MACAO, Dec 9 — The opening ceremony of the third instalment of the International Film Festival & Awards Macao (IFFAM) at the Macao Cultural Centre here last night was a star-studded event.
The loudest cheers were reserved for IFFAM talent ambassadors American actor Nicolas Cage and South Korean girl group Girl’s Generation member-turned-actress, Im Yoon Ah.
Macao Tourism Office director and third IFFAM organising committee president, Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes delivered the opening address before the night got underway.
Held from December 8 to 14 with the theme A New Avenue to the World of Films, a total of 54 films will be screened. There will also be trade talks in the three-day IFFAM Industry Hub which will be attended by over 240 film industry professionals from 31 countries and regions.
Malaysia is represented in the newly-introduced New Chinese Cinema category by Fly By Night, directed by Zahir Omar, who was second assistant director on Yasmin Ahmad’s Sepet(2005) and winner of the first BMW Shorties in 2007 with his short film, K-Hole.
The category is one of eight featured, including the main Competition category that offers first- and second-time film-makers RM250,000 prize money, Gala for mainstream films, Flying Daggers for international genre films and Best of Fest featuring the cream of the crop from other major international film festivals.
Completing the list is two retrospective showcases in Directors’ Choice and In Focus as well as Local View Power featuring 14 local short film efforts.
American comedy-drama Green Book starring Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali and directed by Peter Farrelly kicked off the week-long celebration of film last night to much hype after recently receiving five nominations at the 76th Golden Globe Awards for Best Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy, Best Actor — Motion Picture Musical or Comedy (Mortensen), Supporting Actor (Ali) and Best Director and Best Screenplay.
