Chan says no to tsunami-based movie

Chan says no to tsunami-based movie

JAKARTA: Action movie star Jackie Chan said that he had no plans
to make a film that would be based on the Asian tsunami after
witnessing the utter destruction that was left by nature's wrath
in Banda Aceh.

Chan, famous for starring in action-packed movies such as Rush
Hour and Shanghai Noon, said that he was so saddened at the
plight that befell the Acehnese that making such a movie would be
inappropriate.

"Their suffering was so heavy; it was very sad and I have no
plan to make a movie based on the tsunami. Besides, it would be
very difficult, technically speaking," he said here.

Chan, fellow movie star Eric Tsang, Miss World 2005 Peruvian
Maria Julia Mantilla Garcia and British Olympic gold medalist
athlete Daley Thompson are expected to appear at a charity
concert for tsunami victims on Tuesday night.

Earlier in the day, Chan met with President Susilo Bambang
Yudhoyono at the State Palace after touring tsunami-wracked Aceh
for two days.

He said after witnessing the devastation that people in Aceh
had begun to regain their optimism and were eager to rebuild
their lives. "I'm glad to see that the victims are in good
spirits," he said.

Soon after the massive tidal wave struck countries bordering
the Indian Ocean, Chan and a number of Hong Kong movie stars
staged a charity concert to raise money for tsunami victims.

The concert collected US$5 million and the money has been
channeled to tsunami victims through international aid agencies
including the Red Cross and the United Nations Childrens Fund
(Unicef). -- JP