ADDIS ABABA, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- A China Film exhibition opened on Monday in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa, as part of China Cultural Week in Ethiopia.
Speaking to Xinhua, Yan Xiangdong, culture counselor at Chinese embassy in Ethiopia, said the film exhibition, the first of its kind, in Ethiopia will showcase the long history of Chinese civilization to Ethiopians who are also proud owners of a longstanding civilization.
"Africa-China Film exhibition is part of the 2017 China Culture Week in Addis Ababa, the culture week consists of three parts one was Guangdong province arts performance troupe who performed in National theater and Adama Industrial Park, today's opening of the China Film Exhibition and tomorrow we will have China Photo Exhibition as part of our national day reception," said Yan.
Yan also said the six Chinese films that will be shown this week aim to break the stereotype by many Ethiopians that Chinese movies are only Martial arts films from Hong Kong.
"Audiences all over the world know Hong Kong martial artists Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan having popularized martial arts, but China is a big country with diverse culture, from North to the South, East to West, the culture is different and movie is a good reflection of all these cultures," he added.
Desalegn Hailu, a popular Ethiopian actor and Vice President of Ethiopian Filmmakers Association, agrees a screening of various Chinese movies and actors is a positive way to show China's cultural variety.
"There are many types of films in China not only Wushu and martial arts films, not only action films, but many genres," he said.
Desalegn further added that the first China Film Exhibition can act as a knowledge sharing platform for Ethiopian artists and filmmakers on how to produce quality films for local and foreign audiences.
"Ethiopia and China have great potential, are historical countries in the world, have cultured people and society, events like this film exhibition will be a good bridge for public relation for countries filmmakers, innovators and artists," said Desalegn.
The hosting of various programs as part of China Culture Week in Ethiopia will also coincide with celebrations for the 68th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China which falls on Oct. 1.
