13th March, 2003 Macau SAR

As the home of some of Macau's best entertainment, Macau Tower partners with the Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF) in presenting the first-ever Hong Kong International Film Festival@Macau. The 7-day event will feature a collection of European and Asian films selected from HKIFF's line-up of nearly 300 movies.

The programme of "Hong Kong International Film Festival@Macau" encompasses a wide spectrum of cinema works by various celebrated masters and young directors; films by Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Iranian, Spanish and European filmmakers; documentary on wars; independent movies and one film by Japanese maestro Ozu Yasujiro, in celebration of his 100th anniversary.

According to HKIFF director Peter Tsi, this full-week screening at the Macau Tower is to further enhance the international presence of the event, "(it) is something akin to having a festival in Cannes, and at the same time having one in Monte Carlo."

Hong Kong director Johnnie To's "PTU" is to open the festival on April 10 at 7:30. "PTU" tells the story of a police patrol trying to recover a lost gun in the course of one long evening. Two years in the making, it is one of To's more personal projects, whose noirish mood and style bring to mind the director's award-winning "The Mission".

Three recent masterworks will delight each and every movie audience. "The Uncertainty Principle" by Portuguese maestro de Oliveira at the age of 94; "Ten" by the great Iranian director Abbas Kiarostami; and "Monday Morning" by Otar Iosseliani, who effortlessly unfolds a series of surreal, farcical moments of life.

In the line-up, the First "Hong Kong International Film Festival@Macau" will be screening a wide variety of movies such as "Love is not a Sin", a digital film by Macanese director Doug Chan, "My Mother's Smile", a recent tour de force by the fearless Italian director Marco Bellocchio, "Two" featuring Isabelle Huppert in the double role of twins and "The Blessing Bell" by Japanese director Sabu. For programme details and screening schedule, please take a "Hong Kong International Film Festival@Macau" brochure available at major cultural venues or visit Macau Tower
website: www.macautower.com.mo

Tickets at MOP 40 (adult) and MOP 30 (student I.D. holder and senior citizen) are now available at Macau Tower Theatre, Level 4, Macau Tower Convention & Entertainment Centre. Telephone enquires: (853) 933 339 or (853) 9888 895.

About Macau Tower Convention & Entertainment Centre

The 338-metre Macau Tower anchors four public levels of outlets including a revolving restaurant, a lounge, a double-height Observation Lounge and an Outdoor Observation Deck. The Convention & Entertainment Centre houses world-class meeting and exhibition facilities.
The Macau Tower, managed and operated by Shun Tak Holdings Limited, was inaugurated in December 2001. Macau Tower Convention & Entertainment Centre, along with Hotel Lisboa Macao, Hotel Sintra Macao, TurboJET and Shun Tak Travel Services Ltd, are promoted by Shun Tak Hospitality Services Ltd.

For more details:
Visit the Macau Tower website at www.macautower.com.mo or contact:

Janet Tong, PR & Communications Manager, Shun Tak Hospitality Services Ltd.
Tel: (852) 2859 4823 Email: janettong@shuntakhospitality.com

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