‘Atlantic Rhapsody’ Wins Best Picture at Shanghai Film Festival

China’s “Atlantic Rhapsody,” directed by Zhong Kaifeng, claimed the best picture prize at the 28th Golden Goblet Awards, capping the Shanghai International Film Festival‘s awards night on June 20.

The Chinese debut feature, which also won best cinematography for Hao Jiayue, led a ceremony that spread recognition across countries and competition sections.

“Atlantic Rhapsody” had its world premiere at the 28th edition of SIFF, where Zhong discussed at a press conference how he shaped the film’s atmosphere through natural lighting and ambient sound design. The film is set in Northeast China and stars Yin Fang, who described the central character as “a figure of that era, someone who wanted to make a big splash but ended up being toyed with by the times.”

The jury grand prix went to Nicolás Rincón Gille for “Iluminada,” representing Belgium. Yassine El Idrissi of Morocco claimed best director for “Halima,” a social realist cannabis drama that marked Morocco’s return to the Golden Goblet’s main competition after a 27-year absence. El Idrissi, who drew on his background as a photojournalist to craft the film, also saw his lead actor recognized: Khadija Amari, a veteran of smaller Moroccan roles who had never previously anchored a feature, won best actress for the same film.

Zhang Songwen won best actor for “Secret in the Box,” a Chinese Mainland–Hong Kong co-production directed by Frankie Tam Gong-Yuen and a remake of Au Yeung Ping Keung’s murder mystery. Zhang, one of China’s most prominent dramatic actors, was previously in Cai Shangjun’s “The Sun Rises on Us All,” in which he played the male lead opposite Xin Zhilei, a film that world premiered at Venice 2025 before screening at Toronto and Busan.

Best screenplay went to Reis Çelik for “Night of Blindness,” a Turkey-Germany co-production. The film, the second in Çelik’s planned Night Trilogy after “Night of Silence” (which won the Crystal Bear at the 62nd Berlin International Film Festival), is set against Turkey’s 1980 military coup and centers on characters navigating darkness – both literal and political. Çelik told a press conference at SIFF that he hoped to illuminate “certain aspects of reality that are being downplayed and ignored” and expected Chinese audiences to respond to the material.

Germany’s Susanne Heinrich received the outstanding artistic achievement prize for “The Miserable Mother,” a Germany-France co-production that shared its world premiere between SIFF and the Munich International Film Festival.

In the Asian New Talent section, “Her First Taste” – directed by Gong Yiwen and supported by the SIFF Project – won best feature film and best actress for lead Ma Fufu. The film, which follows a writing-obsessed girl navigating identity and first love in a campus setting, was among the Chinese productions Gong discussed at a press meeting, where she described asking actors to internalize their lines and then abandon them to keep on-set behavior spontaneous.

Best director in Asian New Talent went to Sompot Chidgasornpongse for “9 Temples to Heaven,” the Thai director’s debut feature about a family’s one-day pilgrimage to nine Buddhist temples. Chidgasornpongse, who spent more than two decades as an assistant director to Apichatpong Weerasethakul on films including “Memoria” and “Cemetery of Splendour,” had the film world premiere at the Cannes Directors’ Fortnight. Best actor in the same section went to Sompop Songkampol for the same film.

Best screenplay in Asian New Talent was awarded to Ridham Janve for “Hunter’s Moon,” an India-Germany co-production. Janve, who centers his work in mountain landscapes, spoke at a press meeting about nature in the film functioning as a mirror that flatters and humbles its human subjects simultaneously.

Best cinematography in Asian New Talent went to Samiul Karim Shuptak for “The Blind Girl and an Elephant,” directed by Ishtiyak Ahmad Zihad. The Bangladesh-Germany co-production, produced by Manoj Pramanik and German co-producer Christoph Thoke of Mogador Film, world premiered in the Asian New Talent section.

Best documentary went to “Notes Unheard,” a Chinese production directed by Gu Yun. The film traces a father-son relationship across several years through recurring dialogues, with the director choosing to leave the conclusion open.

Best animation was awarded to “Lucy Lost,” directed by Olivier Clert of France, selected from a five-film competition that also included two further European co-productions and Indonesian entry “Garuda: Dare to Dream.”

In the short film categories, best animated short film went to “If Only,” directed by Ada Guvenir of Belgium, while best live action short film was awarded to “Sitting Bird,” directed by Athena Han of Canada.

FULL LIST OF WINNERS – 28TH GOLDEN GOBLET AWARDS

MAIN COMPETITION
Best Picture – “Atlantic Rhapsody” (China)
Jury Grand Prix – Nicolás Rincón Gille, “Iluminada” (Belgium)
Best Director – Yassine El Idrissi, “Halima” (Morocco)
Best Actor – Zhang Songwen, “Secret in the Box” (Chinese Mainland/Hong Kong)
Best Actress – Khadija Amari, “Halima” (Morocco)
Best Screenplay – Reis Çelik, “Night of Blindness” (Turkey/Germany)
Best Cinematography – Hao Jiayue, “Atlantic Rhapsody” (China)
Outstanding Artistic Achievement – Susanne Heinrich, “The Miserable Mother” (Germany/France)

ASIAN NEW TALENT
Best Feature Film – “Her First Taste” (China)
Best Director – Sompot Chidgasornpongse, “9 Temples to Heaven” (Thailand)
Best Actress – Ma Fufu, “Her First Taste” (China)
Best Actor – Sompop Songkampol, “9 Temples to Heaven” (Thailand)
Best Screenplay – Ridham Janve, “Hunter’s Moon” (India/Germany)
Best Cinematography – Samiul Karim Shuptak, “The Blind Girl and an Elephant” (Bangladesh/Germany)

OTHER CATEGORIES
Best Documentary – “Notes Unheard,” Gu Jun (China)
Best Animation – “Lucy Lost,” Olivier Clert (France)
Best Animated Short Film – “If Only,” Ada Guvenir (Belgium)
Best Live Action Short Film – “Sitting Bird,” Athena Han (Canada)