SIFF YOUNG | "The Ultimate Pass"! The SIFF YOUNG 2025 Officially Launched

SIFF YOUNG 2025 is officially launched today with the unveiling of the project’s main visual. This initiative will invite film institutions and experienced filmmakers to make the first round of nominations. The Final Selection Jury formed by these seasoned industry professionals will then recommend a list of prominent young filmmakers from China’s film industry. The final list of selected filmmakers will be announced during the 27th Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF).

 “The Ultimate Pass” to Empower the Growth of Young Filmmakers

SIFF YOUNG was initiated in 2021. Guided by Shanghai Film Bureau and undertaken by SIFF, this program aims to discover outstanding young directors, producers, and screenwriters from Chinese cinema.

Last year, Shanghai launched a three-year action plan to establish itself as the “City of Film”, ramping up efforts to discover, nurture, and support young filmmakers across the entire industry chain. The initiative also refined award mechanisms for emerging talents and provided support for debut productions.

SIFF YOUNG will continue leveraging Shanghai’s film industry policies, building on the SIFF’s platform and its “6+1” progressive talent nurturing scheme, to equip emerging filmmakers with “The Ultimate Pass” and connect them with global cinematic resources across the industry.

To further support selected filmmakers of SIFF YOUNG, the Shanghai Cultural Development Foundation has established a special funding initiative titled “Supporting Outstanding Young Filmmakers’ Projects in Shanghai” within its film production programs, prioritizing funding for the development, shooting, and production of their projects. As of now, several of them have received annual funding from the Shanghai Cultural Development Foundation for their film projects.

In recent years, selected filmmakers of SIFF YOUNG have launched many well-marketed and acclaimed films. These filmmakers, exploring new scripts and experimenting with different genres, have gradually become a driving force in the development of Chinese cinema. Moreover, several projects from selected filmmakers are also currently in development, pre-production, or filming stages.

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Increase of Producer Slots

SIFF YOUNG has been held three times so far. In 2021, it introduced five selected directors. Starting in 2023, it began to include producers and screenwriters in its selection scope. In 2024, the inclusion of animated film director Zhao Ji highlighted the program’s focus on the animation genre. In 2025, the program will further adjust the balance of selected filmmaker roles, to demonstrate its attention to core positions within the film industry by increasing the number of producers.

Launch of SIFF YOUNG 2024

SIFF YOUNG has updated its industry nomination mechanism on a regular basis, to ensure that its selection standards and results reflect the latest trends in China’s film industry and its future trends, providing more targeted support for young filmmakers.

SIFF YOUNG 2025 will further emphasize industry participation, inviting 15 recommending institutions and 15 nominators to make the first-round nominations. The Final Selection Jury formed by these professionals will then choose the program’s selected filmmakers for the year, recommending outstanding young directors, producers, and screenwriters from China’s film industry, to further boost the flourishing of Chinese cinema.