Sundance Asia: Sean Wang’s ‘Didi’ Opens Film Festival in Taipei

As I stand amidst the bustling crowd at the Sundance Film Festival Asia in Taipei, Taiwan, I feel a profound sense of awe and inspiration. The energy here is electric, a testament to the power of film and its ability to bring together people from different corners of the world.

Sundance Asia has officially kicked off in Taipei, Taiwan.

For the upcoming five days, the Asian edition of the Sundance Film Festival will showcase a total of 15 full-length feature films and 6 short movies. The opening night film will be “Didi,” directed by Taiwanese American filmmaker Sean Wang.

Prior to the debut of Wang’s award-winning film (honored with both the audience award and a special jury prize for its ensemble at the Park City festival) in Taiwan, the Legacy Taipei served as the venue for the opening ceremony gala. The event brought together Hollywood professionals with local filmmakers and actors, including Nina Yang Bongiovi, producer of “Fancy Dance”, Lawrence Sher, cinematographer for “Joker 2”, Brendan Bellomo, director of “Porcelain War”, Caroline Lindy and Kayla Foster, directors and producer of “Your Monster” respectively, Wang and Esther Liu, Yi-Wen Chen, Hank Chen, and Aviis Zhong were among the many attendees.

Many attendees arrived from Toronto and Los Angeles, sharing strategies for combating jet lag. Wang and director Jack Begert (of “Little Death” fame) took to skateboarding on the streets of Taipei at 4 in the morning; others explored convenience stores like 7-11, some relying on Red Bull for an energy boost, while a few opted to tackle work. As the opening ceremony commenced and over 250 people convened for the “Didi” screening, there was a palpable air of anticipation in the venue.

Since its debut in 2016, Sundance Asia has experienced growth and expansion. This event now offers an increased number of movie screenings, discussions, and workshops. The organization strives to establish a connection between professionals who have been involved in major Hollywood productions and local filmmakers based in Taiwan.

At the 2023 Sundance Film Festival: Asia, held for the first time in Taiwan, Kim Yutani, the program director of Sundance Institute, expressed that Taiwan possesses a robust ability to organize events and produce films. She also voiced her aspiration to promote more collaborations between Asian independent filmmakers and their counterparts globally. Yutani is excited about connecting with everyone during her time in Taipei.

Having attended numerous events throughout my career, I can confidently say that this year’s event stands out as one of the most captivating and well-organized ones I have ever been to. With a focus on artificial intelligence, it caters to my professional interests while offering a diverse range of 14 master panels and workshops. The attention given to the AI panel is particularly noteworthy, as it reflects the growing importance of this technology in our world today.

At the start of the event, the jury prize for the top short film, given by Gold House, was bestowed upon “Suo Jiang” by former production designer and current director Lin Chien-yu. Bing Chen, one of Gold House’s co-founders, presented the award. Alongside the honor, the winner received 50,000 NTD and became a member of Gold House.

In the upcoming days, EbMaster will lead a discussion with Chen, Christine Yi (the general manager of futures at Gold House), Bongiovi and director Lloyd Choi. This event titled “A Filmmaker’s Creative & Financing Journey” is scheduled during Sundance Asia which takes place from August 21st to the 25th.

2024-08-22 04:46

Sundance Asia: Sean Wang’s ‘Didi’ Opens Film Festival in Taipei

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