The first Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF) was held in October 1993 and has been listed as one of the top nine international film festivals worldwide ever since. As the only world-class international film festival in China, the SIFF has proven essential in widening the scope of Chinese film culture and strengthening international exchanges.

Compared with the world's other renowned festivals, Shanghai's has the shortest history. It has both the vigor and shortcomings of youth, and is innovative and conservative at the same time. This year's festival left behind many questions that need answered and issues to be addressed.

A Call for Classification

There is still no film classification system in China. On many public occasions at the film festival, many renowned directors and actors expressed their desire for one as early as possible.

Most film insiders find it unimaginable for a country with a filmmaking history of nearly 100 years to have no such system. Few movies are suitable for everyone. The film classification system is intended to entertain different viewers with different films.

"Introducing a film classification system is one of the most urgent things for Chinese movies," Director Hou Yong, whose film Jasmine Women won the Jury Prix at the festival, said at a press conference.

Ticket Prices

Chinese viewers have long suffered from expensive ticket prices, paying 50 yuan on average per ticket. Interestingly, the one who advocated lowering the price of tickets was the chairman of the Film Critics Association of South Korea.

"If film tickets in South Korea were as expensive as those in China," he said, "most people in my country would not go to the cinema."

His proposal, however, seemed to upset many Chinese directors. Today, the box office is already a serious problem embarrassing them. If the ticket price is reduced by a large margin, their revenue will get even worse.

The Sixth-Generation

Chinese directors are generally divided into different generations that vary in artistic style. For instance, Zhang Yimou, a world-famous director, belongs to the fifth generation. The 7th SIFF was highlighted by controversial, distinctive directors of the sixth generation. Although most forerunners of the next generation, such as Zhang Yuan and Lou Ye, did not attend the festival, the appearance of Jia Zhangke and Wang Xiaoshui excited the media and audiences.

Jia Zhangke himself, however, seemed unexcited.

"I haven't returned to the mainstream, but am trying another system," he said. "Nothing changes in my heart. This is originally our stage."

The South Korean Surge

Those films with the most popularity at the Chinese film festival were not Chinese films, but South Korean. According to official statistics, 17 out of 119 competing films were from South Korea, putting the country behind only China in the number of competing films. Untold Scandal was nominated to compete for the Jin Jue Award. In addition, films from South Korea met with considerable success at the box office.

At the Shanghai Film Art Center, the main venue of the film festival, I learned that the 7th SIFF achieved better box office results than in the past. On the eve of the festival, revenue from pre-sold tickets had already surpassed the total box office sales of the 6th SIFF, with a total of 1.4 million yuan. By June 11, total box office sales had increased to 1.9 million yuan. Ten films were sold out.

New Talent

To discover, develop and reward upcoming talent and new creations in Asian film, the organizing committee of the 7th SIFF announced the addition of the Asian New Talent Award at the Jin Jue International Film Forum. The competition set up two awards for Asian directors and their first three full-length movies: the Asian New Talent Award for Best Film and the Asian New Talent Award for Best Director, with prizes totaling 300,000 yuan. The Asian New Talent Award for Best Film this year was granted to Walking With the Dog (Japan). A Chinese director and a Thai director shared the award for best new-talent director.

A Matter of Influence

The 7th SIFF attracted 578 films from 51 countries and regions around the world, more than ever before.

Its scale was considerable, but how much did it influence the world? Maybe the answer was unsuitable for its scale. On the one hand, less personages of international influence attended the jury than at previous SIFFs. The first SIFF was overcrowded by a number of world-famous celebrities. Few competition films at this SIFF, on the other hand, enthralled audiences.

Except for Meryl Streep, few internationally renowned movie stars appeared at the 7th SIFF. At the opening ceremony, the red carpet seemed prepared only for Asian stars, especially those from Hong Kong.

(China Pictorial September 3, 2004)