(Photo: CGTN)

Seven world-class movie masters gather at the 2nd Hainan Island International Film Festival (HIFF) as the festival international jury, including French actress Isabelle Huppert.

The star-studded 2019 HIFF will be held from December 1 to 8 in Sanya City, Hainan Province, dubbed the "Hawaii of China." It is co-hosted by China Media Group and the provincial government of Hainan, under the guidance of the China Film Administration.

HIFF is dedicated to strengthening the international film and culture exchange and collaboration. A total of 1,495 films from 80 countries have signed up for the festival, according to the organizer.

Golden Coconut Awards

Fu Xuanguo, secretary-general of the HIFF organizing committee, said the idea of the "Golden Coconut Awards" trophy originated in Hainan's representative plants and landscapes.

The handshake of the trophy's main body is a coconut tree with lush palms, symbolizing the natural growth of light and shadow. The fruit in the center of the crown represents the award-winning works, considered amazing achievements by many in the film industry.

The Golden Coconut Awards during the HIFF is hosted by China Media Group (CMG) and comprises Feature-length Film, Feature-length Documentary, and Short Film categories. International and domestic film professionals will discuss nominated films.

International jury

The international jury of HIFF is composed of seven world-class directors, actors, screenwriters, film critics, and other celebrated film professionals, including Isabelle Huppert, one of the most influential and accomplished actresses in the world.

Huppert has been nominated 16 times for a Cesar Award, winning Best Actress twice. She has won Best Actress at the Cannes Film Festival twice, won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress, and received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress.

Jury members of feature film section include American filmmaker Abel Ferrara, Chinese actress Jiang Wenli, Macedonian director Milcho Manchevski, Chinese actor and director Chen Sicheng.

Winners of the Golden Coconut Awards will be unveiled next week, including Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor and Actress, Best Screenplay. The final list of winners will be announced at the Golden Coconut Awards ceremony on December 8.