Winners of the SIFF Project honors were revealed on June 17 during the 27th Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF), concluding the four-day event aimed at supporting young filmmakers in bringing their projects to fruition.

Winners of the SIFF Project honors pose for a group photo on stage with the jury during the 27th Shanghai International Film Festival, June 17, 2025. [Photo courtesy of SIFF Organizing Committee]

The Annual Focus Committee was chaired by director, screenwriter and producer Wen Muye, with producer-screenwriter Ying Luojia and director-screenwriter Anselm Chan serving as members. Over four days, the committee reviewed projects for creativity, artistic quality and market potential.

During the presentations, committee members discussed projects with teams, offering feedback on story, visuals, themes and pacing. They highlighted each project's strengths in stylistic vision and direction, and offered specific suggestions for improving character development and contemporary relevance where needed.

After deliberation, the committee announced five main awards. The best genre project honor went to Cai Kunyu's "Dog Bite Dog." The annual focus honor was awarded to Yuan Yuan's "Heading South." The best talent project went to Guo Xiaodong's "A Perfect Life." "Wintertime in a Small Town" by Wu Chu received the most creative project award, and best work-in-progress project went to Emetraj Memet's "Good Drink Pub." The jury also gave a special honor to Dong Jie's "Zoom In, Zoom Out" for outstanding achievement.

SIFF Project was held in Shanghai from June 14 to 17, featuring public presentations of 19 selected projects and discussions with 34 shortlisted entries. The event drew strong industry participation, with many sessions fully booked in advance and additional meetings requested. In total, 175 production, investment and distribution companies took part, resulting in 636 project meetings.

This year's SIFF Project received 534 valid submissions, a 39% increase from last year. The event introduced a new genre project section to encourage innovation within established formats, attracting entries in comedy, adventure, road movies and other genres.

After the selection process, 34 entries were shortlisted, highlighting a broad thematic range that includes explorations of history and traditional culture, the integration of technology and modern life, intimate personal stories and examinations of broader societal issues.

Among the notable projects beyond this year's award winners are "General's Order," a historical costume drama; "He Who Longs to Travel the World," which delves into digitally constructed realities; and "Huadan Rapper Go Go Go," a work that blends Chinese opera with rap. Several projects draw on personal stories, such as "Test of Confucius," inspired by art exam experiences, "The Daughter from Shanghai," which traces a family's history, and "The Last Firework," set in early 2000s Beijing.

Since its launch in 2007, SIFF Project has seen 112 projects move into production. Of these, 77 have screened at international film festivals, 56 have competed in or been showcased at competitive feature festivals, and 74 have secured theatrical releases worldwide.

This year, SIFF Project partnered with eight organizations to provide a total of 1.75 million yuan ($243,000) in cash and services for selected projects. Mahua FunAge and Damai Entertainment each awarded 150,000 yuan to a project in early development, with "Dog Bite Dog" receiving the Mahua FunAge award and "Find Your Way" winning the Damai Entertainment award.

Phenom Films, Mofei Pictures and Image Forest awarded post-production services to "The Daughter from Shanghai," "Good Drink Pub" and "Test of Confucius," respectively. InBetween granted design services to "He Who Longs to Travel the World" and "Good Drink Pub," while Aputure will provide lighting equipment to "Snow Falling on Cedars." China Film Co., Ltd. awarded venue and location services to "Back to Basics."

Chen Guo, managing director of Shanghai International Film and TV Events, emphasized SIFF's ongoing commitment to Asia, Chinese cinema and emerging talent. After three decades of development, the festival has established a progressive talent cultivation system that supports filmmakers at all stages of their careers through a range of awards and initiatives.

"As a crucial part of this system, SIFF Project continues to connect all stages of the creative process, supporting young filmmakers' growth and fostering a healthy ecosystem from project incubation to industry integration," she said.