Galilee Ma, a director from Macau, was one of the winners of the International Film Camp, with her script for the short film “Pop It”, which tells the story of a young woman looking for her heart. “I was very happy,” she confesses, also revealing that this is the first time she will be using Macau as a background.
The “most unforgettable part” of the five days was learning how to present. “My first presentation wasn’t very good and nobody knew what I was talking about; I was very nervous and confused. After that, my mentor spent a day helping me understand my story again and rethink my presentation, which was an unforgettable process.”
This isn’t the first time she’s taken part in a film camp, but she explains that the difference with the International Film Camp is that it “focuses more on the idea of the short film itself, with a week to complete the idea and then move on to filming [afterward]”.
Galilee Ma says that the five days were important to understand what is really important. “Cinema isn’t about learning a few techniques to make a good movie, it’s a form of personal and artistic expression. I think the most important thing is to get to know human beings and understand ourselves. So the biggest gain for me in this camp is not the sponsorship, which is obviously very important, but the fact that I can meet people from other places and learn how directors from other places make their films.”
Lan Tian, from Mainland China, is also through to the next round with the theme “One home to another”. He is grateful to receive the directing grant and admits that he was “very touched” by Dr. Wilfred Wong’s words. “He said that Asian filmmakers have to come together to create a different future for cinema,” he recalls. Lan Tian says that every day “was unforgettable” and that he won’t forget “the friendliness of the people in Macau,” noting that it was his first visit to the city. “The camp was memorable; it’s more like a family than a training camp. My instructor, Tan Chui Mui, was like a sister to us,” he mentions as an example.
Lan Tian reveals that “the most special part” of the IFC was “…really starting from scratch. My presentation skills have improved a lot. When I came here, I was skeptical because I thought directors shouldn’t talk too much, but my mentor taught me to be more open and tell my story, which is very important.”
The Chinese director wants to return to Macau, but the next time he really wants to “make a movie” about a city that, in his opinion, is “full of possibilities and stories.” This appetite for a return was sparked by the local candidates, who showed the rest of the candidates a Macau that sometimes goes unnoticed. “It’s a very beautiful city,” he says.
