The 1^st Macau International Film Festival was recently held at Galaxy Macau in Cotai, with several famous film stars and filmmakers gathered to stride up the red carpet. Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO) Director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes expressed her desire that more film production companies would shooting movies in Macau in the future, adding that they could make good use of the Macau UNESCO-listed World Heritage site that the city is renowned for plus historic, cultural and auxillary resources, thus promoting the development of the local film industry as well.

The opening ceremony was officiated by the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Alexis Tam; the Deputy Director of the Department of Education and Culture of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Macau SAR, Zhang Xiaoguang; the Chairman of the Administrative Committee of Macau Foundation, Wu Zhiliang; the President of Macau University of Science & Technology, Liu Liang; the President of Macau Films and Television Productions and Culture Association, Chau Cheok Wa; famous Chinese directors like Jiang Wen, Li Shaohong and Xie Fei; French film director Jean-Jacques Arnold; renowned Korean colourist Li Yong Ji; and Vice president of Public Relations of Galaxy Entertainment Buddy Lam Chi Shing, among others.

Film stars like Zhou Yun, Ang Ha Ni Ma, Chilam Cheung, Charmaine Sheh, Shawn Yue, Wilfred Lau, Paco Wong, Vincent Kok, Gordon Lam, Liu Kai Chi, Pang Ho Cheung, Saville Chan, Leong Tak Sam, Annie Liu and Babyjohn Choi walked down the red carpet.

Following the opening ceremony, the organizers screened a short film which had been digitally re-mastered along with the original for contrast, with organizers explaining that the use of this technology meant that new life could be breathed into old films. The organizers also made the point that hope that it was their ardent wish that festivals and exhibitions could reawaken the attention and enthusiasm of film lovers everywhere, promoting, in turn, the film industry of Macau.

During the film festival, eight classic re-mastered films were screened: 'The Godfather', 'Wolf Totem', 'Road Hee Ah', 'Black Snow', 'Wild Story', 'Jack and the Cuckoo Clock Heart', 'Gone with the bullet' and 'Waiting Alone'. During the same period, Macau University of Science and Technology (MUST) held several seminars on movies, and announced the appointing of Jean-Jacques Arnold as Honorary President of MUST Academy of Film Art and Jiang Wen as President.