Jackie Chan: “At 71, I Can Still Fight”
According to CinemaDrame News Agency, on Saturday night Jackie Chan stated that, at seventy-one years old, he can still perform in action scenes. His remarks came after receiving the honorary Pardo alla Carriera award at the Locarno Film Festival.
The veteran Hong Kong actor, upon receiving the award from festival artistic director Giona Nazzaro, said: “Today, I am 71 years old, and I can still fight.”
The ceremony, held in Locarno’s Piazza Grande, saw many attendees wearing “I Love Jackie Chan” T-shirts, while others held copies of his films. Before the award presentation, Chan attended the screening of his comedy Project A and engaged with fans through a translator. According to Deadline, at moments during the event, members of the audience brought their young children onto the stage to take commemorative photos with Chan.
Chan later addressed the Piazza Grande audience without a translator, expressing gratitude to all the filmmakers and actors who, throughout his career, had helped him “look good.”
Recalling that he is now in his sixty-fourth year as a performer, Chan shared an anecdote from his early days: “I was about 17. I was sitting in the kitchen, watching my father cook. Suddenly, he turned to me and said, ‘Son, I have lived for 60 years, and I can still cook. When you turn 60, will you still be able to fight?’ I was stunned. I didn’t know what to say. But today, I am 71 years old, and I can still fight.”
He concluded his speech by dedicating his honorary award to a world filled with “love and peace.”
In addition to Project A, the festival — which runs until August 16 — also screened Chan’s Police Story.
