Shanghai International Film Festival opens as industry recovers from epidemic

The 23rd Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF) opened Saturday, in the latest sign of steady recovery of the movie industry from the fallout of the COVID-19 epidemic.

The festival, which will run through Aug. 2, came after cinemas in most parts of the Chinese mainland reopened Monday, ending months-long closures amid the epidemic.

This year's festival will be held both online and offline, so as to satisfy movie fans and promote resumption of work in the film industry while maintaining heightened alert against the epidemic.

More than 320 Chinese and foreign movies will be screened in 29 cinemas in Shanghai. Tickets are available only online, and attendance in each show is limited to 30 percent.

Due to the epidemic, the Golden Goblet Awards and Asian New Talents Awards will not be given this year. Organizers, however, announced nominations and would hold meet-and-greet events with film crews, part of which will be held online.

The film festival, scheduled to be held in June this year, was postponed in late May due to the COVID-19 epidemic.

Founded in 1993, the SIFF is a competitive global event driven by Shanghai's efforts to become an international cultural hub.