Atlantic Rhapsody

The Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF), one of China's top film festivals, has announced the full lineup for its 28th edition, with multiple Chinese-language productions securing places across the festival's major competition sections.

Three Chinese-language features, Atlantic Rhapsody, Secret in the Box and The Great Skull, have been selected for the Main Competition section, all directed by emerging filmmakers. Chinese-language productions also secured spots in the Asian New Talent, Documentary and Short Film sections, with five titles selected for the Asian New Talent competition alone.

Covering genres ranging from crime thrillers and family dramas to reality-infused fantasy stories, the films showcase the diversity of themes and narrative approaches emerging in contemporary Chinese-language cinema, Shi Wenxue, a veteran Beijing-based film and cultural critic, told the Global Times on Sunday.

All 12 films selected for the Main Competition will make their world premieres during the festival, marking the first time in the history of the Golden Goblet Awards that the section has achieved a 100 percent world-premiere rate, according to the Shanghai Observer.

The 100 percent world-premiere rate in this year's Main Competition represents a notable milestone for the festival, noted Shi.

According to Shi, in the film industry, the choice of world-premiere venue carries considerable weight, reflecting both a festival's prestige and its ability to attract sought-after titles. The achievement underscores the SIFF's growing role as a first-stop destination for new films rather than solely a showcase for works already circulating around the festival circuit. 

In his view, the appeal of the SIFF has been strengthened by professional curation, an increasingly mature film market ecosystem and expanding industry recognition at home and abroad.

The three Chinese-language contenders are all directed by emerging filmmakers and combine distinctive storytelling approaches with recognizable acting talent.

Directed and written by Zhong Kaifeng, Atlantic Rhapsody blends drama, comedy and fantasy elements in a contemporary story centered on Ding Mao, a supermarket stock clerk. After accidentally cooking a shark in the store, Ding begins suffering from insomnia and auditory hallucinations. His father unexpectedly reappears after a two-decade absence, setting off a journey that leads Ding back to his hometown in search of memories and answers.

Another high-profile entry, Secret in the Box, is a suspense crime drama co-produced by Chinese mainland and Hong Kong studios. Directed by Frankie Tam Gong-Yuen, the film stars Zhang Songwen, Patrick Tam and Isabella Leong. Inspired by Hong Kong's notorious "Box Murder Case" of the 1970s, the city's first criminal case solved through scientific forensic evidence, the film follows a defendant who maintains his innocence while appealing his conviction for two decades, as a young investigator continues searching for the truth.

Family relationships and mortality take center stage in The Great Skull, a dark comedy directed by Liu Xiao­yang. Starring Wen Qi, Ni Hongjie and Yu Entai, the film tells the story of a young woman preparing to graduate when her father suddenly dies. As she and her mother deal with funeral arrangements, they are confronted by a "funeral committee" organized by the deceased before his death, triggering a series of absurd events.

Beyond the Main Competition, Chinese-language productions are strongly represented across the festival's other sections.

Other Chinese-language selections in the section are Zhang Hanyi's Cassowary, Gong Yiwen's Her First Taste, Liu Shichuan's No Hard Feelings and Wan Bo's Strangers in the Mountain. 

Meanwhile, documentary filmmaker Gu Jun has secured a place in the Documentary Competition with Notes Unheard, which will also hold its world premiere during the festival.

This year's SIFF received approximately 4,100 film submissions from 125 countries and regions, setting a new participation record. For the first time, submissions were received from countries including Ghana and Mozambique, while entries from the Americas and Africa increased significantly. World and international premieres account for 82 percent of the selected films, according to The Paper.cn.

This year's SIFF will take place from June 12 to June 21. During the event, more than 1,500 screenings will be held across Shanghai under a variety of thematic programs showcasing international cinema, according to state broadcaster CCTV.

The 31st Shanghai TV Festival will follow immediately afterward, running from June 22 to June 26. The television festival received more than 1,000 submissions from 60 countries and regions across five continents, up from 43 participating countries and regions in 2025. Growth was particularly notable among entries from Asia and South America.

During the festivals, a series of industry events will spotlight emerging technological trends in the film and television sector. Through a range of industry events, the festival will promote the integration of film production with AI and other cutting-edge technologies, while helping drive the development of high-quality micro- and short-form dramas, according to CCTV.