Ethiopia showcasing its first Chinese film festival

World
Europe

Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa is playing host to a Chinese film festival, which opened on Monday as part of China Cultural Week in Ethiopia.

Speaking to Xinhua, Yan Xiangdong, culture counselor at the Chinese embassy in Ethiopia, said the film festival is the first of its kind in Ethiopia, and will showcase the long history of Chinese civilization to Ethiopians.

"Africa-China Film exhibition is part of the 2017 China Culture Week in Addis Ababa. The culture week consists of three parts, and one of them was a Guangdong art performance troupe performed in National theater and Adama Industrial Park at today's opening of the China Film Exhibition," said Yan.

A poster for a Chinese film to be screened at the film exhibition in Ethiopia. /douban.com

Yan added that the six Chinese films that will be shown this week aim to break the stereotype of Chinese movies being only Hong Kong martial arts films.

"Audiences all over the world know Hong Kong actors Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan, who popularized martial arts, but China is a big country with diverse culture. From the north to the south, and the east to the west, the culture is different and the movies are good reflections of all these cultures," he added.

Desalegn Hailu, a popular Ethiopian actor and vice president of the Ethiopian Filmmakers Association, agrees that screening various Chinese movies is a positive way to show China's cultural variety.

A poster for a Chinese film at the film exhibition in Ethiopia. /douban.com‍

"There are many types of films in China not only Wushu and martial arts films, not only action films, but many genres," he said.

Desalegn further added that the first China Film Festival can act as a knowledge sharing platform for Ethiopian artists and filmmakers, showing how to produce quality films for local and foreign audiences.

"Ethiopia and China have great potential, are historical countries, have cultured people and society, and events like this film festival will be a good bridge for public relations between our countries' filmmakers, innovators and artists," said Desalegn.

The hosting of various programs as part of China Culture Week in Ethiopia will also coincide with celebrations for the 68th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China which falls on October 1.

8326km

Source(s): Xinhua News Agency