A total of 16 films competed at the 11th Shanghai. Its top award, for best feature film, went to the Russian film Mukha (The Fly)) directed by Vladimir Kott. The film tells the story of a teenage girl who has to cope with the reappearance of her father. Jirí Vejdelek’ s Vaclav from Czechoslovakia scored a double, bagging the best screenplay award for author Marek Epstein, and best actress for Emilia Vasaryova. The film (named after its protagonist) is based on a real story of a village outcast, a man with a slight mental handicap who ends up in prison after a conflict with his brother. On home ground, the film has already won two Golden Lions, one for the best actor (Ivan Trojan) and another for best supporting actor (Jan Budar). Another film that got two awards was Loss set in Ireland and Lithuania. It won best director for Lithuania’s Maris Martinsons as well as the award for best music to Andrius Mamontovas.

Gao Qunshu’s Old Fish won the Jury’s Grand Prix (the director is widely known for his 2005 film Tokyo Trial). The film is an adaptation of a true blackmailing incident in which a policeman is assigned the task of dismantling bombs in northeastern China. The producers delayed the film’s release to premiere it in Shanghai. Screen and stage actor Sandhya Mridul says of her experience as jury member at Shanghai: “When contacted by the organsiers, I was shocked. Why me, I thought. I gather that my serial Koshish Ek Asha, number one in 2005, is well-known in China, and I have a fan following there. The organisers contacted ZEE TV and that’s how they reached me. To accommodate my dates, I was placed on the festival’s Television Competition jury which I enjoyed thoroughly. We were unanimous about the acting awards. I was asked to give away the best actress award to Hattie Mohohan for the film Sense and Sensibility (for which John Alexander won Best TV director award). Best actor award went to Alessio Boni for the Italian TV movie Caravaggio. There was some dissension, usual I am told, when it came to the top prizes. We had to vote on the best film, which went to Let’s Go to the Movies Tomorrow from Poland, produced by Akson Studio.

Language which could have been a major problem was resolved by the organisers ensuring that I was surrounded by English speaking assistants. I was assigned the only driver in Shanghai who spoke good English. It was only at shops that I ran around in circles to make myself understood. Food? Major worry. They have such elaborate meals, starting with seafood and then meat of all kinds and then, ending with fruit! The fish oil aroma makes the uninitiated nauseous. However, I had a wonderful time and the experience was great!.”

Glamour diva, Sharon Stone, who last year walked the red carpet at Shanghai was unwelcome this time round because of her remarks in Cannes about China. Stone told the press that the recent China earthquake with a toll nearing 69,000, was a kind of retribution for the country’s harsh stand on Tibet. Even though Stone has since apologised, the incensed Chinese are in no mood to forgive. Mridul says, “My colleagues told me that the papers were full of the anger and hurt of the Chinese people- the strong reaction stays unabated.”