Taiwan filmmaker David Lim was awarded the prize for Best Director of a Short Foreign Language Film for his latest production “Fight” at the 9th London International Filmmaker Festival of World Cinema.
Competing against 13 nominees from around the world, Lim received the honor at an awards ceremony Feb. 17. According to festival organizers, the dialogue-free short film stood out thanks to its powerful score and unique use of slow motion.
The plot of Lim’s film revolves around a child, a teenager and a man who struggle with whether to exact revenge on a group of neighborhood bullies. Starring Shih Ming-shuai, the 15-minute short also received nominations for best lead actor and best original screenplay.
According to Lim, the film was inspired by a friend who experienced bullying and violence as a teenager. The story was presented without dialogue so as to focus on the feelings of the characters in a way that cannot be captured through words, he said, adding that the score, composed by Wang Yu-jun, compliments the film’s emotional tension.
Describing the short film as “a picture book for grownups,” the director said much of the story is presented from a child’s perspective, with the aim of reminding viewers of what it is like to grow up.
Originally a theater director, Lim began making films in 2009. The same year, he co-produced the short film “Secret Sea,” which won Best Short Film at the 2009 Golden Harvest Awards, Taiwan’s highest honor for short films. (CPY-E)
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