‘Atlantic Rhapsody’ Tops Shanghai’s Golden Goblet Awards

Chinese filmmaker Zhong Kaifeng’s debut feature Atlantic Rhapsody secured the Best Feature Film prize at the 28th Golden Goblet Awards, the flagship competition of the Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF), during the closing ceremony on June 20.

The Chinese production, which also earned Best Cinematography for Hao Jiayue, emerged as one of the evening’s biggest winners in a ceremony that recognised filmmakers from across the globe and multiple competition strands.

Atlantic Rhapsody had its world premiere at this year’s SIFF. During a festival press conference, Zhong explained that he relied on natural light and ambient sound to shape the film’s distinctive atmosphere. Set in Northeast China, the film stars Yin Fang, who described his character as “a figure of that era, someone who wanted to make a big splash but ended up being toyed with by the times.”

Accepting the award, Zhong said: “Atlantic Rhapsody is not a film that hands audiences ready answers, yet this award has given me my own answer: persistence, passion, hard work, and faith.”

The Jury Grand Prix was awarded to Belgian entry Iluminada, directed by Nicolás Rincón Gille. Morocco’s Yassine El Idrissi won Best Director for Halima, a social realist drama centred on the cannabis trade that marked Morocco’s return to the Golden Goblet main competition after a 27-year absence.

El Idrissi, who drew upon his experience as a photojournalist while making the film, also saw lead performer Khadija Amari receive Best Actress. Although she had appeared in smaller roles previously, Halima marked her first leading role in a feature film.

Chinese actor Zhang Songwen took home the Best Actor award for Secret in the Box, a Chinese mainland-Hong Kong co-production directed by Frankie Tam Gong-Yuen and adapted from Au Yeung Ping Keung’s murder mystery. Zhang previously starred opposite Xin Zhilei in Cai Shangjun’s The Sun Rises on Us All, which premiered at Venice in 2025 before screening in Toronto and Busan.

Turkish filmmaker Reis Çelik won Best Screenplay for Night of Blindness, a Turkey-Germany co-production and the second instalment in his planned Night Trilogy, following Night of Silence, which won the Crystal Bear at the 62nd Berlin International Film Festival. Set during Turkey’s 1980 military coup, the film explores both literal and political darkness. Speaking at SIFF, Çelik said he hoped the work would shed light on “certain aspects of reality that are being downplayed and ignored.”

German director Susanne Heinrich received the Outstanding Artistic Achievement Award for The Miserable Mother, a Germany-France co-production that shared its world premiere between SIFF and the Munich International Film Festival.

In the Asian New Talent section, Gong Yiwen’s Her First Taste, supported by the SIFF Project, won Best Film, while lead actor Ma Fufu received Best Actress. The coming-of-age story follows a young woman passionate about writing as she navigates identity and first love on a university campus.

At a festival press meeting, Gong said she encouraged her cast to internalise their dialogue before discarding it during filming to preserve spontaneity.

Accepting the award, Gong said: “I am overjoyed and thrilled to receive this award at SIFF. I was even more moved to see our leading actress take home best actress just now. I am incredibly proud of this project, which was far from easy to pull off. My deepest thanks go to every single member of my crew. This is the profession I love with all my heart.”

Thailand’s Sompot Chidgasornpongse won Best Director in the Asian New Talent competition for 9 Temples to Heaven, his debut feature about a family’s one-day pilgrimage to nine Buddhist temples. Chidgasornpongse previously worked for more than two decades as an assistant director to Apichatpong Weerasethakul on films including Memoria and Cemetery of Splendour. The film premiered at Cannes Directors’ Fortnight, while Sompop Songkampol won Best Actor for his performance.

Indian filmmaker Ridham Janve received the Asian New Talent Best Screenplay award for Hunter’s Moon, an India-Germany co-production. Janve, whose films frequently explore mountainous landscapes, described nature in the film as a mirror that both flatters and humbles its human characters.

Best Cinematography in the Asian New Talent section went to Samiul Karim Shuptak for The Blind Girl and an Elephant, directed by Ishtiyak Ahmad Zihad. The Bangladesh-Germany co-production was produced by Manoj Pramanik alongside German co-producer Christoph Thoke of Mogador Film and had its world premiere at SIFF.

Chinese director Gu Yun’s Notes Unheard won Best Documentary. The film examines a father-son relationship over several years through recurring conversations and leaves its conclusion open-ended.

French filmmaker Olivier Clert’s Lucy Lost won Best Animation from a five-film competition that also included two additional European co-productions and Indonesia’s Garuda: Dare to Dream.

In the short film categories, Belgian director Ada Guvenir’s If Only won Best Animated Short Film, while Canadian filmmaker Athena Han’s Sitting Bird claimed Best Live Action Short Film.

The awards ceremony opened with musical performances by Zheng Yunlong, Chen Haoyu and Shi Pengyuan. The programme also featured a Wing Chun martial arts performance accompanied by footage from Wong Kar-wai’s The Grandmaster, as well as a rendition of “Reflection” by Malaysian singer Shila Amzah.

The evening concluded with jury president Tony Leung presenting the Best Feature Film award ahead of the screening of closing film The Decisive Moment.

Reflecting on his experience leading the jury, Leung said: “We had countless heated discussions and held differing viewpoints during deliberations. Yet I could never have fulfilled this duty without their professional insights and perspectives.”

 

FULL LIST OF WINNERS – 28TH GOLDEN GOBLET AWARDS

MAIN COMPETITION
Best Feature Film – “Atlantic Rhapsody” (China)
Jury Grand Prix – Nicolás Rincón Gille, “Iluminada” (Belgium)
Best Director – Yassine El Idrissi, “Halima” (Morocco)
Best Actor – Zhang Songwen, “Secret in the Box” (Chinese Mainland/Hong Kong)
Best Actress – Khadija Amari, “Halima” (Morocco)
Best Screenplay – Reis Çelik, “Night of Blindness” (Turkey/Germany)
Best Cinematography – Hao Jiayue, “Atlantic Rhapsody” (China)
Outstanding Artistic Achievement – Susanne Heinrich, “The Miserable Mother” (Germany/France)

ASIAN NEW TALENT
Best Film – “Her First Taste” (China)
Best Director – Sompot Chidgasornpongse, “9 Temples to Heaven” (Thailand)
Best Actress – Ma Fufu, “Her First Taste” (China)
Best Actor – Sompop Songkampol, “9 Temples to Heaven” (Thailand)
Best Screenplay – Ridham Janve, “Hunter’s Moon” (India/Germany)
Best Cinematography – Samiul Karim Shuptak, “The Blind Girl and an Elephant” (Bangladesh/Germany)

OTHER CATEGORIES
Best Documentary Film – “Notes Unheard,” Gu Jun (China)
Best Animation – “Lucy Lost,” Olivier Clert (France)
Best Animated Short Film – “If Only,” Ada Guvenir (Belgium)
Best Live Action Short Film – “Sitting Bird,” Athena Han (Canada)