Spring has sprung, and as the seasonal hay fever makes its way across a sneezy nation so too does the march of the online film festival. Joining its ranks are our friends at the Taiwan Film Festival, streaming on demand across Australia from 16 to 30 September.
Kicking off with a Live Opening Night Banquet! event on the 16 September, the festival program comprises of 13 feature films and 8 short films. Headliners include the direct-from-Cannes MONEYBOYS by C.B Yi, Berlinale Encounters Prix Special Jury award TASTE by Le Bao, and stylish documentary UNFUFILLED DREAMS by Chu Tien-Wen and produced by the legendary Hou Hsiao-Hsien.
One of our favourites from the festival circuit this year is THE SILENT FOREST, an often emotionally harrowing film about sexual abuse in a specialised school for hearing impaired children. (We reviewed it in full at NYAFF this year). It joins Yin Chen Hao’s MAN IN LOVE in the adaptation section of the program.
MY MISSING VALENTINE will headline a Chen Yu-Hsun retrospective that will also include Love Go Go, Zone Pro Site: The Moveable Feast, and The Village of No Return. It’s a great chance to catch up on this recipient of Golden Horse Film Festival and Black Dragon Critics awards.
Other features include BUTTERFLIES by Spanish director Albert Ventura, and documentaries THE WAY HOME: THE CALL OF THE AZANGILJAN by Wei Yu-Chen and THE TREE REMEMBERS from Lau Kek-Huat.
The Short Film competition jury will consist of Director Chen Yu-Hsun, Hong Kong International Film Festival Programme Consultant Kiki Fung, and Director Lau Kek Huat. The five nominated films for the Best Short Film competition are SWINGIN‘, JACKS, XXXMOG!, Child of Nowhere, and The Quiet. The winners will be announced at the Live Opening Night Banquet! event.
To find out more information and to buy tickets, simply visit www.taiwanfilmfestival.org.au. You can also check out our past coverage of the Taiwan Film Festival in Australia.
