First run in 1993, the Shanghai International Film Festival, was accredited by the International Federation of Film Producers Association (FIAPF), as one of non-specialized competitive international film festivals in the following year. The past seven festivals have progressed successfully, with global veterans namely Oshima, Oliver Stone, Alan Parker, Olivier Assayas, Im Kwon-Taek invited as international juries to judge films and present grand prizes - the most honored "Jin Jue" Award to the winners. In order to encourage the emerge of new filmmakers and film productions in Asia, and to set up a platform toward the world for Asian films, a new section which is Asian New Talent Award Film Competition was set under the umbrella of "Jin Jue" International Film Forum in 2004, awarding new Asian filmmakers with fund.

The Shanghai International Film Festival is co-hosted by the State Administration of Radio, Film & TV and the Shanghai Municipal Government, and organized by the Special Events Office under Shanghai Media & Entertainment Group. Shanghai is the first city in China to produce film, and has been the synonym to present Chinese films quite a long time. Its local and traditional culture in Shanghai has also contributed greatly to the booming of Chinese film industry. That is why the first and only international film festival in China is held in Shanghai.

According to the FIAPF International Regulations, each film festival comprises four regular activities, which are "Jin Jue" Award International Film Competition, International Film Panorama, International Film Market and "Jin Jue" International Film Forum. The festival is the only annual world film gathering in the Chinese market, the market that has not been completely open to the outside world, with total involvement of 959 official films selected out among 3823 submissions from over 60 countries and regions and the box office reaching 27.7 million RMB in the previous editions. Fascinated by filmgoers in Shanghai and its surrounding areas, the 9-day festival in June has become an important movie celebration event highlighting cultural life in Shanghai.