Regulations for SIFF PROJECT 2026

Born in 2007, SIFF PROJECT aims to connect the film industry, support emerging filmmakers and facilitate Sino-foreign co-productions. Five programmes - genre project, new talent project, co-production project, pre-production project and work-in progress project - have been gradually formed to help matching projects of different scales and in all stages with various resources from incubating, financing, co-producing to post-production, distribution, festival strategy and promotion.

Article 1 DATE

The 19th SIFF PROJECT of the 28th Shanghai International Film Festival will be held in June, 2026.

Article 2 PROGRAMMES

1. GENRE PROJECT

This programme is designed to foster Chinese genre project, including but not limited to comedy, romance, sci-fi, suspense, etc.

2. NEW TALENT PROJECT

This programme is designed to support emerging Chinese director for the first fictional feature project.

3. CO-PRODUCTION PROJECT

This programme aims to facilitate feature film project that has the potential of a Sino-foreign co-production.

4. PRE-PRODUCTION PROJECT

This programme selects feature film project which has relatively mature director in place or has been fully developed.

5. WORK-IN PROGRESS PROJECT

The WIP programme is for project that has started shooting or is currently in post-production, so as to support more specifically their post-production, domestic and foreign distribution, and film festival promotion.

Article 3 SUBMISSION DATES AND FEE

DATES:

GENRE PROJECT/NEW TALENT PROJECT/CO-PRODUCTION PROJECT/PRE-PRODUCTION PROJECT: Jan. 1st – Mar. 20th

WIP PROJECT: Jan. 1st – Apr. 5th

FEE:

* APPLICATION FEE WILL NOT BE REFUNDED ONCE RECEIVED.

Article 4 ELIGIBILITY

1. PRE-PRODUCTION PROJECT/CO-PRODUCTION PROJECT:

1) Feature film project intended for theatrical release (not including animations);

2) Chinese language production, or co-production with China;

3) With a budget plan;

4) Any project that is not shot before June 2026, including those that are under development, financing, etc.;

5) Project with confirmed director and producer is preferred；

6) Project with a finished script is preferred；

7) In the same project stage, project that has not participated in any other Chinese project market is preferred.

2. GENRE PROJECT

1) Meets all requirements in section 1;

2) Has to be a Chinese language production;

3) Attached to a Chinese director (if any);

4) Including but not limited to comedy, romance, sci-fi, suspense, etc.

3. NEW TALENT PROJECT

1) Meets all requirements in section 1;

2) Has to be a Chinese language production;

3) Attached to a Chinese director (if any);

4) Has to be the first feature of the director.

4. WIP PROJECT

1) Meets all requirements in section 1 (except as article 4);

2) A Chinese production has to obtain a shooting permit at China Film Administration before May. 15th, 2026;

3) Has started shooting or is currently in post-production.

Article 5 Required Materials

1. GENRE PROJECT/NEW TALENT PROJECT/PRE-PRODUCTION PROJECT

1) Director’s biography and filmography (if any) (200 characters in Chinese; 110 words in English);

2) Producer’s biography and filmography (if any) (200 characters in Chinese; 110 words in English);

3) Script writer’s biography and filmography (200 characters in Chinese; 110 words in English);

4) Production company profile (if any) (200 characters in Chinese; 110 words in English);

5) Logline (40 characters in Chinese, 20 words in English);

6) Synopsis (500 characters in Chinese, 200 words in English);

7) Statement of director (if any) (200 characters in Chinese, 110 words in English);

8) Statement of producer (if any) (200 characters in Chinese, 110 words in English);

9) Treatment (about 2000 words in Chinese, 1000 words in English);

10) Director’s previous works (no more than 3 feature or short films, please provide an online link and the password which can be watched in mainland China, links should be valid for at least 6 months.);

11) Production proposal (including budget sheet, shooting agenda, etc.);

2. CO-PRODUCTION PROJECT

1) Same as all requirements in section 1;

2) Application materials are required to be in both Chinese and English languages, full script (if any) need to be in Chinese at least.

3. WORK-IN-PROGRESS PROJECT

1) Same as all requirements in section 1;

2) Film clip with Chinese subtitle (at least 20 minutes, MP4 file, Chinese subtitled. Please provide an online link and the password which can be opened in mainland China);

3) Description of the production stage (300 characters in Chinese, 150 words in English);

Article 6 APPLICATION AND PAYMENT

1. Register an account via “Project Submission” on the official website of Shanghai International Film Festival (www.siff.com);

2. Select the category of project (Chinese project or Co-production project), fill in the complete information as required and submit. Each project can only be submitted as a single section. Substitutions of materials will not be accepted after being submitted. If the materials need to be replaced, please resubmit the project and pay the application fee；

3. Once the project is submitted, it will be verified by SIFF PROJECT team within 3 business days;

4. Upon verification, applicants will receive an email that guides to the online payment of the submission fee;

5. The online payment must be completed within 7 days after receiving the email verification. If overdue, the project application shall be construed a waiver;

6. Once SIFF confirms the payment, the project status will be shown as “successful application” and it is put under review. Application fee will not be refunded once received;

7. To request an invoice for submission fee, please submit a request on the website within the year；

8. The applicant must be the copyright holder or the copyright owner’s representative of the submitted project;

9. Pleases ensure that the contact information is authentic and valid;

10. All registration documents and materials will not be returned and will be kept for the sole purpose of the selection by Shanghai International Film Festival.

Article 7 CONTACT US

SIFF PROJECT Team

Shanghai International Film Festival

Email: project@siff.com

Article 8 PRIVILEGES FOR SELECTED PROJECTS

1. CO-PRODUCTION PROJECT/PRE-PRODUCTION PROJECT

a) Representative of the project will be officially invited to Shanghai International Film Festival as project guests to attend related events, with complimentary accommodation at festival hotel during the event.

b) Selected projects will be officially promoted by SIFF at various occasions;

c) Selected projects will have the chance to meet with the SIFF PROJECT jury panel;

d) Selected projects will have the chance to have arranged meeting with potential buyers, distributors, and festival programmers;

e) Selected projects will be eligible to win official awards of SIFF PROJECT.

2. GENRE PROJECT/NEW TALENT PROJECT

a) Same as what is included in section 1;

b) Public presentation opportunity with the attendance of the jury panel, buyers, media press, distributors and festival programmers;

3. WORK-IN-PROGRESS PROJECT

a) Same as what is included in section 1;

b) Public presentation opportunity with the attendance of the jury panel, buyers and media press distributors and festival programmers;

c) Industry screening with the attendance of the jury panel, buyers and media press distributors and festival programmers.

Article 9 CONDITIONS

1. The finalists will be officially announced on the SIFF official website (www.siff.com) around late May to early June. Before that, the selected project will be contacted by the committee via email or phone. Please ensure that the email address and phone number provided are correct and reachable, and please do update with SIFF PROJECT team if your contact changes;

2. Once the project team has officially confirmed its participation by replying a signed confirmation letter, it is required to fully collaborate with the organizing committee in order to better present the project and could not withdraw from the Festival for any reason. If the project team decides to withdraw, the SIFF committee has all rights reserved to make the final decision. If any cost occurred due to the submitter’s request of withdrawal, the submitter is obliged to compensate SIFF for any economic and/or reputation loss caused thereby, including but not limited to paying for the economic loss, issuing an official apology letter, making a public apology via designated social media platforms, etc;

3. At least one representative of each selected project is required to attend all the meetings and events organized by SIFF PROJECT. If no one is able to attend, the project is automatically disqualified from the finalist;

4. Online-registration is required to be finished within the time specified by the organizing committee after the official announcement of selection result. Selected project will be cancelled automatically if fails to register in time;

5. Once the selected project completes, it will be required to present information of SIFF PROJECT in the opening or closing credit of the final film. 

Article 10 OTHERS

1. Participation in the Festival implies adherence to the regulations as here set out;

2. The Festival maintains the right to decide all cases not provided above.