Polish director Jerzy Skolimowski, who is also the jury president for the film festival's Forward Future section — dedicated to honoring emerging talent — said the shortlisted movies he has viewed so far showcase fresh cinematic approaches, adding that he wishes to learn from the young generation.

A-list actor Hu Ge, whose new movie Gold or Shit was nominated for the festival's top honor, said that as an actor, it is very challenging to switch between different stories and roles in a comparatively short period of time, but the most important thing is to trust the director and screenwriter.