 to 40 film projects selected for SIFF PROJECT, and incubation, financing, and promotion services for the event based on the stages of projects.

In 2023, SIFF PROJECT happened to witness the remarkable achievements of several outstanding young directors who had been selected for SIFF PROJECT after the completion of their projects:

Director Wu Lang's film Absence (SIFF PROJECT 2019) was selected for the Encounters section of the 73rd Berlin International Film Festival, the International Competition section of the 24th Jeonju International Film Festival in South Korea, and was also chosen as the opening film for the Belt and Road Film Week at the 25th SIFF, where it received the honor of Media Attention;

Director Zhao Hao's film NOW HERE (SIFF PROJECT 2020) was selected for the Generation 14plus program at the 73rd Berlin International Film Festival in the form of a short film;

Director Wang Yichun's film The Kidnapping (SIFF PROJECT 2018) has been chosen for the main competition unit of the 17th FIRST International Film Festival;

Zhang Jiajun's film All, or Nothing at All (SIFF PROJECT 2019, SIFF PROJECT WIP 2023) has been elected as a finalist in the First Features Competition section of the 2023 Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival and it is also the only Chinese-language film competing in that section in 2023;

Director Jigme Trinley's film One and Four (SIFF PROJECT 2020) won the Best Cinematography award at the 16th Asian Film Awards, and was nominated for Best New Director; this work was screened in the “Power of Chinese-language Cinema" section at the 2023 Beijing International Film Festival, and in the Refreshing Chinese Cinema and the Chinese Art Cinema sections at the 25th SIFF, and was released nationwide in October 2023.

Director Chen Yanqi's film Day Tripper (SIFF PROJECT 2021) has been chosen for the Freedom Spirit Competition section at the 39th Warsaw International Film Festival, the Hidden Dragons section at the 7th Pingyao Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon International Film Festival, and the Domestic New Films section at the 2023 China Golden Rooster and Hundred Flowers Film Festival;

The film Ripples of Life (SIFF PROJECT 2020), directed by Wei Shujun, was screened nationwide in September 2023; it received nominations for Best Small and Medium Budget Film, Best Screenplay, Best Director, and Best Supporting Actress of the 36th Golden Rooster Awards and finally won the award for Best Supporting Actress;

Director Lhapal Gya's film The Great Distance Delivers Crane (SIFF PROJECT 2021) was nominated for Best Children's Film at the 36th China Golden Rooster Awards and came to screens nationwide;

The film Streetwise (SIFF PROJECT 2017) directed by Director Na Jiazuo and the film Tainted Love (SIFF PROJECT 2021) directed by Director Ma Yingxin also met with the audience in Chinese mainland in 2023.

In addition, the film Hold On (SIFF PROJECT 2021) directed by Wang Yi'ao, the film Happiness In Between (SIFF PROJECT 2019) directed by Lantian, and the film Our Name (SIFF PROJECT 2023) directed by Zhou Jie have also completed shooting this year and are currently in post-production. The film The Gullible Deer (SIFF PROJECT 2019), directed by Zhang Hongguang, recently started filming and is currently under production in Harbin.

Scene of project negotiation at SIFF PROJECT 2023

Due to the postponement of the 25th SIFF to 2023, which was originally scheduled to be held in 2022, SIFF PROJECT received a total of 679 valid project applications over the course of two years, with 33 feature film projects nominated as finalists. Among them, there are 8 projects shortlisted for NEW TALENT PROJECT, 2 for CO-PRODUCTION PROJECT, 13 for PRE-PRODUCTION PROJECT, and 10 for the WORK-IN PROGRESS PROJECT (WIP). The nominated projects are diverse in genre and theme, and have received enthusiastic responses in the film market. During the event, a total of 643 negotiation meetings were held.

Four major units

The Pre-production Project is designed to select more mature director teams or develop more complete feature film projects.

Scene of the negotiation meeting in the Pre-production Project unit of SIFF PROJECT 2023

The Co-Production Project was established in 2019 to promote the co-filming, co-production, and cooperation between Chinese and foreign films, and to support feature film projects with international cooperation potential.

Scene of the negotiation meeting in the Co-Production Project unit of SIFF PROJECT 2023

The New Talent Project was introduced in 2014. It is open to the first and second feature film projects by Chinese directors to help SIFF offer further support to emerging talents in Chinese-language cinema. During the event, the project holders will make presentations to the entire industry and media.

Group photo of project holders and recommenders of New Talent Project at SIFF PROJECT 2023

The Work in Progress Project is traced back to 2018. It provides targeted support for feature film projects that have started filming, or are in production or post-production, in terms of post-production, domestic and international distribution, and promotion at film festivals. The directors of the shortlisted projects will participate in public presentations, project negotiations and other activities during SIFF PROJECT.

Scene of public presentation at SIFF PROJECT 2023

Selection criteria

(I) PRE-PRODUCTION PROJECT and CO-PRODUCTION PROJECT

1. Feature-length film projects (excluding animations) with potential for theatrical release;

2. Chinese-language or Sino-foreign cooperation projects;

3. The director has been determined;

4. The script has been completed;

5. The project budget has been determined;

6.  It has not started shooting before June 2024 and is in the financing or pre-production stage;

7. Projects with producers determined are preferred;

8. For projects in the same stage, priority will be given to those that have not participated in other similar programmes in the Chinese-speaking region.

(II) NEW TALENT PROJECT

1. Meet the selection criteria for projects in (I);

2. Chinese-language projects;

3. Directed by Chinese directors;

4. The first or second feature-length film of a director.

(III) WIP

1. Meet the selection criteria for projects in (I);

2. Chinese projects must be approved before May 15, 2024 and obtain a receipt for the filing of the film script (synopsis);

3. Projects that have already started filming or are in the production or post-production stage.

Registration fee

Please refer to the official website for the detailed regulations for submission: www.siff.com

If you have any questions, please contact:

SIFF PROJECT Workgroup

project@siff.com

SIFF NEXT, a program specially worked out for incubating and training new talents in the film industry, is expected to accept application in February 2024. Stay tuned for updates.