[article] The 1st International Film Festival & Awards‧Macao announces festival programme from 8 – 13 December

Original source: IFFAM official website

Monday, 14 November, 2016
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The 1st International Film Festival & Awards‧Macao (IFFAM) today announced its festival programme at a press conference in Macao.

The festival will showcase the best of Asian and international cinema with a programme of 11 competition films, 3 out of competition galas, Hidden Dragons (9 films representing the latest trends in contemporary Asian genre cinema), Crossfire (12 East Asian genre film directors and their chosen genre favourites), 9 award-winning feature films from major international festivals in the Best of Fest Panorama alongside 2 special presentation films. For its inaugural edition the IFFAM have selected Gwen Lun Mei as its Actress in Focus. This will culminate in a special presentation featuring 3 of her films. In addition, the Crouching Tigers Project Lab will welcome twelve projects, each represented by its director and/or producer, to this new destination for industry professionals seeking original opportunities for the co-production and co-financing of their film projects.

Ms. Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, Director of Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO), President of Organizing Committee of IFFAM; Mr. Alvin Chau, President of Macau Film & Television Productions and Culture Association & Executive Vice President of Organizing Committee of IFFAM and Ms. Lorna Tee, Head of Festival Management of IFFAM were present at the press conference. Ms. Fernandes remarked, “this is the very first film festival in Macao. This is a very new project, and this is the project that supports Macao’s creative industry which can also promote Macao’s image as a creative and cultural centre. And I think this project will provide a brighter future for local film makers in Macao.”

In response to Mr. Marco Müller’s resignation from his post of Festival Director of IFFAM, President of the IFFAM Organizing Committee Ms Helena de Senna Fernandes will take up the post of Acting Festival Director and all the work and responsibilities concerned together with the Secretariat.


Alongside the programme the Festival is delighted to reveal the remaining jury members who will join Jury President Mr. Shekhar Kapur to preside over the official competition strand.

The full Competition Jury is as follows:
• Shekhar Kapur – President
• Athina Rachel Tsangari
• Jung Woo Sung
• Makiko Watanabe
• Stanley Kwan

IFFAM will officially open on Thursday 8 December with the Asian premiere of POLINA (Polina, danser sa vie), a film by Valérie Müller and Angelin Preljocaj featuring Anastasia Shevtsova,
Niels Schneider and Juliette Binoche. It will close five days later on Tuesday 13 December.


In attendance at the press conference was IFFAM Talent Ambassador Mr. Jang Keun Suk. Having made a name for himself after appearing in several Korean drama huge hits, the Korean actor-singer received a lot of attention from overseas fans and Korean fan and became one of the most well-known entertainers in the region. Mr. Jang said, “I am happy to be part of this film festival, to exchange with other producers and international film makers.” He continues, “I am particularly interested in working with director Jiang Wen from China, because he is not only a director but he is also an actor so I think that I may be able to learn a lot from him.”

Also in attendance was the selection committee of the Macao Short Film Competition which includes the following members:
• Representative of MGTO, Sergio Perez
• Representative of MFTPA, Rony Chan
• Director Fire Lee
• Director Tracy Choi
• Director Emily Chan


The award presentation ceremony of IFFAM will be held at the closing night on 13 December. Award winners decided by the jury members from the competition films will receive a trophy designed by production designer Mr. Dante Ferretti, celebrated production designer and 3-time Oscar winner.

Mr. Ferreti also served as president of the jury of Macao Trophy Design Competition. Winners of the competition were revealed in the press conference and the winner was Cheong Wai Pan, whose winning design “Eyes of the Audience” will be used as the trophy of the “Macao Audience Choice Award”. It will be presented to one of the 11 competition films selected by the local audience.

The 1st International Film Festival & Awards‧Macao runs from Thursday 8 December – Tuesday 13 December 2016.
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