Johnnie To recently expressed his dissatisfaction with the 14th Shanghai International Film Festival that was held a few weeks ago.
Sohu reported that the director, who is known for his abhorrence for attending meet and greet events and award ceremonies, revealed that he regretted appearing at the festival, saying, "I will never go there again."
The director, who was in Wuhan for the promotional event of his new movie, "Blind Detective" did not elaborate why, simply stating, "It's not a real film festival. It does not respect film."
When asked why "Blind Detective" did not hold an audience appreciation screening like other films, Johnnie said, "I don't understand the need for directors to do so. If that is the only way to attract viewers, what kind of film are you making? I have been in the business for a while and I know how this game is played."
Meanwhile, when told about Johnnie's opinion, a representative of the Shanghai Film Festival Organising Committee stated, "We still can't quite understand the issue and do not know Johnnie To's intent. But we will communicate again with him and see exactly what happened."
Regarding Johnnie's refusal to participate in the film festival ever again, the representative stated, "We will respect his decision. But we will still cherish his works if he ever change his mind, and invite him to next year's festival."
Source: Yahoo Entertainment