Kyrgyzstan’s ‘Black Red Yellow’ Wins Best Film In Shanghai

Kyrgyzstan feature Black Red Yellow, directed by Aktan Arym Kubat, was awarded best film at this year’s Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF, June 13-22).

The film explores Kyrgyz traditions through the story of carpet weavers in the mountainous regions of the Central Asian country. Aktan Arym Kubat has credits including The Light Thief, which premiered in Cannes Directors Fortnight in 2010.

SIFF’s Jury Grand Prix was split between On Summer Sand, a family drama about grief and healing from Japanese director Shinya Tamada, and Chinese filmmaker Wang Tong’s Wild Nights, Tamed Beasts, which tackles the topic of China’s ageing population. Wild Nights, Tamed Beasts also picked up best actress for Wan Qian’s performance, while best actor went to José Martins for Portugal-Brazil collaboration The Scent Of Things Remembered.

Best director went to China’s Cao Baoping for One Wacky Summer, marking the second time Cao has won best director at SIFF following The Dead End in 2015. Best screenplay went to Poland’s Korek Bojanowski and Katia Priwieziencew for Loss Of Balance (see full list of winners below). Italian filmmaker Giuseppe Tornatore headed the Golden Goblets competition jury.

In the Asian New Talent Competition, best film went to As The Water Flows, from China’s Bian Zhuo, while best director went to Liryc Dela Cruz for Italy-Philippines collaboration Where The Night Stands Still (see full list of winners below).

Award winners in SIFF Project Market included Dog Bite Dog, which won prizes for Best Genre Project and the Funage Happy Together Award, while Good Drink Pub picked up three awards (see full list of winners below).

This year, SIFF combined its two industry platforms – the film-focused SIFF Market and TV-focused Shanghai TV Festival – for the first time with both events taking place at the Shanghai Exhibition Centre. The festival, which opened with Peter Ho-sun Chan’s She’s Got No Name, starring Zhang Ziyi, takes place at Shanghai Film Art Centre and more than 40 cinemas across the city.

SHANGHAI INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2025 WINNERS:

GOLDEN GOBLET AWARDS: 

Best feature film: Black Red Yellow (Kyrgyzstan), dir: Aktan Arym Kubat

Jury Grand Prix:
One Summer Sand (Japan), dir: Shinya Tamada
Wild Nights, Tamed Beasts (China), dir: Wang Tong

Best Director: Cao Baoping, One Wacky Summer (China)

Best Screenplay: Korek Bojanowski & Katia Priwieziencew, Loss Of Balance (Poland), dir: Korek Bojanowski

Best Actor: José Martins, The Scent Of Things Remembered (Portugal, Brazil), dir: António Ferreira

Best Actress: Wan Qian, Wild Nights, Tamed Beasts (China), dir: Wang Tong

Best Cinematography: Markus Nestroy, You Believe In Angels, Mr. Drowak? (Germany, Switzerland), dir: Nicolas Steiner

Outstanding Artistic Achievement: My Father’s Son (China, France), dir: Qiu Sheng

Best Documentary: Constanza (Spain), dir: Agustín Márquez Gómez

Best Animation Film: The Songbirds' Secret (France, Switzerland, Belgium), dir: Antoine Lanciaux

Best Live Action Short Film: Crow (China), dir: Xu Jianming

Best Animated Short Film: Son (Russia, Kazakhstan), dir: Zhanna Bekmambetova

ASIAN NEW TALENT AWARDS:

Best Film: As The Water Flows (China), dir: Bian Zhuo

Best Director: Liryc Dela Cruz, Where The Night Stands Still (Italy, Philippines)

Best Actor: Shi Pengyuan, Water Can Go Anywhere (China), dir: Fang Liang

Best Actress: Meenakshi Jayan, Victoria (India), dir: Sivaranjini J

Best Script Writer: Lalith Rathnayake & Nilantha Perera, Riverstone (Sri Lanka), dir: Lalith Rathnayake

Best Cinematography: Prabath Roshan, Riverstone (Sri Lanka), dir: Lalith Rathnayake

SIFF PROJECT 2025:

Best Genre Project: Dog Bite Dog
Annual Focus: Heading South
Best Talent Project: A Perfect Life
Most Creative Project: Snow Falling On Cedars
Best WIP Project: Good Drink Pub
Jury’s Choice: He Who Longs To Travel The World
Funage “Happy Together” Award: Dog Bite Dog
Damai Entertainment Support Project: Find Your Way
Phenom Films Award: The Daughter From Shanghai
Mofei Pictures Creative Sound’s Choice: Good Drink Pub
Image Forestt Award: Test Of Confucius
Aputure Award: Snow Falling On Cedars
Inbetween Award: He Who Longs To Travel The World, Good Drink Pub
China Film Award: Back To Basics