The First Shanghai International Film Festival

The First Shanghai International Film Festival was held from October 7 to 14, 1993, with its main venue set at Shanghai Film Art Center, and eight theaters as sub-venues. It was the first grand gathering of international film professionals in China, attracting 1,100 visitors from home and abroad. The appraisal committee of this year's festival comprised seven directors, namely the Chinese director Xie Jin, American director Oliver Stone, Japanese director Nagisa Oshima, Hong Kong director Hark Tsui, Australian director Paul Cox, Russian director Karen Shakhanazarov, Brazilian director Hector Babenco. In the 20 submitted films, four won the Golden Goblet Award and one got the Jury Special Award. Hill of No Return produced by Taiwan Central Motion Picture Corporation (CMPC), was awarded as the Best Film. Over 300,000 people viewed the 167 films from 33 countries and regions showed in the event and also the film review exhibition of the seven judges. Sixteen production companies participated in the international film trade fair, with a transaction volume of over RMB27 million. Famous film stars were invited to the festival, including Sophia Loren and Osawa Takao. More than 200 Chinese and oversea reporters came to the festival. The First Shanghai International Film Festival gained great success. After strict examination by the International Federation of Film Producers Associations, it has already been listed as one of the world's nine Grade A film festivals.

  The Second Shanghai International Film Festival

The Second Shanghai International Film Festival was held from October 28 to November 6, 1995. A total of 232 films from 46 countries and regions took part in the festival, among which 19 films competed for the Golden Goblet Award. The seven judges for this year's festival were Sun Daolin from Chinese mainland, Hsing Lee from Chinese Taipei, Jacqueline Andere from Mexico, Jean Becker from France, Krzysztof Zanussi from Poland, Manfred Durniok from Germany and Stanislav Rostotsky from Russia. Swiss film Broken Silence was awarded as the Best Film. This year's festival added a new award Hennessy Cup for the Best Innovation Film, which was selected by over 300 reporters from home and abroad. Chinese film Red Cherry won this award. During the festival, showings of the participated films totaled up to 776 times. Compared to the first festival, this year's festival had a breakthrough in its academic achievement, with a seminar for Chinese and overseas film professionals. It coincided with the Centennial Anniversary of the World's Film and the 90^th Anniversary of Chinese Film. Therefore, the organizing committee issued souvenir stamps and Chinese Film Dictionary. The international film trade fair achieved certain scale, attracting 22 film corporations including Shanghai Film Studio of China and the 20^th Century Fox Corporation from the United States.

  The Third Shanghai International Film Festival

The Third Shanghai International Film Festival was held from October 24 to November 2, 1997, comprising four main activities including Golden Goblet Award appraisal, film screening, film trade fair, and the academic seminar.

Over 300 films were registered to attend this year's festival. The appraisal committee comprised Chinese playwright Shi Fangyu, Japanese actress Matsuzaka Keiko, Korean director Im Kwon Taek, Russian director Elem Klimov, American director Mark Rydell, Hungarian director Istvan Szabo and Hongkong director Ng See Yuen. British film The Wood Landers won the Best Film and Chinese film Red River Valley won the Chinese Silver Screen Reporter Award appraised by reporters from home and abroad. The 246 films participated in the festival were screened in 13 cinemas in Shanghai. With an exhibition area of 1,000 square meters, this year's international film trade fair attracted more than 30 Chinese and overseas film corporations, including China Film Co., major Chinese film studios, American Warner Bros., Sony Pictures Entertainment Co, Ltd., and 20^th Century Fox Corporation. During the academic seminar, activities were greeted with great enthusiasm from the visitors, including the discussion on films produced by Chinese female directors, the film review exhibitions of Chinese famous director Zhang Junxiang, American famous producer Robert Chartoff and Irwin Winkler.

  The Fourth Shanghai International Film Festival

The Fourth Shanghai International Film Festival was held from October 22 to 31, 1999, comprising four main sectors including Golden Goblet Award appraisal, film screening, film trade fair, and the academic seminar.

With 388 films registered, this year's festival screened 228 films from 37 countries and regions for a total of 816 times, adopting for the first time the electronic screen with Chinese and English captions. Chinese and overseas film companies continued to pay great attention to the international film and TV program trade fair. Over 30 film companies participated in the three-day fair, which had an exhibition area of 2,000 square meters. During this year's festival, visitors greeted with great enthusiasm activities such as the individual film exhibition of famous film producer Arthur Cohn and appraisal committee members, the seminar attended by Chinese cross-Straits directors to commemorate the 50^th anniversary of Cross-Straits Film, the sodality of Chinese and overseas film professionals to celebrate the 50^th anniversary of the establishment of Shanghai Film Group Co., the awarding ceremony of the Chinese Silver Screen Reporter Award, and several special showings.