(Variety) Viggo Mortensen’s directorial debut “Falling” and the already acclaimed Chinese film “The Cloud in her Room” form part of the 11-title competition section announced by the International Film Festival & Awards Macao. The festival will take place entirely online this year, running Dec. 3-8.
The competition, which focuses on first and second films, also includes: Wang Xiaozhen’s “Love Poem,” which won the top prize at the FIRST International Film Festival this year; Jeonju prize-winner “Black Light,” by Bae Jongdae; Cannes 2020 Label titles “Limbo,” by the U.K.’s Ben Sharrock, “Spring Blossom” by France’s Suzanne Lindon, and “Sweat” by Magnus von Horn; and “Back To The Wharf,” by China’s Li Xiaofeng.
Three other titles joining the competition are: “Servants,” by Ivan Ostrochovsky of the Czech Republic; “Shorta,” by Frederik Louis Hviid and Anders Olholm from Denmark; and “Tragic Jungle,” by Yulene Olaizola, from Mexico.
Prizes will be decided by a jury comprising: Chinese director Ning Hao, Laos producer and director Mattie Do, German actress Nina Hoss, Singapore director Eric Khoo, and Albert Lee of the Hong Kong International Film Festival.
A world panorama section includes festival favorites: “Another Round,” by Thomas Vinterberg, “First Cow,” by Kelly Reichardt, “Nowhere Special” by Uberto Pasolini, “Sun Children” by Majid Majidi, and “Under The Open Sky,” by Nishikawa Miwa.
Special screenings go to: “76 Days,” by China’s Chen Weixi and Wu Hao; “Calamity,” by France’s Remi Chaye; “A Dream Of A Lifetime,” by Ricky Hayashi & Hon Yoshi (Hong Kong); Chinese propaganda omnibus “My People, My Homeland”; “Narcissus Off Duty,” by Brazil’s Ricardo Calil and Renato Terra; and “Tonkatsu DJ Age-taro,” by Japan’s Ninomiya Ken.
Films across all sections will be available online via a dedicated video streaming platform. The festival also plans five, virtual, In Conversation events, and an awards ceremony that will be held online on Dec. 8. Japan’s Koreeda Hirokazu will receive the festival’s ‘Spirit of Cinema’ award at that time.
Source: Variety by Patrick Frater