The 27th Shanghai International Film Festival: A City-Wide Cinematic Celebration

The 27th edition of the Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF) kicked off on June 14, 2025, and has already begun to transform Shanghai into a lively cinematic playground. The festival, themed “City of Cinema,” aims to blur the lines between screen and reality, inviting everyone to join in this grand celebration of film.

Spanning from June 14 to 23, the festival showcases over 400 films from 71 different countries and regions, screening across 48 cinemas and 61 auditoriums in and around the Yangtze River Delta. Remarkably, nearly half of these films are making their world or regional premieres. This year's program hosts several special sections, including Resonance, which highlights iconic Chinese and international films, and Cannes Express, featuring eight acclaimed works directly from the Cannes Film Festival. New features such as Asia Now, showcasing cutting-edge Asian cinema, and SIFF Immersive, dedicated to virtual reality experiences, further enhance the festival’s offerings.

Shanghai stands as the biggest film market in China, boasting 379 cinemas, making it the leader in both the number of screens and box office revenue nationally. Currently, the city has 358 operational cinemas distributed across all 16 districts, equipped with 2,217 screens and over 100 auditoriums featuring advanced projection technologies. This extensive infrastructure culminated in a staggering box office revenue of 2.15 billion yuan (approximately $300 million) in 2024, solidifying Shanghai’s position as the top-grossing city for films in China.

Chen Guo, General Manager of the Shanghai International Film and TV Events Centre, remarked, “The concentrated screenings of excellent films at the festival consistently generate greater excitement among audiences compared to regular programming.” This enthusiasm was palpable during ticket sales on June 5, where over 600 screenings of 92 films sold out within an hour, despite an overall offering of more than 1,500 tickets across 400 titles. The film that sold out the quickest was the Best Director film in the Golden Goblet Main Competition, with tickets vanishing in just 26 seconds.

This year, SIFF is paving new paths by turning the entire city into a cinematic playground, embodying the festival's vision of making cinema accessible to all. Notably, SIFF has organized around 100 engagements with the public across nearly all film sections. The masterclass event on June 20 will feature Giuseppe Tornatore, the president of the Golden Goblet Award jury. At the inaugural masterclass, Peter Chan emphasized, “Regardless of the genre I tackle, the key to success is staying true to oneself. Finding a balance between authenticity and serving the audience is the greatest challenge, but it’s one we must strive for.”

Beyond films, SIFF intertwines cinema with culinary delights and travel experiences. Limited edition coffee cups and personalized packages have ignited social media buzz, while “meal deals between films” and the “Taste Shanghai” gastronomic maps guide festival-goers to trendy gourmet spots near cinemas. Travel packages encompassing hotel accommodation, attractions, and cinema tickets ensure a hassle-free experience for attendees.

As the city embraces its role as a “canvas of light and shadow,” SIFF extends a warm invitation to the world to partake in this unforgettable celebration of film and culture.