For the first time ever and in recognition of the contribution of Chinese martial artist and actor Jackie Chan to the film industry of China as well as in putting the Chinese in the Hollywood map, the Jackie Chan Action Movie Week debuted at the 18th Shanghai International Film Festival on June 14. The event will last until June 18, reports CriEnglish.com.
As expected, Jackie Chan was around during the opening ceremony of the Shanghai International Film Festival along with boxer Mike Tyson.
Instead of being a showcase of Jackie Chan’s past films, the Jackie Chan Action Movie Week within the Shanghai International Film Festivals will also feature the actor’s extraordinary performances, and the innovation he has made on special effects and technology in action film-making.
There will also be a competition among the 20 to 25 films to be featured during the week for the ‘Man of Steel’ Awards which include categories such as Best Stunt Film, Best Stunt Director, and Specialty Stunt.
Jackie Chan said that he hopes that the event will provide a focal point for the Chinese and global audience to know the stuntmen who often work behind the scenes, whether be it in his movies or not.
He said that he expects the action movie week to give people a better understanding of the hardship of the movie stuntmen and their contributions in making action movies really look great. Jackie also added that he hopes the event will also breed new Chinese action film stars so that they can also help in promoting Chinese action movies worldwide.
Anti-drug ambassador
The Singapore government has also named Jackie Chan last month as its first anti-drug ambassador.
Over in his home country of China, Jackie Chan is also the anti-drugs ambassador and deputy to the national legislature’s main consultative body.
Speaking before thousands of students at the Nanyang Polytechnic last month, Jackie Chan said that their only choice is to stay away from drugs, citing that they cannot experiment with drugs lest they get hooked on it and eventually become its victims.
Countries in Southeast Asia have been intensifying their respective campaigns against illegal drugs that have been wrecking havoc on thousands of lives of their youths. Most of them have actually initiated high-profile campaigns to stop the trade dead on its tracks.
Unfortunate experience
Jackie has the capability to lecture young ones over illegal drug use as his son Jaycee Chan recently got himself entangled in a legal mess after getting hooked on the habit.
Jaycee Chan is the son of Jackie by former Taiwanese actress Li Feng-jiao. He grew up in Los Angeles and appeared in more than 20 films, mostly B-movies from Hong Kong and mainland China production companies.
China needed high-profile arrests in its campaign to set an example to the public and to show the Chinese public that the government is really serious on eradicating illegal drugs and apprehending illegal drug users in its country.