Keeping pace with movies during the film festival
The 27th Shanghai International Film Festival was themed "City of Cinema: Every Frame is Life."
June brings with it the warmth of summer and much-needed rain, but it also marks the return of something I look forward to with great excitement: the Shanghai International Film Festival, which transforms the city into a living, breathing reel of stories.
This year's edition, which ran from June 13 to 22, was huge in both size and spirit, turning the city into a playground for movie buffs. A network of 43 cinemas across Shanghai and the Yangtze River Delta region screened over 400 films from 71 countries and regions.
With 1,500 screenings, it was a celebration of the movie industry's history spanning 130 years, while Shanghai, marking the 120th anniversary of Chinese cinema, reaffirmed its status as the "City of Film."
A festival organizer pointed out that about 30 percent of the films showcased this year were in 4K resolution, "significantly enhancing the overall viewing experience."
Having attended film festivals here since 2000, I find that each year feels distinct – bigger, more personal and alive. It resonates deeply for someone like me as I look out for stories that carry the whispers of home.
The SIFF turns Shanghai into a giant IMAX screen, with moviegoers crisscrossing the city to catch the next film. One moment, you could be enjoying the old-world comforts of the Cathay Theatre, and the next, you are hurrying across a busy intersection in Pudong to watch a Latin American documentary in a skyscraper mall.
The renovated Shanghai Film Art Center pulses with the energy of the city.
On a crazy day, passionate fans can devour up to four films, while the majority typically manage between two and three. The pace never really slows down, yet it remains exhilarating.
And we are not even talking about catching a glimpse of the glamorous stars in their tuxedos and long, flowing, heavenly outfits! The true stars are, without a doubt, the audience members who pack the auditorium for an entire week.
But the movies only capture half the thrill; the real action is in the transitions: the crazy subway rides, the caffeine-fueled decision-making and the sprint across districts.
The fun really is in getting to the theaters – at any cost. You dash down Huaihai Road, anxiously watching the time tick away for the next screening. From Changning to Huangpu and Pudong to Yangpu, the experience is unmistakably similar: bolting down the streets on rental bikes, ducking into the subway, and arriving at venues just as the lights go out. The next instant we blend into the darkness among complete strangers, united only by the flicker of a story on the screen.
Much of the city participates in this race as if it were a marathon. Everyone, from locals to expats to film enthusiasts to bewildered tourists, seems to revel in it. The pace defines the week. Unintentionally, you become part of the broader cinematic experience.
The scene repeats itself across the city – in venues tucked away on side streets, in gleaming downtown complexes and in quiet corners of old neighborhoods.
Fans collected stamps on their ticket stubs as part of an activity during the festival.
As the credits roll to soft applause, viewers instinctively check their phones for the next film, strike up small conversations with strangers and hope to grab a quick coffee between screenings.
Like souls drawn together, they find themselves surrounded by others who share the same passion. They may not speak, but there exists a quiet understanding: we're all here for the same reason.
The venues, too, tell their own stories. The Shanghai Grand Theatre, with its majestic chandeliers, exudes nostalgia from cinema's golden age. Think of "Cinema Paradiso!" The refurbished Shanghai Film Art Center pulses with the energy of a city that is constantly reinventing itself.
There are the newer venues that are sleek and cutting-edge. They are a sharp contrast to the traditional cinemas. But each theater offers a different vibe, from cozy to spacious to simple, and going from one to the next feels like shifting between cinematic genres.
Of course, it's not all smooth sailing. For non-native speakers like me, booking tickets on Chinese-language apps like Maoyan or Taopiaopiao requires patience, persistence and prayer. It's like trying to decode an operating system! You swipe, translate, misclick, panic… repeat. Sometimes, you end up with tickets to the wrong film, on the wrong day, at a theater two districts away. But, most of the time, you get it right.
Still, I'm a bit old-school. I miss the excitement of queuing up with hundreds of hopeful fans for that one golden ticket, which, more often than not, was with the scalpers even before the box office opened!
Subtitles aren't always guaranteed either. There have been films I've watched without fully understanding the dialogue, relying instead on expressions, framing and feeling. Somehow, it always works and deepens the experience in unexpected ways.
The official Shanghai International Film Festival pop-up store at Shanghai Film Art Center was a big hit among fans.
They are all part of the comedy of errors.
Over time, I've come to understand that the festival is more than films – it's about the joy of exploring, moving and simply being present. There are occasions when you want to slow down, but you tell yourself, "One last time." Then the lights dim, and it all makes sense again.
Shanghai isn't just the host; it pulls you in, challenges you to keep pace and invites you to become part of the story. Perhaps one day, a fresh-faced kid from this city will capture all these wild moments and bring home an Oscar. Trust me, there's a story here for every heart.
When the last screening ends and the house lights come on, a sense of fatigue grips us. Another season of the Shanghai International Film Festival has come to an end. But when June comes, we'll be back, ready to relive this story again.
