Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF)

Overview

The Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF) is China's only FIAPF-accredited competitive film festival. The 28th edition runs in June 2026 in Shanghai, screening hundreds of films across five Golden Goblet Award competition sections and a non-competitive International Panorama. SIFF is the primary gateway for international films seeking Chinese theatrical distribution, and its industry platform (SIFF Project) connects international producers with Chinese financiers and co-production partners who rarely attend Western markets. Submissions for the 28th edition close March 31, 2026, with short film entry fees ranging from USD 25 to USD 45 depending on deadline.

SIFF received FIAPF competitive accreditation in 1994, making it one of only two A-list competitive festivals in Asia (the other being Tokyo). The festival's strategic value for international filmmakers is access: China's domestic box office reached approximately USD 7.7 billion in 2024, and SIFF's industry platform provides structured matchmaking between international producers and Chinese distributors, platforms, and co-production partners.

Key Sections

• Golden Goblet Main Competition - international feature films competing for the Golden Goblet Award for Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Screenplay, and Jury Grand Prix. Films must have been completed after April 1, 2025, with world or international premieres preferred
• Asian New Talent Award Competition - debut or early-career feature films from Asian filmmakers. Films must have been completed after April 1, 2025, with world or international premieres preferred
• Golden Goblet Documentary Competition - feature-length documentaries completed after April 1, 2025
• Golden Goblet Animation Competition - feature-length animated films completed after April 1, 2025
• Golden Goblet Short Film Competition - live-action and animated short films completed after April 1, 2025. Documentary shorts are not eligible as live-action submissions
• International Panorama - non-competitive section for films completed after January 1, 2025
• SIFF Project - co-production and development market connecting Chinese and international producers
• SIFF Market - industry marketplace for content transactions and licensing

What Filmmakers Should Know

Submission Details

Submissions for the 28th edition (June 2026) are open via the SIFF official website. The final deadline for all competition sections is March 31, 2026. Online film submission at siff.com is required for all entries.

Entry Fees

Feature films (Main Competition, Asian New Talent, Documentary, Animation): No submission fee. Films must be submitted via online screener or physical media (DVD, USB, hard drive) to the SIFF office.

Short films (Live Action and Animated): Submission fees apply, scaled by deadline:

• Early Bird deadline (January 31, 2026): USD 25 per film
• Regular deadline (March 10, 2026): USD 35 per film
• Final deadline (March 31, 2026): USD 45 per film

Premiere Requirements

World premieres and international premieres are preferred for all Golden Goblet competition sections. The International Panorama has no premiere requirement but films must have been completed after January 1, 2025.

Selected Film Requirements

Films selected for competition must deliver additional documentation (synopsis, stills, director biography and photo, cast and crew list, English-subtitled dialogue list, poster, and trailer) by May 15, 2026. DCPs must arrive at the festival by May 20, 2026. Shipping instructions are provided upon selection notification.

Market and Industry Access

SIFF Project is the festival's co-production and development market, connecting international producers with Chinese financiers and production companies. The SIFF Market runs alongside the festival and provides accreditation for industry professionals seeking access to Chinese distributors, streaming platforms, and co-production partners. For international filmmakers, SIFF's industry platform is often more valuable than the competition itself, as Chinese distribution deals and co-production arrangements are difficult to secure without in-country presence.

Chinese Co-Production Considerations

Filmmakers seeking Chinese co-production or distribution through SIFF should understand that China's co-production regulations require specific structural elements: a Chinese co-producer, minimum percentage of Chinese cast and crew, and content that complies with Chinese censorship guidelines. Films that do not meet co-production requirements may still seek import quota distribution, but the annual quota for revenue-sharing foreign films is limited to approximately 34 titles.

Major Awards

Golden Goblet Main Competition

• Golden Goblet Award for Best Film
• Jury Grand Prix
• Best Director
• Best Actress
• Best Actor
• Best Screenplay
• Best Cinematography

Asian New Talent Award

• Asian New Talent Award for Best Film
• Asian New Talent Award for Best Director

Documentary and Animation

• Best Documentary Film
• Best Animation Film

Short Film

• Best Live Action Short Film
• Best Animated Short Film

Festival History

SIFF was founded in 1993 and initially held biennially before switching to annual programming. The festival received FIAPF competitive accreditation in 1994, establishing it as one of the few A-list competitive festivals in Asia. SIFF's growth parallels China's economic expansion and the rapid development of its cinema infrastructure, which now includes over 85,000 screens nationwide.

The Golden Goblet Award has been won by films from across Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Recent winners reflect the festival's balance between international art cinema and Chinese domestic production. The Asian New Talent Award has launched the careers of several prominent Asian directors, providing a focused platform for debut feature filmmakers from the region.

SIFF Project, the festival's co-production market, has facilitated numerous Chinese-international co-productions since its launch. The market accepts projects in development and post-production, pairing them with potential Chinese co-producers, financiers, and distributors through structured meetings and pitch sessions.

Past Winners (Golden Goblet)

Recent Golden Goblet winners and where the films landed:

• 2023: *Yoko* (Japan), dir. Kazuyoshi Kumakiri. Won the Golden Goblet for Best Feature, Best Actress, and Best Screenplay. A Japanese drama about a woman who walks 658 km to scatter her husband's ashes.

Notable Alumni Films and Where They Ended Up

SIFF has been a launchpad for Asian cinema talent. Selected premieres and their outcomes:

• Shuttle Life (2017) - Won the Asian New Talent Award for Best Film, Best Actor, and Best Cinematographer. A Malaysian film about a young man caring for his mentally ill mother and young sister in a Kuala Lumpur slum. Helped establish director Tan Seng Kiat as a significant voice in Southeast Asian cinema.
• Atlantic Rhapsody (2025) - Won Best Feature Film in the main competition. A multi-narrative film showcasing the festival's growing commitment to world premieres over Asian premieres of films already launched elsewhere.
• *The Prince and the Dybbuk* - Directors Elwira Niewiera and Piotr Rosolowski won the Lion for Best Documentary on Cinema at Venice. Their work has been recognized at SIFF, demonstrating the festival's commitment to documentary cinema alongside fiction features.

Submission Tips Specific to SIFF

1. China's only FIAPF A-list festival. SIFF is one of only 16 FIAPF-accredited A-list festivals worldwide. Films cannot have been selected in the main competition of other FIAPF-accredited non-specialized festivals before SIFF. Cannot be commercially released outside the country of origin.
2. World or International premieres preferred. For all competitions, premiere status is a significant factor. The festival is increasingly competing with European A-list festivals for world premieres rather than settling for Asian premieres.
3. Multiple competition tracks. Main Competition (features 70+ minutes), Asian New Talent (first or second features, 70+ minutes), Documentary/Animation (70+ minutes), and Short Film (max 40 minutes). Choose strategically based on your film's profile and your career stage.
4. Materials deadline is strict. Selected films must provide English subtitled lists, synopsis, film stills, director bio and photos, cast and crew list, poster, and trailer by May 15. Late materials can result in disqualification.
5. Three-Pillar talent development. SIFF Project (incubation), SIFF ING (emerging filmmakers), and SIFF YOUNG (industry talent development) form a structured ladder from idea to international exposure. If you are an emerging Asian filmmaker, consider applying to these programs alongside your film submission.

Industry Reputation Notes

• China's only FIAPF A-list festival. Established in 1993 and accredited by FIAPF in 1994, SIFF is the oldest non-specialized competitive film festival in China. After FIAPF's major accreditation reform in 2024, SIFF retained its A-list status.
• Massive scale. The 2025 edition received more than 3,900 submissions from 119 countries, screened 410 films, and attracted nearly half a million attendees (30 percent from outside Shanghai). The festival provides access to China's film market, which has an annual box office exceeding $2.3 billion.
• Comparison to Tokyo and Busan. SIFF is China's A-list festival, TIFF is Japan's, and BIFF is South Korea's major festival. SIFF has the largest audience of the three but is more market-oriented. BIFF is seen as edgier, and TIFF is more traditional. SIFF's unique advantage is direct access to the Chinese distribution market.
• Evolving from Asian premieres to world premieres. Historically, SIFF programmed Asian premieres of films already launched at European festivals. Under current leadership, it is increasingly attracting world premieres and positioning itself as a festival where films begin their global journey.

See Also

For production budgeting, use the Production Budget Calculator. For co-production strategies and deal structures, see Distribution Deals Explained. For understanding the Chinese film market, see International Film Markets.