Iconic Taiwanese movies released between 2007 and 2017 were screened as part of the program of the 48th Seoul Independent Film Festival, which took place at the CGV Cinema in Seoul, Korea from Dec. 1 to 9 last year.
Under the theme of International Invitation: Next Generation after the Taiwanese New Wave Cinema, the selected eight films included "Pinoy Sunday (台北星期天)," "The Fourth Portrait (第四張畫)," "10+10," "Together (甜．祕密)," "Ice Poison (冰毒)," "The Great Buddha+ (大佛普拉斯)," "Missing Johnny (強尼．凱克)," and "The Bold, the Corrupt and the Beautiful (血觀音)."
In an interview with Central News Agency (CNA), Korean curator Kim Young-woo pointed out that the Taiwanese New Wave Cinema, known as New Waves in Korea, not only holds an important position in Asia, but also in global film history. Through the screenings, the curator hoped that Korean audiences will have a better understanding of the influence and culture following the Taiwanese New Wave Cinema. The exhibition will also focus on the changes and challenges of Taiwanese films in recent years from independent and art film perspectives.
The festival featured the directors of the post-New Wave Taiwan Cinema under three groups: those who have been influenced by the New Wave directors with whom they worked together; those who used to work in the broadcasting or advertising fields and appeared with new languages and images different from the previous generation; and those who moved to Taiwan from overseas.
The Seoul Independent Film Festival is the only independent film festival with a competition showcase in Korea. The entry is open to any film without distinction of themes, forms and length, and the festival awards best films. This year, the Festival was co-hosted by the Association of Korean Independent Film & Video and the Korean Film Council.