Under the patronage of the Secretariat for Social Affairs and Culture of the Macao SAR Government, organised by the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC, from the Portuguese acronym), and co-organised by the Galaxy Entertainment Group and SJM RESORTS, LIMITED, the “China and the Portuguese-speaking Countries Film Festival”, integrated in the 5^th “Encounter in Macao – Arts and Cultural Festival between China and the Portuguese-speaking Countries”, is held from 10 to 24 November, featuring over 20 film productions in Chinese and Portuguese.

The opening film “Good Autumn, Mommy” was screened at the Galaxy Cinemas of Galaxy Macau^TM Integrated Resort on 10 November, and was attended by the Acting President of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, Cheang Kai Meng; the President of the Administrative Committee of the Cultural Development Fund, Cheong Kin Hong; the Chief of the Division of the Department of Publicity and Culture of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Macao SAR, Wang Huijie; the Executive Vice President, Corporate Office of Galaxy Entertainment Group, Buddy Lam; the Senior Vice President of Marketing of SJM Resorts, S.A., Joseph Liu; the Acting Vice President of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, Ho Hong Pan; and Member of the Cultural Development Consultative Committee, Choi Ian Sin. In the opening, the Director of the film, Chen Shizhong, was also invited to host a pre-screening sharing session.

Themed “Dresses Galore in Films”, the “China and the Portuguese-speaking Countries Film Festival”, one of the series of activities of the 5^th “Encounter in Macao – Arts and Cultural Festival between China and the Portuguese-speaking Countries”, brings together more than 20 outstanding films from Mainland China, the Portuguese-speaking countries and regions, and Macao. This edition of the Film Festival features four sections, namely “Exquisite Wardrobe in Cinema”, “New Films of China and the Portuguese-speaking Countries”, “Macao Showcase” and “Outdoor Screening”, showcasing the unique cultures of China (including Macao) and the Portuguese-speaking countries and regions through fashion styling in films. The opening film “Good Autumn, Mommy”, which won the Golden Goblet Award for Outstanding Artistic Achievement at the 25^th Shanghai International Film Festival, played by the Golden Horse Best Actress winner Shu Qi, tells the story of a female protagonist who goes through the ups and downs of the process from pregnancy until the birth of a life, embarking on a journey to find her family and herself. In the opening screening, professionals from the film and fashion industries were also invited to appreciate the charm of the film. The closing film “Miúcha: The Voice of Bossa Nova” will be screened outdoors at the Jardim Secreto, Grand Lisboa Palace Resort Macau on 24 November. This biographical documentary about Brazilian singer Miúcha presents the legendary story of the diva who breaks free from the shackles of tradition and achieves her own musical aesthetics.

Focusing on the aesthetics of cinema, this edition of the Film Festival, themed “Dresses Galore in Films”, will screen various outstanding Chinese films which were awarded for fashion styling, showcasing the humanism and cultures of China and the Portuguese-speaking countries. The films are: “The 4 Faces of Eve”, a bold and avant-garde experimental film; “The Silent War”, a work with elements of fashion design and elegant style; “Shadow”, a work of martial arts that incorporates the style of ink painting. The Portuguese film “The Strange Case of Angelica”, the masterpiece by Portuguese director Manoel de Oliveira, will also be screened, revealing the classical charm of Portuguese culture. Tickets for the above movies are on sale now and all are welcome to participate.

In addition to showcasing masterpieces by renowned artists, the multi-award winner of the Hong Kong Film Awards, Man Lim-chung, will be invited to host the Hong Kong Film Arts and Costume Design Sharing Session on 16 November. During the Film Festival, various outreach activities will be held, including the Outdoor Screening – Animations of China and Portuguese-speaking Countries and the Animation Character Crafts Workshop, to be held at the Former Iec Long Firecracker Factory; the Cantonese Opera Accessories Workshop and the Parent-child Portuguese Folk Dance Workshop, to be held at Anim’Arte NAM VAN; and a seminar, amongst others. Admission is free.

Tickets for the Film Festival are on sale at Cinematheque · Passion and are also available for sale online. The ticket office is open from10am to 11:30pm, from Tuesday to Sunday, including on public holidays, and is closed on Mondays.

For more information about the event and discounts, please visit the “Encounter in Macao – Arts and Cultural Festival between China and the Portuguese-speaking Countries” website at www.icm.gov.mo/FCP and the Cinematheque · Passion website at www.cinematheque-passion. mo.

For enquiries, please contact IC through tel. no. 8399 6256 or 8399 6280 during office hours.