As a film festival that mostly relies on social fund raising and commercial sponsorship, Tang said that SIFF suffers a deficit almost every year. A previous solution was to collect registration fees from festival guests and film companies, but this has been lowered each year as many Asian film festivals have stopped collecting registration fees altogether and sometimes even offer free booths.

According to Tang, the organizing committee has been pleading for government sponsorship for years.

"We received 2 million yuan ($293,000) from the local government last year, but a film festival requires 10 times that to succeed," she said, adding that if regular government funding could be secured, the festival could grow and improve.

Unexpected winners

Local director Liu Jie's Deep in the Clouds scored three awards Sunday night and Italian director Gabriele Muccino's Kiss Me Again won Best Feature Film. Photographer-turned-director Liu Jie picked up Best Director for his minority-themed film and collected the Jury Grand Prix and Best Music as well.

Liu said he was thrilled with the awards, but disappointed with the lack of local media attention to his work at the festival. "Though it is a small-budget film, there are many minority people who greatly need public support and whom the media should not have neglected."

Irish film Ondine, directed by Neil Jordan, was a hot pick for several awards and had favorable odds for Best Feature. Australian cinematographer Christopher Doyle, who has worked with top Chinese directors including Wong Kai-wai and Ang Lee, was awarded Best Cinematography for Ondine, but that's all the film could manage.
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