Turkish director Nuri Bilge Ceylan, president of the jury for this year's Golden Goblet Awards, speaks at the opening ceremony of the 2019 Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF) in Shanghai, east China, June 15, 2019. The film festival kicked off here on Saturday. (Xinhua/Fang Zhe)

SHANGHAI, June 15 (Xinhua) -- The 22nd Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF) kicked off Saturday night, with 15 movies contending for the "Gold Cup" prizes.

The 10-day festival consists of activities including an opening ceremony, a film week, as well as forums and exhibitions concerning the Chinese movie industry, according to the organizing committee.

The 15 nominated films will be evaluated by a jury led by Turkish director Nuri Bilge Ceylon, and the "Gold Cup" awards are expected to be unveiled on June 24.

A total of 3,964 films from 112 countries and regions have been registered for this year's event, and more than 500 of them will be screened in 47 cinemas across the city.

Founded in 1993, the SIFF is a competitive global event driven by Shanghai's efforts to become an international cultural hub.