Jurors from the Asian New Talent, Short Film, Animation and Documentary sections of the 28th Shanghai International Film Festival gathered Sunday for the second Golden Goblet jury meeting, sharing their criteria for the competition.
The Asian New Talent jury is chaired by Singaporean director Anthony Chen, whose film “Ilo Ilo” won the debut prize at Cannes. Joining him are Indonesian director Kamila Andini, Chinese director Liu Jiayin, Chinese actor Wen Qi and Kazakhstan director Farkhat Sharipov.
Chen said that when assessing filmmakers, age and experience carry no weight in his evaluation. “What I really value is whether a creator is truly sincere and willing to adopt new lenses and ideas to break conventions,” he said. “New talents often demonstrate a vigorous and passionate creative attitude.”
Wen Qi echoed the sentiment, noting her preference for films with strong individual voices. Sharipov and Liu Jiayin each reflected on the pressures facing emerging filmmakers. “For young creators, the early stages of their careers are all about finding direction, a period during which they inevitably experience confusion and uncertainty,” Sharipov noted. Liu added: “At such times, they face not external conflicts but internal pressure, and execution becomes particularly important.”
The Short Film jury is led by Portuguese director João Salaviza, alongside Germany’s Lena von Döhren and China’s Qiu Sheng. Salaviza described the short form as a pure mode of expression in which authentic emotion is fundamental, while von Döhren – drawing on her parallel career as an illustrator – emphasized how effectively the format can convey feeling through storytelling.
The Animation jury, chaired by U.K. director Will Becher with Indian director Gitanjali Rao and Chinese filmmaker Yu Shui, took stock of Chinese animation’s rising global profile. “From a global perspective, an increasing number of Chinese animated works have appeared in many fields, including the Oscar selection process,” Becher said. “This is undoubtedly remarkable and exciting.” He added that he hopes to see Chinese animation secure wider theatrical releases in the U.K. Yu Shui, whose “Nobody” earned both critical acclaim and box office success, said only a serious commitment to craft can earn an audience’s trust.
The Documentary jury – comprising Geeta Gandbhir, Carla Gutierrez and Liu Qing – focused on the genre’s capacity to forge cross-cultural understanding. “Through documentaries, we can connect with each other, understand each other’s cultures, and listen to each other’s stories,” Gandbhir said. “There is a core principle for documentary filmmaking: to reveal humanity and tell compelling stories.” Gutierrez said the jury would not privilege any particular documentary form, but would prioritize works that communicate genuine emotion and connect with viewers.
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