2020-03-13

World Express | SIFF Golden Goblet Award for Best Live Action Short Film NOWHERE TO PUT Screened in

On November 13, Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF) debut its special program World Express in the Netherlands. At the Holland Hall of WTC The Hague, SIFF organized an introduction & screening event, which aroused wide concern among local filmmakers.

SIFF Representatives with Local Filmmakers in The Hague, Netherlands

Co-organized by SIFF and Vereniging Nederland-China, the event attracted more than one hundred guests from leading film producers and distributors, business and media organizations in the Netherlands. On the scene, representatives of SIFF introduced the history of the festival to the participants, and had extensive discussions with them concerning the specific programs and the 6-level new talent training system of SIFF, as well as the present and the future of the World Express.

SIFF Representative Delivering Presentation

During the special screening session, the Chinese film NOWHERE TO PUT, winner of the SIFF Golden Goblet Award for Best Live Action Short Film this June, was screened. The film recounts a story of Huizi, who lives in the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture of China. Occupied with her work in a seafood market all day long, she also has a nearly 70-year-old father suffering from the Alzheimer\'s disease. Having no choice, she has to send him to a nursing home, but before she leaves, she is told that her father is missing ... The relationship between ordinary Chinese people and their life story in the modern times deeply moved the local audience. After the screening, many guests approached the representatives of SIFF, hoping to learn more about Chinese films.

SIFF Introduction and Film Screening Session

To further promote Chinese films to "go global" and better demonstrate their dynamics and diversity to the entire world, SIFF also signed a letter of intent for cooperation with the Vereniging Nederland-China during the event. As agreed, a Chinese film festival is planned to be held in the Netherlands in 2020, where 6 to 8 new Chinese films will be screened. In addition, Chinese filmmakers and actors will be invited to face-to-face meetings with local fans. These joint efforts are intended to enhance the exchanges on film culture, talent and industry between the two countries, and incubate more co-production opportunities in the future.

WANG Ye, Deputy Managing Director of Shanghai International Film & TV Festival Center and Robert COOPS, Executive Director of Vereniging Nederland-China, Signing Letter of Intent

After the event, the SIFF delegation was invited to visit Les cinémas Gaumont Pathé, a time-honored cinema chain owned by Pathé. The head of the cinema expressed great interest in undertaking the screening session of the 2020 Chinese-Netherlands Film Festival, and said that it would have further negotiation with SIFF on cooperation details.

SIFF Representatives Visiting Les cinémas Gaumont Pathé

“SIFF World Express” is a “Going Global” project started by SIFF in 2015. Utilizing its advantages as one of the 15 international non-specialized competitive film festivals recognized by the International Federation of Film Producers Associations, SIFF carefully selects outstanding movies shortlisted in its competition and panorama programs, recommends them to more international film festivals, and promotes their overseas distribution. Meanwhile, it strongly supports the winning “SIFF projects” to enter the international film market, and facilitates their co-production negotiation and overseas pre-sales.

Running for more than four years, the World Express has travelled to a number of countries including Japan, Italy, Indonesia, and the United Kingdom. Along with its journey, it brought more than 40 outstanding Chinese films or projects overseas and organized a total of over 60 screening sessions for them. While exploring and growing, the World Express keeps expanding its brand influence. The Chinese-Japanese Film Festival initiated in 2017 has allowed “Going Global” to reach the landscape beyond SIFF itself. For the past two years, a number of Chinese new works have been exhibited in Japanese cities such as Tokyo and Osaka, adding great value to SIFF.