Tony Leung Pledges 'Open Mind' As SIFF Golden Goblet Judging Begins

Tony Leung Chiu-wai opened his first stint as jury president at a Chinese mainland film festival on Friday, pledging to judge with an open mind as the 28th Shanghai International Film Festival began its 10-day run.

"I will approach every film with an open mind and fully appreciate each actor's performance," the Hong Kong actor told a press conference in Shanghai. "Only in this way can I form a more comprehensive judgment."

Leung, who has spent more than four decades in front of the camera and won the Golden Lion for lifetime achievement at Venice in 2021, heads a seven-member panel judging 12 Main Competition titles for the Golden Goblet Awards – all of them world premieres, a first in the section's history. Winners will be announced on June 20.

The panel includes Tunisian producer Dora Bouchoucha, Chinese director Guan Hu, Kyrgyz director Aktan Arym Kubat, Georgian director Dea Kulumbegashvili, Mexican screenwriter Fernanda Valadez and Chinese actress Xin Zhilei. Across all five competition sections, the Golden Goblet juries comprise 21 members from 16 countries and regions.

For Kubat, whose "Black Red Yellow" won Best Feature Film last year, the return marks a switch to the other side of the table.

"It's easier to be a contestant, but harder to be a jury member – there are so many excellent films, yet the rules require us to make selections," he said.

Bouchoucha called on audiences to set aside stereotypes of nationality or race and seek what each film truly conveys, while Guan said he hoped the selected works would present the lives of people from different countries and regions. Valadez defined a good film as authentic, concrete and rooted in its local culture, and Xin, a first-time juror, said films need to move audiences and carry genuine expression.

For Kulumbegashvili, the festival doubles as her first visit to Shanghai.

"I'm looking forward to exploring Shanghai's local culture during my free time," she said, "even if that just means wandering the streets and observing people's daily lives."