Shanghai-Dialect Dark Comedy 'The Great Skull' Premieres on Home Turf in SIFF

A dark comedy about death, told largely in Shanghai dialect, will make its world premiere on home turf this week as "The Great Skull" vies for the Golden Goblet at the 28th Shanghai International Film Festival.

Directed by Liu Xiaoyang, the film follows Gu Liyan, a university student on the verge of graduation whose father suddenly dies. As she and her mother navigate the funeral arrangements, the two move from misunderstanding toward reconciliation – a story of grief and the mother-daughter bond handled with subtle humor and touches of black comedy.

Gu is played by Wen Qi, who won a Golden Horse Award at 14 and is pulling double duty at this year's festival: alongside her Main Competition entry, she sits on the jury of the Asian New Talent section.

Shanghai-Dialect Dark Comedy 'The Great Skull' Premieres on Home Turf in SIFF

Caption: From left to right are actress Ni Hongjie, actress Wen Qi, director Liu Xiaoyang, screenwriter Zhang Xiaoying, and actor Yu Entai.

At a press conference on Friday, Wen said capturing the nuances of Shanghai life was one of the biggest challenges she faced in the early stages of filming. She credited co-star Ni Hongjie, who plays her mother, with helping her settle into the local cultural atmosphere.

Caption: Actress Wen Qi also serves as a jury member for the Asian New Talent section at the 28th Shanghai International Film Festival.

Ni also praised Wen Qi's performance, saying she enjoyed working alongside the young actress.

"There was a scene where neither of us had any dialogue as we carried the urn together," Ni recalled. "As I looked into Wen Qi's eyes, through the perspective of my character, I felt a powerful determination to keep living. It was a very moving moment."

Asked why the story was set in Shanghai, screenwriter Zhang Xiaoying said the city was a natural choice.

"As a Shanghai native, I wanted to showcase the city's culture and everyday life. Having the film make its world premiere here makes it all the more meaningful," she said.

Director Liu Xiaoyang said the film aims to offer comfort rather than lessons.

"We wanted to convey warmth and resilience through the film's portrayal of death and funeral rituals. Rather than preaching to audiences, we hoped to show how people find the strength to move forward after experiencing profound grief."