Scud was listed in the Focus Filmmaker section of the 2024 Rotterdam International Film Festival, a record-breaking feat! Inviting 37 actors to Rotterdam
[WoWoNews] The 53rd Rotterdam International Film Festival kicked off on January 25. One of the highlights of this year’s festival was that director Scud was invited to take part in the “Focused Filmmaker” section, which featured a special screening of 10 films in his 17-year film career. In order to welcome this glorious moment, he invited 37 actors who have participated in his films to gather in Rotterdam for the first time. The conference confirmed that it broke the record in the history of the film festival and was a rare feat in international film festivals. He said emotionally: “It is my greatest achievement to bring honor to actors. It would be better if it can inspire other artists. I would say to everyone: Look at me! Just do it if you think of it, believe in yourself and do it to the end; then, even if no one is watching, God is watching.”
The 2024 Rotterdam Film Festival has arranged a “Focus on Filmmaker (FOCUS: SCUD)” section for director Scud, screening his films from 2008’s “City Without Baseball”, “Permanent Residence”, “Amphetamine”, “Love actually…sucks!”, “Voyage”, “Utopians”, “Adonis, aka Thirty Years of Adonis”, to the new film “Plato vs Pasolini”, “Ghosts just want to have fun” and “Naked Nations – Tribe Hong Kong” , a total of 10 movies will be screened for 20 times, and another 1 movie will be screened. “Talk: SCUD” Scud’s special discussion. During the opening speech on the evening of the 25th, Chairman Vanja Kaludjercic spent five minutes introducing Scud, praising his unique images and artistic creations that must continue, and hoping that his retirement declaration was just a joke.
Because Scud had promised the actors to appear on the international stage, he paid for all the air tickets and accommodation expenses out of his own pocket this time, and invited the actors he had worked with to go to the Rotterdam Film Festival to attend the pre-screening and post-screening activities of their respective works. Before the screening of “Naked Nations – Tribe Hong Kong” on the evening of the 26th, Scud led the actors on stage to say hello, echoing the concept of “Naked Tribe”. He took the lead in stripping off and letting all the hunky actors show off their upper body muscles, which aroused cheers from the audience.37 actors: Bai Zixuan, Adonis He, Susan Shaw, Amanda Lee, Byron Pang, Adrian Heung, Eric East, Karen Huang, Lina Tsai, Huang Wei Kai, Owen Wu, Tank Liu, Teslin, Bank Chuang, Jason Lee, Pao Jung Jen, Alice Chen, Osman Hung, Winnie Leung, Christepher Wee, Joe, Simon Tam, Beatrice Wong, Stanley Wu, Derek Lai, William Lo, Hong Lau, Rauv, Moe Chin, Daniel Benjamin, Justin Lim, Lew Voon Khong, Leni Adams, Ryo Van Kooten, Katashi, Zhang Zie. Scud also invited Chicago Film Festival founder Michael Kutza, famous photographer Lin Zhijian, Taiwanese film producer Liu Fengqi, and Hong Kong director Qiu Litao, who serves as this year’s jury, to attend the ceremony. Qiu Litao has photographed two of Scud’s works in the past.
Director Scud said: “I received the official notice in August, and I have been living in a dream since then. I have always thought, without this retrospective exhibition, would my death be less obscure? Looking back on my journey, it started to be completely I am a nobody, at least in the international film industry; but I have reached this point in more than ten years (established a studio in 2006, and filmed “City Without Baseball” in 2007). I started very late, but it is not bad to be paid tribute at the age of 56. I’m young.” He admitted that the biggest reason is persistence, “to do my pure art. In fact, if it had been anyone else, I would have given up after the first film failed miserably at the box office. My stubbornness has made me suffer throughout my life, but because of this, no one will go. realm.”
The actors and the working team invited a total of 50 people. Scud said that many people were “extremely surprised” when they received the invitation, especially those who had only filmed one film more than ten years ago. They said they would never have imagined that today, some of them would come. Most of it is because of work.” It was a spectacle to gather everyone together, but the effort behind it was also very labor-intensive. He revealed that just booking air tickets and hotels was not easy, and when it was in the local area, it was also a problem to have meals together every day, because There are few restaurants in Rotterdam that can accommodate so many people at once. However, the best thing about the Rotterdam Film Festival is that there are many cinemas within walking distance. The whole city feels like it was designed for the film festival. I believe everyone will have a worthwhile experience.