Sanya all set for 8th Hainan Island International Film Festival in December

The eighth Hainan Island International Film Festival (HIIFF) will be held in Sanya from Dec 6 to 12 under the theme ‌"From Ocean to a Futuristic Lens‌". This year's festival will feature 11 major sections, including the opening and closing ceremonies, the Golden Coconut Awards competition, film screenings and an international film and television technology exhibition.

The Golden Coconut Awards competition
The Golden Coconut Awards will include three competition categories: feature film, documentary and short film. A jury of 13 film professionals from countries and regions including Sweden, Spain and the United States will evaluate the entries, with Swedish director Ruben Ostlund serving as the jury president. French actress Audrey Tautou is the festival ambassador and will attend related events including the opening ceremony.

The competition has received a record 4,632 submissions from 133 countries and regions. China, India, Spain, Russia and Brazil are the most active sources of submissions. Filmmakers born in the 1990s or later account for 57.7 percent of all applicants, with the youngest director born in 2011.

A diverse lineup of international screenings
The festival's screening program will feature special showcases from Egypt, Greece, Serbia and Thailand, with a dedicated ASEAN section. Marking the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Egypt, the Egyptian showcase will invite filmmakers and industry representatives to participate in post-screening discussions and academic exchanges.

In collaboration with the Hong Kong International Film Festival, the HIIFF will also present a special Hong Kong-themed screening program.

Bringing cinema and tourism together
The festival will further promote the integration of film and tourism through a series of themed activities, including film-inspired travel experiences, intangible cultural heritage showcases and outdoor screenings. These initiatives will offer audiences a distinctive experience that combines cinema, leisure and social interaction while highlighting Hainan's local culture.

To encourage wider participation, the festival will offer movie vouchers with discounts at more than 100 cinemas. Those who redeem the vouchers will also automatically receive additional vouchers for use across other sectors, including gas stations, supermarkets, restaurants and duty-free shops. Visitors to Hainan can also receive movie vouchers when claiming their "Flight+" consumption vouchers.

Exploring new opportunities for the film industry
The Golden Coconut Forum will focus on the transformation of the film economy and cultural innovation. Discussions will explore how Hainan can leverage its role as a platform to foster film industry development, drive cultural innovation and promote the international reach of Chinese cinema. In partnership with the China Film Archive, the festival will also release the 2026 Research Report on the Development of China's Film Economy, providing an annual reference for industry professionals.

The Free Trade Port International Film and Television Equipment and Technology Exhibition will showcase the latest technologies, equipment and applications across the production chain. Designed as an integrated platform, the exhibition will bring together equipment displays, AI-powered imaging experiences, technical exchanges, copyright and cultural creative products, industry matchmaking and educational activities. A series of industry talks and business networking events will also be held.

AI film gala
The festival will continue its AI film gala, featuring AI cinema-grade features, AI premium series, AI cinema-grade shorts and AI experimental works.

The gala will introduce six award categories, recognizing outstanding achievements in AI filmmaking, directing, screenwriting, digital performance, cinematography and sound. It will focus on practical capabilities of AI in moving beyond generating individual shots to completing full-length film productions, while identifying works that demonstrate originality, artistic merit and a high level of production quality.

Global submissions for the gala are underway. Approximately 50 outstanding selected films are expected to be screened during the festival and compete for the 2026 honors. Submissions will close on Nov 15, with the selected lineup scheduled to be announced in mid-to-late November. Screenings will take place in Sanya in early December alongside the eighth Hainan Island International Film Festival.

Filmmakers interested in participating can submit their works through the official platform: www.liblib.tv/hiiff-aifilmseason.