“As we speak, I’m 71, and I can nonetheless struggle,” veteran Hong Kong actor Jackie Chan proclaimed resolutely this night at Locarno, the place he was awarded the competition’s Pardo alla Carriera award for profession achievement.
Chan was handed the award on the Piazza Grande by Locarno chief Giona Nazzaro. The open-air cinema venue is packed each evening throughout the competition, however I’ve by no means seen scenes like this night’s in my 4 years coming to the occasion.
The Piazza was full of Chan superfans over an hour earlier than the honorary ceremony began. Some wore ‘I Love Jackie Chan t-shirts,’ whereas others wielded hand-drawn panda indicators and copies of his films. Earlier this afternoon, the competition despatched out a uncommon e-mail to delegates warning of excessive attendance. That e-mail might have been prompted by the scenes on the competition’s earlier screening of Chan’s 1983 comedy flick, Challenge A. Chan launched the movie, principally utilizing a translator, and he was mobbed by followers as he stepped off the stage. A number of mother and father handed their toddlers over to the actor so footage could possibly be taken whereas different viewers members pushed previous the heavy safety at hand Chan items. See a brief clip from the melee under.
On the Piazza, Chan spoke and not using a translator and thanked the competition and all of the filmmakers and co-stars he labored with, who he stated “made me look good” all his years working.
Chan famous that this 12 months marks his sixty fourth 12 months working within the film enterprise, and he shared a brief and uncommon anecdote from his childhood.
“I used to be round 17. I used to be sitting within the kitchen watching my father prepare dinner,” Chan started. “Then all of a sudden he rotated and requested me, ‘Son, I’m 60. And I can nonetheless prepare dinner. Can you continue to struggle while you’re 60?’ I used to be shocked. I didn’t know what to say. However right now, I’m 71, and I can nonetheless struggle.”
Chan ended his speech by telling the viewers that he devoted his honorary award to the concept of a united world stuffed with “love and peace.”
Chan’s 1985 characteristic Police Story screens this night in Locarno. The competition ends on August 16.
