The World (film) France's Lumen Films. It received additional financial support from the Shanghai Film Studio and several Japanese corporations including Bandai Visual and Tokyo FM, among others. The film premiered in competition at the 2004 Venice Film Festival on September 4, 2004, but failed to win the coveted Golden Lion, the festival's top award, which ultimately went to Mike Leigh's drama "Vera Drake", but which Jia would win two years later with "Still Life". "The World" also premiered in 2004 at the New York Film Festival and would go on to receive a limited release in New York City the following year
Traverse City Film Festival Free Movies at the Open Space: The second annual Traverse City Film Festival was held July 31 – August 6, 2006. Stanley Kubrick Tribute: Free Movies at the Open Space: The third annual festival was held July 31 – August 5, 2007. Free Movies at the Open Space: The fourth annual festival: July 29 – August 3, 2008. Special appearance by Madonna, on August 2, 2008, introducing her film "I Am Because We Are". Michigan Filmmaker Award went to Kurt Luedtke. Also world premiere for Religulous. Free Movies at the Open Space: The fifth annual festival was held from July