Taiwan showcases films at Hong Kong Filmart

Taiwan is making a big push to showcase its cinema on the global stage. Taiwanese stars attended the Hong Kong Filmart to promote new films, including the action thriller '96 Minutes.' This movie involves a tense bomb crisis on a high-speed train. The event featured several Taiwanese stars, such as Lee Lee-Zen, Yao Yi-Ti, and Jacob Wang. They introduced big-budget films and TV shows during a special showcase. The Taiwan Creative Content Agency (TAICCA) is working hard to foster relationships and secure international deals in the film industry. TAICCA chairperson Homme Tsai expressed the agency's commitment to growing Taiwan's cultural content industry. The agency aims to support talent and develop projects while also focusing on international expansion. One standout film, directed by Hung Tzu-Hsuan, has the largest budget for a Taiwanese production in a decade. CEO Jeff Tsou shared that the film's budget is $4.5 million, which is significant for Taiwan. In addition to '96 Minutes,' the showcase included a romance film directed by Yan Yuyu and a juvenile crime thriller by Tsai Yin-chuan. The audience also got to see a black comedy TV series. The films featured are part of a push for co-productions, as many are linked with international filmmakers. TAICCA was established in 2019 to accelerate Taiwan's cultural content industry. They have launched initiatives like the Taiwan International Co-Funding Program to encourage partnerships with international creators. Recent successes include acclaimed films produced with countries like Japan and France, showcasing Taiwan's potential on the world stage.