SHANGHAI — As the 19th Shanghai International Film Festival gets underway Saturday, much of the focus among participants is on the 14 contenders for the Golden Goblet, the top prize at the event that runs through June 19. From the Philippines to Denmark, Iran to Japan, the films’ origins cover the globe.

But among them, one region stands out. The rugged terrain of China’s Tibetan areas forms the backdrop for two of the country’s three competitors: “De Lan,” by the director Liu Jie, and “Soul on a String,” by Zhang Yang.

Together, the films highlight a shift in the cinematic depiction of China’s ethnic minorities, especially of Tibetans.

“Before, Tibet was usually portrayed in Chinese films in several ways,” said Wu Jueren, who oversees the Chinese-language programming for the festival. “There were the socialist propaganda films, that were meant to show ethnic harmony and national unity, and the commercial films, which often portrayed Tibet as a kind of mythical healing land where people would go to escape.”