From Fading Lives to Distant Dreams, Five Documentaries Vie for Golden Goblet Glory

Five documentary films—Benigno, Notes Unheard, Ruins, The Tiger of the East, and Wheels of Forgotten Dreams—are locked in a tight race for the Golden Goblet Award in the Documentary category at the 28th Shanghai International Film Festival.

Spanning intimate family portraits, meditations on freedom, artistic quests and migrant aspirations, the five films offer intimate glimpses into lives shaped by memory, resilience and the pursuit of meaning.

The creative teams behind these nominees gathered for a press meeting on June 18 where they shared insights into their creative processes.

Benigno, a Spanish production, records how an elderly man navigates the twilight years of his life. Shot on 8mm film, it captures the most touching moments of his fading life, bathing each frame in authentic film grain that amplifies the story’s emotional resonance.

For director David Baute, the artistic endeavor of documenting life’s realities and the ethical obligation of upholding elderly dignity held equal importance.

"We constantly reminded ourselves that we were first and foremost engaging with an elderly man, and only secondarily making a film," Baute said. "Accordingly, we worked with a small team and positioned ourselves as companions to record his life without any intervention."

The Chinese film Notes Unheard explores the evolving relationship between a father and his son over several years. As similar dialogues recur across various settings, the delicate balance of love, expectation, and control within their father-son bond becomes vividly revealed.

"As to whether the issues in this final phase of the relationship have been resolved, I’ve left the conclusion open-ended. Audiences will form their own opinions," said director Gu Yun.

Producer Ruby Chen noted that the film is deeply rooted in everyday life, allowing viewers to easily relate to either the father or the child character, and thus be profoundly moved.

Ruins, a co-production between North Macedonia, Croatia, and Slovenia, follows director Elena Chemerska's journey to restore a monument created by her father that embodies the concept of collective freedom.

Switching between her roles as a visual artist and her father’s daughter, she delves into what this monument truly signifies for people and whether it genuinely embodies freedom.

Chemerska articulated the core message of the documentary: "Through this film, I hope to convey how we should understand freedom and engage with the world."

Jorge Acevedo, director of the Chilean production The Tiger of the East, said the film captures every aspect of lead actor Andres Contreras' eight-year journey pursuing his unique style of music to achieve a career ambition. 

Through the lengthy filming process and the various unexpected challenges it brought, the camera has evolved from an observer into a true companion that shares his authentic experiences.

"When I watched the final cut, I felt as though I was seeing an authentic reconstruction of my own life," Andres remarked. "The music I searched for, the people I met, and the emotions I experienced on screen … all of them are genuinely real."

The production Wheels of Forgotten Dreams tells the story of three truck drivers who immigrate from Serbia to the United States in pursuit of their dreams. It is a Serbia, Croatia and Bulgaria co-production.

"While filming, I did not want to focus excessively on their financial hardship and material struggles," explained director Danilo Lazovic. "Instead, I centered my work on the resilience they showed at the spiritual and emotional level."

Producer Bojan Kanjera added that he had been deeply impressed by witnessing many people from Eastern European countries abandon their decent jobs at home to work as manual laborers in the United States, all in pursuit of their dreams.