Jackie Chan leads the crew of Railroad Tigers on the red carpet. Photo: CFP

The 19th Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF) opened on Saturday with a screening of the film Cold War II. Some 400 stars from China and abroad walked the red carpet to attend the opening ceremony.

South Korean actress Kim Ji-won adds a touch of glamour. Photo: CFP

The Golden Goblet Awards will be announced on June 19 - the Serbian filmmaker and actor Emir Kusturica is the jury chairman. Hong Kong director Yee Tung-shing will be the chair of the jury for the Asian New Talent Awards, to be announced on June 17. Other international celebrities including Chinese-American film director Ang Lee, American actor Bradley Cooper, South Korean actor Lee Min-ho and Italian actress Maria Grazia Cucinotta, were at the opening.

The crew of Bounty Hunters assemble on the red carpet. Photo: IC

To pay tribute to the 400th anniversary of the death of William Shakespeare, the SIFF invited Sir Ian McKellen to Shanghai. McKellen is best-known for playing the wizard Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings and Magneto in X-Men: Days of Future Past. But he has appeared in many of the Bard's plays throughout his career. In Shanghai he attended ascreening of his 1995 film Richard III and, in a lecture at the Shanghai Theatre Academy on Sunday, talked about performing Shakespeare in films, theater and television. During the opening ceremony, McKellen and Chinese actor Jiao Huang performed excerpts from As You Like It and Hamlet.

Running through to June 19, the festival will screen about 600 films in 36 categories. More than 50 new films will be shown during the festival, and film industry professionals will gather in Shanghai to discuss investing in and creating new films.

Sir Ian McKellen attends the opening ceremony of the SIFF. Photo: CFP

In 2013, the film Cold War won nine awards at the 32nd Hong Kong Film Awards, becoming one of the most acclaimed crime thrillers of that year. After a four year break, the crew reassembled for the sequel and Cold War II will be released in cinemas in China on July 8.

Chinese actress Fan Bingbing on the red carpet at the festival. Photo: IC

American actor Bradley Cooper wins applause from onlookers. Photo: IC

Representatives from the international film industry discuss investment projects. Photo: CFP

Film fans try the VR experiences at the festival. Photo: CFP

Chinese star Zhang Guoli and Chinese-American film director Ang Lee at the opening ceremony. Photo: CFP