‘Heritople’ from Sanmarful wins award in Thailand

The documentary “Heritople,” directed by Macau-born filmmaker António Salas Sanmarful, has won an award at the Bangkok Movie Awards (BMA) monthly competition.
The trilingual documentary, produced by the International Institute of Macau (IIM) and sponsored by the Macau Foundation, features interviews with prominent Macau citizens, delving into the importance of cultural preservation and the harmonious coexistence of Eastern and Western influences in the city.
The film won in the category for Best Documentary Film of December 2024.
Heritople aims to expand the public’s understanding and appreciation of Macau’s cultural legacy.

It includes interviews with key figures, including Ip Tat, president of the Na Tcha Temple Association; Harry Kwah Hou Ieong of the Macao Cultural Heritage Reinventing Studies Association; and Jorge Rangel, president of IIM.

The film premiered in Macau in mid-October last year at a screening at the Cinematheque Passion.
In a statement from the BMA, it was stated that, as a monthly winner, the movie is also granted the opportunity to vie for the Golden Elephant Awards, whose winners will be unveiled during an annual gala competition in Bangkok later this year.
According to the organizers, the BMA is shaping the future of the film festival in Thailand and the Southeast Asian region.

It is evolving and adapting to changing trends, technology, and cultural preferences, considering the rise of streaming platforms and how people consume and enjoy films.

The Awards aim to give a stage to independent filmmakers from countries such as the United States, Great Britain, Singapore, India, Australia, Thailand, South Africa, Indonesia, Myanmar, and the Philippines, to showcase their talents to the world and nurture their filmmaking abilities by learning from experts in the movie industry.