Shanghai International Film Festival Awards

Overview

The Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF) is one of 15 FIAPF A-list accredited competitive film festivals worldwide, alongside Cannes, Berlin, Venice, and others. Held annually in June, the festival presents the Golden Goblet Award across five competition sections: Main Competition (fiction features), Documentary, Animation, Short Film, and Asian New Talent. The 27th edition ran in June 2025 with 49 entries competing across the five categories. The 28th edition is scheduled for June 2026, with submissions open through March 31, 2026 via the SIFF website.

SIFF is the primary gateway for international filmmakers seeking Chinese market access. The festival programs international titles alongside Chinese productions, and its associated film market (the Shanghai International Film and TV Market, held concurrently) is one of the largest in Asia. Chinese distributors, streaming platforms (iQiyi, Youku, Tencent Video), and co-production partners attend the market, making SIFF the main venue for international-Chinese film business during the summer months.

The full Golden Goblet Awards regulations are published on the SIFF website.

Submission Requirements and Eligibility

Submissions are made online at www.siff.com. There is no entry fee. The deadline for the 28th SIFF (June 2026) is March 31, 2026. Screeners can be submitted via media storage devices (DVD, USB, hard disk) or online screeners. Selected films must deliver DCP by May 20, 2026.

Main Competition (Fiction Features)

• Films completed in the country of origin after April 1, 2025
• World premiere or international premiere preferred
• Must not have been selected in an international section (competitive or not) of other FIAPF-accredited non-specialized competitive film festivals before SIFF
• Must not have been released commercially outside their country of origin
• Minimum running time: 70 minutes
• Screening format: DCP

Documentary Competition

• Same completion date and premiere requirements as Main Competition
• Must not have been in the main competition category of other FIAPF-accredited non-specialized competitive film festivals before SIFF
• Minimum running time: 70 minutes
• Screening format: DCP

Animation Competition

• Same completion date and premiere requirements as Main Competition
• Minimum running time: 60 minutes
• Screening format: DCP

Asian New Talent

• Films completed in the country of origin after April 1, 2025
• Open to Asian directors' first or second feature films only
• Minimum running time: 70 minutes
• Screening format: DCP

Short Film

• Live-action or animated short films completed after April 1, 2025
• Documentary shorts cannot be submitted as live-action projects; documentaries using animation techniques may be submitted as animated shorts
• Preference given to world premieres and international premieres; Chinese films must be world premieres
• Running time: 40 minutes or less including all credits
• Must not have been in the competition category of other FIAPF-accredited non-specialized competitive film festivals before SIFF
• Must not be exhibited publicly or distributed in any non-theatrical form before SIFF
• Screening formats: Unencrypted DCP or unencrypted digital HD at 24fps/48fps

International Panorama (Non-competitive)

• Films completed after January 1, 2025
• Minimum running time: 70 minutes
• Screening format: DCP

All non-English films must be subtitled in English. Submitters must provide English subtitled dialogue lists matching the DCP. Once a film is officially confirmed by the submitter in writing, it cannot be withdrawn from the festival.

Competition Categories and Prizes

Main Competition (Golden Goblet Awards)

• Best Feature Film (Golden Goblet)
• Jury Grand Prix (can be shared)
• Best Director
• Best Actor
• Best Actress
• Best Screenplay
• Best Cinematography
• Outstanding Artistic Achievement

Asian New Talent Awards

• Best Film
• Best Director
• Best Actor
• Best Actress
• Best Script Writer
• Best Cinematography

Additional Categories

• Best Documentary
• Best Animation Film
• Best Live Action Short Film
• Best Animated Short Film

Recent Results

27th SIFF (June 2025)

Main Competition winners:

• Best Feature Film: Black Red Yellow (Kyrgyzstan, dir. Aktan Arym Kubat)
• Jury Grand Prix: On Summer Sand (Japan, dir. Shinya Tamada) and Wild Nights, Tamed Beasts (China, dir. Wang Tong)
• Best Director: Cao Baoping for One Wacky Summer (China)
• Best Screenplay: Korek Bojanowski and Katia Priwieziencew for Loss of Balance (Poland)
• Best Actor: Jose Martins in The Scent of Things Remembered (Portugal/Brazil, dir. Antonio Ferreira)
• Best Actress: Wan Qian in Wild Nights, Tamed Beasts (China)
• Best Cinematography: Markus Nestroy for You Believe in Angels, Mr. Drowak? (Germany/Switzerland, dir. Nicolas Steiner)
• Outstanding Artistic Achievement: My Father's Son (China/France, dir. Qiu Sheng)

Asian New Talent winners:

• Best Film: As the Water Flows (China, dir. Bian Zhuo)
• Best Director: Liryc Dela Cruz for Where the Night Stands Still (Italy/Philippines)
• Best Actor: Shi Pengyuan in Water Can Go Anywhere (China)
• Best Actress: Meenakshi Jayan in Victoria (India)

Other categories:

• Best Documentary: Constanza (Spain, dir. Agustin Marquez Gomez)
• Best Animation Film: The Songbirds' Secret (France/Switzerland/Belgium, dir. Antoine Lanciaux)
• Best Live Action Short Film: Crow (China, dir. Xu Jianming)
• Best Animated Short Film: Son (Russia/Kazakhstan, dir. Zhanna Bekmambetova)

The 2025 jury was led by Italian director Giuseppe Tornatore (Cinema Paradiso). The festival reported 600 of 1,500 total screenings sold out within an hour of sales opening. Notably, Jose Martins won Best Actor at SIFF 2025 and then won Best Actor (Protagonista) at the Sophia Awards in Portugal in May 2026 for the same film, The Scent of Things Remembered.

History

The Shanghai International Film Festival was established in 1993 and received FIAPF A-list accreditation in 1994, making it the only A-list festival in mainland China. Shanghai's role as a center of Chinese cinema dates to the silent era, when the city's film studios produced foundational works of Chinese cinema in the 1930s and 1940s.

The Asian New Talent section was created to identify emerging filmmakers from across the continent and connect them with Chinese and international industry professionals. The section has grown into one of the festival's most watched programs, with winners coming from countries spanning China, India, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, and Italy.

In recent years, SIFF has incorporated AI and technology programming. The 2025 edition featured a "Kung Fu Movie Heritage Project: 100 Classics AI Revitalization" initiative, using AI tools to reimagine classic martial arts films starring Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, and Jet Li. The festival also opened with a montage splicing AI-generated imagery into classic film scenes.

Significance for Filmmakers

For international filmmakers, a SIFF competition selection provides direct exposure to Chinese distributors and streaming platforms. China is the world's second-largest film market by box office, and SIFF is the primary festival venue for international-Chinese film business during the summer months. The Shanghai International Film and TV Market runs concurrently with the festival, attended by Chinese production companies, sales agents, and streaming platforms seeking acquisition and co-production opportunities.

For Asian filmmakers, the Asian New Talent section is one of the few festival programs specifically restricted to first and second features. The section provides a platform that connects emerging directors with the resources and networks of the Chinese film industry, including potential co-production financing from Chinese production companies.

The FIAPF A-list accreditation means that SIFF competition films cannot have been selected in the international section of other FIAPF-accredited non-specialized competitive festivals before SIFF. This creates a premiere exclusivity requirement that filmmakers must plan their festival strategy around. Films that have already played at Cannes, Berlin, Venice, or other A-list festivals are not eligible for SIFF main competition.

Watch

Eligibility Quirks That Trip People Up

• FIAPF A-list premiere exclusivity: Films that have already played in the international section of other FIAPF-accredited non-specialized competitive festivals (Cannes, Berlin, Venice, etc.) are not eligible for SIFF main competition. This creates a premiere exclusivity requirement that filmmakers must plan their entire festival strategy around. A film that premiered at Cannes cannot compete at SIFF.
• No entry fee, but strict submission deadlines: SIFF charges no submission fee, but the deadline is firm (March 31 for the June festival). Late submissions are not accepted, and once a film is officially confirmed in writing, it cannot be withdrawn from the festival.
• World or international premiere preferred: Main Competition films should be world or international premieres. Films that have had commercial release outside their country of origin are not eligible. This trips up films that have already secured distribution in multiple territories before submitting.
• English subtitles required for all non-English films: All non-English films must be subtitled in English, and submitters must provide English-subtitled dialogue lists matching the DCP. Films without proper English subtitling will be disqualified, even if the film is otherwise eligible.
• Asian New Talent is restricted to first or second features: Only Asian directors' first or second feature films qualify for this section. A director who has made two features is no longer eligible, even if their second film was a short or a television production. This restriction trips up filmmakers whose early work blurs the line between feature and short-form.

Prestige Tier

The Shanghai International Film Festival is one of 15 FIAPF A-list accredited competitive film festivals worldwide, placing it in the top tier of international festivals alongside Cannes, Berlin, Venice, and Locarno. Among Asian festivals, SIFF is the only A-list festival in mainland China and serves as the primary gateway for international filmmakers seeking Chinese market access. The Golden Goblet Award carries significant weight in the Chinese film industry and provides direct exposure to Chinese distributors and streaming platforms. SIFF ranks below Cannes, Venice, and Berlin in global prestige but alongside Tokyo and Busan in Asian festival hierarchy. The associated Shanghai International Film and TV Market is one of the largest in Asia, making SIFF the main venue for international-Chinese film business during the summer months. For Asian filmmakers, the Asian New Talent section is one of the few festival programs specifically restricted to first and second features, providing a unique platform for emerging directors.

See Also

For strategies on navigating the international festival circuit, see Festival Strategy for Independent Films. To model revenue across global markets including China, use the Revenue Forecast Calculator. To calculate the ROI of your festival submission strategy, use the Festival Entry Fee ROI Calculator.