3rd International Film Festival & Awards‧Macao unveiled in splendour Best Actor Oscar and Golden Globe winner Nicolas Cage dazzles the red carpet
The 3rd
International Film Festival & Awards‧Macao was unveiled with a grand opening ceremony
at the Macao Cultural Centre at 7 p.m. on 8th December. Held from 8th to 14th
December, the Film Festival presents over 50 spectacular films for the
audiences under the theme “A New Avenue to the World of Films” once again. Held
for film industry professionals at home and abroad, the IFFAM Industry Hub will
also unfold tomorrow (9th December) for the next three days.
About 800
personages marked their presence on the red carpet and gathered at the opening
ceremony including Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture of the Macao
Special Administrative Region Government, Alexis Tam; Executive Chairman of the
China International Culture Communication Center and Honorary Advisor of the
3rd IFFAM, Long Yuxiang; Director of Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) and
President of the 3rd IFFAM Organizing Committee, Maria Helena de Senna
Fernandes; the two Executive Vice Presidents of the 3rd IFFAM Organizing
Committee, namely, President of Macau Films & Television Productions and
Culture Association (MFTPA), Alvin Chau and President of Cultural Affairs
Bureau, Mok Ian Ian, as well as internationally-acclaimed film directors, film
stars and film industry professionals from around the world. Hong Kong TV show
hosts Jerry Lam and Scarlett Wong are the hosts of the opening ceremony
tonight.
Star-studded
opening ceremony
The opening
ceremony was graced by prominent figures from the circle of films including
Director of Copenhagen Pix Film Festival, Jacob Neiiendam, Director of Tallinn
Black Nights Film Festival, Tiina Lokk, Director of Sydney Film Festival,
Nashen Moodley, Artistic Director of Chicago International Film Festival, Mimi
Plauché, Director of Busan International Film Festival, Jay Jeon, Creative
Director of Mumbai International Film Festival, Smriti Kiran, and director of
the film series “Along with the Gods” and IFFAM Ambassador of the year, Kim
Yong-Hwa. Film stars including Talent Ambassador of the year – winner of the
Oscar for Best Actor and the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor, Nicolas Cage,
as well as celebrities including Hu Bing, Niu Liyan, Lin Po-Jui, Chen
Hung-Chien, Wang Xuebing, Irene Wan, Kathy Yuen, Wilfred Lau, Jeana Ho, Jing
Ci, Hanna Chan and others marked their glamorous appearance on the star-studded
red carpet swarmed by over 100 journalists for coverage, filling the occasion
with hustle and bustle.
In her address at
the opening ceremony, Director of Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) and
President of the 3rd IFFAM Organizing Committee, Maria Helena de Senna
Fernandes, remarked that being a member of the city cluster in the
Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Macao is resolute on the path to
become a world centre of tourism and leisure. IFFAM will fully capitalize on
the city’s competitive strengths and deliver the best in its role, to make an
impact for Macao’s film, cultural and creative and tourism industries with an
incessant momentum to move towards a sustainable future. She added that the
Organizing Committee aspires to forge IFFAM into an East and West cultural
exchange platform across borders and generations.
Opening performance
features locally-composed songs
The opening
performance of the 3rd IFFAM is a musical created by a team of local talent.
Macao singers Kane Ao Ieong and Josie Ho gave their best performances in the
musical. The story revolves around a boy named Wa Jai, who was born and raised
in Macao. Deeply in love with films since as a child, he dreamed to become a
film director and tell the story of Macao in films to show to audiences around the
world. One day, a mysterious girl suddenly came to him, giving him every
encouragement he needed for his pursuit of the dream. The scene of the musical
was then transported to the opening ceremony, where the characters presented
the posters of all the films screened in this year’s IFFAM and the short films
of Local View Power.
Following the
musical, the opening ceremony was officiated by Secretary for Social Affairs
and Culture of the Macao SAR Government, Alexis Tam; Spouse of Chief Executive
of the Macao SAR, Winnie Fok; Executive Chairman of the China International
Culture Communication Center and Honorary Advisor of the 3rd IFFAM, Long
Yuxiang; Director of the Propaganda and Culture Department of the Liaison
Office of the Central People’s Government in the Macao SAR, Wan Sucheng;
Director of the Department of Public Diplomacy and Information of the Office of
the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of
China in the Macao SAR, Zheng Xinyou; Jury members of IFFAM, Mabel Cheung, Paul
Currie, Tillotama Shome, and Danis Tanović; Talent Ambassador Nicolas Cage;
MGTO Director and President of the 3rd IFFAM Organizing Committee, Maria Helena
de Senna Fernandes; MFTPA President and Executive Vice President of the 3rd
IFFAM Organizing Committee, Alvin Chau, and Artistic Director of IFFAM, Mike
Goodridge, among others.
IFFAM Ambassador
Kim Yong-Hwa, Talent Ambassadors Nicolas Cage and Lim Yoon A were presented
tokens of appreciation by the Organizing Committee during the opening ceremony.
Opening film “Green
Book” radiant with splendour
Adapted from a true
story, the Opening Film “Green Book” starring Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala
Ali was directed by Peter Farrelly. The film revolves around a story between an
Italian-American bouncer and a black pianist on a concert tour from Manhattan
to the Southern United States in the 1960s. The film highlights their
friendship amid the looming threats of racism, a social issue confronted by
people back in the old days. Aside from winning the People’s Choice Award in
the 2018 Toronto International Film Festival, the two actors are considered as
highly potential candidates for the Oscars for Best Actor and Best Supporting
Actor in 2019. In addition, the film garnered 5 nominations for the 76th Golden
Globe Awards, to be held next year, proving its extraordinary talents.
Confluence of
entertainment, interchange and trade talks
54 remarkable
Chinese and Western films are screened through IFFAM’s various sections
including Competition, New Chinese Cinema, Gala, Flying Daggers, Best of Fest,
Director’s Choice, Special Presentations and others besides during the opening
and closing evenings. 14 film entries of Local View Power are also presented to
the audiences.
Starting tomorrow
(9th December) until 11th December, the IFFAM Industry Hub will be attended by
over 240 film industry professionals from 31 countries and regions. As part of
the IFFAM Industry Hub, the Macao Forum will offer a lively platform for
multilateral exchange among worldwide film industry professionals, facilitating
active sharing of viewpoints among participants on designated topics. On the
other hand, the IFFAM Project Market will bring together 14 new film projects
in search of investors, distributors or partnerships. A judging panel will
select winners of the Best Project Award (top award), Creative Excellence
Award, Best Co-production Award and Macao Spirit Award among the film projects,
to be presented in the Project Market Awards Ceremony on 11th December. The
IFFAM Industry Hub has also launched a programme of Work-in-progress
Presentations this year, inviting filmmakers to present their film projects which
are completed or close to completion, helping them to seek partnership
opportunities for their film projects with regard to post-production and so
forth.
This year, IFFAM
offers full support once again to Local View Power, a programme organized by
the Macao Cultural Centre. 14 outstanding film entries of Local View Power are
divided for three public screening sessions at the Theatre of the Macau Tower
Convention and Entertainment Centre.
For more
information about the 3rd International Film Festival & Awards‧Macao,
please visit:
Website of the 3rd
International Film Festival & Awards‧Macao:
http://www.iffamacao.com/
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