Held in Lanzhou, capital of Gansu Province in late September, the 23rd Golden Rooster and Hundred Flowers Film Festival included two films from Macao, The Memories and Timing, in its session “Hong Kong and Macao Film Showcase”. The former was selected by the Organising Committee as the session’s opening film.

The Macao delegation included Zhang Xiaoguang, Chief of the Department of Education and Culture of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Macao S.A.R.; Shao Bin, Director-level Assistant of the same Department; Leong Ieng Va, Acting Chief of the Department for the Promotion of Cultural and Creative Industries of the Cultural Affairs Bureau; Choi On On, Director of the Macao Film & Television Association; and Macao film directors Ho Fei and Emily Chan.

The “Hong Kong and Macao Film Showcase” projected The Memories by Ho Fei and Timing by Emily Chan, which received an enthusiastic response and many enquiries from the press and the public. Ho Fei said the selection of The Memories as the opening film was a great incentive to his team, and he hoped more Macao films would be screened in prestigious film festivals like this. Moreover, Emily Chan pointed out that although Timing tells a local story, it is still appealing to Mainland China audiences.

The Golden Rooster and Hundred Flowers Film Festival is the longest running of China’s four major film festivals. Li Xuejian, chairman of the China Film Association, referred at the opening ceremony of the “Hong Kong and Macao Film Showcase” that there is an emergence of promising young Macao directors recently which can enrich the Chinese film selection. Acting Chief of the Department for the Promotion of Cultural and Creative Industries, Leong Ieng Va, also encouraged local filmmakers to explore various genres. Besides taking part in the session, the delegates also exchanged views with participating professionals, getting useful updates on the film industry at large.