The 7th Taiwan Film Festival in Australia will take place from 25 July to 14 September, spanning six cities: Sydney, Canberra, Brisbane, Hobart, Melbourne, and, for the first time, Adelaide.
With more than 50 sessions and 20 Australian premieres, the festival features additional events, including a Pitching Competition, Taiwanese Bookshelves, and the most iconic Short Film Competition.
All the films, which are new releases from Taiwan, are subtitled in English.
Here are some picks of the program for you to consider:
Opening Night Film: Old Fox, dir. Hsiao Ya-Chuan
OLD FOX (Hsiao Ya-Chuan, 2023) is set in 1980s Taiwan. It depicts the economic optimism during the era and the ambitious dreams of the working class. The film won four Golden Horse Awards, including Best Director, Best Original Film Score, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Makeup & Costume Design. Executive produced by Taiwanese filmmaker Hou Hsiao-Hsien, Osaka Fumiko (Seediq Bale, 2011), and Elisa Y.H. Lin (Little Big Women, 2020), the film explores the multi-generational quest for success and happiness, pondering the elusive nature of ‘dreams shaped by the hands of others’.
Director Hsiao Ya-Chuan will be in Sydney for the Australian premiere of the film and an additional behind-the-scenes book talk event at Kinokuniya Sydney on 26 July, as part of this year’s Taiwanese Bookshelf event.
Love is a Gun
International Co-production between Taiwan and Hong Kong. Award-winning actor Lee Hong-Chi (Thanatos, Drunk, 2015) embarks on his directorial debut in a stylish neo-noir drama, LOVE IS A GUN, with long takes that meander from the vibrant cityscape to the enigmatic urban countryside. Awarded with the Best Debut Film accolade at the Venice Film Festival, LOVE IS A GUN explores the fine line between criminality and desperation in a society governed by strict hierarchies of power and wealth.
Snow in Midsummer
International Co-production between Malaysia, Taiwan and Singapore. Critically acclaimed Malaysian director Chong Keat-Aun (The Story of Southern Islet, 2020) returns with a powerful sophomore feature, SNOW IN MIDSUMMER. This poignant film delves into the tumultuous events of Malaysian history, notably the 13 May incident in 1969. With meticulous attention to historical accuracy, Director Chong immerses viewers in this tragic chapter of the nation’s past, drawing from authentic events, documents, and personal narratives.
Breaking and Re-Entering
BREAKING AND RE-ENTERING, directed by Wang Ding-Lid, is a riotous, action-packed comedy, brimming with absurd ideas and quirky humour from start to finish. Starring Wu Kang Ren (Abang Adik, 2023), Chen Bolin (Day Off, 2023), Cecilia Choi (Detention, 2019), Frederick Lee (The Scoundrels, 2018), JC Lin (Terrorizers, 2021), and Kent Tsai (Bad Education, 2022), the film sees a notorious gang pulling off the largest heist in history, and getting away with one billion dollars. But when they are double-crossed and forced to drag innocent people into the case, they realise they must return the entire sum.
Tales of Taipei
TALES OF TAIPEI is a dreamy romantic comedy featuring ten collective stories by internationally renowned directors, including Yin Chen-Hao (Man in Love, 2021), Joseph Hsu (Little Big Women, 2020), Chong Keat-Aun (Snow in Midsummer, 2023), Wong Yee-Lam (My Prince Edward, 2019), Pawo Choyning Dorji (The Monk and The Gun, 2023), Rachid Hami (For My Country, 2021), Remii Huang (Let’s Talk About Chu, 2023), Lee Sin-Je (Abang Adik, 2023), and Liu Chuan-Hui (Jump Ashin!, 2011). Set against various corners of Taipei and narrated in different styles, these tales collectively weave a tapestry of love that illuminates the city’s freedom and diversity.
Fish Memories
FISH MEMORIES, from the director of The Last Painting (2017) and As We Like It (2020), Chen Hung-I returns with yet another creative masterpiece that ‘redefines the essence of Taiwanese cinema and storytelling’. With its unique monochromatic palette, the film depicts an ethereal portrait of a world woven with deceit and betrayal. What begins as a casual encounter between three characters soon descends into a darker odyssey of enigmatic secrets, moulding the destinies of each protagonist.
Free Beats: The Musical Journey of Chen Ming Chang
FREE BEATS: THE MUSICAL JOURNEY OF CHEN MING CHANG, directed by Lin Cheng-Sheng, documents a Taiwanese musical legend by the name of Chen Ming-Chang. Founder of the Taiwan Yueqin Folk Song Association, Chen has been crafting music for over 40 years. His work spans various movie soundtracks, including Dust in the Wind (1986), The Puppetmaster (1993), Hirokazu Koreeda’s first feature film Maborosi (1995), and Amr Gamal’s The Burdened (2023). Renowned for using the iconic yueqin (moon guitar) as his primary instrument, Chen’s discography boasts over 30 albums and 100 songs. His music, deeply rooted in Taiwanese opera and folk music, explores the land and identity of Taiwan, giving voice to its unique musical heritage.
Braving the Peak
BRAVING THE PEAK, directed by Lin Cheng-Sheng, is the first documentary in history to comprehensively present the entirety of Taiwan’s Central Mountain Range, spanning over 300 kilometres and reaching altitudes of 3000 metres above sea level. Extreme sports enthusiasts, Ku Ming-Cheng, a retired garage owner, and Chou Ching, a trail runner who has been a member of Taiwan’s Trail Running World Cup national team for four consecutive years and currently holds the highest ITRA international ranking in Taiwan, embark on a mission to break the world record for traversing the Central Mountain Range in less than ten days.
Taiwan Film Festival in Australia 2024 Dates:
- Sydney: 25 – 14 September, Event Cinemas George St
- Canberra: 2 – 4 August, NFSA
- Brisbane: 10 – 11 August, Event Cinemas Brisbane City
- Hobart: 23 – 25 August, State Cinema
- Adelaide: 30 August – 1 September, The Picaddily
- Melbourne: 5 – 12 September, Village Cinemas The Jam Factory
The Taiwan Film Festival in Australia begins in Canberra on 2 August 2024. For more information, head to their website.
