A Taiwan Cinema Gala Night co-organized by the Malaysia International Film Festival (MIFFest) and the Taipei Economic & Cultural Office in Malaysia was held at the Dorsett Hotel Kuala Lumpur on Feb. 28.
As films are an important tool of cultural diplomacy, the Taiwan Cinema Gala Night was held for the second time in two years to deepen cultural exchanges and understanding between the cinema circles of Taiwan and Malaysia as well as to foster collaboration opportunities for film projects.
MIFFest and the Malaysia Golden Global Awards (MGGA) is a new platform connecting filmmakers around the world and introducing Malaysian films and filmmakers to audiences worldwide. Featuring the theme "humanitarianism" this year, the 2nd MIFFest & MGGA received a total of 25 films from fifteen countries.
Four Taiwanese films – "Missing Johnny (強尼‧凱克)" by Huang Xi (黃熙), "A Fish Out of Water (上岸的魚)" by Lai Kuo-an (賴國安), "The Great Buddha+ (大佛普拉斯)" by Huang Hsin-yao (黃信堯), and "The Bold, The Corrupt and The Beautiful (血關音)" by Yang Ya-che (楊雅喆) – were screened at MIFFest this year.
In addition, Taiwanese producer Yeh Ju-feng (葉如芬), director Lai Kuo-an, and cinematographer Yao hung-i (姚宏易) were invited to share their experiences and ideas and explore the strengths and future of Taiwan cinema at the “Taiwan Cinema Forum: New Era of Taiwan Cinema” held by MIFFest.
Unfolding at 8pm, the Taiwan Cinema Gala Night was attended by roughly 150 guests, including Director Peggy Chou (周蓓姬) of the Culture Division of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Malaysia, film festival selection consultant Gloria Yip Wan-yee (葉蘊儀), Chairman Kim Dong-ho of the Busan International Film Festival, Director Eric Ch'ng (莊立康) of the Oriental Art and Cultural Center, and delegations from participating countries.
Director Chou first congratulated the outstanding performance of Taiwanese films, such as "The Great Buddha+" and "Missing Johnny" that were both nominated by MGGA for several categories. She then expressed her hope to deepen Malaysian moviegoers’ understanding of Taiwanese films and create more opportunities for future collaborations. Chou ended her speech by welcoming international film professionals to make films in Taiwan.
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