Cinespot : Taiwan Cinefest London 2009

Taiwan Cinefest London 2009

The Taiwan Cinefest is a new platform for up and coming Taiwanese filmmakers and to share and promote their work to an international audience. The five day festival which will kick off on April 15th will include a UK feature premiere, several themed showcases, industry seminars and a gala VIP event.

The Taiwan Cinefest is a completely independent, editorially neutral, not-for-profit organisation dedicated to building support and appreciation for Taiwanese cinema here in the UK. The organising team are a group of volunteers made up of industry professionals, post-graduate students, academics and filmmakers.

Opening Night Screening (London Premiere) April 15th, 2009

Parking (Ting Che)
Taiwan 2008. Dir Mong-Hong Chung. 112 min. Colour. English Subtitles

On Mother's Day in Taipei, Chen Mo makes a date for dinner with his wife, hoping to bring their estranged relationship back together. While buying a cake on his way home, a car unexpectedly double parks next to his car, preventing his exit. For the entire night, Chen Mo searches the floors of a nearby apartment building for the owner of the illegally parked car, and encounters a succession of eccentric characters and strange events.

First played at Cannes in the Un Certain Regard section, Montreal's World Film Festival, Tigers and Dragons section of the Vancouver International Film Festival and the A Window on Asian Cinema section of the Pusan International Film Festival.

VENUE: The Coronet Notting Hill Gate, London, W11 3LB
(Nearest Tube station: Nottinghill Gate)
TIME: 8.30pm, April 15th
BUY TICKETS - Opens March 10th

Other Films

My So-Called Love (Ai de fa sheng lian xi)
Taiwan 2008. Dir. Li Ding. 120 mins. Colour.
Lanuage: Chinese with English subtitles

Raised in a broken family, Cat(Barbie Hsu) runs away from home as a teenager to escape her stepfather. In high school, she begins living with boyfriend Liam(Eddie Peng), but puppy love eventually ends in betrayal. While Liam is in the army, Cat, feeling lonely and poor, meets an older man through the Internet; Xiao Gu (Joseph Chang) is looking for sex, Cat is looking for money. From lust comes love, until Cat discovers Xiao Gu is actually married. After ten years of ups and downs, Cat begins anew at age 28 when she meets the rich and kind-hearted Sunshine (Easton Tung), but is he really her heart's final home?

VENUE: The Coronet Westbourne Studios,
242 Acklam Road, London, W10 5JJ
(Nearest Tube station: Westbourne Park)
TIME: Saturday 18th April, 3.30pm
BUY TICKETS - Opens March 10th

What On Earth Have I Done Wrong?!
(Qing fei de yi zhi sheng cun zhi dao)
Taiwan 2008. Dir. Doze Niu. 96 mins. Colour.
Language: Mandarin with English subtitles

In a brilliant display of art reflecting and distorting reality, Doze Niu stars as an actor and television director named Doze Niu who decides to make his first feature film. Before the cameras ever start rolling, however, Doze suddenly finds himself without a leading actor or a budget. In order to raise money for his movie, he starts calling up all his industry connections and potential investors. All the rubbing of elbows only leads to a restless cycle of sex, drugs, and drinking, with no money to show for it. With his girlfriend (Janine Chang, Silk), set to leave him and his life descending into absurdity, will Doze ever get to make his film?

VENUE: The Coronet Westbourne Studios,
242 Acklam Road, London, W10 5JJ
(Nearest Tube station: Westbourne Park)
TIME: Sunday 19th April, 12.15pm
BUY TICKETS - Opens March 10th

Cape No 7
Taiwan. Dir. Wei Te Sheng. 129 mins. Colour.
Language: Mandarin with English Subtitles

As entertaining and enjoyable as moviemaking gets, Cape No. 7 is Taiwan's reigning local box office champ, and is gaining much attention from neighboring Asian territories. First-time director Wei Te Sheng delivers an undeniable crowd pleaser, chockfull of humor, romance, nostalgia, and wonderfully quirky characters. Cape No. 7 was nominated for seven awards at the 45th Golden Horse Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director. Featuring appearances by Taiwanese singers Shino Lin and Rachel Liang, and Japanese singer Atari Kosuke, in a special dual role.

BUY TICKETS - Opens March 10th

Winds of September
Taiwan. Dir. Tom Lin. 107 mins. Colour
Language: Mandarin with English Subtitles
DVD Projection

Popular player Yen (Rhydian Vaughan) leads a group of seven troublemaking high school boys who raise havoc in the classroom, smoke on the school rooftop, and heckle at baseball games in their provincial hometown of Hsinchu. When Yen cheats on his girlfriend Yun (Jennifer Chu), the more introverted Tang (Chang Chieh), who holds a torch for Yun, takes the blame and the beating for his buddy. The incident sets off a painful fallout in friendship as misunderstandings build and extend across the group. The harder they struggle to hold on to friendship, the more they lose themselves and each other.

VENUE: The Coronet Westbourne Studios,
242 Acklam Road, London, W10 5JJ
(Nearest Tube station: Westbourne Park)
TIME: Saturday 18th April, 12.15pm
BUY TICKETS - Opens March 10th

The Most Distant Course
Taiwan 2008. Dir. Li Ding. 120 mins. Colour
DVD Projection

Seemingly lost in life, young sound recordist Xiao Tang (Mo Zi Yi) embarks on a road trip around Taiwan to capture the "Sounds of Formosa". In need of some therapy himself, intense and unpredictable psychiatrist Cai (Jia Xiao Guo) gets up one day and just keeps driving. The two meet each other in bizarre fashion and become unlikely travel companions on their island circuit. Xiao Tang sends his recordings to his ex-girlfriend, but they end up in the hands of the apartment's new tenant, Wu Ruoyun (Guey Lun Mei), a young woman who's nursing a troubled relationship of her own. Lured by the peaceful recordings of wind, waves, and aboriginal songs, Xiao Tang takes to the road to follow the source of the sounds.

VENUE: The Coronet Westbourne Studios,
242 Acklam Road, London, W10 5JJ
(Nearest Tube station: Westbourne Park)
TIME: Sunday 19th April, 3.30pm
BUY TICKETS - Opens March 10th

Jump Boys! (Fan gun ba! Nan hai)
Taiwan. Dir. Yu-Hsien Lin. 84 mins. Colour.
Languages: Mandarin with English Subtitles

No videogames or McDonald's after school: no matter how painstaking the training, these young gymnasts never give up. Each comes from a different background with a different temperament, the only common thing between them is -- they never quit. As one puts it, "I must endure the pain! I must persevere no matter how hard it is, no matter how many times I fall or how much it hurts." An often humorous study of the relationship between the coach and his charges, JUMP! BOYS also offers insight into the broader world of sports in Taiwan.

VENUE: University of the Arts London,
65 Davies Street, London, W1K 5DA
(Nearest Tube station: Bond Street)
TIME: Saturday 18th April, 12.15pm
FREE Entry

Taipei Bohemians
Taiwan. Dir. Hung Hung. 55 mins. Colour
Language: Mandarin with English Subtitles,
DVD Projection

Seven desparate figures are bound together in this film by their passion for theatre. When the stage calls, they instantly drop what they are doing and respond; despite hardships and extremely meager pay, they hold themselves to the most exacting artistic standards.

VENUE: University of the Arts London,
65 Davies Street, London, W1K 5DA
(Nearest Tube station: Bond Street)
TIME: Friday 17th April, 8.30pm
FREE Entry

Young Filmmaker Showcase

Over 11 of the most engaging and entertaining short films from new and up and coming talent from Taiwan. Includes a selection of previous Golden Harvest Winners. Showcase takes place from 12.15pm - 6pm.

VENUE: University of the Arts London,
65 Davies Street, London, W1K 5DA
(Nearest Tube station: Bond Street)
TIME: Friday 17th April, 12.15pm
FREE Entry

For more information of Taiwan Cinefest London 2009, do check out their official website here.

information provided by: Taiwan Cinefest London