In recent years, Taiwanese XR and immersive works have been recognized by international juries and festivals. The exposure of Taiwanese XR works in international film festivals these years has connected more cross-border resources and creators. NewImages Festival, the flagship event in the global XR ecosystem and the biggest XR festival in France, has announced its selection for its 5th edition in 2022. Four Taiwanese XR works are selected in the XR Competition, surpassing its previous record in the festival. The four selected works, including a title supported by Taiwan Creative Content Agency (TAICCA), The Sick Rose, will compete with 11 international pieces for the Grand Prize and Jury’s Special Prizes during the festival in mid-June. Three additional Taiwanese projects are also selected with 40 other projects in XR Development Market looking for financing and co-production opportunities. Four more Taiwanese companies will join the brand new XR Art Fair to explore distribution and showcasing possibilities.
Selected Taiwanese Works of NewImages Festival XR Competition
The announcement also opens a new chapter for TAICCA and the NewImages Festival’s collaboration of the 2nd edition of Taiwan x France XR Days, which is designed for both Taiwanese and French talents to meet and create opportunities for international XR co-productions. “TAICCA continues developing relevant mechanisms and international programs, to better support local and international creators and to build up more compelling XR and immersive contents,” said TAICCA CEO Izero LEE.
Among the four selected XR titles, The Sick Rose is supported by TAICCA. Madame Pirate: Becoming A Legend and Red Tail Ep.1 are supported by Kaohsiung VR FILM LAB, and The Reflected City is a co-production by THE PIER-2 ART CENTER - Bureau of Cultural Affairs, Kaohsiung City Government.
'The Sick Rose' (Photo Credit: HTC VIVE ORIGINALS)
'Madame Pirate: Becoming A Legend' (Photo Credit: Serendipity Films)
“It’s our honor that our VR work is selected in the XR Competition this year”, said Szu-Ming LIU, president of HTC VIVE ORIGINALS, co-producer of The Sick Rose. “After the premiere in Venice VR last year, the work has been touring around the world. Next it will be presented via BEATDAY, a brand new metaverse platform that provides real-time XR experiences.” Serendipity Films, the production company of Madame Pirate: Becoming A Legend, also revealed their preparation for the second episode of the work. “We expect the second episode will have more chances to engage with international partners for more off-line showcases.”
'Red Tail Ep.1' (Photo Credit: Kaohsiung VR FILM LAB)
The director Fish WANG and the producer Yi Ching CHEN of Red Tail Ep.1 were both surprised and excited by the selection. “We are confident that the art and fantasy atmosphere of this work will be attractive as we are the first to apply this technique of model scanning. We believe that immersive experience tools will be as indispensable for people as the Internet eventually.” Meng-Yin YANG, Director of the Kaohsiung Film Archive also shared this honor as one of the co-producers of the work. “This work was selected by Kaohsiung VR FILM LAB in 2020. The smooth narration, the frustration, sadness and self-searching of the character, as well as the team’s dedication to details all make this work an impressive piece for international audiences and film festivals.”
'The Reflected City' (Photo Credit: Kuan-Yuan LAI)
Director Kuan-Yuan LAI also shared his thoughts about his third selection into the NewImages Festival with The Reflected City. “I am very happy that this steampunk VR animation with Taiwanese elements can be seen and encouraged by the jury members. I want to thank THE PIER-2 ART CENTER and Redbit Pictures for their support and the efforts of the whole team.”
NewImages Festival not only acknowledges innovative XR and immersive works through awards and prizes, but also launches XR Development Market to pitch projects to international decision makers in production and distribution channels. Three projects from Taiwan are selected this year, including Colored, a co-production by Taiwan, France and Sweden, The Awake produced by InTW Studio, and the latest VR project The Mirror from director De-Chuen WU who won the Best Animated Short Film of the Golden Horse Awards, dubbed the Chinese-language “Oscars,” in 2021.
'Colored' (Photo Credit: Flash Forward Entertainment)
'The Mirror' (Photo Credit: Yi-Ping CHENG)
'The Awake' (Photo Credit: InTW Studio)
XR Art Fair is newly launched in this year’s NewImages Festival to call for completed projects for one on one meetings with international curators and decision makers from exhibition venues for more showcasing opportunities. Selected Taiwanese creators and companies are Yi-Ting CHENG, This Moment Lab, Nau-Tai Delusional Studio with the project LIPS, and Kaohsiung VR FILM LAB will bring In the Mist, Look at Me, Afterimage for Tomorrow, Live Stream from YUKI <3, Madame Pirate: Becoming A Legend and Red Tail Ep.1 to the fair. Both look forward to further engaging with global distribution channels and entering international markets for more showcasing and financing opportunities.
The Chairperson of TAICCA TING Hsiao-Ching has recently signed the MOU of Taiwan x France XR Days for the second year with NewImages Festival. Taiwanese XR talents will meet French XR professionals in June in Paris, and take part in the diverse event in the framework of the festival’s Industry Days. In November, French professionals will be invited to participate in the Taiwan Creative Content Fest (TCCF) organized by TAICCA, to meet talented creators and studios, and share their experiences with the audiences. After participating in Taiwan x France XR Days last year, Serendipity Films founder Estella Valdivieso CHEN confirmed that “events like this are exactly where people can meet new creators and producers for great co-production opportunities, such as Mechanical Souls or Missing Pictures".
2021 Taiwan x France XR Days
TAICCA has been supporting XR and immersive content for local and international creators with different mechanisms, such as the prototype development support, the annual Immersive Content Grant open call, the 5G program and co-operation with festivals, institutions, etc. The third edition of the Immersive Content Grant open call will start in April. More information will be revealed on TAICCA official website.
2022 NewImages Festival (Photo Credit: NewImages Festival)
About NewImages Festival (https://newimagesfestival.com/)
Launched in 2018, it is now the biggest annual XR festival in France, physically welcoming 8,000 visitors during 5 days in the heart of Paris. It is dedicated to cinema, digital creation and extended reality (XR) works. 800 French and international accredited professionals took part in the Industry Days and the XR Financing Market (now XR Development Market) each year.
Completed list of selection in the 5th edition of NewImages Festival:
- XR Competition : https://newimagesfestival.com/en/xr-competition-line-up-2022/
- XR Development Market : https://newimagesfestival.com/en/xr-development-market-2022-selected-projects/
- XR Art Fair : https://newimagesfestival.com/en/xr-art-fair-companies-projects-2022