A centerpiece of the program was the Magnolia Forum, "AI-Driven Road to Premium Micro-Dramas," held on June 23 at the Shanghai Exhibition Center. The event brought together regulators, platform executives, industry experts and frontline creators to discuss how artificial intelligence is transforming micro-drama production while maintaining storytelling quality and creative standards.

The forum recognized six outstanding micro-dramas: Inside and Outside the Home, Miracle, Flash Marriage Rose, Summer Fendera, Tang Dynasty Strange Tales and Zhuquetang. Representatives from the productions shared their creative experiences, emphasizing that strong screenwriting remains the foundation of high-quality micro-dramas.

Industry leaders outlined the sector's rapid expansion. Tencent Video reported that its micro-drama user base has surpassed 120 million, with per-capita viewing time increasing by 32 percent year over year. In 2025, the platform released more than 180 horizontal-screen short dramas, with 17 projects generating more than 10 million yuan each. By 2026, nine projects had already exceeded the 10-million-yuan mark, including two that surpassed 20 million yuan and one that exceeded 30 million yuan.

Artificial intelligence emerged as the dominant theme of the discussions. Speakers noted that AI-assisted production has become widely adopted across the sector, improving efficiency in script development, production and post-production while enhancing rather than replacing human creativity. As one producer put it, AI handles the heavy lifting, allowing them to focus on human stories.

The forum also highlighted the international expansion of Chinese micro-dramas. Industry representatives noted that Chinese short-form productions are attracting growing overseas audiences, while advances in AI translation and content generation are lowering barriers to international distribution and cross-border collaboration.

Chen Guo, Managing Director of the Shanghai International Film & TV Events Center, said the festival's expanded focus on micro-dramas reflects both the industry's rapid growth and the need to encourage higher-quality production standards, with the aim of helping the sector move from an era of scale toward one of premium content.

The initiatives unveiled at this year's STVF underscore China's efforts to advance the high-quality development of micro-dramas through technological innovation, industry collaboration and international exchange, further consolidating its position as a global leader in short-form content.

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.