The 1st Macao International Shorts Film Festival, jointly organised by the Cultural Affairs Bureau and the Galaxy Entertainment Group, was held from 23 to 30 March, featuring outstanding short films worldwide. With a variety of activities such as screening activities, thematic workshops and panels by industry professionals, the Festival not only promoted Macao’s film productions, but also introduced the diversity and innovative spirit of international and Asian films to the audience.
The Festival featured four sections of screenings, namely “Macao Shorts”, “New Voices from Horizon”, “Director in Focus” and “Special Screenings”. During the event, over 50 local and international short films of different genres were screened in 26 sessions at the Galaxy Cinemas of Galaxy Macau™ Integrated Resort and at Cinematheque・Passion, drawing over 1,600 participants and professionals from the sector, marking a grand gathering for the local and international film industries and film enthusiasts.
The section “Director in Focus” included a selection of feature and short films directed by renowned Japanese director Shunji Iwai. He was invited to Macao to share his creative experience and encourage young people to create. The “Special Screenings” featured various post-screening sharing sessions by directors and actors from home and abroad, including the actor Will Or and the director Sasha Chuk Tsz-yin from Hong Kong, enriching the viewing experience of the public. The Festival also featured a number of thematic workshops and lectures by masters held at the Galaxy International Convention Centre, drawing the participation of many filmmakers, directors, film scholars and distributors, who shared their experience and insights on film production, storytelling techniques and industry development.
The closing and awards’ ceremony was held on 29 March at the Galaxy International Convention Centre. A total of 26 short films from around the world competed in the Official Competition Section “New Voices from Horizon” for four awards. Ultimately, the Icelandic short film FÁR by Gunnur Martinsdóttir Schlüter received the Best Short Film Award, the Swiss short film GREYLANDS by Charlotte Waltert and Alvaro Schoeck was recognized for Best Technical Contribution, Colombian short film BOGOTÁ STORY by Esteban Pedrazza was awarded the Prize for Best Director, and the Belgian and Dutch short film THE MIRACLE by Nienke Deutz won the Innovative Narrative Award, acknowledging the young filmmakers' contributions to the art of cinema. Moreover, 10 short films nominated in the “Macao Shorts” category vied for the Best Macao Short Award, which recognizes outstanding local short film works. BUBBLE by Ellen Wong emerged victorious.
The Festival upholds the spirit of openness and innovation, providing an international platform for filmmakers from all over the world to showcase their talents and exchange ideas while fostering more opportunities for exchange and learning among local film talents. By watching these exceptional short film productions, the public had the opportunity to appreciate the creators’ boundless imagination and profound narrative skills. The success of the Festival was widely supported and acclaimed by all sectors of society. IC will continue to provide exchange platforms for film enthusiasts and attract more outstanding film productions and professionals from home and abroad, thereby continuing to promote the film culture and ignite inspiration and creativity for filmmakers. The Galaxy Entertainment Group, the other organiser, hopes to have added momentum to the sustainable development of the local and international film industries through the Festival, and will continue to contribute to the development of Macao as a “City of Performing Arts” and enrich its role as “One Base”.
