Attention film enthusiasts and industry professionals! Join us for an enriching experience at the forums of the MIFFest Taiwan Programme 2023. Discussions that delve into the dynamic landscape of cinema and the unique challenges faced by emerging directors.

This year, MIFFest's continued collaboration with TECO, will present an entirely unique programme with a strong activity lineup with the title "Going Forward, Looking Back: The Reluctant Evolution of Contemporary Taiwan Films." This programme is curated by the seasoned programmer Kuo Ming-Jung, who also serves as a consultant covering SE Asia and Taiwan for Cannes Director's Fortnight.
Two engaging discussion forums have been included and will be held at Eslite Spectrum as part of the programme, which explores the evolving landscape of Taiwanese cinema with a focus on challenging the dominant film and encourages the act of remembering, struggle, and resistance to preserve individual identities.

The Challenge for New Directors: More Than Just Finding One's Voice
Date: 29 July 2023

Time: 1100-1300

Speakers: Fiona Roan, Lau Kok Rui, Jovi Lee

Moderated By: Kuo Ming-Jung

Language: Mandarin

Adapting to the Changing Realities in Cinema
Date: 30 July 2023

Time: 1100-1300

Speakers: Chong Keat Aun, Laha Mebow, Chan Ching-lin

Moderated By: Kuo Ming-Jung
Language: Mandarin

Don't miss this incredible opportunity to gain valuable insights from the esteemed panelists, who will share their expertise and perspectives on the ever-evolving film industry. Reserve your spot now and be part of the vibrant dialogue shaping the insights of the industry.
Location | eslite Forum

Introduction of the Moderator

Kuo Ming-Jung has spent much of her career in film festival management, programming and talent support initiatives. Her work as Program Director for Taipei Film Festival (2014-2018), carried a balance of showcasing new talent and introducing narrative VR programs as well as celebrating cinema heritage. She also partnered with Produire au Sud and launched PAS Taipei in 2015, worked as the program consultant from 2017, she joined the Singapore International Film Festival in 2019, first as the Program Director before becoming Artistic Director. Between 2019 and 2021, she was on the selection committee for the Locarno Festival Open Doors. She has also been extensively involved in the selection of projects for Taiwanese and Southeast Asian script development and regional funding schemes. She set up Island X Pictures in 2022 and is developing feature films. In 2022 she joined Directors’ Fortnight as a consultant covering Southeast Asia and Taiwan.

Introduction of the Speakers

𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝟏 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐫𝐬

𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐫: 𝐋𝐚𝐮 𝐊𝐨𝐤 𝐑𝐮𝐢 劉國瑞
Lau Kok Rui is a Malaysian writer-director, who is currently based in Hong Kong. His first short, ‘Let’s Get Lost’, utilises the thematic motif of a road movie genre to tell the story of identity crisis among Hong Kong youth, and was selected as the finalist of Local Competition in 11th Fresh Wave International Short Film Festival. Recently, he won ‘Best New Director and ‘Best Original Screenplay’ at the 59th Golden Horse Awards for his debut feature film ‘The Sunny Side of the Street’.

𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐫: 𝐉𝐨𝐯𝐢 𝐋𝐞𝐞 李宜珊
Jovi Lee, born in Taiwan, is an independent film producer and university lecturer. She graduated from the Graduate School of Applied Media Arts at the National Taiwan University of Arts. She won the Best Editing Award at the 49th Golden Bell Awards and the Best Live Action Short Film at the 54th Golden Horse Awards. Her works encompass both narrative and documentary films, often focusing on how women navigate in a patriarchal society. Jovi Lee is a rare emerging female director in Taiwan who possesses a strong individuality while also exuding a subtle healing energy.

𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐫: 𝐅𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚 𝐑𝐨𝐚𝐧 阮鳳儀
Feng-i Fiona Roan is a Taiwanese-American writer/director based in Los Angeles and Taipei. She received her Directing MFA degree from American Film Institute and was previously trained in classical Chinese Literature at National Taiwan University. Her semi-autobiographical short film JieJie won the HBO Asian Pacific American Visionary Award and was previously distributed online in the U.S. via HBO Go and HBO Now. JieJie also won the Audience Award at Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia, and was an official selection at Melbourne International Film Festival, Palm Springs International ShortFest, and Taipei Film Festival.

𝐌𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫: 𝐊𝐮𝐨 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐠-𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐠 郭敏容
Kuo Ming-Jung has spent much of her career in film festival management, programming and talent support initiatives. Her work as Program Director for Taipei Film Festival (2014-2018), carried a balance of showcasing new talent and introducing narrative VR programs as well as celebrating cinema heritage. She also partnered with Produire au Sud and launched PAS Taipei in 2015 to help reinforce script development, co-production and sales strategies. Having worked as the program consultant from 2017, she joined the Singapore International Film Festival in 2019, first as the Program Director before becoming Artistic Director. Between 2019 and 2021, she was on the selection committee for the Locarno Festival Open Doors. She has also been extensively involved in the selection of projects for Taiwanese and Southeast Asian script development and regional funding schemes. She set up Island X Pictures in 2022 and is developing feature films. In 2022 she joined Directors’ Fortnight as a consultant covering Southeast Asia and Taiwan.

𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝟐 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐫𝐬

𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐫: 𝐂𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐊𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐀𝐮𝐧 張吉安
Chong Keat Aun is a Malaysian Director and screenwriter who works in broadcasting, classic scents and performance arts. In 2017, his short film “Cemetery of Courtesy” was selected to the Busan International Film Festival. In 2020, he made “The Story of Southern Islet,” which won the Best New Director, the FIPRESCI Prize, the NETPAC Award at the 57th Golden Horse Awards, and was selected to the IFFR and Locarno Film Festival.

𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐫: 𝐋𝐚𝐡𝐚 𝐌𝐞𝐛𝐨𝐰 陳潔瑤
Laha Mebow is the first female indigenous film director in Taiwan. She has devoted herself to the industry over 25 years as a scriptwriter, director and TV producer. She used to work as a script supervisor with Taiwanese directors Tsai Ming-Liang (Goodbye Dragon Inn, 2003) and Chang Tso-Chi. Her works focus mostly on the shared experience of indigenous peoples in Taiwan. Her previous feature film “Hang in There, Kids!” (2016) not only swept five Taipei Film Awards including best narrative feature, the grand prize and best director, but was also nominated for Golden Horse Awards and selected as Taiwan’s Oscar entry.

𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐫: 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠-𝐥𝐢𝐧 詹京霖
Chan Ching Lin graduated from Shih Hsin University with a master degree in art composing. His works mostly focus on exploring issues of the underprivileged groups in the society. He has won the Best Director at the Taipei Film Festival for short film “A Breath from the Bottom.” In 2016, his feature debut “The Island that All Flow By” was nominated for multiple Golden Bell Award honors and won the Best Director and Best Scriptwriting. He was also nominated for Best Director at the Golden Horse Awards for that film the next year, showing that his ability of directing has been recognised.

𝐌𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫: 𝐊𝐮𝐨 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐠-𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐠 郭敏容
Kuo Ming-Jung has spent much of her career in film festival management, programming and talent support initiatives. Her work as Program Director for Taipei Film Festival (2014-2018), carried a balance of showcasing new talent and introducing narrative VR programs as well as celebrating cinema heritage. She also partnered with Produire au Sud and launched PAS Taipei in 2015 to help reinforce script development, co-production and sales strategies. Having worked as the program consultant from 2017, she joined the Singapore International Film Festival in 2019, first as the Program Director before becoming Artistic Director. Between 2019 and 2021, she was on the selection committee for the Locarno Festival Open Doors. She has also been extensively involved in the selection of projects for Taiwanese and Southeast Asian script development and regional funding schemes. She set up Island X Pictures in 2022 and is developing feature films. In 2022 she joined Directors’ Fortnight as a consultant covering Southeast Asia and Taiwan.