CHINA BOOST FUTURE CULTURAL TIES WITH NIGERIA THROUGH FILM

For two days, it  was a real celebration of Chinese culture as movie lovers, especially lovers of the Chinese film thronged the famous Silverbird Cinemas in Victoria Island for much publicised Chinese Film Festival in Lagos, Nigeria. The festival which is the first of its kind was put together by the Chinese Consulate in Lagos as part of movies to help Nigerian friends to understand Chinese culture, history, society and boost future cultural exchange and cooperation.

And as it turned out to be, over 400 people attended the first day of screening which also attracted state officials, lecturers, students and business executives. The opening film screened was the “Chinese Zodiac,” an action/comedy movie featuring renowned Chinese actor and director Jackie Chan. The heist caper, revolving around a Chan-led team hunting down Chinese national treasures auctioned off to international speculator.

Other movies enjoyed by Nigerian movie fans includes “Confucius” and “Monkey King”. The former one tells the life story of Confucius, who is the greatest philosopher in Chinese history, the founder of Confucianism. While Monkey King is the most well-renown Chinese mythic story. It is a monkey born from a heavenly stone who acquires supernatural powers. After rebelling against heaven and being imprisoned under a mountain for 500 years, he later accompanies the monk Xuanzang on a journey to India. Thus, according to legend, Buddhism is brought to ancient China. This much beloved story, is as much a part of Asian culture as The Iliad and The Odyssey or The Wizard of Oz are to the West.

In his opening speech, the Consul-General of the Chinese Consulate in Lagos, Liu Kan, said films can make people share feelings and the event aimed to let local people know more about China through films, and expand cooperation in the film sector. The envoy said the first event of this kind will help promote the relationship between the Chinese side and Nigeria to open “a window or door” for Nigerian friends to learn more about modern China through such films.

He told his audience that the Consulate was working hard on promoting communication between China and Nigeria. “We introduce China’s economy, history, culture, etiquette and so on through various kinds of activities such as open day, public lectures and artistic performances,” he added.

On his part, Lawrence Akande, a lecturer with Nigeria’s National Film Institute (NFI), said the knowledge of Chinese language would avail Nigerians the opportunity to communicate easily with their Chinese counterparts. “This film will go along way to boost our ties with China, he added. The Chinese film festival which started on Friday and ended on Saturday drew thousands of fans to the arena.

Vanguard.