The Taiwan Film Festival in Iceland is set to kick off March 8 in the capital Reykjavik, marking the first time the Nordic nation has hosted the event spotlighting the country’s rich cinematic heritage.
Sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, the festival runs through March 24 and comprises screenings of 13 feature-length and short movies. It is part of a MOC project aimed at deepening international awareness of Taiwan cinema and strengthening connections with overseas talents.
Under the initiative, Taipei Representative Office in the U.K. is working with Film Taiwan, a team led by curator Aephie Chen, to stage a festival in one Nordic country each year through 2023, the ministry said. This is in addition to the annual TFF in the U.K.
The Reykjavik event will open with Huang Hsin-yao’s “The Great Buddha+.” The dark comedy follows the exploits of a night security guard and a recyclables collector in a voyeuristic netherworld. It bagged five prizes including best adapted screenplay, cinematography and director at the 2017 Golden Horse Awards, Taiwan’s equivalent of the Oscars.
Another highlight will be the Icelandic premieres of two Taiwan box-office smash hits by filmmaker Wei Te-sheng: “Cape No. 7” and “Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale.” The former tells the story of a band formed by people from distinct professional backgrounds in the southern county of Pingtung, while the latter depicts an uprising by an indigenous tribe during Japanese colonial rule (1895-1945).
Following the screenings, Huang and Wei will take part in discussions of their works. Wei will also lead a storytelling workshop on his films and Taiwan’s history.
According to the MOC, the next TFF in the U.K. is scheduled to be held April 3-14 in London. The program is expected to include screenings of several of director Tsai Ming-liang’s works at the Tate Modern. (CPY-E)
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