The #FindingTaiwan International Short Film Contest got underway April 9 to help raise the country’s profile on the global stage, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Organized by the MOFA’s Department of International Information Services, the event is accepting domestic and international submissions until Aug. 31. It welcomes work that captures the excellence of Taiwan and features inspiring stories related to the country.
The competition is open to all ages and nationalities, the MOFA said. Videos should be under a minute in length and can be in either landscape or portrait format, the ministry noted, adding that they can be in any language but must incorporate Taiwan in some way, with English subtitles recommended to reach global audiences.
According to the MOFA, the prize pool for the contest totals NT$1 million (US$30441.4), with a grand prize of NT$200,000. There are two second prizes of NT$100,000 each, three third prizes of NT$80,000 each and five distinction prizes of NT$50,000 each, as well as monthly prizes of up to NT$10,000 to be awarded to the most popular entries.
Taiwan’s influence can be seen around the world, Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung said at a press conference announcing the contest April 9 in Taipei City. He cited the country’s technological prowess and booming semiconductor industry, in addition to its recent victory in the World Baseball Softball Confederation Premier12 championship and participation in the upcoming World Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan.
The minister encouraged global citizens to embrace the concept that everyone is a diplomat and to take advantage of opportunities such as the World Expo 2025 and National Palace Museum’s exhibitions in Czechia and France to discover Taiwan. He concluded by inviting friends worldwide to join the competition.
Several designers from Taiwan, India, Japan, South Korea and Zimbabwe voiced support for the contest through social media, according to the MOFA. (YCH-E)
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