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Film festival in New York features Taiwanese indigenous work

  • Date:2024-08-13
Film festival in New York features Taiwanese indigenous work

Taiwanese film director Laha Mebow’s (陳潔瑤) latest short film “Tayal Forest Club (男孩奇幻夜)” was selected for the “Shorts: A Field Guide to the Natural World” program at the 47th Asian American International Film Festival (AAIFF).

The screening took place on Aug. 11 at the Regal Cinemas in Manhattan, New York.

 

Laha Mebow, who became the first Taiwanese indigenous female to win Best Director at the 59th Golden Horse Awards in 2022 for her comedy-drama “Gaga (哈勇家),” mentioned during the post-screening event that “Tayal Forest Club” is her first short film. She noted that creating a short film required a different approach compared to a feature-length film, particularly due to the challenging shooting locations in Tayal villages at an altitude of 1,500 meters.

 

The short film was commissioned as part of the Reciprocity Project, an initiative by global non-profit organizations such as Nia Tero, Upstander Project, and REI Co-op Studios. The project aims to highlight the traditions, culture, and values of Indigenous Peoples worldwide through short films and multimedia platforms.