Announcing the 8th Annual Taipei Film Festival
The Eighth Annual Taipei Film Festival (TFF) will be held in Taipei between June 24 and July 9. Selected feature films will be aired at the following venues in the city – Zhongshan Hall, Taipei Metropolitan Hall, Shinkong Cineplex, and in89 Digital Cinema. During the city administrative meeting on June 20, the Department of Cultural Affairs Commissioner Sebastian Liao presented a report on the current status of the preparations for the festival. The TFF has also scheduled the following events and activities during the event: the Taipei Image Award, the Global Chinese Film and Video Showcase, competitions, new work screenings, and more. Commissioner Liao announced that the “City Vision” for this year’s TFF features the Canadian cities of Toronto and Montreal. TFF will be airing 56 classics and newly released films from the two cities. Canadian cinema shines despite being overshadowed by its Hollywood neighbor and French cinema across the ocean. The audience will also have a chance to watch the works of renowned Canadian director Robert LePage and documentary master Allan King. As for showcasing Chinese films, Commissioner Liao noted that the objective is to promote films made by Chinese directors and to encourage the production of Chinese films. Having attracted international attention and film festival planners to the TFF, this event has been proclaimed by Screen Magazine as one of the top film festivals in the world. To encourage independent filmmakers and the production of art films, TFF also features competitions such as the Taipei Grand Award, Taipei Theme Award, and the New Talent Competition. The cash award for the New Talent Competition has increased to NT$1 million. This year, 118 films from 30 countries will be competing for the title. Advance ticket sales for the 2006 Taipei Film Festival have reached NT$5 million, the highest-ever for the event.