Swiss-Mongolian Co-production OUT OF PARADISE Won Golden Goblet Award for Best Feature Film

On the evening of June 24th, the Golden Goblet Awards Ceremony of the 21st Shanghai International Film Festival, whose opening ceremony held on June 16th, was held at Shanghai Grand Theatre following its various programs such as The Belt and Road Film Week, SIFFORUM, Film Panorama, the Asian New Talent Award, Venture Capital for SIFF Project, and Film Market. This year marks the 40th anniversary of China’s reform and opening-up, and the festival has therefore organized Everlasting Pictures – Movie Poster Exhibition of the 40th Anniversary of Reform and Opening-up, the “40 Years of Light and Shadow” film exhibition unit, and the 40 Years of Reform and Opening-up Forum in commemoration of this important historical point. The awards ceremony continues to deepen this theme, which is closely related with the Chinese people. : The film actor ZHANG Yi, who grew up under the reform and opening-up, told his story with the film, the country, and the times. The audience were impressed by his true feelings, and strongly resonated with him. ZHOU Huilin, member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Shanghai Municipal Committee and director of the Publicity Department, and WENG Tiehui, deputy mayor of Shanghai, attended the awards ceremony.

A red carpet ceremony was held before the awards ceremony. The cast and crew of new movies from home and abroad, members of the Golden Goblet Awards Jury led by JIANG Wen (Chinese director and actor), and representatives of the films shortlisted for the Golden Goblet Awards, appeared in front of the media and played the prelude to the awards ceremony. Among them, the appearance of the famous Hollywood movie star Jesse Eisenberg was a big surprise. He also specially attended SIFFORUM to share his professional experience with his peers. 3347 movies from 108 countries and regions registered for this year’s Shanghai International Film Festival to participate in the competition and exhibition. Among them, 590 movies from 73 countries and regions registered for the main competition to win the 8 awards with 13 eventually shortlisted. Over the past few days, the jury chaired by Chinese director and actor JIANG Wen carefully selected, finally picked the winners of the Golden Goblet Awards, which were announced at the awards ceremony.

The Award for Best Animation Film was garnered by the Japanese animated film Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms directed by Mari Okada; the Award for Best Documentary Film was presented to the Dutch documentary The Long Season. However, the director Leonard Retel Helmrich did not show up, and in his stead the editor Jelle Redeker received the award, who told the audience that at the beginning of last year, the director fainted due to heart attack in Lebanon when making this film depicting Syrian refugees’ life there, not yet recovered.. " I hope this thrilling and meaningful film can be shared by the world and decided to complete it for him. Today, the film’s winning at the Shanghai International Film Festival has made his dream come true. He deserved this award," said he.

Jesse Eisenberg was the distinguished guest of this year\'s Golden Goblet Award for Best Actress, which was won by actress Isabelle Blaisin for her distinctive and powerful performance in the film Tadoussac. The jury was impressed by her touching and vivid depiction of the contradictory feelings of her role as a mother towards her daughter in the film.

The announcement of the Golden Goblet Award for Best Actor was full of suspense, and eventually the American actor Tye Sheridan was the winner for his performance in Friday\'s Child. The jury spoke highly of his performance in the film: "His authentic representation of the character, clear separation of the character’s struggles resulting from the reality and the firm beliefs from the bottom of his heart, and the calm expression of the inner feelings of the characters set an example for young actors." The talented actresses QIN Hailu and YANBingyan published this important award.

This year’s Golden Goblet Awards gathered many excellent films, among which the director Batbayar Chogsom\'s debut Out of Paradise stood out to win the Award for Best Feature Film. The film also closed the 21st Shanghai International Film Festival. It delicately tells the audience a story of a couple from the horde expecting their first child. The jury comments : "This film is simple but not shabby, unadorned and poetic. It is a rare good one in all respects."

Over the past 40 years of reform and opening-up, China’s film industry has moved forward while exploring and keeping up with the times. The film actor ZHANG Yi, who grew up under China’s reform and opening-up, appeared on stage to share his fond memories with film and the times: "My generation has a common feature, that is, a special affection for Chinese movies." When he was a child, he developed a curiosity about the film behind the screen and dreamed of going into the screen. When he grew up to become an actor, however, he had to wait to be picked. When asked why he didn’t give up after five years of auditioning for roles in different projects, he replied: "Because I love film. How lucky actors are, to be able to become an integral part of human civilization and art history. Generations of actors have been recording history with their body and mind and moved audiences with their performances. From dreaming of going into the silver screen to truly entering the world of film, it was a bumpy journey full of highs and lows that took me thirty years to finish."

Today, he has performed in 14 stage plays, and starred in 20 movies, 40 TV series, and more than 100 radio dramas. "Having performed in all these types of productions, I can finally say that I am a real actor." During his acting career, he has gradually come to view production as the first priority; when filming Operation Red Sea, he broke his leg, but when the director Dante Lam said: "We are waiting for you!" he decided to opt for partial weight-bearing boots over an operation, and led the Jiaolong squad to negotiate the war-stricken foreign land. He said with deep feelings: "This movie has left audiences at home and abroad impressed by the Chinese People\'s Liberation Army and us Chinese proud. It is what we should do as Chinese filmmakers to make such movies!"

He said: "After walking on the red carpets of Toronto, Venice, Cannes and Shanghai International Film Festivals thanks to the movies we made in China, I had a different understanding of the big screen: that it is not a movie, but the times that’s behind it and that only great countries can produce great movies. All the achievements and glory of film are inseparable from the achievements and glory of this country!" He shared with the audience his true feelings: "At forty, I see myself keep up with the times, undaunted and unabashed, striving to be a better me. In this best era, I would devote the best of me to film, and my best performances to my beloved Chinese film! It’s been a pleasure to be a part of China’s cinema and to grow up with the reform and opening-up."

Three micro films were played during the awards ceremony, namely Unseal the Era, Salute the Aspiration, and Towards the Future, inspiring all Chinese filmmakers to advance in the new era with their original aspirations and commitment towards the future and make more good films for the people. At the end of the awards ceremony, winner of the Golden Goblet Award for Best Feature Film Out of Paradise, was shown. The film is a Swiss-Mongolia co-production directed by Batbayar Chogsom as his debut feature film. It tells a story of a nomadic couple expecting their first child.