Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF)

Overview

The Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF) is the only FIAPF A-list competitive film festival in mainland China. The 28th edition runs in June 2026 in Shanghai. SIFF is one of approximately 15 festivals worldwide holding FIAPF's highest-level competitive accreditation, placing it alongside Cannes, Berlin, Venice, and Locarno. The festival screens several hundred films across competitive and non-competitive sections and draws audiences numbering in the hundreds of thousands.

The Golden Goblet Award is the festival's top prize, awarded across five competitive categories: Main Competition (feature films), Asian New Talent, Documentary, Animation, and Short Film. The 27th edition in June 2025 saw 49 entries compete across these five categories, with the Main Competition jury led by Italian director Giuseppe Tornatore. Kyrgyzstan's Black Red Yellow, directed by Aktan Arym Kubat, won the Golden Goblet for Best Feature Film.

SIFF also operates the SIFF Project Market and the SIFF Market, which connect filmmakers with producers, investors, and distributors. The festival is held at venues across Shanghai including the Shanghai Grand Theatre (awards ceremony) and major cinema complexes.

Key Sections

• Main Competition - international feature films competing for the Golden Goblet. 8 major awards: Best Film, Jury Grand Prix, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Cinematography, Outstanding Artistic Achievement
• Asian New Talent - competition for debut and emerging Asian directors. Awards: Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Script Writer, Best Cinematography
• Documentary Competition - nonfiction features competing for Best Documentary
• Animation Competition - animated features competing for Best Animation Film
• Short Film Competition - live action and animated shorts. Awards: Best Live Action Short Film, Best Animated Short Film
• International Panorama - non-competitive showcase of international films
• Chinese Film Panorama - new Chinese features
• SIFF Project Market - co-production and financing market for projects in development
• SIFF Market - film market for sales and distribution

Submission Details

SIFF accepts open submissions through its official website. The festival does not use FilmFreeway.

28th edition (2026) submission deadlines:

• Feature films (Main Competition, Asian New Talent, Documentary, Animation, International Panorama): March 31, 2026
• Short films (Live Action and Animation):

- Early Bird: January 31, 2026 - USD $25 per film

- Regular: March 10, 2026 - USD $35 per film

- Final: March 31, 2026 - USD $45 per film

Eligibility requirements:

• Main Competition, Asian New Talent, Documentary, Animation: films completed in the country of origin after April 1, 2025. World premieres or international premieres are preferred
• International Panorama: films completed after January 1, 2025
• Short films: completed after April 1, 2025. Documentary shorts cannot be submitted as live-action projects. Documentaries made using animation techniques may be submitted as animated shorts
• Selected films must deliver DCP by May 20, 2026
• Additional materials (synopsis, stills, director bio, cast and crew list, English subtitle list, poster, trailer) must reach the festival by May 15, 2026

Submission procedure:

1. Complete online registration at www.siff.com
2. Submit screener via media storage device (DVD, USB, hard disk) or online screener
3. All transport costs for screener delivery, including customs fees and insurance, are the responsibility of the submitter

What Filmmakers Should Know

SIFF is the primary international gateway to theatrical distribution in mainland China. A Golden Goblet selection or award gives a film immediate visibility with Chinese distributors and audiences. The Main Competition is by invitation and open submission, with the festival programming committee selecting approximately 12 to 16 films for the competition lineup.

Content restrictions apply. All submissions are evaluated within Chinese regulatory guidelines, and films must comply with local content standards. Filmmakers should be aware that films dealing with certain political, social, or historical topics may face evaluation challenges. Non-Chinese language films must have English subtitles.

The SIFF Project Market is a separate co-production market that selects approximately 30 to 40 projects in development each year. Selected projects receive mentoring, producer matching, and opportunities to pitch to investors. The market runs alongside the festival and is one of the most active co-production platforms in East Asia.

The Asian New Talent section is specifically for first or second-time Asian directors. Winning this section has launched international careers: past recipients include directors who subsequently premiered at Cannes, Venice, and Berlin.

Major Awards

Main Competition (Golden Goblet):

• Best Feature Film - the Golden Goblet
• Jury Grand Prix - may be shared between two films
• Best Director
• Best Screenplay
• Best Actor
• Best Actress
• Best Cinematography
• Outstanding Artistic Achievement

Asian New Talent:

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

Other Categories:

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

Festival History

SIFF was founded in 1993 and held its first edition in October of that year. The festival initially operated on a biennial schedule, alternating with the Beijing International Film Festival in some years, before transitioning to an annual schedule. SIFF received FIAPF A-list accreditation, making it the only mainland Chinese festival to hold this status.

The Golden Goblet Award was established as the festival's top competitive prize from its founding. Over three decades, the Main Competition has awarded films from across Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Americas. The 2025 edition marked the 27th SIFF, with 49 films competing across five categories and the awards ceremony held at the Shanghai Grand Theatre on June 21, 2025.

The festival has grown significantly in scale. The SIFF Project Market, launched to support co-production activity, has become one of the most active development markets in East Asia, connecting Chinese and international producers with financing partners.

See Also

To calculate the return on your festival submission spending, use the Festival ROI Calculator. For Chinese cinema markets and co-production, see International Film Markets. For the Beijing International Film Festival, see Beijing International Film Festival. For festival circuit planning, see Film Festival Strategy.