Golden Goblet Competition Lineup Announced: Spotlight on the 2026 Contenders

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    SHANGHAI, May 31, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The 28th Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF) has officially unveiled the competition selections for the 2026 Golden Goblet Awards.

     

    Held from June 12 to 21, the Festival received approximately 4,100 submissions from 125 countries and regions this year, setting a new historical record. According to the Festival, around 3,000 films met the eligibility requirements for competition, while 82% of the submitted entries are world or international premieres. The Festival also expanded its reach with first-time submissions from countries including Ghana and Mozambique.

    Notably, all 12 films selected for the Golden Goblet Main Competition will make their world premieres in Shanghai. This marks the first time in the history of the Golden Goblet Awards that the Main Competition has achieved a 100% world-premiere lineup, underscoring Shanghai’s growing appeal as a launch platform for filmmakers from around the world.

    The Golden Goblet Awards remain the centerpiece of SIFF’s international competition program, covering Main Competition, Asian New Talent, Documentary, Animation, and Short Film sections.


    MAIN COMPETITION

    ATLANTIC RHAPSODY
    Director: ZHONG Kaifeng
    (China)

    HALIMA
    Director: Yassine El Idrissi
    (Morocco)

    ILUMINADA
    Director: Nicolás Rincón Gille
    (Belgium)

    LUIZA’S DESERT
    Director: Alan Minas
    (Brazil, United Kingdom)

    MY OWN LAST SUPPER
    Director: ismail BASBETH
    (Indonesia)

    NIGHT OF BLINDNESS
    Director: Reis Çelik
    (Turkey, Germany)

    SEA SONS
    Director: Daniil Merkulov
    (Russia)

    SECRET IN THE BOX
    Director: Frankie Tam Kwong Yuen
    (Chinese Mainland, Hong Kong China)

    SUPERBUHEI
    Director: Josef Brandl
    (Germany)

    THE GREAT SKULL
    Director: LIU Xiaoyang
    (China)

    THE MISERABLE MOTHER
    Director: Susanne Heinrich
    (Germany, France)

    THE PARKING SPOT
    Director: Louis Godbout
    (Canada)

    ASIAN NEW TALENT

    9 TEMPLES TO HEAVEN
    Director: Sompot Chidgasornpongse
    (Thailand)

    ABOUT THE MOTHER
    Director: Büşra Bülbül
    (Turkey)

    BOOMAH
    Director: Zaid Abu Hamdan
    (Jordan, Saudi Arabia)

    CASSOWARY
    Director: ZHANG Hanyi
    (China)

    DOG DAY EVENING
    Director: Mak Tin Shu
    (Chinese Mainland, Hong Kong China)

    HER FIRST TASTE
    Director: GONG Yiwen
    (China)

    HUNTER’S MOON
    Director: Ridham Janve
    (India, Germany)

    NO GOOD IN SIGHT: A STORY
    Director: Alibi Mukushev
    (Kazakhstan)

    NO HARD FEELINGS
    Director: LIU Shichuan
    (China)

    SKYLARK
    Director: Narghiza Dotieva
    (Kyrgyzstan)

    STRANGERS IN THE MOUNTAIN
    Director: WAN Bo
    (China)

    THE BLIND GIRL AND AN ELEPHANT
    Director: Ishtiyak Ahmad Zihad
    (Bangladesh, Germany)

    DOCUMENTARY

    BENIGNO
    Director: David Baute
    (Spain)

    NOTES UNHEARD
    Director: GU Yun
    (China)

    RUINS
    Director: Elena Chemerska
    (North Macedonia, Croatia, Slovenia)

    THE TIGER OF THE EAST
    Director: Jorge Acevedo
    (Chile)

    WHEELS OF FORGOTTEN DREAMS
    Directors: Milos Ljubomirovic, Danilo Lazovic
    (Serbia, Bulgaria, Croatia)

    ANIMATION

    AMADEO AND THE HYPOTHETICAL NEW WORLD
    Directors: Brenda Lígia, Edu Felistoque
    (Brazil)

    DANTE
    Director: Linda Hambäck
    (Sweden, Norway, Denmark)

    GARUDA: DARE TO DREAM
    Director: Ronny Gani
    (Indonesia)

    LUCY LOST
    Director: Olivier Clert
    (France)

    WINNIPEG, SEEDS OF HOPE
    Directors: Elio Guiroga, Beñat Beitia
    (Spain, Chile, Argentina )

    SHORT FILM (LIVE ACTION)

    2000
    Director: Renata Lučić
    (Croatia)

    CHICKEN LADY
    Director: YUAN Shuqi
    (China, USA)

    ELSEWHERE
    Director: LIN Tingxuan
    (China, Thailand)

    KILL, KOKESH, KILL!
    Director: Jan Míka
    (Czech Republic)

    LAST TRAIN
    Director: XU Weihao
    (China)

    LAZARE
    Director: Claire Dietrich
    (France)

    SITTING BIRD
    Director: Athena Han
    (Canada)

    THE DROUGHT
    Director: Cristian Popa
    (Romania)

    THE MATCHMAKER
    Director: Sophia Kuestenmacher
    (Germany)

    ZAZA GOGOGO
    Director: CHEN Kedi
    (China)

    SHORT FILM (ANIMATED)

    IF ONLY
    Director: Ada Guvenir
    (Belgium)

    JULKA
    Director: Valeria Cozzarini
    (Slovenia, Italy)

    SHOES
    Director: Salvatore Centoducati
    (Italy)

    UNPLUG
    Director: Comandante Bebé
    (Spain)

    WATER’S TIME SLICE
    Director: HE Jiaxuan
    (China)

    Hong Kong actor Tony Leung Chiu-wai serves as President of the Main Competition Jury, while Singaporean filmmaker Anthony Chen chairs the Asian New Talent section. Documentary filmmaker Geeta Gandbhir heads the Documentary Jury, British animator Will Becher leads the Animation Jury, and Portuguese filmmaker João Salaviza serves as President of the Short Film Jury.

    This year’s Festival will present more than 420 international films across over 1,500 screenings throughout Shanghai.