Taiwanese film "Love Is A Gun" (愛是一把槍) achieved a historic milestone at the 2023 Venice International Film Festival by winning the prestigious Lion of the Future award. This marks the first time a Taiwanese film received the honor. Minister of Culture Shih Che congratulated the team and expressed his appreciation for the talents in the filmmaking industry, acknowledging their dedication to promoting Taiwanese films on the global stage.
Minister Shih added that "Love Is A Gun" was initially nominated for the Venice International Film Festival's Film Critics' Week and went on to become the first Taiwanese film in history to win the Lion of the Future award. This achievement signifies not only an affirmation of the new generation of Taiwanese directors but also the growing prominence of Taiwan's film and content industry on the global stage. It demonstrates a continuous and robust creative energy that asserts Taiwan's international strength in the field.
Another piece of good news from the film festival is that "Snow In Midsummer (五月雪),” a film co-produced in Taiwan featuring Taiwanese actors Wan Fang (萬芳) and Rexen Cheng (鄭人碩), was also honored with the "Cinema & Arts Award - Special Mention;" “Over The Rainbow (彩虹彼端),” produced by Riverbed Theatre (河床劇團), was selected as one of the Best of Venice Immersive; Singing Chen (陳芯宜), the director who received the Best Experience award last year for "The Man Who Couldn't Leave (無法離開的人)," served as the chair of the jury for Best of Venice Immersive this year. Actor Shu Qi (舒淇) participated in the jury for the main awards this year, making her the first Taiwanese individual to serve on the juries of the Berlin, Cannes, and Venice Film Festivals. This not only reflects the outstanding talent in Taiwanese filmmaking but also shines a light on Taiwan's soft power on the global stage.