Five documentary films are competing for the Golden Goblet Award in the Documentary category at the 28th Shanghai International Film Festival, with the creative teams behind all five nominees gathering for a press meeting.
The five contenders – Spain’s “Benigno,” Chinese production “Notes Unheard,” the North Macedonia-Croatia-Slovenia co-production “Ruins,” Chilean film “The Tiger of the East,” and the Serbia-Croatia-Bulgaria co-production “Wheels of Forgotten Dreams” – range across intimate family chronicles, meditations on personal freedom, artistic odysseys and migrant stories.
The Spanish entry “Benigno” follows an elderly man through the final years of his life, shot on 8mm film. Director David Baute described a deliberate approach to his subject’s dignity. “We constantly reminded ourselves that we were first and foremost engaging with an elderly man, and only secondarily making a film,” Baute said. “Accordingly, we worked with a small team and positioned ourselves as companions to record his life without any intervention.”
“Notes Unheard,” directed by Gu Yun, traces the dynamic between a father and son across several years, with recurring dialogues that illuminate shifting power and affection within their bond. Gu said he chose to leave the film’s conclusion open, allowing audiences to draw their own readings. Producer Ruby Chen noted that the film’s grounding in the rhythms of daily life enables viewers to identify with either figure.
