The 11th Shanghai International Film Festival on Sunday launched a special screening of new Chinese cinema.

A total of 12 domestic productions, selected from more than 100 candidates, will be aired throughout the festival. Penicillin-1944, a war film set in the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression (1937-45), opened the exhibition.

Movie buffs can also see romantic comedy Esquire Runway, the thriller Ultimate Rescue and the touching family drama Shi Qi.

These 12 Chinese productions will vie for the festival's Media Award, which will be announced on Saturday. The award, a traditional part of the film festival, focuses on the development of Chinese films.

"The awards will be totally based on the votes from veteran media reporters after each screening," said Jiang Ping, an official from the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television. "We hope it can promote the distribution of excellent domestic works."

Ren Zhonglun, president of Shanghai Film Group Corp, on Sunday also revealed the group's new shooting plan.

In the pipeline are Love on Lushan Mountain II, a sequel to the 1980 classic modern Chinese love story, and Loveable China, a biopic about Chinese patriot Fang Zhimin.

"The two movies are slated to screen next year," Ren said.

"Both of them will provide new insight into love, life and the human spirit."

Sunday's festival schedule included "Focus Italy," the Italian film exhibition, and a retrospective of the works of Hong Kong filmmaker Run Run Shaw.

The festival will close on Sunday at the Shanghai Grand Theater with a celebrity-packed grand Golden Goblet awards ceremony.

(Shanghai Daily June 16, 2008)