Hong Kong martial arts idol Jackie Chan wants to make films in Saudi Arabia after being honoured with the Joy Excellence Award in Riyadh over the weekend.
Rubbing shoulders with fellow martial arts hero Jean-Claude Van Damme, Aquaman star Jason Momoa and Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, the 65-year-old Chan made his first visit to the kingdom where a ban on cinemas was lifted last year as part of Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's modernisation efforts.
The event raised eyebrows as it was held a year after the brutal killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi, one of the kingdom's most prominent writers and critics, who was murdered inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct 2 last year.
Chan happily posed with his fellow stars at the Ritz-Carlton, which hosted the Joy Forum and awards were handed out to the stars by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's Entertainment Authority.
The two-day festival was organised to help develop the entertainment industry in the kingdom.
The star of Rush Hour and The Foreigner took to the stage at the lavish ceremony and thanked Saudi Arabia for inviting him to the country, which hopes to become a leading regional film and television hub in Salman's Vision 2030 plan.
"I know most of you watched my movies growing up," Chan told the crowd in his acceptance speech. "I've been making films for 59 years since I was a child actor, stuntman, stunt coordinator then actor and then director and producer.
"All those years, I made action comedy because I like to make joy and make people laugh but besides that we have a message [in the movie] and it's about love, love your people, love your country, love the world and also bring the peace around the world."
Chan said he would consider making films in the kingdom and revealed to the crowd that he had found a location to make another action film.
"It's my first time in Saudi, and I know it's a big country. After only a few hours [travelling] here and looking at locations I know there's a good place for car chasing, explosions, action; so, next time, I hope to come back with my crew."
Khan, one of Bollywood's leading stars for the past three decades, was delighted to have met Van Damme and Chan at the event.
He posted a tweet - that has been doing the rounds on the internet - with the 58-year-old Belgian action star and Chan. "The joys all mine as I got to meet my heroes." he wrote.
