The 30th Shanghai TV Festival kicked off on June 23, celebrating three decades of evolution in China's broadcasting industry.

This year's festival boasts a diverse lineup of events, including the Magnolia Awards, the International Film & TV Market, the STVF Forum, and a variety of television program screenings.

The festival has made remarkable strides in expanding its international reach, attracting nearly a thousand entries from 43 countries and regions across five continents. Categories include Chinese dramas, international dramas, documentaries, animations, and variety shows. The number of documentary submissions has increased by approximately 10 percent over last year, representing the most significant growth in the event’s history. In the animation and documentary categories, international entries continue to rise steadily each year.

A standout feature of this year's festival is the integration of the film and television markets into the comprehensive International Film & TV Market. This year’s event, which opened on June 21 at the Shanghai Exhibition Center and runs for five days, has introduced an international zone for the first time. This zone highlights cultural characteristics and industry achievements from around the world, fostering greater opportunities for global exchange and collaboration in the film and television sectors.

The STVF Forum, a key component of the festival running from June 23 to 25, will address pressing topics such as high-quality content creation, international distribution, the development of the ultra-high-definition film and television industry, and the growth of micro-short dramas. The forum will be divided into eight themed sessions, bringing together industry leaders and innovators.

In a bid to enhance cultural engagement, the festival offers public screenings across all 16 districts of Shanghai, continuing until June 27. These screenings bring the festival experience directly to local communities, featuring internationally acclaimed TV works, past festival award winners, and the latest outstanding entries at this year's festival.

In collaboration with the BBC, the festival will commemorate the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen's birth by screening three adaptations of her works, including Pride and Prejudice and Emma.

To further highlight the creative talents of Chinese TV professionals, an international promotion plan was launched at the opening ceremony. This initiative aims to build a resource pool over the next three years, facilitating the exchange of Chinese audiovisual content with global markets.

 

Source: Shanghai TV Festival