Iran's 'Castle Of Dreams' takes top honours at Shanghai film festival

Iranian drama Castle Of Dreams, directed by Reza Mirkarimi, was presented with three of the top awards at this year’s Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF), including best feature.

The film, about a father who returns to his children after a long absence, was also awarded best director and the best actor prize (Hamed Saberi Behdad), which was shared with China’s The Return (Chang Feng). Mirkarimi’s credits include Under The Moonlight, which won the Critics Week Grand Prize at Cannes in 2001.

Dito Tsintsadze’s Inhale-Exhale, a Georgia-Russia-Sweden co-production, was awarded with the Jury Grand Prix and the best actress prize for Salome Demuria’s performance. Best screeplay went to Aleksander Lungin and Pavel Lungin for Russian war film Brotherhood and Jake Pollack picked up best cinematographer for Chinese drama Spring Tide.

Turkish filmmaker Buri Bilge Ceylan headed the SIFF jury, which also included Chinese actress Zhao Tao, Chinese actor Wang Jingchun, Italian director Paolo Genovese, Russian filmmaker Aleksey German Jr, Indian director Rajkumar Hirani and Mexian producer Nicolas Celis.

Tom Hiddleston, Milla Jovovich and China’s Wu Jing (Wolf Warrior 2) were among the stars on the red carpet at the festival’s closing ceremony on Sunday night (June 23).

22nd SHANGHAI INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

FULL LIST OF WINNERS:

Best Feature Film – Castle Of Dreams (Iran)

Jury Grand Prix – Inhale-Exhale (Georgia-Russia-Sweden)

Best Director – Reza Mirakarimi, Castle Of Dreams (Iran)

Best Actor – Chang Feng, The Return (China) / Hamed Saberi Behdad, Castle Of Dreams (Iran)

Best Actress – Salome Demuria, Inhale-Exhale (Georgia-Russia-Sweden)

Best Screenplay – Aleksander Lungin, Pavel Lungin, Brotherhood (Russia)

Best Cinematography – Jake Pollock, Spring Tide (China)

Outstanding Artistic Achievement – Trees Under the Sun (India)

Best Animation Film – Ride Your Wave (Japan)

Best Documentary Film – Bridge Of Time (Latvia-Lithuania-Estonia)

Best Live Action Short Film – Nowhere To Put (China)

Best Animated Short Film – La Noria (Spain)