Shanghai Theatre Academy (STA), Shanghai, China

Shanghai Theatre Academy (STA) is one of the top arts universities both national and international. More than 10,000 alumni have become influential talents in the fields of drama, film, television, dance. Inheriting the film education advantages accumulated by STA since its establishment in 1945, the College of Film (COF) has developed a unique model for training film directors, screenwriters, cinematographers, sound recordists, composers and producers. The thesis film The Storms in Our Blood took second place in the “Cinéfondation” of 2018 Cannes International Film Festival.  

COF has close collaboration with Beijing Film Academy, Communication University of China, and Central Academy of Drama, and has carried out international teacher-student exchange projects with the United States, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, Switzerland, Sweden, Mongolia and other countries. More than 100 students participate annually in international exchanges and cooperation. Activities and overseas internship programs account for more than 30% of the total number of students. Students’ internship works and graduation works win more than 50 important awards at home and abroad every year. Experts who have won major domestic and foreign film awards serve as lecturers for each grade. The comprehensive competitiveness of the film and TV disciplines of STA thus ranks first several times in the annual domestic evaluation system generated by Soft Science. 

STA offers BA, MA, MFA and PhD programs. BA specializations are Film and Television Photography and Production, Radio and Television Directing, Broadcasting and Hosting Art, Composing Technology and Theory, etc. MA and MFA specializations include Film and Television Photography and Production, Radio and Television Directing, Broadcasting and Hosting Art, Composing Technology and Theory. PhD specialization is Film History and Theory.  

The language of studies is Chinese and English. The fees for 2022/2023 are EUR 1,271 for the BA program; EUR 2,541 for the MA & MFA programs; and EUR 1,271 for the PhD program. Number of BA applicants in 2022/2023 is 8,951; number of MA/MFA applicants is 1,272. Number of enrolled students in 2022/2023 is BA:90 (6 male/64 female); MA/MFA: 45 (20 male/25 female). Total number of students in the current year is 135 (46 male/89 female).  

In order to be admitted, students need to have attainment of Humanities Foundation, knowledge of art, film expertise and productions, communication and collaboration skills. Students need to attend: 1. Entrance Exam: National Higher Academic Proficiency Test; 2. School examination: professional skills test, interview. In all college courses, theory studying accounts for 33% and practice studying accounts for 67%. Starting from the actual production requirements of the film and television industry and the reality of student employment, the school cultivates students’ comprehensive and systematic understanding of the film and television major, and strives to cultivate professional talents who can optimize their creative ability. Facilities covering the whole production workflow are open and free to all students for short films production, including sound stages, foley stages, mixing rooms, visual effects studios, etc. Students need to make short films every semester, from 3-minutes short films to 30-minutes thesis film. All students need to undertake important positions in their peer student films. 

Successful Graduates (alphabetically): 

  • Bingbing Li, Actress. Her creations include: A World Without Thieves, Most Popular Actress of Beijing College Student Film Festival, 2005. The Knot, Best Actress of China Huabiao Film Awards, 2007, Best Actress of Hundred Flowers Awards, 2008. Seventeen Years, Best Actress of the 13th Singapore International Film Festival, 2008. The Message, Best Actress of Golden Horses Awards, 2009. She also Stared in Wait Alone; I Do; 1911 Revolution, and the Hollywood movies Transformer, Resident Evil: Retribution; The Meg, etc.
    https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0508356/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1 
  • Dasheng Zheng, Director/Producer. He directed the TV dramas A Tao; The Death of Wang Bo; Antique; the documentary DV CHINA; the digital films Fleeing Years; Tianjin Idlers; Dangerous City; Eclipse for CCTV and won the first prize of the Lily Award for Excellent TV Movies, the Best Film and Best Director of Low-Budget Films, Beijing University Student Film Festival, 2000, the 13th China Film Marble Pillar Award for Outstanding Opera Film and the 18th China Film Golden Rooster Award for Best Opera Film for Lian Li Yu Long Cheng, 2008.
    https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5240718/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1 
  • Di Shen, Director. Her thesis film The Storms In Our Blood won the Second Prize of Cinefondation Award, Cannes, 2020.  https://www.cinefondation.com/en/selection/films/dong-wu-xiong-meng 
  • Fulin Wang, Director/Producer. His creations include: The Dream of Red Mansions, Best TV Series of the 7th National TV Series Flying Apsaras Awards, One of the National Best 10 TV Directors, 1987. Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Best TV Series of the 15th National Long TV Series Flying Apsaras Awards, 1995, Best Long TV Series of the 13th Golden Eagle Awards, 1995. Mountain is Still Mountain, Best Long TV Series of the 17th Golden Eagle Awards, 1999. He got the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006, and the Outstanding Contribution Award by China TV Director’s Guild.
    https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2880601/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1 
  • Hanxiang Li, Director/Actor of Shao’s Brothers Pictures. His creations include: Diao Chan, Best Director of the 5th Asian Film Festival, 1958. The Kingdom and the Beauty, Best Picture of the 6th Asian Film Festival, 1959. Back Door, Best Picture of the 7th Asian Film Festival, 1960. The Love Eterne, Best Fiction Film, Best Director of the 2nd Golden Horse Awards, 1963. Hsi Shih Beauty of Beauties, Best Fiction Film of the 4th Golden Horse Awards, 1965. The Story of Ti Ying, Best Fiction Film, Best Screenplay of the 9th Golden Horse Awards, 1971. The Voyage of Emperor Chien Lung, Best Screenplay of the 14th Golden Horse Awards, 1979. Burning of Imperial Palace, Best Picture of Ministry of Culture, 1983.
    https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0497379/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1 
  • Meijuan Xi, Actress. Her creations include: Leave Women the Truth, Best Actress of Golden Roosters Awards, 1990. Red Carnation, Best Actress of the 21st Flying Apsaras Awards, 2000. The Dealer, Most Popular Actress of the 5th Golden Eagle Festival, 2004. Manifesto, Lifetime Achievement of Cambodia Asian Film Festival, 2021. Song of Spring, Best Actress of Golden Roosters Awards, 2022. She got Outstanding Achievement Award of 13th China-America Film Festival Golden Angel Awards. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0944444/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1 
  • Tiange Wu, Director. He won the Best Director Award at the 6th Shanghai International TV Festival for his romantic drama Like Spring in 1997. He directed Warm Winter and won the Best Detective Film Award at the Moscow Film Festival. He won the Outstanding Director Award of the 7th Film Channel Digital Film Lily Award for his feature film Hops in 2006. He directed the film Frontline Anti-drug and won the 11th China Digital Film “Lily Award”. He directed Mao Zedong in Shanghai 1924 in 2014 and comedy film Hijacked Love in 2016.
    https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1253768/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_1_tt_1_nm_7_q_tiange%2520wu
  • Xu Zheng, Actor/Director. He directed, co-wrote, co-produced and starred in Lost in Thailand (2012) raked in over US$200 million to become the highest-grossing domestic film in China’s history and Lost in Hong Kong (2015), another one of the highest-grossing films in China. He also co-produced and starred in Dying to Survive (2018). 
    https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1905770/?ref_=fn_al_nm_2 
  • Yang Shen, Producer/Curator. Her creations include: Nezha Girl (2014) was shortlisted at the 19th Busan International Film Festival. North by Northeast (2014) was shortlisted for the Tokyo International Film Festival. Roadside Picnic (2015) won the Best Film and Best New Director honors at Locarno and Nantes. The Last Night on Earth (2018) was shortlisted for the “Un Certain Regard” and Pluto Moment (2018) was shortlisted for the “Director’s Fortnight” section of the 71st Cannes Film Festival. Party at Southern Station (2019) was shortlisted for the main competition unit of the 72nd Cannes International Film Festival.
    https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6342348/?ref_=fn_al_nm_4 
  • Zhang Changzheng, Director. He collaborated with director Feng Xiaogang in If You Are the One, If You Are the One II, and Tangshan Earthquake; cooperated with director Ding Sheng to Jackie Chan’s Little Soldier; director Wu Ershan’s Painted Skin 2. Director of Love Mala Tang will be a lifetime.
    https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4786475/?ref_=fn_al_nm_2 

 

Links to Student Films：  

Changyong Huang

Changyong Huang, Presdient of Shanghai Theatre Academy, PhD & professor, member of the Shanghai Municipal Committee of the China People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), expert in decision-making consultation appointed by the Shanghai Municipal People’s Government, director (Shanghai) of the Metropolitan Cultural Audit Centre (MCAC), editor-in-chief of the journal Art Management, initiator and chief expert of the Metropolitan Culture Collaborative Innovation Centre, doctoral supervisor. Vice chairman of the Higher Education Art Theory Teaching Steering Committee of the Ministry of Education and vice chairman of the Art Management Committee of the National Art Society.
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