Taiwan Creative Content Agency signed an MOU on 8th with Busan’s Asian Contents & Film Market (ACFM) to foster deeper collaboration. The memorandum includes the Pitch & Match dedicated to Taiwanese IP at Busan Story Market, a newly set up TAICCA Award at the Asian Project Market (APM) and the recommendation of Taiwan’s emerging producers for Platform Busan, a networking initiative. TAICCA also brings 88 film and TV content companies, 109 completed films, as well as 169 TV projects to ACFM with the aim of accelerating Taiwan’s market reach across Asia.

Izero Lee, TAICCA CEO (center), Seok Geun OH, Director of ACFM (Second from the Right) and Daniel KIM, General Manager, ACFM (Right) signed the MOU.

TAICCA’s CEO Izero Lee signed the MOU with OH Seok Geun, Director of ACFM. Lee acknowledged the key role played by ACFM as it gathers Asian film and TV practitioners and investors. It is also the place people look to for original Asian content. Lee emphasized the broader scale of TAICCA’s participation this year, ranging from a pitching event for original Taiwanese IP content, a TAICCA Award to attract international collaboration with Taiwan and the cultivation of new talent, all driven by a global vision. Lee said he anticipates the collaboration with ACFM will put Taiwan on the international audiovisual content map. OH saidt “By signing this MOU with TAICCA I hope that more Taiwanese content will be introduced to Korea and create further opportunities for collaboration between the Taiwan and Korean film and TV industries. Furthermore, through the ACFM platform, I hope Taiwan’s content will be introduced globally.”

Taiwan Pavilion at 2022 ACFM.

With support from the Ministry of Culture (Taiwan)’s Bureau of Audiovisual and Music Industry Development, the content TAICCA brings to ACFM has doubled from last year. It includes three films in BIFF’s official selection: On the Train and After Passing Away, two documentaries competing in the Wide Angle section, and Little Blue selected for A Window on Asian Cinema. Elsewhere, Beyond the Frame will be presented at APM, while other completed films include Bad Education by actor-turned-director Kai KO, Coo-Coo 143, recipient of 13 Golden Horse Awards nominations, and period film Untold Herstory depicting Taiwan’s white terror. With strong cast support are series such as Urban Horror: Taipei and The Attorney from Bachimean as well as popular talent show Atom Boyz. 

Taiwanese IP creators pitched at “BSM Pitch & Match - Taiwanese IP” session and introduced 10 Taiwanese original works.

Taiwan joins Korea, Japan and selected ASEAN countries in having a featured position in the Busan Story Market. International industry professionals are invited to Pitch & Match: Taiwanese IP session in which ten original Taiwanese projects were selected jointly by TAICCA and ACFM with a view to their adaptation potential. Selected projects include The Disaster Intervention Agent, Trials of Humanity, Forbidden Zone of God, Judge of Justice, Working for a Crime Group as a Scriptwriter, Mephisto Waltz, Login Danger, Connecting to You, Magical Super Asia and The Third Bullet.

TAICCA will also host a special screening and reception for Goddamned Asura, Taiwan’s submission to the Oscars’ Best International Feature. Director Lou Yi-An will attend the special screening and meet invited press and critics to promote the film.

Organized by ACFM, the Asian Content Awards sees several notable nominations from Taiwan. The anthology series, Twisted Strings, executive produced by Hou Hsiao-Hsien, is nominated for Best Content while Lee Kang-Sheng is nominated for Best Actor and Buffy Chen for both Best Supporting Actress and New Comer - Actress. Talk show Dee’s Talk also scores a nomination for Best Creator.

TAICCA will also be giving out an award during Busan at MyLab, the new workshop targeting Asian new talent making their debut features. Organized by FINAS and partnered with BIFF, TAICCA’s award will provide $5,000 to a project with international co-production potential with Taiwan. The project will then be eligible to apply for TAICCA’s Taiwan International Co-Funding Program (TICP) and will be invited to next year’s Taiwan Creative Content Fest (TCCF).