The Seventh Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF) and the 10th Shanghai TV Festival will be held from June 5 to June 13, attracting both super stars and professionals from home and abroad to the city.

According to Yu Baiming, the official in charge of the SIFF organizing committee, a total of 17 films from 14 countries and regions will compete for the Jin Jue Award.

The 17 films have been selected from over 500 films from 51 countries and regions around the world, which were all produced in the year 2003 and the first half of 2004 and have not been shown at any previous international film festivals, said Yu.

There are only two films made in China among the 17: One is Shanghai Story (Shanghai Gushi) directed by Peng Xiaolian and featuring the star Joe Wong (Wang Zuxian), and the other is Jasmine Women (Moli Huakai), directed by Hou Yong with a superstar-studded cast including Jiang Wen, Joan Chen (Chen Chong), Zhang Ziyi, Liu Ye and Lu Yi.

Top-level forums will be held involving both TV and film professionals from all over the world. They will focus on recent changes within the Chinese film industry, exploring diversified co-operation and global development and dialogue between new Chinese directors and world renowned film critics.

(China Daily June 4, 2004)