2024
ABOUT THIS YEAR
TFFB
Background
Taiwan Film Festival Berlin is one of the largest Asian film festivals in Europe, which focuses on promoting Taiwanese films and fostering cultural exchanges between Taiwan and Germany. Organised by Impression Taiwan e.V. since its official establishment in Germany in 2017, the curation team has been working on this annual festival for six consecutive years. In the past five years, the festival has reinforced and refreshed the ideas of diversity in Taiwanese films for the audience in Germany.
Motive
The film festival takes a critical look at the people and tensions often overlooked in the rush of modern life — within families, or places, campuses, diverse cultural backgrounds, and the hidden corners of society. The exhibition delves into the stories and lives of those living on the margins, asking: What drives them to the edge?
Themes
Through diverse narrative perspectives, we explore the life stories of people from different social classes and environments within the context of "labor/economic development" in capitalist societies. On The Edge aims to spark those what have been ignored, deeper conversations and reflections. At the same time, we hope to offer a warning amid the rising global wave of far-right ideologies.
ALL FILMS
And Miles to Go Before I Sleep
Opening Ceremony
08.10.2024 | 20:00
Video Q/A & Lucky Draw
08.10.2024 | 21:40
Much like the stories of the 700,000 other migrant workers in Taiwan, Vietnamese man NGUYEN Quoc Phi, who enjoyed singing, became a runaway worker in the ugly and complex migrant worker system. With his expertise in construction work, he was a leader of a group of migrants to work in Hsinchu.
One day in 2017, NGUYEN was reported for a car theft and ended up being shot nine times by policeman officer CHEN Chung-wen. NGUYEN bled to death on the way to the hospital. The Taiwanese public supported CHEN’s use of firearms against the runaway migrant who resisted arrest and with records of drug use. Were the nine shots the only cause of NGUYEN’s death?
- 2024 Taiwan International Documentary Film Festival – Taiwan Competition
- 2023 Escales Documentaires, France
- 2023 Hong Kong IFF
- 2022 Taiwan Golden Horse Awards - Best Documentary Nominee, Best Editing Nominee
TSAI Tsung-Lung
TSAI Tsung-Lung worked as a journalist and documentary producer at Public Television Service. He produced Condemned Practice Mode, which was nominated Best Documentary at Golden Horse Awards 2017.
PIGSY
Video Q/A
09.10.2024 | 21:40
Pigsy is a street-smart loser who often messes things up. One day, he is chosen to enter the new world, to become a symbol of success. He can finally make grandma proud. Soon after, though, it turns out to be a mistake. Pigsy does not want to be treated as a joke anymore. He makes a secret deal with Bull Demon King. He stays in Sanzang’s group, and gives the information to Bull Demon King who wants to achieve eternal life. In exchange for information Bull Demon King promises to show him a secret passage to the new world.
As Pigsy completes his tasks, he discovers that Bull Demon King will take many people’s lives in order to achieve immortality. Even his grandma is in danger.
- 2024 New York Winter Film Awards - Best Animation
- 2023 Golden Horse Awards - Best Animated Feature
- 2023 Brazil AnimaVerso Festival - Best Animation and five other awards
- 2023 Vancouver International Film Awards - Best Animation
- Bulgaria Golden Kuker Sofia International Animation Film Festival - Best Animated Feature
CHIU Li-Wei
CHIU Li-Wei obtained a PhD from Beijing Film Academy. His works won many awards, including the Golden Bell Awards. His Barkley was nominated for Best Animation Feature at the 2017 Golden Horse Awards.
Dust Of Angels
Video Q/A
10.10.2024 | 20:00
Teenagers A-Kuo and A-Tou live in an industrial town in Taiwan. They hang out with their buddy Kao, a stylish and charismatic younger gangster who enjoys their company and support. When one of Kao's gangland patrons is gunned down, the trio set out to revenge the killing.
As a result, the two teens are forced into hiding. When things cool down a bit, they head on up to Taipei, looking for their gangster friend and sampling the gritty pleasures of the capital city's underworld and nightlife.
- 1992 Toronto International Film Festival - Special Mention, FIPRESCI Prize
- 1992 Golden Horse Awards - Best Sound
- 1992 Selected as Cannes Directors' Fortnight Closing Film
- 1992 Selected for Tokyo International Film Festival
- 1992 Selected for Chicago International Film Festival
HSU Hsiao-Ming
HSU was born in 1995, Taiwan. He studied production, screenwriting and directing at Shih Hsin School of Journalism. He was a second assistant director to Lee Hsing and worked with Hou Hsiao-hsien. His first feature film, Dust of Angels, produced by Hou Hsiao-hsien, was presented at Cannes Directors' Fortnight.
Snow In Mid Summer
Video Q/A
10.10.2024 | 22:30
On 13th May 1969, while Ah Eng and her mother are watching Chinese opera Snow in June at a temple in Kuala Lumpur, a violent riot takes place. As the Prime Minister declares a national state of emergency, she loses contact with her father and brother.
On 13th May 2018, Ah Eng comes across the Chinese opera chief on that same day 49 years ago. Together they share a moment of powerless remembrance of a more peaceful period in time.
- 2024 New York Asian Film Festival - Best Feature in the New Horizons Section
- 2024 Hong Kong International Film Festival - Firebird Award
- 2023 Venice Film Festival Award for Film Arts - Special Mention
- 2023 Selected for Vancouver International Film Festival
CHONG Keat-Aun
CHONG Keat-Aun's directorial debut, The Story of Southern Islet, won Best New Director, the FIPRESCI Prize and the NETPAC Award at Golden Horse 2020. In 2023, Snow in Midsummer competed in the Giornate degli Autori at Venice.
Short Film Collage: Young Talent
Panel Talk
11.10.2024 | 17:40
Film Salon (short film crew only)
11.10.2024 | 14:00
(Please see the festival brochure for details)
- (Please see the festival brochure for details)
LIN Chih Yu, TSAI I Chieh, Pietro BERGAMASCO, Tong XIE, Joey CHANG, Radek Ševčík & Petr Chromčák
Balíme/Trust Game (LIN Chih-Yu) 小埃💞Iris (TSAI I-Chieh) OBE (Pietro BERGAMASCO) ABSOLUTELY NO SEXUAL FAVORS / JE PENSE À TOI (Tong XIE) Sugarcoat (Joey CHANG) Inner Need of Karaoke (Radek Ševčík & Petr Chromčák)
Salli
Video Q/A
11.10.2024 | 22:20
In a tranquil rural Taiwanese town, 38-year-old chicken farmer Hui-jun's online romance with a Frenchman named Martin sparks gossip. She's inexperienced with dating and doesn't speak English, but she forms a romantic relationship with "Martin" through an app as "Salli." Despite skepticism from villagers, Hui-jun believes in their love.
But all of a sudden, Martin disappears. To prove Martin's existence, Hui-jun, who has never been abroad, embarks on a journey to Paris to find him...
- 2024 Osaka Asian Film Festival - Most Promising Creator Award / ABC TV Award
- 2024 Taipei Film Festival - Nominated for Best Narrative Feature
- Nominated for Best Actress
LIEN Chien-Hung
LIEN Chien-Hung, Taipei-based director and screenwriter Lien Chien-hung, a 2019 Berlinale Talents alumnus, made the TV movie Their Heaven, shortlisted for the 2017 Golden Bell Awards. His films have been featured at Busan Short Film Festival, Tokyo Short Film Festival, Hawaii Film Festival, among others. Salli marks his debut feature film.
Fish Memories
Video Q/A
12.10.2023 | 21:30
"Two men from different generations with a 30-year age difference might be father and son, brothers, friends, lovers or enemies. They meet in parallel universes and get involved in each other's lives...
Such absurd and debauched days change completely after a gunshot. The battle between the past and future might inevitably happen. Anything that can go wrong will go wrong."
- 2024 Golden Horse Awards - Best Cinematography
- 2024 Taipei Film Festival - Best Art Direction
- 2024 Rome Asian Film Festival - Best Actor
CHEN Hung-I
CHEN Hung-I's Honey Pupu won Best Director at the Taipei Film Awards 2011. His films, As We Like It and The Last Painting, competed in the Big Screen Competition at International Film Festival Rotterdam.
Terrorizers
Expert Talk
13.10.2024 | 19:30
Closing Party
13.10.2024 | 20:10
The marriage of Yu-feng and Li-zhong has reached a stalemate. Yu-feng, a writer, faces a creative block, while Li-zhong pins hope on a promotion. A teenage girl's prank calls become the subject of Yu-feng's award-winning novel. As their lives unravel, frustration builds like a gas tank on the verge of explosion.
- 1986 Golden Horse Awards - Best Feature Film
- 1987 Locarno Film Festival - Silver Leopard
Edward YANG
Edward Yang was a Taiwanese filmmaker. He rose to prominence as a pioneer in the Taiwanese New Wave of the 1980s, alongside fellow auteurs Hou Hsiao-hsien and Tsai Ming-liang. Yang was regarded as one of the greatest filmmakers of Taiwanese cinema. He won the Best Director Award at Cannes for his 2000 film Yi Yi.
ALL EVENTS
Entry with a film ticket of the day.
WU Hao-Ping
WU Hao-Ping
Wu Hao-Ping is the organizer of the first short film competition at the Berlin Taiwan Film Festival. He is currently working as a film post-production worker and lives in Berlin. Living in a foreign land, Wu deeply feels that in the film and television industry, work and resources must be explored and developed. The cooperation with the Berlin Taiwan Film Festival provides more platforms for these creators to be seen through the film festival. He hope to pool the experience and energy of the creators, promote mutual exchanges, and jointly find more resources and opportunities.
Short Film Collage: Young Talent
Maja Korbecka
Maja Korbecka
Maja Korbecka is a freelance film critic and researcher. Contributor to Senses of Cinema. Berlinale Talents Press 2020 and Locarno Critics Academy 2023 alumna. She is currently pursuing a PhD in the Graduate School of East Asian Studies at the Freie Universität Berlin.
Topic: Taiwanese Movie and Edward Yang
Entry with a film ticket of the day.
SPONSORS
PARTNERS
FAQ
Regular €12/Ticket (buy 4 tickets and get one cotton tote bag for free, redeem with staff on site)
*Tickets are available from September 2024.
*Tickets can be purchased at Moviemento's ticket booth (Kottbusser Damm 22, 10967 Berlin) or through the film festival’s official website.
All films are original version with English subtitles.
Buy tickets and come to watch films! After the QA session of opening, short film collage, and closing films have change! The prizes will be drawn on the spot and be given by our staff.
** More detailed information will be announced on our Facebook and Instagram ** (Search: Impression Taiwan)
Established in 2017 in Berlin, Germany, Impression Taiwan is an NGO with the aim of promoting Taiwanese films and culture. We achieve this through our annual event, the Taiwan Film Festival Berlin, as well as a wide range of artistic and cultural activities, and individual film screenings. Our dedicated volunteers, hailing from diverse backgrounds and regions of Taiwan, come together to showcase the rich tapestry of their homeland's culture in Berlin. Through the power of film, we strive to build a bridge between Taiwan and Germany, sharing the stories, diversity, and aesthetics of Taiwan with audiences worldwide. Our mission is to introduce the unique essence of Taiwanese cinema and culture to the vibrant city of Berlin and beyond.
All screenings and events take place at Moviemento.
Address: Kottbusser Damm 22, 10967 Berlin