Taiwan Takes Two World Premieres to Toronto Film Festival
Taiwan has claimed two world-premiere slots in Special Presentations at the Toronto International Film Festival. The line-up was detailed by Variety on 12 September. It spans red-carpet showcases and industry markets, with partners from Malaysia, Japan and Germany.
One premiere is Happily Ever After from Feng-I Fiona Roan. It is her second feature after American Girl, which won five prizes at Taiwan's 2021 Golden Horse Awards, according to Variety. The new film is the acting debut on cinema screens for Taiwanese singer and television personality Shu-hua.
The other world premiere in Special Presentations, a high-profile showcase section, is Edmund Yeo's The Age of Goodbyes. It is a Taiwan-Malaysia co-production, meaning it was backed by companies in both countries, and is adapted from Li Zi Shu's novel. It stars Taiwanese actors Vivian Sung and Troy Liu. The shoot took place entirely in Malaysia, with post-production completed in Taiwan.
Genre fans get Arrested Memory from Japanese director Sabu. The Taiwan-Japan co-production will have its North American premiere in Midnight Madness, the festival's late-night slot for thrillers and cult titles, after an out-of-competition bow at Venice. It runs 87 minutes. Ethan Juan stars as a seasoned detective diagnosed with dementia, in a story told in Mandarin and Taiwanese, according to TIFF.
Beyond public screenings, Taiwan is present on the business side organised by the festival. Singing Chen's Taiwan-Germany co-production The Clouds Are Two Thousand Meters Up will have its Canadian premiere in the Innovation Hub at TIFF: The Market. Hsinmei Cheng's feature project Argus Inside was selected for the International Financing and Project Market, where unfinished films meet potential buyers and funders.
What makes this stand out is range. Two festival premieres travelled very different routes to Toronto, while the market titles point to where the next co-productions may come from.
