Tony Leung Chiu-wai to Preside Over the Main Competition Jury of the 28th SIFF Golden Goblet Awards

The 28th Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF) is set to sail from June 12 to 21, 2026. Famed for its rich heritage and open, inclusive spirit, Shanghai, the City of Film, once again rolls out the red carpet to the global film community.

Hong Kong screen legend Tony Leung Chiu-wai has been named President of the Main Competition Jury for the festival’s Golden Goblet Awards. With over 40 years in the industry and more than 100 film credits to his name, Leung has picked up a shelf full of major awards at home and abroad along the way and is widely recognized as one of the most iconic and internationally acclaimed actors in Chinese-language cinema.

“Cinema is the art of dreaming, and Shanghai is the very vessel on which the Chinese film dream set sail,” Leung shared in a video message upon accepting the invitation. He also extended his warm greetings and sincere invitation to filmmakers and audiences worldwide, saying, “I still have a few tickets left. Will you come with me??”

Photo: Tony Leung sends his best wishes to the 28th SIFF

Leung developed a passion for cinema at an early age. He entered the industry in 1982 and made his screen debut the following year. Known for his understated, nuanced performances and impeccable command of characters, he has worked across a wide range of genres, consistently delivering work of the highest caliber that has left a lasting mark on audiences and sparked conversations around the world.

From the wildly funny yet irresistible Ouyang Feng in Jeffrey Lau’s The Eagle Shooting Heroes to the restrained and resigned Chow Mo-wan in Wong Kar-wai’s In the Mood for Love, from the devoted yet resolute Broken Sword in Zhang Yimou’s Hero… Working with a host of prestigious directors at home and abroad like Ildikó Enyedi, Tran Anh Hung, Hsiao-hsien Hou, Ang Lee, and John Woo, Leung moves with compete ease between art-house cinema and big-budget spectacle and his performances, powerful and meticulously controlled, breathe vivid, lasting life into every character he inhabits.

Quiet and low-key, Tony Leung carries a presence that speaks for itself. He’s widely hailed as one of Asia’s most accomplished and internationally renowned film icons. Some call him a natural-born magician on screen - his speaking eyes telling a different story with every part he plays, as if he and the character share the same soul. Others note that he always follows his instincts in filmmaking, staying true to himself, choosing only the stories he wants to tell and the creations he yearns to make. Many believe that his works have defined an era, earning him a place among the greatest film actors of his time.

In 2023, the 40th anniversary of his screen career, Leung received the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the 80th Venice International Film Festival, becoming the first Chinese actor to ever earn the honor. In his tribute, director Ang Lee called him the kind of actor every director dreams of, praising how he holds nothing back as an actor and how he inspires everyone around him.

Such reverence for art - open, sincere, almost childlike at its core - has always fueled the soul of the Golden Goblet Awards. It’s about staying hungry for extraordinary cinema and embracing every cinematic storyteller.

Shanghai is where Chinese cinema began, and where countless screen dreams first took shape. Time and again, in his most defining roles, Leung has found his way into the city’s timeless, unique charm, and made it unforgettable.

The City of Film, An Age Like No Other. With Tony Leung leading the jury, we can’t wait to see what this June brings - better films, and that moment when the Golden Goblet trophy finds its home.

The vessel of cinema art is ready to sail. So, have you got your ticket?