Jurors for SIFF Golden Goblet Awards in varied categories hold key meeting

Jurors in various categories like Short Film, Animation, Documentary, and Asian New Talent for the Golden Goblet Awards at the ongoing 27th Shanghai International Film Festival talked about their criteria during the second jury meeting held on Sunday (June 15).

The jury for Short Film, chaired by Chinese director Yang Chao, also includes Norwegian producer Lise Fearnley and Egyptian film critic Essam Zakaria.

"Short films possess immense potential and creative space for the future." Yang outlined his judging criteria. "I hope to discover the most innovative and valuable films in this year's competition – the ones not bound by theatrical conventions or formulaic patterns."

Fearnley concurred, stating that shorts offer directors creative freedom, potentially enabling them to deliver their best work.

Subsequently, the jury for Animation, led by acclaimed Irish director Nora Twomey with fellow directors Koji Yamamura of Japan and China's Zhao Ji, shared perspectives on the category and Chinese animation.

"I think animation is a very special medium. It is capable of expressing any type of story," said Twomey. "It is the art of showcasing human experience through skill and creativity."

Impressed by the exceptional quality of the cinematic selections this year, she looked forward to watching some outstanding works from both China and around the world.

In their assessment of the renowned animation feature "Ne Zha 2," each of the three jurors concurred that its success epitomizes the robust evolution and boundless potential of Chinese animation cinema. They expressed anticipation for additional adaptations from Chinese mythology and a desire for future endeavors to embrace innovative themes.

The jury for Documentary, chaired by British director Kim Longinotto, alongside members Petra Costa and Chinese filmmaker Yang Fudong, also presented their views.

Longinotto underscored the intangible quality of exceptional documentaries, noting that in her view, a good documentary should enable audiences to "feel it emotionally".

Brazilian director Costa expressed gratitude for SIFF's invitation.

"My mom has a relationship to China that goes back to when I was born, and since then we have been planning on coming together." she said. "Thanks to this wonderful invitation, we have realized this long-time dream."

Concluding the meeting, the jury for Asian New Talent took the stage. Japanese director Sho Miyake, Chinese actor Dong Zijian, Vietnamese director Phạm Thiên Ân, Thai director Nawapol Thamrongrattanarit, and Chinese actress Zhang Zifeng shared their perspectives from diverse angles.

When asked about his expectations for the film industry, Miyake expressed a sincere aspiration, hoping to view films not through the lens of judgment but purely for the sake of enjoyment.

Nawapol detailed his transition from scriptwriter to director. He explained that his initial experience as a writer enabled him to comprehend the entirety of the narrative throughout the filming process, thereby facilitating prompt enhancements to the screenplay.

Phạm offered valuable advice to creators, stressing that inspiration often stems from things close to oneself, and the most critical components are fidelity to one's own self and heeding one's inner voice.

Actor Dong and actress Zhang highlighted intrinsic motivation as a key factor in successful creation.

"No matter what challenges you encounter, persistence will turn it into an incredibly beautiful memory," Dong stated.

Zhang added, "Sincerity and passion are particularly important. They are the things we need to preserve."