Abstract:

"Since the former Portuguese colony Macao was ceded to China in 1999, it has become China's 'Empire of Gambling.' It derives all its income from tourism, thanks to its sleek new casinos and shopping malls. It's a short ferry ride for Hong Kongers, who visit on weekends in droves. Prostitution is illegal in the People's Republic of China, but here tourists can go to 'girly' bars with no worries. Thousands are employed by the casinos, with 80% of the population indirectly making their living from them. Incredibly, all of the casinos belong to the same person: Stanley Ho, an elderly man who remains invisible and untouchable. We meet Silveira Machado who describes how cosmopolitan and lively the city was throughout the twentieth century, with Portuguese, English, French, Italians, Russians and Chinese mixing easily. The film also traces the history and special status of the city from its early days as a Portuguese settlement in the 16th century, through its development as the largest Chinese commercial port for the rest of the world. Then in the 19th century, the large ships preferred the deep-water port of Hong Kong and that ended Macao's prosperity. Until now..." --http://www.filmakers.com