On 12 June 2026, the 28th Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF) officially opened. In partnership with SIFF, the Cultural and Education Section, British Consulate-General in Shanghai proudly presents the UK FOCUS, featuring six outstanding British films that combine artistic excellence with contemporary insight. Through these works, the programme seeks to deepen dialogue between the UK and China in cinema, culture and the humanities, sparking new understanding and resonance across cultures.
This year’s UK FOCUS brings together six carefully selected films spanning legendary classics, contemporary storytelling, social commentary and imaginative explorations, reflecting the richness and creative spirit of British cinema today.
My Father’s Shadow
The debut feature from British Nigerian filmmaker Akinola Davies Jr., My Father’s Shadow won the BAFTA for Outstanding British Debut and received a Special Mention for the Caméra d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival. Drawing on the director’s own experiences, the film offers a nuanced exploration of family and identity amid the currents of a changing era.
Straight Circle
A surreal anti-war fable set on a remote desert frontier, the film follows two soldiers stationed on opposite sides of a barbed wire border. As their prolonged standoff continues, both begin to question the nature of identity and nationhood. With dark absurdist humour, the film meditates on conflict, peace and the meaning of borders.
Dragonfly
When a woman caring for her elderly neighbour takes a desperate and shocking step, a chain of violent events is set in motion. Through a restrained and closely observed narrative, the film lays bare the moral ambiguities of ageing and dependency — and the darkness that can surface when human bonds begin to fracture.
Lady
Sian Clifford, best known as Fleabag’s unforgettable sister, leads this genre-blending film that weaves together mockumentary, absurdist comedy and surrealism. With a sharp British wit, Lady skewers our collective hunger for attention, validation and the desperate need to be seen.
Rose of Nevada
After a fishing vessel missing for three decades mysteriously returns to shore, two seafarers find themselves unmoored in time. Shot on 16mm, with all the grain and texture the format carries, the film blends fantasy and quiet philosophical inquiry to explore memory, time and fate.
A Room with a View (4K)
Forty years after its original release, James Ivory’s beloved adaptation of E.M. Forster’s novel returns in a meticulous 4K restoration. Nominated for eight Academy Awards and winner of three, it remains one of the jewels of British cinema: a film of rare elegance, literary grace and romantic feeling that no serious admirer of British film should miss.
Dom Hastings, Culture Counsellor of the Culture Education Section of the British Embassy and Director Arts at the British Council China, said:
“Film has a unique power to cross languages and cultures, and to build real understanding and trust between people. The six films we’ve selected this year reflect the creativity and range of contemporary British filmmaking, and we hope they open up genuine dialogue between Chinese and UK audiences through the emotions we all share.”
“The British Council operates as the Cultural and Education Section of the British Embassy and Consulates General in China, and we have a long-standing commitment to UK-China exchange across culture, education and the creative industries. The Shanghai International Film Festival is a platform we value deeply. We look forward to continuing to support emerging film talent and to finding new ground for collaboration.”
UK FOCUS has grown into one of SIFF’s signature screening programmes and a sustained platform for cultural exchange between the UK and China. Since the British Council began collaborating with SIFF in 2012, the partnership has supported film screenings, filmmaker exchanges and industry dialogue, broadening the presence of British cinema in China and deepening engagement across the cultural and creative sectors of both countries.