5th HIIFF sets to unveil in Sanya

The main poster for the fifth Hainan Island International Film Festival. [Photo/WeChat account: syrbgfwx]

The fifth Hainan Island International Film Festival (HIIFF) will kick off in Sanya, Hainan, from Dec 16 to 22, officials announced during a Dec 11 press conference.

Jointly hosted by China Media Group and the People's Government of Hainan Province, this year's festival will feature events such as an opening ceremony, film screenings, the Golden Coconut Forum, master classes, the Golden Coconut Carnival, the awards ceremony for the Golden Coconut Awards, and a closing ceremony.

The Golden Coconut Awards competition is an important part of the festival. Submissions were opened globally to films completed after Aug 15, 2022. A total of 4,018 films were received from 109 countries, including works that have made an impact at renowned international film festivals such as Cannes, Venice, Berlin and Tokyo.

The competition is divided into three categories: feature films, documentary films, and short films. The panel of judges will select winners for 10 awards, including Best Film, Best Director, Pannel Grand Prize, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Screenplay.

Additionally, 400 non-competition films were recommended for screening during the festival, including acclaimed works from previous international film festivals and classic films by domestic and foreign directors. Of this total, about 50 to 60 films will be selected.

The chairman of the panel for this year's Golden Coconut Awards is the renowned Filmmaker Nuri Bilge Ceylan, who has received awards at the Cannes Film Festival and served on the panel of judges at the 62th Cannes Film Festival and the 2019 Shanghai International Film Festival.

There will be various film screenings in the cities of Sanya, Haikou, Danzhou, Ledong, Lingshui, and Wuzhishan throughout this event. Of note, the "Hainan Focus" section will include special screenings such as public welfare screenings, Kazakhstan films, Indian films, Hong Kong classic films, Italian films, and Hainan films.

Special activities at scenic spots, including screenings at the top of the Luhuitou scenic area in Sanya, as well as camping parties, film-themed markets and creative product sales, will also be available.

Three forums will be held during this festival, focusing on pressing issues such as the high-quality development of the film industry in the Hainan Free Trade Port. Copyright laws and technological advancements in the film industry will also be highlighted topics.