Marco Müller, Guo Tao, Mei Ting… The jury for the “Golden Coconut Award” has been announced.

The cinematic extravaganza is about to begin, and the jury lineup has already ignited anticipation! On November 25th, the jury for the 7th Hainan Island International Film Festival's "Golden Coconut Award" was officially announced. The jury members possess international perspectives, artistic integrity, and cultural diversity, and will award outstanding films with their multifaceted professional insights.

This year's "Golden Coconut Award" competition is divided into three categories: feature films, documentaries, and short films. The jury consists of 13 renowned film professionals from home and abroad, including 7 feature film judges, 3 documentary judges, and 3 short film judges.

The jury president for this year's festival is Marco Müller, a renowned Italian filmmaker. He has previously served as chief advisor for the Beijing International Film Festival, a jury member for the Shanghai International Film Festival, and artistic director for the Toronto International Film Festival, the Rotterdam International Film Festival, and the Locarno International Film Festival. This international filmmaker, who has dedicated decades to promoting Chinese-language films, has always been an important bridge for film exchange between China and the world.

Feature Film Section Judge

In addition to Marco Müller, the other six judges in the feature film section are equally impressive: Chinese actor Guo Tao, Taiwanese actor, director and screenwriter Lee Kang-sheng, Argentine director and screenwriter Mariano Linas, Chinese actress Mei Ting, Thai director Banjong Pisindakan, and Chinese director Gu Xiaogang, who will examine outstanding feature films from a multi-dimensional creative perspective.

Documentary section judges

The documentary section jury consisted of American director and scholar Renée Tajima-Peña, Chinese documentary director Wang Yiyan, and French director Sylvain Georges, representing in-depth perspectives on social documentation from North America, Asia, and Europe, respectively.

Short Film Section Judges

The short film section focuses on the diversity of filmmaking and the perspectives of young creators. The jury includes American director and screenwriter Peter Oss, Chinese screenwriter You Xiaoying, and Chinese actress Zeng Meihuizi, who will accurately capture the emerging vitality of short film creation.

It is reported that this year's film festival received 4,564 submissions from 119 countries and regions, including 788 feature films, 403 documentary features, and 3,373 short films, a record high. These films will compete for 10 awards, including Best Film, Jury Grand Prix, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Screenplay, Best Visual Effects, Best Chinese Language Contribution Award, Best Documentary, and Best Short Film. Outstanding films will also receive special honors such as "Special Mention from the Jury" and "Special Mention from the Organizing Committee." The 13 jury members will select the shortlisted works objectively and fairly based on their professional expertise and dedication. The winner of the "Golden Coconut Award" will be officially announced at the closing ceremony and awards ceremony on December 9.