The 13th Shanghai International Film Festival kicked off Saturday night at the Shanghai Grand Theatre.

 

More than 300 film stars and celebrities from home and abroad attended in the red carpet show and the opening ceremony.

Among the glittering A-list line up were Gong Li, Hollywood heartthrob John Cusack, Jet Li, Oscar award winner Adrian Brody, Chinese director Chen Kaige and actress Fan Bingbing, South Korean actress Lee Da-Hae and Takako Tokiwa from Japan.

This year's festival has drawn a record more than 23-hundred entries from 81 countries and regions competing in various categories. Sixteen films stand out from the submissions and will rival for the Golden Goblet Award.

Other major activities held during the eight-day festival include a film market, China Film Pitch and Catch, a film forum and international panorama.