Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Press Release: Bay Area

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PRESS CONTACTS:
Ms. Fen-man Wu, Tel: (415) 364-5602
Ms. Claire Hong, Tel: (832) 330-9596
Ms. Jennie Chuang, Tel: (415) 364-5604

THIRD ANNUAL TAIWAN FILM FESTIVAL IN BAY AREA THEATERS OCTOBER 16-18, 2008

The Taiwan Film Festival (TFF) will return for its third annual edition this October in Bay Area theaters. TFF will showcase a carefully programmed selection of the Republic of China's best contemporary films. With a focus on "Youth and Redemption," the festival will be hosted by the University of San Francisco on Oct 16-17 and by Stanford University on Oct 17-18. Filmmakers will be present for the screenings.

Presented by The Chuan Lyu Foundation, Asia Society, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in San Francisco and the campuses, admission is free and screenings are open to the public.

TFF at University of San Francisco October 16-17

On Thursday, October 16, the festival opens at University of San Francisco's Fromm Hall (corner of Parker and Golden Gate Ave.) with director Cheng Wen-Tang's SUMMER'S TALE. A selection of the 2007 Pusan Film Festival, SUMMER'S TALE begins as a story of youthful passions, and evolves to focus on the transformative power of friendship. Enno Cheng, the director's daughter, provides a stunning performance as a teen songwriter who finds herself pulled into the romantic orbits of a classmate and teacher, all the while fighting a heart condition.

Following the screening and Q&A with Director Cheng, Enno, who is also a celebrated pop star in Taiwan, will perform along with musician KK who composed the soundtrack to SUMMER'S TALE.

On Friday, October 17, Ho Chao-Ti's fascinating documentary THE GANGSTER'S GOD will make its US premiere. At every Lantern Festival in Taidong, a group of men strip bare above the waist, and wearing nothing but red shorts, stands on a sacred palanquin, allowing people to pound their bodies with bottle rockets, singeing their skin. They are believed to be human incarnations of the god Handan. The "Scorching of Handan" has in recent years become a major event in eastern Taiwan. Those who take part in the ritual have always been shrouded in mystery, and rumored to be members of the gangster underworld. This stunning documentary enters the heart of these men's universe, recording their dramatic lives.

A Q&A with director Ho Chao-Ti will follow.

TFF at Stanford University October 17-18, 2008

Stanford University will host four films from the Taiwan Film Festival on October 17-18. All screenings will take place at Stanford's Cubberly Auditorium (485 Lasuen Hall).

The Stanford selections will open with SECRET, the directing debut from actor Jay Chou (CURSE OF THE GOLDEN FLOWER). A charming romance also starring Chou, SECRET was an official selection of the 2008 San Francisco International Film Festival.

Two documentaries will follow. In Lin Yu-Hsien's ELEPHANT BOY AND ROBOGIRL, two young children, though suffering from tremendous physical handicaps, fight to live life to the fullest. Lee Jong-Wang's FOR MORE SUN chronicles the efforts of a group of young Taiwanese engineers as they build a hand-made solar car to complete in the World Solar Challenge in Australia.

The festival at Stanford concludes with Lin Jing-Jie's THE MOST DISTANT COURSE, winner of the International Critic's Week Award at the 2007 Venice Film Festival. The movie interweaves the stories of three lost souls as they travel through Taiwan's beautiful Eastern shore in search of solace, while reminding the viewer of the elevating power of sound and music. Lin Yu-Hsien, Lee Jong-Wang and Lin Jing-Jie will be in attendance.

With its unique and rich cultural heritage, Taiwan has produced such internationally recognized directors as, Ang Lee, Hou Hsiao-Hsien and Edward Yang. During TFF 2008, viewers will be treated to the next generation of great directors from Taiwan and have a chance to ask about their creative process.

For more details, please open the attached PDF for locations, scheduled films, photos and director's bio. You can also access additional information through:

http://2008tff.blogspot.com

Short Blurb for the South Bay media:

The 2008 Taiwan Film Festival will run at Stanford University (Cubberley Aud.) on Oct 17 & 18. Jay Chou's directorial debut SECRETS will screen at 8pm on October 17. October 18th will features three films, including two documentaries: ELEPHANT BOY AND ROBOGIRL and FOR MORE SUN, as well as Lin Jing-Jie's award winner feature THE MOST DISTANT COURSE. Filmmakers will be on hand for Q&A during Saturday's films. Presented by the Center for East Asian Studies (Stanford Univ.), The Chuan Lyu Foundation, Asia Society and Taipei Economic & Cultural Office in SF. Admission is FREE. TFF will also have films playing at Univ. of San Francisco on Oct 16-17. For more specific information about the scheduled films & directors, please visit http://2008tff.blogspot.com.

Short Blurb for San Francisco media:

The 2008 Taiwan Film Festival will run at the University of San Francisco's Fromm Hall October 16-17, 2008. Cheng Wen-Tang's SUMMER'S TAIL will screen at 5:45pm on Thursday, October 16, and will be followed by a Q&A with the director and a special live musical performance by lead actress Enno Cheng. On Friday, October 17, the documentary THE GANGSTER'S GOD will be featured, with the director in attendance. TFF will also be showing films at Stanford University on Oct 17-18. For more information, please visit http://2008tff.blogspot.com. Presented by USF Center for the Pacific Rim, The Chuan Lyu Foundation, Asia Society and Taipei Economic & Cultural Office in SF. Admission is FREE.

Friday, September 12, 2008

Live Performance of Summer's Tail Soundtrack

Special Presentation
Live performances by ENNO and KK from their movie soundtrack Summer's Tail.

(click to enlarge)

10/16 7:45pm
Fromm Hall
University of San Francisco

10/20 5:30pm
Kane Hall, Walker-Ames Room
University of Washigton, Seattle

10/23 6:45pm
Willamette Atrium
University of Oregon, Eugene

10/25 5:00pm
Barrick Museum
University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

From our presenters

Redemption Captured on Film

Thank you for joining us for the 2008 Taiwan Film Festival (TFF). The 2008 TFF builds on the success of the previous film festivals by again presenting the many facets of the Republic of China (Taiwan). Prepare yourselves for a cultural feast exploring youthful trials and redemption.

While international audiences have associated Taiwanese films with long camera shots and a minimum of dialogue as embodied in the films of Hou Hsiao-Hsien, Tsai Ming-Liang and Edward Yang films, many emerging Taiwanese directors are breaking new ground by incorporating more modern and popular approaches to filmmaking.

In 2006, TFF screened movies showing the evolution of Taiwanese cinema in new directions, moving beyond the New Wave. In 2007, we continued to showcase young and upcoming film directors who created independent, documentary and experimental films that challenged comfort levels and typical global impressions of Taiwan.

This year, TFF will again bring you some of the islands' best feature and documentary films focusing on youth and redemption. Whether about a gangster trying to "purge the guilt in his heart" in the Gangster's God or troubled souls journeying around the island in The Most Distant Course, these stories explore their young lives and how they find redemption. While the theme of "youth and redemption" is not uncommon, these stories serve as a window to a society rarely seen outside of Taiwan.

To compliment the films, we again welcome some of the filmmakers themselves from Taiwan, including Cheng Wen-Tang, Lin Jing-Jie, Ho Chao-Ti and Lin Yu-hsien. They will tour with the films, participating in post-screening Q&As at the five venues. Aside from the invited directors, this year's program will also include singer Enno Cheng, the leading actress of Summer's Tail and the movies' composer, Yeh Wan-Ching (KK). They will perform at the opening receptions at several participating universities.

We welcome you to the 2008 TFF and hope you enjoy the breadth of this year's selections.


Sincerely,

Hwalin Lee - Ph.D., Chairman, Chuan-Lyu Foundation

Tony Ong - Director, Press Division, Taipei Economic & Cultural Office in San Francisco

N. Bruce Pickering - Executive Director, Asia Society Northern California

Screening Schedule - University of Nevada, Las Vegas

University of Nevada, Las Vagas
Presented by: UNLV Film Department & UNLV Short Film Archive
Screening Venue: CBC A106

October 24, Friday
6:00pm Secret
8:00pm Elephant Boy and Robogirl

October 25, Saturday
1:00pm The Wall-Passer
5:00pm Reception & Performance » (Barrick Museum)
6:00pm Summer’s Tail *
8:00pm For More Sun *

October 26, Sunday
1:00pm The Lost Kingdom
6:00pm The Gangster’s God *
7:30pm The Most Distant Course *

* Filmmaker(s) in person, post-screening Q&A
» Live performances by ENNO and KK from their movie soundtrack Summer's Tail

Screening Schedule - University of Oregon

University of Oregon
Presented by: Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures, Center for Asian and Pacific Studies & Mills International Center
Screening Venue: Willamette Hall, Room 100

October 23, Thursday
5:30pm The Gangster's God *
6:45pm Reception & Performance » (Willamette Atrium)
8:00pm Summer's Tail *

October 24, Friday
5:30pm For More Sun *
7:30pm The Most Distant Course *

October 25, Saturday
1:00pm Elephant Boy and Robogirl
2:30pm Secret
4:30pm The Lost Kingdom
7:00pm Spider Lilies

* Filmmaker(s) in person, post-screening Q&A
» Live performances by ENNO and KK from their movie soundtrack Summer's Tail


For more information please call (541) 346-1521.

Screening Schedule - University of Washington

University of Washington
Presented by: East Asia Center and the China Studies Program
Screening Venues: as indicated below

October 20, Monday
5:30pm Reception & Performance » (Kane Hall, Walker-Ames Room)
6:45pm Summer’s Tail * (Sieg Hall 134)
8:30pm Elephant Boy and Robogirl * (Sieg Hall 134)
9:20pm The Gangster God * (Sieg Hall 134)

October 21, Tuesday
6:00pm The Most Distant Course * (Sieg Hall 134)
8:00pm Secret (Sieg Hall 134)

October 22, Wednesday
6:00pm For More Sun * (Physics-Astronomy Auditorium 102)
7:45pm The Wall-Passer (Physics-Astronomy Auditorium 102)

* Filmmaker(s) in person, post-screening Q&A
» Live performances by ENNO and KK from their movie soundtrack Summer's Tail


Map and directions:
Kane Hall
Sieg Hall
Physics-Astronomy Auditorium

Screening Schedule - Stanford University

Stanford University
Presented by: Center for East Asian Studies, Stanford University
Screening Venue: Cubberley Auditorium

October 17, Friday
8:00pm Secret

October 18, Saturday
2:00pm Elephant Boy and Robogirl *
3:30pm For More Sun *
8:00pm The Most Distant Course *

* Filmmaker(s) in person, post-screening Q&A

Screening Schedule - University of San Francisco

University of San Francisco
Presented by: USF Center for the Pacific Rim
Screening Venue: Fromm Hall

October 16, Thursday
5:45pm Summer’s Tail *
7:45pm Music Performance »
8:30pm Reception

October 17, Friday
5:45pm The Gangster’s God *
7:30pm Reception

* Filmmaker(s) in person, post-screening Q&A
» Live performances by ENNO and KK from their movie soundtrack Summer's Tail

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Enno Cheng

Enno Cheng

- Lead Actress of 《Summer's Tail》 (2007)
- Singer-songwriter

Enno Cheng is a multi-talented singer-songwriter and a film actress. As the lead actress of 《Summer's Tail》, she was nominated for the Best New Performer in 2007 Golden Horse Awards. She plays regularly in venues throughout Taiwan and appeared recently at the Formoz Festival.

KK

KK (Yeh Wan-Ching)
Composer of 《Summer's Tail》 Soundtrack

- Bassist of Aphasia
- Founder of White Wabbit Records

KK is the bassist for Taiwanese indie band Aphasia. Aphasia made their music debut composing the soundtrack for the film 《Summer's Tail》. Aphasia recorded a number of songs for the film, mostly instrumental. Their first studio album "Aphasic Crocodile Society" will be released on September 12 by White Wabbit Records. Aside from being the bassist of Aphasia, KK is also the founder of White Wabbit Records.

Hung Hung

Hung Hung 鴻鴻
Director of The Wall-Passer

Hung Hung is a well-known poet, stage director and filmmaker in Taiwan. He is the co-author of Edward Yang's film 《A Brighter Summer Day》 (1991) and director of many plays, operas and films. His first film, 《The Love of Three Oranges》 (1998), was an invitée to the Venice Film Festival 1999 and won the Prix FIPRESCI at the Chicago Film Festival and the Best Director at the Festival of the 3 Continents. His second film, 《Human Comedy》, which has won the Prix du Public at the Festival of the 3 Continents in 2001 as well as the Golden Dagger Award (Best Film) in the Muscat Film Festival.

His third film, 《A Garden in the Sky》, a digital film full of visual excitements and fantastic imagination, won the Best Art Direction Prize winner in Taipei Film Festival 2002. It was also an invitée to Moscow International Film Festival in 2003. His latest cinematic venture, 《The Wall-Passer》, a fantastic film is already a milestone in Taiwan's film industry.


Filmography / Awards

Writer:
2007 《The Wall-Passer》
2002 《A Garden in the Sky》
2001 《Human Comedy》
1999 《The Love of Three Oranges》
1994 《A Confucian Confusion》
1991 《A Brighter Summer Day》


Director:
2007 《The Wall Passer》
Pusan International Film Festival
2002 《A Garden in the Sky》
2001 《Human Comedy》
Nantes Three Continents Festival - Audience Award
Hong Kong International Film Festival - Fipresci Prize
Muscat Film Festival - Golden Dagger
1999 《The Love of Three Oranges》
Nantes Film Festival - Best Director Award
Chicago International Film Fsetival - Fipresci Prise

Producer:
2001 《Human Comedy》
1999 《The Love of Three Oranges》

Actor:
1994 《A Confucian Confusion》
1991 《A Brighter Summer Day》

Zero Chou

Zero Chou 周美玲
Director of Spider Lilies

Chou was born in Keelung, Taiwan in 1969. Drawn into film making because of her attraction to the combination of content and form, she left a journalism career to become a indie film director. Heralded in Taiwan as the most talented documentary director in the recent years, she has received various film festival awards around the world.

Filmography / Awards

Documentary

2004 《Father In The Blacklist》 56min
2003 《The Kinmenese Tracks》 64min
2002 《Poles Extremit》 56min
2001 《Corners》 66min
2000 《Floating Islands》288min
《Before The Radiation》 22min
《Headhunting Festival》 54min
《Zou Zu Zhan Ji》 56min
1998 《Yi Shi Zai Hai Shi Zhong》 48min
《Being Ceased》 60min
《Mother And Son》 65min
《Democracy Show》 53min
《Wanderers' Bay》 60min
1997 《Looking For The Forgotten Artists》 45min
《Artist And His Daughter》 23 min
《Memories Of The Taiwanese Master》 47min

Feature

2007 《Spider Lilies》 97min
Berlin International Film Festival - Teddy Award
2006 《The Road In The Air》 82min
2004 《Splendid Float》 71min
1996 《A Film About The Body 62min

Lee Jong-Wang

Lee Jong-Wang 李中旺
Director of For More Sun

Born in Chong-Li, Taiwan, Lee Jong-Wang is a veteran photographer of TV productions. After years of producing variety shows, news programs and TV series, he founded Studio Fullshot with friends in 1988. Since then he has devoted himself in making documentary films and teaching young documentary filmmakers. Studio Fullshot disbanded in 2006 but Lee continued his work in making and teaching documentary filmmaking. He is one of the few members in Taiwan who has been working in this field for over 20 years.

Filmography / Awards

2006 《For More Sun》
2007 Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival, Korea 2006 Taipei Film Festival – Global Chinese Films and Videos
2006 Green International Film Festival, Taiwan

2004 《Radio Mihu》
2004 Taiwan International Documentary Film Festival - Taiwan Award: Special Jury Prize
2005 Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival, Japan
2006 The 4th Hong Kong Social Movement Film Festival