Handshaking with Paris Mayor...(28/6)

I met the Mayor of Paris, Bertrand Delanoë, and shaked hands last night at the Hôtel de Ville in Paris...A bit background of the Mayor...a 55 year old politician of Parti Socialiste (PS), borned in Tunisia, and grew up in France. Became the mayor of Paris since 2001, and with his promise during election to cure the traffic conjestion and pollution problem in the metropolitan, he implemented serious of road reconstruction work and the set up of dedicated busline on the road (I am also the one who use most of my time on the track with my bicycle). His more innovative invention is the "Paris Plage", a transformation of the Seine River in the city into a human-made beach...(well, the Parisien do not confine themselves to wear bikili only on beach though) every summer since 2002. Rome is borrowing the same model since this summer. He was one of the first politician in France to indicate himself a gay. He was attacked and stabbed during the Nuit Blanche years ago...

Yesterday was actually an occasion to kick start the annual event for cinema fans - "Paris Cinema" (www.pariscinema.org), and the Mayor hosted an opening ceremony at the Hotel de Ville. Perhaps I have a different look than other local people, we greeted each other and shaked hands before he left the salle. An interesting experience though.

Talking about the ceremony, the highlight was that the Mayor presented a medal to the guest of honour - the film star from Hong Kong - Jackie Chan. A great honour from the city indeed. Jackie Chan kept a present smile throughout the ceremony and being a Hongkonger, I could feel the reward and the sense of success he has achieved after his more-than-40-year film career. He spoke fine English, this was respectful as if you imagine that he did not know a single English word before commencing his career in Hollywood scene. He has the gesture of the Chinese and well, he did not really look like a star as of those on the red carpet in Cannes. It drew my attention that he emphasised for quite a few times that he was a "movie maker", and this self-defined identity made me a special feeling. But well, to the audience here, he is more a famous kung-fu star. He ended his speech by assuring that he would continue to jump from buildings etc. Fuuny!?

Met some French film makers and distributors in the cocktail. Apparently Asian films do have some attraction to the French people. We share similar thoughts and elements of culture sometimes perhaps.