The Los Angeles Post

2024 Sundance Film Festival: Asia 15 Award-Winning Films and 14 Panels Successfully Concluded

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Fully Packed Events! Hollywood Filmmakers Generously Shared the Latest Global Techniques and Trends
Festival Short Film Juror Ke-Xi Wu Participated in the Master Panels Throughout, Gaining Valuable Insights and Connecting with the International Community

 

The five-day 2024 Sundance Film Festival: Asia concluded yesterday in Taipei with great fanfare, attracting tens of thousands of movie enthusiasts and industry professionals, adding immense brilliance to Taiwan’s film scene. This year’s festival featured 15 award-winning films from the Sundance Film Festival, premiering in Taiwan, and hosted 14 panels and workshops. Over 40 international filmmakers from oversea participated, including director Macoto Tezka; Lisa Joy, producer of the global hit Westworld; Nina Yang Bongiovi, producer of Passing, which won the BAFTA Award for Outstanding British Film; Christina Oh, producer of the Oscar-nominated Minari, which won the Best Supporting Actress award; and Anthony Francisco, former Senior Visual Development Artist at Marvel. They engaged in various panels and discussions, fostering deep exchanges with local Taiwanese filmmakers. Renowned actors including Ke-Xi Wu, Janet Hsieh, Dennis Nieh, Justin Chien, and Yi-wen Chen also attended the events.

Macoto Tezka, director of Black Jack, kicked off the master panels with an exciting opening. The event featured trailers of past works, and, as a special treat, the exclusive Taiwan premiere of his latest short film compilation, thrilling the audience. Tezka shared his creative process, explaining how he is inspired by Georges Méliès, using fantastical imagination to create films. He envisions scenes in his mind while developing the script and uses these mental images, along with the script’s content and themes, to build a multi-layered visual structure. He also discussed how he integrates the latest contemporary technologies into his films, with the hope that each generation can find inspiration in his work.

The master panel “Minds Behind The Magic: A Producers’ Roundtable” featured prominent producers such as Lisa Joy, producer of the global hit Westworld; Nina Yang Bongiovi, producer of Passing, which won the BAFTA Award for Outstanding British Film; and Christina Oh, producer of the Oscar-nominated Minari, which won the Best Supporting Actress award. The session was moderated by Amy Ma, Production Management Manager for Netflix’s Chinese-language content. During the discussion, they shared insights into the intricacies of a producer’s work, the challenges they face, and emphasized that the most crucial role of a producer is to act as a bridge between the director and financiers. Producers must both defend the film and protect the investors’ interests while ensuring the story continues to evolve. Renowned actress Janet Hsieh asked the panelists, “What advice would you give to someone aspiring to become a successful producer?” Christina Oh suggested that those interested in producing should start from the ground up, working under a producer they admire to learn adaptability. Nina Yang Bongiovi emphasized that one of the key responsibilities of a producer is to secure funding while safeguarding the creative vision, ensuring that the film’s story is fully realized from conception to distribution. Lisa Joy added that ambition is essential for a producer because a dramatic film simulates another reality; it must reflect not only the individual but also society as a whole, making this role critical. Nina Yang Bongiovi also revealed that she is currently working on a project that has invited Taiwanese actor Chang Chen to collaborate, further fostering collaborations with Taiwanese artists.

During the festival, many industry professionals from Taiwan also attended the events as an audience. Renowned filmmakers such as Ke-Xi Wu, Janet Hsieh, Justin Chien, Dennis Nieh, and Yi-wen Chen attended the panels. Additionally, well-known directors Cheng Wei-hao and Yin Chen-hao participated in the all-English Speed Pitch Tank. At the closing reception, hosted by the Sundance Film Festival: Asia and the Taiwan Creative Content Agency (TAICCA), director Hsiao Ya-Chuan of Old Fox and short film director Fish Wang made surprise appearances. Ke-Xi Wu stood out as a model attendee, participating in all the Sundance Panels, Master Panels and film screenings. She engaged with several international directors and remarked, “I’ve gained so much from this experience. I noticed that in both Hollywood and Sundance selected films, there are more innovative ideas in the form and structure of films and scripts. They are not limited to traditional single-genre films but incorporate a wider range of themes, providing new perspectives for future scriptwriting.” She also mentioned that she engaged in some cultural diplomacy by introducing Sujo directors Astrid Rondero and Fernanda Valadez to Taiwanese cuisine, including BBQ. Both directors expressed their love for Taiwan, particularly its food and safety, and mentioned that they hope to involve Ke-Xi Wu in their future projects if the opportunity arises.

The Sundance Film Festival: Asia not only provided film enthusiasts with the opportunity to enjoy outstanding works but also offered industry professionals a valuable platform for exchange, promoting international collaboration and development in the film industry. It allowed Taiwanese audiences to experience the allure of world-class independent films up close. This reflects the internationalization of Taiwan’s film and television industry and highlights Taipei’s status as a significant cultural hub for cinema in Asia. G2Go Entertainment stated that they will continue to promote more events like this in the future, fostering further exchange and collaboration between Taiwan and the global film industry.

The 2024 Sundance Film Festival: Asia was co-organized by the Sundance Institute and G2Go Entertainment, with the Taipei City Government as a co-host. The Taiwan Creative Content Agency served as a partner. The festival also received sponsorship and support from Cathay Financial Holdings, the government of Utah, USA, and the nonprofit organization Gold House. The Sundance Film Festival: Asia’s master panels was co-organized by the New Media and Entertainment Association (NMEA) and the Taipei Film Commission.