Shanghai-born Wong Kar Wai heads up the international competition jury of the 11th Shanghai International Film Festival (Siff), replacing the late Anthony Minghella. Sixteen films will compete for the festival's main Jin Jue Award, which is heavy on European entries. Local films are represented by Hasichaolu's Urtin Duu and Gao Qunshu's Old Fish (aka Nick Of Time) - young directors whose careers have been nurtured by the festival.

Wong's fellow jury members are German producer Ulrich Felsberg, Danish director Bille August, Israeli writer Gila Almagor, Japanese actress Kaori Momoi, Chinese actress Joan Chen and Chinese director Huo Jianqi.

Ten first-time directors compete for the Asian New Talent Award. Their films include local black comedy Lucky Dog, Singapore relationship drama Gone Shopping and Taiwan youth drama Exit No. 6.

Ulrich Gregor, former head and founder of the Berlinale Forum, is president of the Asian awards jury.

Siff, which runs from June 14-22, will screen 290 movies in 27 cinemas across Shanghai. The event offers the rare opportunity to see new Chinese films with screenings of 66 local features from among the 402 films officially produced last year. It also includes tributes to Shaw Brothers classics and to Minghella.

While there are no North American films in competition, the Coen brothers' No Country For Old Men, Paul Thomas Anderson's There Will Be Blood and Matt Reeves' Cloverfield are among films screening in the festival, an important gateway for producers seeking Chinese distribution.

Stephen Cremin

[s19] See ScreenDaily.com for the full line-up and breaking news on the Shanghai International Film Festival.