Hainan Island Int'l Film Festival unveils ASEAN film screening

Southeast Asian cinema took center stage at the 6th Hainan Island International Film Festival, with a special screening of 11 ASEAN films on Saturday in Sanya.

Sponsored by the organizing committee of the Hainan International Film Festival and co-organized by China Media Group (CMG) subsidiaries, the "ASEAN Section" film screening features an unveiling ceremony, a forum on Sino-ASEAN film and television exchanges, as well as film screenings.

At the forum held on Saturday, government officials, scholars and filmmakers from China and ASEAN countries shared their experiences in film and television development, discussing cooperation and exchanges between China and ASEAN countries.

"For China-ASEAN film cooperation, it is a good starting point. We need to make an alliance. We saw here [that] China has become a market leader, a leader for technology. So, if we can gather together, I think it can make a new center of the film industry," said Celerina Judisari, secretary-general of the Indonesian Film Association.

"The cooperation between China and ASEAN film development is going very well, smoothly, and growing fast. I want to for all the ASEAN members and China to consider about the co-production between each other in order to foster mutual understanding between each other," said Pok Borak, director of the Department of Film and Cultural Diffusion of Cambodia. The ASEAN film screening will be held both at the CMG Sanya base and cinemas in Hainan, with outdoor movie screening activities held simultaneously.

Universities and theaters in Malaysia will also hold film screenings and exchanges on Chinese movies, helping more people understand China through movies and television works. Jointly sponsored by CMG and the Hainan provincial government, the film festival, scheduled for Dec 4 to 10, has partnered with 20 cinemas across the province to screen over 100 films.

Hainan Island Int'l Film Festival unveils ASEAN film screening

Hainan Island Int'l Film Festival unveils ASEAN film screening

Hainan Island Int'l Film Festival unveils ASEAN film screening

Hainan Island Int'l Film Festival unveils ASEAN film screening

Hainan Island Int'l Film Festival unveils ASEAN film screening

Some Japanese people said on Thursday that the government led by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi must firmly uphold the pacifist constitution.

Their remarks came after French President Emmanuel Macron's visit to Japan from Tuesday to Thursday.

Attending a joint press conference with Takaichi on Wednesday, Macron emphasized that France and Japan have agreed on the importance of on the importance of quickly de-escalating the conflict in the Middle East and upholding international law.

Many saw this as a response to a strongly worded post by U.S. President Donald Trump on social media, which criticized France for refusing to cooperate with the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.

Some locals in Tokyo expressed their opposition to Japan's involvement in any war, but said Japan could offer help when the conflict in the Middle East ends.

"I think that Prime Minister Takaichi could offer support, provided that we wouldn't get involved in an armed conflict, such as minesweeping operations at sea, as Japan has the best minesweeping technology in the world," said a resident in Tokyo.

"I'm not entirely sure what consequences will follow Trump's demands. There may be additional tariffs, among other things. Our constitution prohibits [Japan's] from getting involved in war, and Prime Minister Takaichi should uphold this principle," said another resident.

Tokyo residents urge PM Takaichi to uphold pacifist constitution