Chinese movies draw crowds of Cambodian audience during China Arts Week

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Chinese movies draw crowds of Cambodian audience during China Arts Week

By Wang Qibing, Nguon Sovan (Xinhua) 09:03, November 05, 2013

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PHNOM PENH, Nov. 4 -- Throngs of Cambodian teenagers flocked on Monday to watch Chinese movies screened at the capital' s Lux Cinema to celebrate the 55th anniversary of the establishment of Cambodia-China diplomatic ties.

The movies are part of the China Today Arts Week, which will run through Friday.

"It drew crowds of students from various universities on the first day," Sok Sophal, deputy chief of the cinema department at the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts, which co-organized the event, told Xinhua.

"We arranged around 800 seats for spectators, but up to 1,200 people had attended the event."

He said six renowned Chinese movies -- The Smile of Angkor, The Piano in A Factory, Mother, Love on Gallery Bridge, Thangs Ka, and Love Is Not Blind -- have been showing at the cinema.

The Smile of Angkor featured the marvel of the ancient Angkor Wat temple, Cambodia's World Heritage Site, and the natural landscapes in and around the temple, he said.

"All the films had been dubbed into the Khmer language, so Cambodian people can freely enjoy them," he said.

Sok Sophal said the six Chinese romantic movies depicted morals, cultures, and daily life in China.

"I believe that these films will be a model for Cambodian youth to follow in their daily lives after they have watched them," he said.

Sar Socheata, a student at the University of Fine Arts, said, " After watching this film, I feel that culture and environment are beautiful, and it stimulates me to love and want to conserve ancient temples and nature."

"Chinese stars have performed very well in these movies," said Touch Kakada, also a student at the University of Fine Arts. " Through these movies, Cambodians will be able to learn more about the richness of Chinese culture and traditions and the daily life of the Chinese people."

Cambodian Minister of Culture and Fine Arts Phoeung Sakuna, who was among the viewers, said the event was part of the effort to implement the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership of Cooperation between Cambodia and China on culture.

"The show of the movies is not only an opportunity for Cambodian people to learn more about Chinese traditions and daily lives, but also a chance for Cambodian and Chinese cultural officials to exchange experience and bridge closer relations."

"The China Today Arts Week is a milestone in promoting the cultural relations between Cambodia and China," she said.

Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia Bu Jianguo said it was the first time that the China Today Arts Week came to Cambodia.

"The event is to mark the 55th anniversary of the China- Cambodia diplomatic ties and to promote cultural relations between the two countries," she said.

Fan Xiaowei, head of the Chinese movie delegation, said all the movies are very famous in China and he is confident that through the films, the Cambodian people would know more about Chinese culture and traditions and the daily life of the Chinese people.

The China Today Arts Week, organized by the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles, is the largest and most inclusive of its kind in the history of cultural exchanges between Cambodia and China.

Besides the movie show, a group of Chinese vocalists, instrumentalists and acrobats also staged a series of Chinese traditional songs, dances, and acrobatics at the capital's Chaktomuk Theater.

Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Cabinet Minister Sok An was among a thousand of spectators at the opening of the Chinese arts performance Monday evening.