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Uzbekistani family drama Sunday, directed by Shokir Kholikov, was named best film of the 25th Shanghai International Film Festival’s Asian New Talent section, which honors distinguished works by emerging regional filmmakers.

Sunday tells the story of an elderly couple living a peaceful life in a remote village, with their oldest son residing nearby and their youngest son working abroad. It depicts the conflicting dreams and dramas between two generations.

The Asian New Talents jury awarded the best director prize two filmmakers: Kazakhstan’s Aisultan Seit for Qash; and China’s Luo Dong won for May.

The best actor award went to 10-year-old Yue Hao, who plays the leading role in the Chinese film Day Dreaming. Best actress was given to Sorour Peyrovani, the lead of Iranian film 1.5 Horsepower.

“Every film in the [in the lineup] is very insightful with mature technology. Also, the subject is contemporary, to express the in-depth thinking of society and humanity,...

“Sunday,” by Uzbekistan-based director Shokir Kholikov, was Thursday named best film in the Asian New Talent section of the 25th Shanghai International Film Festival.

The Asian New Talent Awards are called Golden Goblet Awards, but are separate from the festival’s official competition section, and favor new and emerging talent. The main competition jury will hand out its Golden Goblets on Sunday.

The best director prize in the Asian New Talent section was shared by two helmers: China’s Luo Dong won for “May.” So too did Kazakhstan’s Aisultan Seit for “Qash.” Luo previously attended the Shanghai festival’s project market ten years ago and has since completed one other film.

“Every film in the [section] is very insightful with mature technology. Also the subject is contemporary, to express the in-depth thinking of society and humanity,” said Aktan Arym Kubat, chair of jury for Asian New Talent. “I have encountered...

The 25th edition marks a return in-person after being cancelled last year.

Han Yan’s Love Never Ends is set to open the 25th Shanghai International Film Festival (Siff), which has also revealed the nominations for its Golden Goblet Awards.

The romance drama is adapted from a cartoon of the same name created by Kang Full. Ni Dahong, Kara Wai, Tony Leung Ka-Fai and Cecilia Yip play two elderly couples who show it is never too late to love.

Director Han previously directed 2015’s Go Away Mr. Tumor and 2020’s A Little Red Flower. Love Never Ends is set for...

The Shanghai International Film Festival unveiled the competition selection for its 25th-anniversary edition Monday, featuring a lineup heavy on local Chinese titles, as well as substantial inclusion from Iran and Japan. Notably, though, festival organizers chose not to include a single film from the U.S. movie industry in their 2023 competition lineup.

The 2023 Shanghai festival, running June 9-18, will be the first version of the event that’s easily accessible to the global film industry since the Covid-19 pandemic began in early 2020. Last year, the festival was canceled in the wake of Shanghai’s monthlong Covid-19 lockdown and the government’s strict travel restrictions at the time. The festival was held the previous two years, but it became an almost entirely domestic Chinese affair, as flights in and out of China were hard to come by at the time (and all travelers had to endure lengthy and expensive hotel quarantines...

The 25th Shanghai International Film Festival, June 9 to 18, has unveiled the titles in contention for awards in its four main feature-length sections: main competition, Asian New Talent, Animation film and documentary. These are eligible for the festival’s prestigious Golden Goblet Awards, winners of which will be announced at the Shanghai Grand Theater on the evening of June 17.

While Siff remains the only mainland China festival to be accredited as a so-called A-list event by the International Federation of Film Producers (Fiapf), its selections are largely separate and distinct from those at other major international festivals.

While the lineup includes nine mainland Chinese titles, two from Hong Kong and five from Iran, there are, for instance, no films that hail from the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand or South Korea.

Feature Film Competition

“All Ears” Dir. Liu Jiayin (China)

“Dust To Dust” Dir. Jonathan Li (China)

“Good Autumn, Mommy” Dir.

Shanghai International Film Festival (Siff) has unveiled the major competition selections for its 25th edition (June 9-18), which will be the first to be held in a fully physical format with international guests since before the pandemic.

The festival’s Golden Goblet Awards comprises five sections – Main Competition, Asian New Talent, Animation Film, Documentary Film and Short Film. Winners will be announced at a ceremony in the Shanghai Grand Theater on June 17.

Siff’s main competition will screen 12 films, including Mom, Is That You?!, from Japanese veteran filmmaker Yoji Yamada; European titles including Muyeres, from Spanish director Marta Lallana, and The Chapel, from Belgium’s Dominique Deruddere; Indian director Haobam Paban Kumar’s Joseph’s Son; and three Chinese titles – Liu Jiayin’s All Ears, Johnathan Li’s Dust To Dust and Chen Shizhong’s Good Autumn, Mommy.

Poland’s Jerzy Skolimowski is heading the jury for the main competition,...