2025-06-14

The Belt and Road Film Week | Huang Xiaoming, Tiffany Tang, Yosh Yu Appointed as Ambassadors

The 27th Shanghai International Film Festival’s Belt and Road Film Week is about to commence. This year’s edition presents 15 acclaimed films from countries along the Belt and Road route, showcasing their historical evolution, contemporary life, and cultural traditions through diverse cinematic perspectives. By building bridges of cultural exchange on screen, the event fosters people-to-people connectivity, allowing civilizations to deepen mutual understanding through the dialogue of light and shadow.

Huang Xiaoming, Tiffany Tang, and Yosh Yu (listed alphabetically by surname) have been invited as ambassadors for this year’s Belt and Road Film Week. They will actively participate in the event’s activities and leverage their industry influence to promote film culture across Belt and Road countries, embarking on a new chapter of cross-border cinematic exchange with global audiences.

Huang Xiaoming

Ambassador

With over two decades in the industry, Huang Xiaoming has established himself as an iconic figure in Chinese cinema through memorable roles in Mostly Sunny, American Dreams in China, The Bravest, The Message, and Forever Young. In 2013, his portrayal of Cheng Dongqing in American Dreams in China made history, earning him the “Triple Crown” of Best Actor at Golden Rooster, Huabiao Film Awards, and Hundred Flowers Awards - becoming the youngest actor to achieve this milestone. In 2020, he won both the Golden Rooster and Hundred Flowers Awards for his role as fire captain Jiang Liwei in The Bravest. Most recently, his performance as Wu You, a man with intellectual disabilities in Mostly Sunny, scooped for him the Best Actor award at the 2024 SIFF’s Golden Goblet Awards. Beyond acting, he has served as a cultural ambassador between China and France, twice promoting the Festival Croisements and receiving France’s Order of Arts and Letters (Chevalier). In recent years, he has expanded his creative horizons as a executive producer and presenter in film and television.

Tiffany Tang

Ambassador

As a leading figure among China’s mid-generation actresses, Tiffany Tang has consistently demonstrated her industry influence through versatile roles and professional dedication. Her career began with a breakout debut Farewell for Love in 2006, earning nominations at both the Beijing College Student Film Festival and Shanghai Television Festival. In 2009, she rose to fame with her portrayal of “Zi Xuan” in Chinese Paladin 3, followed by widespread acclaim for her acting skills in the pan-Asian blockbuster The Storm Warriors 2. Her nuanced performance as “Ming Zhen” in For Love or Money (2014) won her the Best Supporting Actress award at the China Image Film Festival (Golden Knight Awards). In 2016, she led A Chinese Odyssey: Part Three to become the Mid-Autumn Festival box office champion. In 2024, Tang reached new heights with her captivating depiction of “Wang Mingzhu” in Blossoms, securing nominations for Best Actress at China’s top three television awards - the Flying Apsaras, Magnolia, and Golden Eagle Awards - a testament to her mastery of complex characters. From period fantasies to modern workplace dramas, from spirited ingenues to legendary women, Tiffany Tang continues to expand her artistic legacy through substantive roles and transformative performances.

Yosh Yu

Ambassador

Emerging actor Yosh Yu rose to prominence with his breakthrough role as Ji Fa in Creation of the Gods Trilogy, marking the start of a rapidly ascending career. In 2023, his portrayal of Deng Fang in Born to Fly earned him China Movie Channel Award for Influential Young Actor of the Year. The following year, his standout performance in Creation of the Gods I: Kingdom of Storms contributed to the film’s sweeping victories - including Best Feature Film at both the Golden Rooster and Huabiao Film Awards, as well as the Venice Film Festival’s Artistic Contribution Award for Genre Cinema. His role also garnered for him the Hundred Flowers Award for Best Newcomer, solidifying his acting prowess. By 2025, Yosh Yu continued his upward trajectory: Recognized as “Quality Strength Actor of the Year” at Television Series of China Quality Ceremony for To the Wonder; attracted widespread attention for his roles in action blockbusters Operation Leviathan and Blades of the Guardians. Representing “China’s New Talents Going Global Program” at the Cannes Film Festival 2025, he engaged in profound artistic dialogues with international peers - showcasing both his creative passion and global vision.

The three ambassadors, with their distinctive artistic charisma and cross-cultural influence, vividly embody the core vision of the Belt and Road Film Week: “Connecting civilizations through cinema, fostering mutual appreciation through storytelling, and weaving bonds of friendship along the Silk Road”. Together, they are building a cinematic bridge for people-to-people connectivity. This year's Film Week will also launch a series of exchange initiatives, including: Industry & Culture Roundtables, Charm Pudong Gala Night, and Post-screening Meet-and-greets. The ambassadors will actively participate in multiple events, delving into dialogues about cinematic art with international filmmakers. Their involvement will catalyze two-way exchanges between Chinese and global cinema while facilitating cross-cultural dissemination of outstanding works.

Screenings of the Belt and Road Film Week across six cities - Shanghai, Nanjing, Suzhou, Hangzhou, Ningbo, and Hefei - are now open for online booking via Taopiaopiao. Audiences can select nearby sessions to enjoy this curated showcase of films from Belt and Road countries.

The Belt and Road Film Festival Alliance was initiated by the Organizing Committee of SIFF and was established in 2018, currently consisting of 55 member institutions from 48 countries as of 2024. Against the backdrop of the Belt and Road Initiative, the alliance focuses on reciprocal film recommendations and filmmaker exchanges, and aims to enhance the capabilities of film curation, promote mutual understanding among filmmakers, facilitate film cooperation projects, strengthen exchanges in film culture among countries, establish a close information-sharing mechanism, and explore future development models for film festivals.

Civilization thrives through exchange and mutual learning. Since the establishment of the Belt and Road Film Festival Alliance, SIFF, together with the Publicity Department of the CPC Pudong New Area Committee (District Cultural, Sports and Tourism Bureau), and the Administrative Committee of Shanghai International Resort, has teamed up to organize the Belt and Road Film Week, and created a mechanism with the Belt and Road Film Tour, effectively promoting two-way exchanges and mutual learning between filmmakers and film cultures along the Belt and Road route, and further enhancing cultural exchanges and people-to-people bonds among countries along the route.