27th Shanghai International Film Festival Celebrates Cinema Across the City

27th Shanghai International Film Festival: A City-Wide Celebration of Cinema

The 27th Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF) officially kicked off on June 14, 2025, turning the entire city into a vibrant celebration of film culture. With the theme "City of Cinema," this year’s festival promises an unparalleled experience where the lines between the screen and reality blur, inviting everyone to participate in a grand cinematic carnival.

Spanning from June 14 to June 23, the festival features over 400 films from 71 countries and regions, showing across 48 cinemas and 61 screening venues in Shanghai and the Yangtze River Delta. Nearly half of the films being screened are world or regional premieres. Special sections of the festival include "Resonance," showcasing iconic films from China and around the world, and "Cannes Express," presenting eight acclaimed films freshly unveiled at the Cannes Film Festival. New additions, such as "Asia Now" highlighting cutting-edge Asian cinema and "SIFF Immersive" dedicated to virtual reality experiences, further enrich the festival’s programming.

As China’s highest-grossing film market, Shanghai boasts 379 cinemas, leading the nation both in the number of screens and box office revenues. Currently, the city has 358 operational cinemas spread across its 16 districts, with a total of 2,217 screens and over 100 auditoriums equipped with advanced projection technology, solidifying its status as the world's largest film market. Backed by this robust infrastructure, box office revenues in Shanghai surged to 2.15 billion yuan (approximately $300 million) in 2024, reaffirming its position as China’s cinematic capital.

Chen Guo, the general manager of the Shanghai International Film and Television Event Center, stated, "The concentration of high-quality films at the festival continually generates greater excitement among audiences compared to regular periods." This enthusiasm was palpable when ticket sales opened on June 5, with over 600 screenings of 92 films selling out in just one hour, despite a total offering of more than 1,500 screenings across over 400 titles. The most popular film, vying for the title of "Best Director in the Main Competition of the Golden Goblet," saw its tickets sell out in only 26 seconds.

This year, SIFF innovates by transforming the entire city into a cinematic space, a groundbreaking initiative that embodies the festival's vision of making cinema accessible to all. Importantly, SIFF has arranged around 100 meet-and-greet sessions with audiences, encompassing nearly all screening sections. The chair of the judging panel for the Golden Goblet Award, Giuseppe Tornatore, will also participate in a masterclass on June 20.

In the festival’s first masterclass, Peter Chan shared his perspective: "No matter the genre, a key to success is remaining true to oneself. Balancing authenticity with audience appeal is the greatest challenge, but it’s a balance we must achieve."

Additionally, SIFF merges cinema with culinary delights and travel experiences. Limited edition coffee cups and custom packaging have sparked a frenzy on social media, while cinema takeout meal offers and food maps titled "Watch Movies, Taste Shanghai" guide festival-goers to the best gourmet restaurants near cinemas. Travel packages including hotels, attractions, and movie tickets provide an unmatched experience for visitors.

As the city embraces its role as a "canvas of light and shadow," SIFF invites the world to join in this unforgettable celebration of cinema and culture.