Since it is the only “A” category festival in China, the Shanghai International Film Festival is regarded as an important festival for numerous filmmakers. The competition sections for the Golden Goblet Awards fall into five categories: Main Competition, Asian New Talent, Documentary, Animation and Short Films. Over 2,000 films from more than 100 countries and regions around the world are presented each year. The competitions show films of different genres, not only from big names, but also young and talented artists who are not yet internationally known.

This year sees two German productions being selected for the Main Competition. YOU BELIEVE IN ANGELS, MR. DROWAK? by Nicolas Steiner centres on the cheerful student Lena who always believes in the good in people. When she applies for a job as a writing coach at the ‘authorities’ as part of a social programme, she has no idea that the only participant in her course is a spiteful, constantly boozing misanthrope: the former homeless man Hugo Drowak.
The second German production is LUISA by Julia Roesler. The drama revolves around the unexpected pregnancy of 24-year-old Luisa, who lives in a residential group for people with disabilities. The pregnancy quickly raises questions and sexual abuse is suspected. Luisa remains silent on this matter. The ensuing investigation becomes an endurance test for her, her boyfriend Anton and the entire staff at the residential centre.

The Belt and Road Film Week section features films from a wide range of genres and subjects. Whether they are low-budget art films or international blockbusters - the goal is to give cinema-goers the opportunity to discover something new. This year’s line-up will see the two majority German productions EDGE OF NIGHT by Türker Süer and All THAT'S LEFT OF YOU by Cherien Dabis being screened alongside three other German co-productions. The German production MARIA by Pablo Larrain, which had already caused a sensation at last year’s Venice Film Festival, has been programmed in SIFF Rhapsodies. Another Venice premiere, Shahab Fotouhi's BOOMERANG, will be shown in Shanghai’s Viva la Festival sidebar. Menawhile, the film classic NOSFERATU by Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau from 1921 has been selected for Resonance: A Brief Encounter Of Chinese And World Cinema.

Majority German productions can also be found in the documentary and short film sections. DEATH IS AN ASSHOLE by Michael Schwarz will be screened in SIFF Documentaries. The film follows an unconventional undertaker and his team who are committed to helping society find a better way of dealing with death and grief - more empathetic, honest and open. OUR OWN SHADOW by Agustina Sánchez Gavier will be shown in SIFF Short Film. Set in the province of Misiones in northeast Argentina against the backdrop of an imminent solar eclipse, the short portrays the unsettling changes this appears to trigger in some of the inhabitants.

Last but not least, the section entitled Focus Germany gathers a diverse selection of German films that attracted attention over the past year. The mystery story THE SECRET FLOOR by Norbert Lechner, which had its premiere at the Golden Sparrow - Children's Media Festival, will be the opening film of the section. The line-up for 2025 includes also DEATH WILL COME by Christoph Hochhäusler, which had its premiere in competition in Locarno, and IN MY PARENTS’ HOUSE by Tim Ellrich, which screened in competition in Rotterdam. ISLANDS by Jan-Ole Gerster premiered at the Berlinale and is currently enjoying success in German cinemas. The section also features the tragicomedy ATTRACTIONS by Sergej van Herter, a modern adaptation of the Dostoevsky classic ‘The Eternal Husband’.

Mascha Schilinski's SOUND OF FALLING also recently caused a sensation in Cannes, where it was awarded the Jury Prize. The drama is now screening in the Cannes Express section in Shanghai. 

An overview of all of the German productions and co-productions screening in Shanghai:

Main Competition
LUISA by Julia Roesler (Hanfgarn & Ufer, werkgruppe2)
YOU BELIEVE IN ANGELS, MR. DROWAK? (SIE GLAUBEN AN ENGEL, HERR DROWAK?) by Nicolas Steiner (DE/CH, Zieglerfilm Baden-Baden, tellfilm, Ziegler Film, Zieglerfilm München)

SIFF Doc
DEATH IS AN ASSHOLE (DER TOD IST EIN ARSCHLOCH) by Michael Schwarz (Nachtschwärmerfilm)

SIFF Animations
SANATORIUM UNDER THE SIGN OF THE HOURGLASS by Quay Brothers (UK/PL/DE, MFP)

SIFF Short Films
OUR OWN SHADOW (NUESTRA SOMBRA) by Agustina Sánchez Gavier (DE/AR, Academy of Media Arts Cologne KHM)
400 CASSETTES by Thelyia Petraki (GR/RO/DE, Watchmen)

SIFF Rhapsodies
MARIA by Pablo Larraín (DE/IT/USA, Komplizen Film)
PETER HUJAR'S DAY by Ira Sachs (US/DE, One Two Films)

International Panorama - Focus Germany
THE SECRET FLOOR (DAS GEHEIME STOCKWERK) by Nobert Lechner (DE/AT/LU, KEVIN LEE Film) – OPENING FILM
ATTRACTIONS by Sergej van Herter (Kompagnon-Films)
IN MY PARENTS HOUSE (IM HAUS MEINER ELTERN) by Tim Ellrich (Elemag Pictures, Port au Prince Film & Kultur Produktion, Coronado Film)
LA MORT VIENDRA - DEATH WILL COME (DER TOD WIRD KOMMEN) by Christoph Hochhäusler (DE/LU/BE, Heimatfilm)
ISLANDS by Jan-Ole Gerster (Augenschein Filmproduktion)

Cannes Express
SOUND OF FALLING (IN DIE SONNE SCHAUEN) by Mascha Schilinski (Studio Zentral)

Spectrum
BOGANCLOCH by Ben Rivers (UK/DE/IS, Flaneur Films)

The Belt And Road Film Week
ALL THAT’S LEFT OF YOU by Cherien Dabis (DE/CY, Pallas Film, Twenty Twenty Vision Filmproduktion)
CROCODILE TEARS by Tumpal Tampubolon (ID/FR/SG/DE, 2Pilots Filmproduction)
LIONESS by Liina Trishkina-Vanhatalo (EE/DE/LT, Heimathafen)
GECENİN KIYISI (EDGE OF NIGHT) by Türker Süer (DE/TR, MFP)
FABULA by Michiel ten Horn (NL/BE/DE, 2Pilots)

Viva La Festival
BOOMERANG by Shahab Fotouhi (DE/IR, New Matter Films)

Asia Now
THANK YOU FOR BANKING WITH US! by Laila Abbas (DE/PS, In Good Company Films)

UK Focus
SANTOSH by Sandhya Suri (UK/FR/IN/DE, Razor Film Produktion)
BIRD by Andrea Arnold (UK/US/FR/DE)

Midnight Fantasy
THE SKELETON KEY (DER VERBOTENE SCHLÜSSEL) by Iain Softley (US/DE, MFPV Film)

Resonance: A Brief Encounter Of Chinese And World Cinema
NOSFERATU by Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau (Prana-Film)