Overview

In recent years, the re-screening of classic films has become a new wave for returning to the cinema. The inaugural Macau Classic Film Festival will be held from September 27 to October 12, 2025, at the Macau Bona International Cinema (Treasure Island Branch). The event is organized by the Idlers' Commune and funded by the Cultural Development Fund of the Macau SAR Government.

The festival's curator comes from a strong artistic family background, and the core curatorial team, with eight years of experience from the Macau International Documentary Film Festival, has freshly curated this event. Ten films, each at least twenty years old, have been selected to form the 2025 Macau Classic Film Festival. After years of delving into "reality," the exploration of "classics" will begin its journey with this festival.

Program Highlights

Opening Film: "Love Unto Waste" (1986)

• The festival's visual identity features two posters, blue and green, with the "green" version inspired by the opening film.
• Directed by renowned Hong Kong director Stanley Kwan, the film stars Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Chow Yun-fat, Elaine Jin, Irene Wan, and Tsai Chin.
• Director Stanley Kwan has stated it is "the only film I would be willing to remake in my old age."
• The film will open the festival at 3:30 PM on Saturday, September 27.
• A masterclass with director Stanley Kwan and actress Elaine Jin will be held in the morning at the Macau University of Science and Technology's School of Film and Television.

Three Thematic Sections

1. Beauties, Turbulent Times

• Inspired by the classic 1939 film "Gone with the Wind."
• Features films that explore love and the changing roles of women across eras.
• Includes:
  • Before Sunrise (1995)
  • Before Sunset (2004)
  • Breathless (1960)
  • Shanghai Blues (1984) – 4K restoration

2. Midnight Phantoms

• A special selection of classic suspense, crime, and fantasy films.
• Includes:
  • Mulholland Drive (2001) – David Lynch
  • The System (1979) – Hong Kong classic, newly 4K restored with support from M+
  • M (1931) – A pioneering German crime film

3. Before the Screen, After Film History

• Spotlight Country: Finland
• Presented in cooperation with the Finnish Film Foundation.
• Includes:
  • The Man Without a Past (2002) – Cannes Jury Prize winner
  • Fire-Eater (2022) – A story about circus sisters
  • Seven Songs From The Tundra (1999) – First feature film in the Nenets language

Festival Philosophy

Looking back at classics is not the festival's sole purpose. Revisiting classics is not about tracing origins, but about creating a starting point for a new beginning. The festival program quotes legendary critic Roger Ebert from his book "The Great Movies," emphasizing that some films offer an experience of attempting "empathy."

Key Information

• Date: September 27 – October 12, 2025
• Location: Macau Bona International Cinema (Treasure Island Branch)
• Organizer: Idlers' Commune
• Funding Support: Cultural Development Fund of the Macau SAR Government