Mark your calendar, the Shanghai International Film Festival is back

One of Shanghai’s most popular and glamorous events of the year, the Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF), announces the dates for the 2010 festival: June 12-20.

As China’s only international-level film festival, this will be one of the crowning events of the 2010 Expo (which runs from May 1-Oct. 31).

Although the Shanghai International Film Festival is always a popular event domestically, it has yet to gain the international attention enjoyed by some of the other major Asia festivals.

That said, last year’s festival made headlines when the annual jury was led by "Slumdog Millionaire" director Danny Boyle.

Organizers of the 13th Shanghai International Film Festival explain that the festival is less about making waves in the industry and more geared towards supporting new directors. We'd be tempted to believe them more if the opening ceremony wasn't always packed with stars who seem to fly off relatively soon after the parties end.

Last year’s best film of the Shanghai International Film Festival. Asian New Talent Award, the Korean-made comedy, "Scandal Makers," has also announced its mainland release for Oct. 9.

Kane, the business director of the Shanghai International Film Festival explains that "the great success of "Scandal Makers" in [the Shanghai International Film Festival] makes us fully confident for its box office performance this month. The Shanghai International Film Festival is very happy to provide this film a chance to understand and test China’s film market. We believe more films will get into the market through the stage of [Shanghai International Film Festival]."

See all award recipients from the 2009 Shanghai International Film Festival here.