As exhibitors and buyers once again return in person this February to Berlinale’s European Film Market, Taiwan will be presenting forty film and TV content companies with 90 projects to the world market through the Taiwan Pavilion hosted by Taiwan Creative Content Agency (TAICCA). As well as introducing co-production and co-financing initiatives, TAICCA will present three projects at the Spotlight on Taiwan Pitching Session on February 18th, to continue fostering international co-production potential for international producers.
Industry professionals reunite at the Gropius Bau for the first in-person European Film Market in 3 years.
At Berlinale, Tomorrow is a Long Time, a Taiwan, Singapore, France and Portugal co-production with investment from TAICCA, has been selected for the Generation 14pluss section and will compete for the Crystal Bear. A debut from Singapore’s Jow Zhi-wei, the film centers on the relationship between a single father (Taiwanese actor Leon Dai) who moves to Singapore with his son (Singaporean newcomer Edward Tan). Meanwhile, following the success of American Girl, producer Clifford Miu takes Tom Lin Shu-Yu’s new feature Yen and Allie to the Talent Project Market, part of EFM’s Co-Production Market.
International buyers negotiating enthusiastically at the Taiwan Pavilion.
Acknowledging the importance of EFM and its promotion of independent cinema, festival contenders and films with box office potential, TAICCA’s CEO, Izero Lee, says Taiwan’s forthcoming projects will be joining the global market to seek exposure and collaborative opportunities. Furthermore, with Taiwan’s open environment and its full scope of production support and technical capabilities, Taiwan can be a great collaborator for international projects.
To highlight those Taiwanese projects with co-production potential, the Spotlight on Taiwan Pitching session on February 18th will present three projects to financiers, buyers, producers and professionals. Following the success of her Venice ‘Best Immersive Experience’ winning VR work The Man Who Couldn’t Leave, director Singing Chen is developing a new feature The Ancient Tree, a mystical exploration of uprooted trees and displaced people finding ways to heal. Director KEFF, whose previous short film Taipei Suicide Story was selected for Cannes Cinefoundation, will be presenting his debut feature Locust. Finally, the feature-length documentary project Island of the Winds, from director Hsu Ya-Ting, is a work accumulated over 20 years, and documents the Losheng Sanatorium relocation controversy that charts an important phase in Taiwan’s democratic movement.
Trade paper Variety highlights Taiwanese content in special feature.
With support from Taiwan’s Ministry of Culture, TAICCA’s Taiwan Pavilion at EFM will present a wide variety of the latest Taiwanese films. Notable projects include Who’ll Stop the Rain by Su I-Husan, which first appeared at the Venice Production Bridge; The Pig, The Snake and The Pigeon, executively produced by veteran Li Lieh and Roger Huang; the Rotterdam-premiered A New Day; the Golden Horse Best Narrative Feature winning Coo-Coo 043; actor Kai Ko’s directorial debut, Bad Education; and the Busan Wide Angle Documentary Competition title, After Passing Away.
Among this year’s Berlinale Talents this year will be four from Taiwan, selected in the development program for professionals working in the wider film field. They are producer Clifford Miu; Tsai Ming-Liang’s cinematographer Chang Jhong Yuan; director Zoe Weng Yu-Tong; and film critic Han Tien.