Official poster of the 2009 Shanghai International Film Festival [Photo: SIFF]

Related: Huppert, Grant to Hit Shanghai Red Carpet

Yao Shuhua's "Empire of Silver" and Wanma Caidan's "Soul Searching" are the two Chinese films contending for the top prize at the Shanghai International Film Festival next month.

Both films are competing against each other and 14 other films from South Korea, Brazil and Europe for the Golden Goblet, SIFF organizing committee announced on Monday.

"Empire of Silver", a film set in late Qing Dynasty and starring Aaron Kwok, was invited for a screening at the Berlinale Special section at this year's Berlin Film Festival.

In "Soul Searching", Tibetan filmmaker Wanma Caidan tells a love story.

The films will be judged by a panel led by Danny Boyle, the latest Oscar winner for directing "Slumdog Millionaire".

The 12th Shanghai International Film Festival runs June 13-21.

Full List of Jin Jue (Golden Goblet) Candidates
1. "We Can Do That" - Giulio Manfredonia (Italy)
2. "Nowhere Promised Land" - Emmanuel Finkiel (France)
3. "Aching Hearts" - Nils Malmros (Denmark)
4. "Original" - Antonio Tublen, Alexander Brondsted (Denmark/Sweden)
5. "A Piece of Me" - Christoph Rohl (Germany)
6. "Small Crime" - Christos Georgiou (Germany/Cyprus/Greece)
7. "Romance" - Guel Arraes (Brazil)
8. "Rough Cut" - Jang Hun (South Korea)
9. "Splinters" - Maciej Pieprzyca (Poland)
10. "Chameleon" - Krisztina Goda (Hungary)
11. "Schemes of Affection" - Dodo Fiori (Italy)
12. "Normal" - Julius Sevcik (Czech)
13. "Soul Searching" - Wanma Caidan (China)
14. "The Storm in My Heart" - Pal Jackman (Norway)
15. "The Girl on the Train" - André Téchiné (France)
16. "Empire of Silver" - Yao Shuhua (China)