The 69th Berlinale programme has been announced and several Taiwanese directors will showcase their talents on the international platform. LIN I-jin’s debut short film, Tiptoe, will have its world premiere in the Generation Kplus competition. TSAI Ming-liang’s Rebels of the Neon God was selected for the Panorama 40 section, a special programme from its 40-year history, and he had won a number of awards at the Berlinale since the film presented in the 1993 Panorama. Three Taiwanese filmmakers, LIEN Chien-hung, HSIEH Ming-jen and HSU Wei-san are selected for this year's Berlinale Talents. In addition, another two Taiwanese films, Han Dan and LOVE Talk will have screenings at the European Film Market.
▲Tiptoe directed by LIN I-jin
The annual launch of the film gathering brings with it the possibility of discovering an interesting hybrid of film genres. Having taken on various roles including novelist, journalist and playwright, and, for many years, worked as a freelance contributor to numerous German-language publications, the multi-talented Jade Y. CHEN recently crossed over into moviemaking and completed her directing debut, Looking for Kafka. The story unfolds through a mysterious kidnapping case of LIN and the search in Taiwan by two of his lovers, who desperately wish him safe and sound. The film was nominated for the Asian New Talent Award at Shanghai International Film Festival 2018.
▲Looking for Kafka directed by Jade Y. CHEN
Director HUANG Chao-liang had a massive success at the box office with The Wonderful Wedding back in 2015. His latest film Han Dan takes Taitung’s folk culture "Blasting of Han Dan" as its subject. During the Lantern Festival on the 15th of the first lunar month, Han Dan incarnate takes the sedan chair on behalf of the deity Lord Han Dan while people throw firecrackers at his shirtless body. People say Lord Han Dan hates the cold, so they throw firecrackers at him to warm him up, believing that the more firecrackers they throw, the better financial fortune they will have in the following year. Young men are willing to take on the role of Han Dan incarnate because they think it can expiate their sins and show their great courage to fellow friends. The two protagonists with lonely souls give out whatever they have, and the greatest hope for them is a peaceful mind through redemption.
▲Han Dan directed by HUANG Chao-liang
How much time do you think it would be reasonable to film a documentary? Director SHEN Ko-shang, whose works have been selected for Visions du Réel, started to question his marital life after his first year of marriage, for marriage is not only a union of husband and wife, but also that of two families in Chinese cultures. After 7 years of shooting with 8 couples, he eventually finished the documentary LOVE Talk. The couples have conversations in front of the camera, on topics ranging from in-law issues, children’s upbringing, to the division of responsibilities in their marriage, in order to seek for the answers to two questions: Do people really need marriage? How exactly do two people get along with each other for a lifetime?
▲LOVE Talk directed by SHEN Ko-shang
Under the supervision of the Bureau of Audiovisual and Music Industry Development of the Ministry of Culture, the Taiwan Film Institute (TFI) set up a Taiwan Cinema stand at European Film Market, which will be going to serve international buyers and programmers at stand number 129, Martin-Gropius-Bau from 7th through 15th February. TFI also prepares a catalogue, which collects details of Taiwanese film releases and projects in production over the past year, including 31 narrative features, 17 documentaries, 11 short films, 3 animations, 6 restored classics, and 8 film projects. In coordination with the Taiwanese films selected for the Berlinale and special guests in attendance, TFI will also organise a "Taiwan Night" party on 9th February to invite international industry heavyweights to advance the future development of Taiwanese cinema.
Here are hot titles for sale that are sure to generate buzz:
Tiptoe (Short)
Director: LIN I-ju
Sales Agent: TBC
Looking for Kafka
Director: Jade Y. CHEN
Sales Agent: Flash Forward Entertainment
Han Dan
Director: HUANG Chao-liang
Sales Agent: Swallow Wings Film Co., Ltd.
LOVE Talk (Documentary)
Director: SHEN Ko-shang
Sales Agent: Flash Forward Entertainment
Breast and House
Director: SHEN Ko-shang
Sales Agent: AV-Jet International Media Co., Ltd.
It’s A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Show
Director: HSIEH Nien-tsu
Sales Agent: MandarinVision Co., Ltd.
Karma
Director: CHUNG Wei-heng
Sales Agent: Creative Century Ent. Co. Ltd.
Late Life : The Chien-ming Wang Story (Documentary)
Director: Frank W. CHEN
Sales Agent: Activator Marketing Co., Ltd.
The Rope Curse
Director: LIAO Shin-han
Sales Agent: Ablaze Image Ltd.
The Paradise
Director: LIAO Shin-han
Sales Agent: MM Square Film Co., Ltd.
For latest Taiwanese film please download the brochure (PDF) here: 2019 Taiwan Cinema - Berlinale
