SHANGHAI -- Suspense started the Shanghai International Film Festival Saturday morning as no opening film was named in the catalog and market booths costing $800 and up remained empty.By evening, however, the 10th annual fest -- separated from the Shanghai Television Festival for the first time -- began to show signs of the life organizers hope someday will rebill China's commercial capital as its movie capital for the first time since the 1930s.
A VIP reception at the imposing municipal building saw the likes of Hong Kong hitmaker Bill Kong ("Crouching Tiger") rub shoulders with director Jia Zhangke, whose "Still Life" won at Venice last year, and Jerome Paillard, director general of Cannes' Marche du Film.
Absent were Ziyi Zhang and Gong Li, but Sharon Stone and Norah Jones -- and the directors of other film festivals from Hawaii to Dubai -- brought an international air to the fest. Some sipped champagne before a move in sponsoring Cadillacs to the opening ceremony at the Shanghai Arts Center next door.
Veteran director Chen Kaige -- best known in the West for "Farewell My Concubine" and in China these days for "The Promise" -- is festival jury head. Chen, who in a few weeks will start shooting a biography of Chinese opera legend Mei Lanfang, reminisced and offered guarded praise.
