The 3rd International Film Festival & Awards‧Macao (referred to as “IFFAM” or the “Film Festival”) will be unveiled this Saturday (8th December) to present over 50 highly-anticipated films alongside 14 local film works under the theme “A New Avenue to the World of Films” once again. The films will be screened for public admission at the Macao Cultural Centre, the Macau Tower Convention and Entertainment Centre and the Cinematheque・Passion for a stretch of seven days from 8th to 14th December.
Opening film “Green Book” will move audiences to laughter and tears
The Opening Film “Green Book” (USA) will lift the curtain on the third edition of IFFAM. Artistic Director of IFFAM, Mike Goodridge, regards “Green Book” as a big Oscar potential movie. He believes the film will make audiences laugh and cry. The film revolves around a story between a black pianist and an Italian-American on a concert tour across the United States in the 1960s. The film highlights their friendship beyond the struggle with racism, a social issue confronted by people back in the decade. The film harvested the People’s Choice Award in the 2018 Toronto International Film Festival.
IFFAM will culminate in exquisite beauty of “Shadow” in Chinese ink painting style
“Shadow” directed by Zhang Yimou will conclude this edition of IFFAM as the Closing Film. An adaptation of Zhu Sujin’s original screenplay “Three Kingdoms‧Jingzhou”, the film is Director Zhang’s new interpretation of this epic story. Starring top actors in China, the film manifests the style of Chinese ink-brush painting in a prevailing tone of black and white. The film was screened at the 75th Venice International Film Festival (Out of Competition section), the 2018 Toronto International Film Festival (Gala) and the 2018 BFI London Film Festival (Official Competition).
Visual splendour of worldwide and local cinema
54 films from 27 countries/regions will be screened in IFFAM’s various sections including Competition, Gala, Flying Daggers, Best of Fest Panorama, Director’s Choice, Special Presentations as well as the new competition section – New Chinese Cinema, among others. 14 outstanding film entries of Local View Power will also be presented for the audience.
Competition manifests a new cinematic extravaganza
As a young festival, IFFAM aspires for rising film directors, actors and actresses to deliver their new ideas and potential. Offering opportunities for young directors to soar and unfold a new avenue to the world of films, the Competition section will spotlight first and second-time film directors once again this year. Most of the eleven film entries were directed by young and new film directors, including three female directors. Coming from Europe, Central America, South America and Asia, the films cover a variety of genres and themes, ready to present an extravaganza of cinematic experiences. The Asian films include “Suburban Birds”, “Jesus”, “Clean up” and “The Man Who Feels No Pain”.
The film entries of the Competition section are “School's Out”, “The Guilty”, “Clean up”, “The Good Girls”, “Ága”, “Scarborough”, “Suburban Birds”, “White Blood”, “All Good”, “Jesus” and “The Man Who Feels No Pain”.
The Jury of the Competition consists of leading filmmakers including internationally-renowned and Mainland China’s most influential film director Chen Kaige as the Jury President. Chen Kaige remains the only Chinese director who has received the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival to this day. Other Jury members include Hong Kong film director Mabel Cheung with the Hong Kong Film Award for Best Director under her belt, Australian film director Paul Currie, Indian film actress Tillotama Shome, and Oscar-winning Bosnian film director Danis Tanović.
The Competition section will pit the above films against each other for a range of accolades including Jury Prize, Award for Best New Young Actor or Actress, Award for Best Screenplay, Award for Best Technical Contribution, Best Actress Award, Best Actor Award, Best Director, Best Film and Macao Audience Choice Award (voted by audiences).
“New Chinese Cinema” in partnership with UK’s prestigious film magazine
This year, the IFFAM Organizing Committee joins hands with Screen International, UK’s prestigious film magazine, to present “New Chinese Cinema” as a new competition section and enrich the Film Festival with a broader selection of Chinese films. Six films were selected from across the Strait and Malaysia.
The “New Chinese Cinema” features six film entries including “Baby”, “The Pluto Moment”, “Fly by Night”, “Xiao Mei”, “Up the Mountain” and “Dear Ex”. Five of the films are in Mandarin while “Fly by Night” (Malaysia) is in Mandarin, Cantonese and Indonesian. Full of unique and entertaining elements, these film works will compete for the Best New Chinese-language Film of the Year. Hong Kong film director Shu Kei, British film critic Nick James as well as Australian film critic and editor Stephanie Bunbury are Jury members for this new competition section.
Macao in cinema
Macao’s unique aroma of the East-and-West cultural blend and the Historic Centre of Macao have drawn many film crews from near and afar to Macao. The 3rd IFFAM will also present movies featuring Macao as their filming location. Starring Gordon Lam, “Nobody Nose” brims with the color of Macao as it unfolds a story adapted from fictions written by three local writers. Starring Rhydian Vaughan, Talent Ambassador of the 1st IFFAM, “Empire Hotel” was directed by a Portuguese film director sojourning in Macao. The two films will be screened in “Gala” and “Special Presentations” respectively.
Gala on the red carpet
The section has lined up four mainstream films for movie lovers, including “Old Boys”, “The Favorite”, “Nobody Nose” and “Aruna & Her Palate”. Their film crews will mark their appearance on the red carpet for a close encounter with the audiences. Among the films, “Aruna & Her Palate” is about a journey of culinary delights.
Flying Daggers covers a palette of themes
Flying Daggers will once again bring to Macao a spectrum of international films radiant with their unique splendour for non-competition screening, including “Tumbbad”, “Diamantino”, “BuyBust”, “Mandy” starring Nicholas Cage — the 3rd IFFAM’s Talent Ambassador, “In Fabric” and “The Witch: Part 1. The Subversion”.
Best of Fest presents award-winning films
This section lines up dazzling feature films premiered or awarded in other major international film festivals of the year. Among them, “Roma” had its world premiere and took home the Golden Lion at the Venice International Film Festival this August, whereas “U-July 22” was shown at the Berlin International Film Festival this year. Other extraordinary films include “Loro”, “Papi Chulo”, “Happy New Year, Colin Burstead”, “Cobain”, “Manta Ray”, “Close Enemies” and “The Sisters Brothers”.
Director’s Choice with admiration
In this edition of IFFAM, six distinguished film directors recommend six genre films highly worth appreciation and inspirational for their filmmaking, including “An Autumn Afternoon”, “Once upon a Time in America”, “The Truman Show”, “Hard Boiled” – a film well engraved in Hong Kong and Macao audiences’ memories, “Bandit Queen” and “Lawrence of Arabia”.
Special presentations with thoughtful selection
Artistic Director and Jury President of IFFAM have selected a range of remarkable films for Special Presentations as follows: “Sink or Swim”, “Default”, “The Outsiders”, “Caught in the Web”, “Journey to the West: The Demons Strike Back”, “212 Warrior”, “Suspiria”; Macao Special Presentation – “Empire Hotel”; Shanghai International Film Festival (IFF) Special Presentation – “Lost, Found”, and Hollywood Special Presentation – “Mary Queen of Scots”.
Local View Power for local film productions
IFFAM once again gives full support to Local View Power, a programme organized by the Cultural Affairs Bureau, by offering a screening platform for local film productions. 14 local film entries will be screened during IFFAM including animation, documentary and short drama. Five film industry professionals invited to IFFAM are members of the judging panel to select the most outstanding entry. Among the entries, some may evoke a sense of familiarity and imagination among locals with their film titles. Audiences are welcome to enjoy and bestow their support on local film productions.
Actress in Focus – Yao Chen
Mainland China’s famed actress Yao Chen will come into the limelight as Actress in Focus in the 3rd IFFAM. Artistic director Mike Goodridge remarked that Yao Chen is a superb actress whose work on and off screen is inspiring, with her versatility and range fully manifested in her many films. Three films starring Yao Chen will be screened during the Film Festival including “Caught in the Web”, “Journey to the West: The Demons Strike Back” and “Lost, Found”. On 10th December, an insightful dialogue will unfold between Yao Chen and Nansun Shi, Hong Kong veteran film producer and distributor, on characterization and portrayal, among other topics.
The Red Carpet of the 3rd International Film Festival & Awards‧Macao Opening Ceremony will be live broadcast on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IFFAMACAO/
For more information about the 3rd International Film Festival & Awards‧Macao, please visit:
Website of 3rd International Film Festival & Awards‧Macao: http://www.iffamacao.com/
