Shanghai Int’l Film Festival unveils big winners at closing ceremony

World
Europe

02:25

The 21st Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF) unveiled the big winners of this year’s Golden Goblet Awards during its closing ceremony at the Shanghai Grand Theater on Sunday evening.

The film “Out of Paradise,” directed by Batbayar Chogsom and co-produced by Mongolia and Switzerland, was awarded the Golden Goblet Award for Best Feature Film, while Chinese film “Ala Changso” directed by Sonthar Gyal grabbed the Jury Grand Prix award.

“Out of Paradise” was also chosen as the closing film of the event.

Sonthar Gyal celebrates after receiving the Jury Grand Prix award with "Ala Changso." /VCG Photo

“Ala Changso” also took home the Best Screenplay award. It is one of the only two Chinese films that enters the main category competition of the 21st SIFF. While receiving his awards, Sonthar Gyal, the director from China’s Tibet Autonomous Region, dedicated the awards to his hometown.

“It is the piece of land that gave me all the inspirations,” said the director. The life and people on the plateau of Tibet has been the focus and theme of his films. His first film “Sun Beaten Path” in 2011 has also won him a number of awards in both domestic and international films festivals.

The name of the film “Ala Changso” comes from a folk song of the Tibetan region, meaning “bottoms up with the nice cup of wine.” It tells the story of a family’s pilgrimage to Lhasa and the subtle sentiments during their journey.

Sonthar Gyal said the film was based on the true experience of his friends, and he hopes to convey a kind of love that could transcend the regions and even the religions.

Chinese actor Chang Chen, also a member of the jury, applauds from the auditorium. /VCG Photo

“The film does not linger too much on the representation of the rituals and religion, instead, it focuses and explores the complex emotions of the people, and the religious rituals actually become the measures of conveying those emotions,” said Juwujian, a user on douban.com, China’s Rotten-Tomato resembling rating website.

The US film “Friday’s Child” also took home two awards, including the Best Actor award for Tye Sheridan starring as the teenage boy Richie Wincott in the film, and the Best Cinematographer Jeff Bierman. Canadian actress Isabelle Blais was awarded the Best Actress award for her role in “Tadoussac.”

The Best Director award went to sibling directors Rodrigo Barriuso and Sebastian Barriuso for their film “A Translator”, co-produced by Cuba and Canada.

Sibling directors Rodrigo Barriuso and Sebastian Barriuso celebrate after receiving Best Director award for "A Translator." /VCG Photo

The film is also their first feature film, which explores a rarely known history of Cuba, the country’s acceptance and treatment of the Russian patients who were suffering from radiation-related diseases after the Soviet Union’s Chernobyl nuclear plant disaster.

The Outstanding Artistic Achievement Award was awarded to “Carnivores” and the Best Animation award went to Japanese director Mari Okada’s “Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms.”

Director Leonard Retel Helmrich’s “The Long Season,” which depicted the Syrian refugees’ life at a Lebanon refugee camp took home the Best Documentary Film.

Launched in 1993, the SIFF is one of the largest film festivals in East Asia as well as China’s only A-category international film festival. It usually kicks off in June every year, and lasts for around nine days.

Chinese actor, director Jiang Wen, also the chairman of the jury for the 21st SIFF, speaks at the closing ceremony. /VCG Photo

China’s expanding film market has gradually captured the attention of the world in recent years. In the year of 2017, China’s box office totaled eight billion US dollars, coming second after the US’ 11.1 billion US dollars.

The booming industry has also attracted more attention for the SIFF. According to the organizer, a total of 3,447 films from 108 countries and regions ran for the Golden Goblet Awards this year, and a total of 13 feature films, five documentaries and five animations were nominated.

During the event, around 500 domestic and international films were screened in 45 cinemas in Shanghai, bringing a visual feast to film enthusiasts.