The German film According to Plan won the top Golden Goblet award as the curtain fell Sunday night on the 10th Shanghai International Film Festival.

The award ceremony, held at the Shanghai Grand Theater, was a star-studded event, with Gong Li, Jackie Chan and many other luminaries of the silver screen walking the red carpet.

The German production is a tragicomedy that tells the story of three sisters who return to their home village to celebrate their mother's birthday, an event that turns out completely different than anticipated.

"The film is about planning and the feelings of ordinary people," said director Franziska Meletzky. "We're very proud."

Chinese filmmaker Chen Kaige, the president of the festival's jury panel, said, "The truth of life has been expressed through laughs and tears in this film."

Corinna Harfouch, Dagmar Manzel, Kirsten Block and Christine Schorn, who play the three sisters and their elderly mother, earned a joint best-actress award.

"It is a big moment for us," Schorn said.

Juan Ballesta was named best actor for his impressive performance in the Spanish film Doghead. He played a teenager who has suffered a strange neurological disease since childhood.

Veteran Chinese film maker Tian Zhuangzhuang took the best director award for his portrayal of Wu Qingyuan, a master of the Go board game.

Best cinematography went to Chinese mainland photographer Wang Yu, who shot The Go Master. The best screenplay award was given to Israel's Shemi Zarhin for Aviva My Love while Isao Tomita's excellent score for the Japanese film Love and Honor won him the best music award.

The Sweden-Finland co-production The New Man by Klaus Haro, which tells how a young Swedish woman fought against enforced sterilization in the 1950s, earned the Jury Grand Prix.

The jury panel also presented a special award to Chinese director Yin Li's film The Knot for telling a beautiful love story with classic emotions.

After the award ceremony, acclaimed film maker Hou Hsiao-hsien brought in his Looking for the Red Balloon as the festival's closing film.

Sixteen films from more than 10 countries and regions were in the running for Golden Goblet Awards during the nine-day event.

(Shanghai Daily via CRIENGLISH.com June 25, 2007)