This has been the best year ever for Taiwanese cinema. The Government Information Office (GIO) on October 22 held a forum at the NTU Hospital's International Convention Center to promote the industry and tout its strong prospects. GIO Minister Philip Yang made a special visit to the event, which featured four senior individuals in the film industry representing various sectors, namely director Lee You-ning, director Huang Chian-liang, producer Fan Chian-you, and producer Chen Hung-yuan. Coming from different backgrounds, these individuals engaged in a discussion between directors and producers. In remarks to the gathering, Minister Yang stated that this year has been an unprecedented one for Taiwanese cinema, starting with Night Market Hero produced by Vigo Fan, and then followed by The Killer Who Never Kills and MayDay 3DNA that were produced by Chen Hung-yuan, he said. Generating even more excitement was the epic blockbuster Seediq Bale, he commented. It is becoming increasingly common to see Taiwanese films chalk up box office receipts of over NT$10 million and in some cases even NT$100 million, he said. Yang said that director Lee You-ning's Four Hands and Huang Chien-liang's War Game 229 are now hitting local theatres, providing an even more diverse array of content. In fact, going to see locally made movies has become all the rage, he said. The GIO head explained that his agency has held three forums since May during which senior individuals from the industry have engaged in discussions and have shared their experiences with young people interested in pursuing careers in the industry. In addition, the GIO each year holds over 40 events on campuses around Taiwan to foster interest among young people in cinema, he said. Minister Yang also mentioned that the GIO provides financing and subsidies on many levels for domestic films, pointing specifically to award money for outstanding creative thought and notable screenplays. In addition, the GIO provides assistance and subsidies for feature films, as well as flagship and strategic projects, he said, aiming to encourage new talent to have the resources to pursue projects. Yang noted that about 40 domestically produced features will be released this year, and these films will constitute a box office market share of over 15%, representing an increase in both the quantity and quality of local films. In addition, more and more theatres are willing to screen local films, which is helping to create a virtuous cycle as other theatres consequently want to get in on the action. Yang pointed out that the United Nations has already designated cinema as a cultural asset to society. The government's intention in funneling capital and providing assistance to the industry is to help preserve a shared memory and culture within Taiwan. In the future, he said, the GIO will continue to work to create an even better environment for the motion picture industry here and it aims to establish even more well-rounded mechanisms to achieve such. Senior director Lee You-ning, who will release Four Hands this year, stated that in the past filmmakers remained under the radar when making movies. Now, however, filmmakers have come into the open with their projects and appreciate the policy of the GIO in providing financial assistance. This not only offers a source of funding for new directors, he said, but also encourages many established directors to pursue and carry out various projects. Producer Chen Hung-yuan remarked that the main reason for this shift in attitude towards making movies is the increased box office for Taiwanese films in recent years. He pointed out that local films now borrow marketing methods frequently employed by Hollywood studios, helping to bolster box office success. This change has transformed cinema into an industry here, he said, adding that he sees bright prospects for the local movie industry. Night Market Hero producer Vigo Fan stated that the local motion picture industry is gradually changing into a producer-, rather than director-driven one. This is conducive to the development of the local movie industry, he said. War Game 229 director Huang Chien-liang stated that when he assisted director Ang Lee in 1993 in the filming of The Wedding Banquet, he was amazed by the amount of money and work that went into making a movie. Times now are different, however, he said, explaining that with movie making now following a more institutionalized system, film production itself can proceed on more of an emotional level. The participants in the forum will be discussing the potential for conflict between directors and producers, but also methods that the two sides can engage in coordination and dialogue. The individuals will also express their opinions on the differences here and overseas in the climate to make movies, while also looking at the enormous potential for Taiwan's movie industry in the future. It is hoped that the discussions will reveal various viewpoints on the development of the movie industry as well as prospects for the future. More content about the forum is available on the Taiwan Cinema website at: http://www.taiwancinema.com/ct.asp?xItem=65398&ctNode=262&mp=1
