Film Festivals, Obsession

In Taiwan, we used to talk about a certain “film festival season”, which happens normally at the second half of the year. For moviegoers and film-lovers, it is a exciting, fulfilling, and also exhausting period. People study the handbook, look through the film list, check the schedule, and arrange their ideal list in the festival. Some festivals even hold seminars to help people with various interests decide their film list. These festivals often last for a week or ten days, and some for almost a month. You can see the flock religiously rush between different theaters.

Films festivals are crucial to local audience, especially for people who enjoy films in different genres and/or origins. You see, in the mainstream movie theaters in Taiwan, most movies are from USA (Hollywood of course), Hong Kong, Japan (animations for sure!), Korea, Thailand (with scary, scary ghost films) and Taiwan. Other than those, it’s hardly possible to appreciate film arts from “other” countries. Festivals are probably the only place now in Taiwan where films from other parts of the world or independent films are introduced. Moreover, organizers sometimes invite filmmakers and actors to Taiwan, especially thrilling to viewers and fans who like to interact with or hear what directors themselves have to say.

 Now there is no such a thing called “film festival season”. Film festivals proliferate and scatter around the year. Differentiation, therefore, becomes important to each. Various themes, communities and topics are developed with a clear focus, such as Women Make Waves Film Festival (which opens today until 10/25), and CNEX (focuses on documentary). Sometimes festivals are city-based, such as Taipei Film Festival (theme city this year: Berlin) or Kaohsiung Film Festival (theme this year: hero/antihero, stating today as well)

There are some more general festivals as well. Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival always goes with the movie award with the same title. “General” doesn’t mean it is less provocative to some people. This year, for example, more than a dozen LGBT films are included, which, of course, catches media attention.

I like to watch movies, but not crazy enough to sleep in tents for days in front of the box office for ticket sets/packages. Thanks for film festivals, though, I’ve got to fulfill my obsession to handbooks. I collect and keep them for years for future reflection. I have to say, by the way, the design is getting better and better.

How can a post about film festivals without clips?

↑ ↑ Taipei Film Festival Promo (theme city: Berlin … obviously)

↑ ↑ Kaohsiung Film Festival Promo

↑ ↑ Golden Horse Film Festival Promo