Shanghai Daily news

Movie buffs have a choice of 200 films being screened at 17 cinemas in the city when they attend the week-long Eighth Shanghai International Film Festival, writes Xu Wei.
When the Eighth Shanghai International Film Festival opens tomorrow night, it will be a double celebration for local movie buffs. Apart from the presence of a galaxy of film stars and screenings of some of the best movies from home and abroad, this year's festival coincides with the centenary of the Chinese film industry.
A total of 17 films will scramble for the awards and the coveted top prize, the Golden Goblet Award. The two Chinese films in the contest are ``Gimme Kudos'' by veteran director Huang Jianxin and ``A Time to Love'' by award-winning director Huo Jianqi, whose film ``Nuan'' won the Tokyo Grand Prix, the top prize at the 16th Tokyo International Film Festival in 2003.
One major change in the festival program this year is the move downtown of the opening and award ceremonies from the Shanghai Film Art Center to the Shanghai Grand Theater.
``Lu Xun,'' a ``biopic'' made by the Shanghai Film Studio of the life of the ``Father of China's Modern Literature,'' will open the festival. One of the earliest Chinese feature films -- ``Laborer's Love'' made in the 1920s by Zhang Shichuan -- will also be screened on opening night.
Chinese actors to attend this year's event include Sammi Cheng, Cecilia Cheung, Andy Lau, Zhao Wei, Lu Yi, Zhou Xun and Gao Yuanyuan. Hollywood star Brendan Fraser (``The Mummy Returns''), German director Volker Schloendorff (``The Ninth Day'') and director Chen Kaige (``Farewell My Concubine'') -- who is still doing post-production work on his latest movie, ``The Promise'' -- will also be walking down the festival's red carpet.
The seven-member jury panel includes German director Marc Rothemund, winner of the Best Director award for his ``Sophie Scholl: The Final Days'' at the 55th Berlin International Film Festival earlier this year, and Chinese-American actress Lisa Lu (``The Last Emperor,'' ``The Joy Luck Club'').
Director Wu Tianming, whose ``Old Well'' won Best Picture, Best Actor and Grand Prix awards at the Second Tokyo International Film Festival in 1987, has been designated as president of the panel.
For industry insiders, the international film forum held during the festival is a platform where exchanges of views about the 100-year development of the Chinese film industry, kung fu movies, animation films and the inter-action between the domestic and international film markets will take place.
Chinese films, or rather Asian films, have been attracting more attention at Western film festivals in recent years.
``To encourage `new' Asian filmmakers and to help promote the Asian film industry, we will continue with the Asian New Talent Award following its debut last year,'' says Chen Xiaomeng, the executive vice secretary-general of the festival's organizing committee. ``Ten films by young rising Asian directors will provide an instructive and energetic panorama of today's Asian films.''
However, besides the intense competition and on-screen and off-screen academic exchanges, local movie buffs are always excited by the prospect of viewing up to 200 films at the festival.
Last year, local cinemas chalked in about 7 million yuan (US$854,000) in ticket sales and festival organizers are optimistic about this year's box office.
This year, 17 cinemas will be presenting such hits as ``Hotel Rwanda,'' ``Sideways,'' ``Alien vs Predator,'' ``Big Fish'' and ``Sin City,'' and some art house films including ``The Iguana,'' ``One Day in Europe'' ``Spring Time'' and ``Shanghai Dreams.''
Zhang Jian, a local movie fan, is busy planning his most economical viewing schedule.
``It's definitely a tough task to decide from so many choices,'' he says. ``But I do not intend to book a ticket package. Hollywood blockbusters are not on my list. I really take an interest in art films made in Europe or in small countries.''
Chen says: ``The audience will have more choices this year. And to add to the festivities surrounding the centenary of the Chinese film industry, 13 old Chinese films such as `Springtime in a Small Town' and `Home' will also be screened.''
A survey of the audience's tastes and comments on the films will be conducted at cinemas. The results of the survey, according to the organizers, will be studied and used in planning of future festivals.
``It seems now that the organizers are attaching more importance to the participation of the general public, a crucial criterion for deciding whether the festival has been really successful,'' says Professor Li Yizhong, director of the Department of Film and TV with the Shanghai Jiao Tong University. ``Compared with the encouragement for local filmmaking, conveying the best and newest film cultures to the public is crucial to the future development of the Chinese film industry.''
The Shanghai International TV Festival will also be running next week from June 11 to 15 and entries are competing for the Magnolia Award which will be presented to the best TV drama and documentary.

Please log onto www.siff.com for tickets information of the film festival.