June 16-25, 2018,
Shanghai, China
Founded in 1993, the Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF) is a non-specialised, competitive international film festival recognised by the International Federation of Film Producers Associations. Over its last 20 editions, SIFF has been building a professional and authoritative cultural exchange platform for foreign and domestic films, expanding its influence through four major activities including the awards, market, forum and film panorama, and enhancing its international communication through the ‘SIFF World Express’ and the ‘Belt and Road’.
The 21st edition of the festival will be underway from June 16.
PANORAMA
Tribute to the Masters
As part of the Panorama section, SIFF will pay tribute to Swedish writer, director and producer Ingmar Berman to celebrate his 100th birth anniversary. As part of the tribute, the following films will be screened:
Summer With Monica
Wild Strawberries
The Seventh Seal
Persona
The Virgin Spring
Through A Glass Darkly
The Silence
Hour Of The Wolf
Cries And Whispers
Autumn Sonata
Fanny And Alexander
Animation films at the Panorama
Asparagus
Joy Street
El Doctor
Visitation
Pinball
Suzan Pitt: Persistence Of Vision
British Films + Female Writers
You Were Never Really Here
Wuthering Heights
An Education
Sense And Sensibility – 4k restored version
Orlando
A Taste Of Honey
GOLDEN GOBLET AWARDS
The awards are one of the main draws of the festival. The competition sections for the awards fall into four categories, which include main competition for feature-length films, as well as competitions, specialised in documentary, animation and short films.
ASIAN NEW TALENT AWARD
Launched in 2004, the award focuses on celebrating and recognising Asian, Chinese as well as new talent in movies. Movies eligible to sign up for the six awards of Best Film, Best Director, Best Actress, Best Actor, Best Script Writer and Best Cinematographer include the first two works of Asian directors, actors, screenwriters, and cinematographers.
THE BELT AND ROAD FILM WEEK
The Belt and Road series became a permanent program at SIFF from 2016. It has entered into cooperation agreements with a few international competitive non-specialised film festivals, such as Tallinn Black Night Film Festival and Cairo International Film Festival.
In 2017, during the 20th edition of SIFF, representatives from 14 countries’ film festivals and institutions were invited to sign the Belt and Road Film Culture Exchange Memorandum of Cooperation, including Hungary, Greece, Egypt, Philippines, Lithuania, India, etc.
INDIA CONNECT
Hichki starring Rani Mukerji will be screened as part of the Belt and Road Film Week. Directed by Siddharth P Malhotra, the film is a story of a school teacher suffering from Tourette’s Syndrome and the challenges she faces while trying her best for her students.
– Padma Iyer