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.
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