2019-06-26

The 22nd Shanghai International Film Festival Golden Goblet Award Was Finally Announced

The 22nd Shanghai International Film Festival Golden Goblet Award Was Finally Announced and Iranian Film CASTLE OF DREAM Was Awarded Three Prizes

On the evening of June 23, the 22nd Shanghai International Film Festival Golden Goblet Award awarding ceremony was grandly opened at Shanghai Grand Theater. All prizes were announced one by one. Iranian film CASTLE OF DREAM was awarded Best Picture and Best Director. Hamed Saberi Behdad, actor of the film and Feng Chang, Chinese actor who performed in THE RETURN were awarded Best Actor. Salome Demuria, Georgian actress, was awarded Best Actress for INHALE-EXHALE. Huilin Zhou, Standing Committee Member of Shanghai Municipal Party Committee and Minister of Propaganda Department, Wei Cai, Deputy Director of Standing Committee of Shanghai Municipal People\'s Congress, Ming Zong, Deputy Mayor of Shanghai City and Huiping Fang, Vice Chairwoman of Shanghai Municipal CPPCC attended the awarding ceremony.

CASTLE OF DREAM became the biggest winner

Before the opening of the awarding ceremony, the red carpet outside Shanghai Grand Theater drew the spotlight once again. Representatives of cast of participants for the prize, judging panel of Golden Goblet Award, film producers and guests from all over the world came here. Among them, Tom Hiddleston who\'s called "Dousen" by Chinese fans also walked down the red carpet. Milla Jovovich, an international superstar who was famous for RESIDENT EVIL also came by and so did Nagasawa Masami, Japanese actress. A total of 2,555 films from all over the globe took part in the evaluation this year. 15 films became candidates for the main competition sectors.

Golden Goblet Award gathered best films of all countries. During their fierce competition, CASTLE OF DREAM, the Iranian film stood out and received three awards including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actor. The film was based on the ordinary life of an Iranian family and focusing on family conflict. According to the judging panel, "CASTLE OF DREAM was profound and accurate in details. The film has never lost its consistency and authenticity from the beginning till the end. Even if the story happened only within a narrow space and limited time, the truth of life was revealed." Seyyed Reza Mir-Karimi, Director, said in excitement, "I feel so excited and happy. This is a wonderful night."

INHALE-EXHALE co-produced by Georgia, Russia and Sweden was awarded Grand Jury Prize and Best Actress. Salome Demuria, actress from Georgia acted as a poor woman in the film who suffered a lot after she was released from prison and trying to return to her family and the society. Jingchun Wang and Tom Hiddleston presented her award. According to the judging panel, "She showcased the development of the fate of the character and special personality." Salome Demuria felt delighted to receive such a high praise, "This is an unforgettable moment for my life."

Reputation Deserved

What\'s most surprising was that two winners won Best Actor. They were Hamed Saberi Behdad from CASTLE OF DREAM and Feng Chang from THE RETURN. Feng Chang, born in 1923, became the oldest Best Actor from China for Shanghai International Film Festival. It\'s said that THE RETURN was a maiden work directed by Hailu Qin and also the last work for Feng Chang. He demonstrated his solemn attitude for the hometown and life in the film with his consistent and complete performance with details, which moved the audience and judging panel deeply.

Tao Zhao and Mei Yong awarded Feng Chang and audiences all rose to give a warm applause for him as a tribute to his 70 years of performance and enthusiasm for film and acting. According to Feng Chang during the interview backstage, "I\'m too old, my body is weak and I have difficulty in moving. But I fell in love with the script and it was directed and recomposed by Hailu Qin. So I had no other way but accept it. I didn\'t expect to receive such a big prize. It\'s out of my imagination." Hamed Saberi Behdad, who didn\'t attend the ceremony owing to an accidental injury also sent a message expressing that he was happy that his work and performance could be accepted and focused by all.

BROTHERHOOD, Russian film was awarded Best Screenplay. SPRING TIDE, Chinese film was awarded Best Cinematography and TREES UNDER THE SUN, Indian film took the Outstanding Artistic Achievement award. The Best Animation Film award went to Japanese film RIDE YOUR WAVE which depicted the romance between a firefighter and a college student. The Best Documentary Film Award went to BRIDGES OF TIME co-produced by Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia.

Tribute to Best Years of Film

This year is the 70th anniversary of the People\'s Republic of China. Chinese films that are born with the same era are so impressing for generations of audiences. Also, those unforgettable film songs also leave a deep footprint in our mind. Sitar Tan, singer, gave a performance of Chinese film songs at the ceremony to tribute to the best years of the memory of Chinese films.

In 2019, Chinese film makers will not only produce a series of well-crafted gifts including THE CLIMBERS but also stick to their original intention and duty, which is consistent pursuing for excellence, inheritance and innovation. At the ceremony, three micro films also took part including THE MAKING OF PLUS ONE, THE DREAM OF A FILM MAKER·TRIBUTE TO FILM and THE FUTURE HAS COME·PASS DOWN FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION. As the theme of the Golden Goblet Award said, "Record the Time with Film and Tribute to Producers Behind the Scene", the ceremony extended the greatest esteem to numerous film makers to inspire Chinese film makers to stay true to their original and create more better films for the audience.

After the awarding ceremony, as the closing film for the 22nd Shanghai International Film Festival Golden Goblet Award, CASTLE OF DREAM that enjoyed three big prizes was showed at the site.