1st International Film Festival & Awards‧Macao Opens 8th December

The IFFAM spans six consecutive days at the beginning of December

The 1st International Film Festival & Awards‧Macao (IFFAM) hits the stage from 8th to 13th December. Film industry professionals and guest celebrities from around the world as well as over 300 media representatives from Hong Kong, Macao, Mainland China and overseas have been invited to the event. The IFFAM programme features a grand Opening Ceremony, an array of film premieres and opulent red-carpet presentations, Industry Hub, media exchange sessions after several film screenings, Masterclass, Closing Ceremony, Awards Ceremony and other silver screen activities.

Macao Cultural Centre will host the Opening Ceremony on the night of 8th December, where many internationally acclaimed film stars and celebrities will appear on the red carpet. A French movie titled 'Polina, danser sa vie' will unveil the Festival on its opening night, while veteran actor/presenter Eric Tsang will act as guest MC with daughter Bowie and son Derek. Famous Korean actor and IFFAM Talent Ambassador Jang Keun-Suk and Hong Kong kung-fu actress Kara Wai will attend the Opening Ceremony as well. The Closing Ceremony will also be held at Macao Cultural Centre, on the night of 13th December, when winners of the IFFAM Competition Section will be announced followed by a grand Awards Ceremony.

Spotlight on over 50 international films

The 1st IFFAM will screen more than 50 films from over 20 countries and regions across the globe. For most of the movies, this will be their world or Asian premiere. As one of the highlights of this prestigious IFFAM event, the Competition Section will pit twelve feature films against each other for a total of nine awards; namely, Best Film; Jury Prize; Best Director; Best Actor; Best Actress; Best New Young Actor or Actress; Best Screenplay; Best Technical Contribution and Macao Audience Choice Award. The 12 films will debut at Macao Cultural Centre or Macau Tower.

In addition, a range of film screenings - Gala; Hidden Dragons; Best of Fest; Special Presentation; and Crossfire - will feature recommended films for appreciation and special film genres. Gala will present seven of the most important films of the year including 'Polina, danser sa vie' (French), which has been chosen to kick off the Festival.

In recent years, more local directors have directed films in Macao, which have gained wider recognition over time. Directed by local director Emily Chan and starring Sean Pang, 'Yesterday Once More' lines up alongside other films in the category of 'Hidden Dragons' (genre of Asian films in original and distinctive style). Meanwhile, 'Sisterhood', starring Gigi Leung and jointly directed by local director Tracy Choi and a Hong Kong director, will run in the Competition Section.

Industry Hub functions as platform

The Industry Hub will take place at Macao Science Center from 9th to 11th December, in which film industry professionals from around the world will participate to enhance interchange and create new business opportunities in the industry. The Industry Panel and Crouching Tigers Project Lab will also be rolled out in tandem with other activities.

Underscoring the appeal of hosting mega events in Macao, IFFAM activities and screenings will take place in Macao Cultural Centre, Macao Science Center, Galaxy Macau, Macau Tower Convention and Entertainment Centre, Wynn Macau, The Venetian Macao and other diverse venues.

Get your tickets now

The public can see most of the films at Macao Cultural Centre, Macau Tower Convention and Entertainment Centre, The Venetian Macao and Galaxy Macau. Residents and visitors can purchase tickets from the outlets directly or by accessing the website of Kong Seng Ticketing Service: www.macauticket.com/TicketWeb/Default.aspx?c=en-us starting 21st November. For more details and the very latest news about the 1st IFFAM, please visit http://iffamacao.com/en.