Festival to launch annual Jackie Chan gala in 2015

The gala aims to honor people who have made outstanding contributions to action cinema around the world. It will showcase the latest trends in special effects technology and cinematography that are used in making the  action genre.

Chan, one of the most influential Chinese kung fu stars, has achieved international prestige and popularity. He took up a film career in the 1960s and has appeared in more than 150 films. Movies starring Chan have grossed more than 10 billion yuan (US$1.6 billion) at the global box office.

Chan, who performs all of his film stunts, said the movie gala starting in 2015 will give people an insight into action cinema and help them to better appreciate the action film crews\' devotion and achievements.

"I used to be a stand-in for dangerous scenes, and I used to portray a dead body on the screen," Chan said. "When people tell me that I am a very good fighter, they hardly know the fact that I am a man who is very easy to get hurt. I hurt all over my body."

Chan\'s representative movies as well as recent action productions from around the world will be exhibited during the gala. It will also include film forums to discuss innovations from technology to action choreography.

Film festival officials also announced yesterday that Walt Disney Film Studios independent film label Disneynature will collaborate with SMG Pictures on a nature documentary named Born In China.

In March, SMG Pictures and Walt Disney Pictures signed a memorandum of cooperation on filmmaking. Born in China is their first jointly developed film project and will target global screening and distribution.

The documentary will be directed by Chinese filmmaker Lu Chuan and produced by film veterans Brian Leith and Phil Chapman. It will document the landscapes and precious wild animal species of China including the panda, Tibetan antelope and golden monkey.

Director Lu said shooting had already started in China and will probably last two years. All the wild footage cameramen are from UK.

"I feel so honored to make a film about the protection of nature and my homeland 10 years after my drama film Kekexili: Mountain Patrol," he said. "It is very meaningful."