Vietnamese filmmaker Le Bao won the grand prize at this year’s International New Talent Competition for his directorial debut "Taste" at the Taipei Film Festival, the organizers said in a statement on Tuesday.
Le Bao’s film stood out from the 11 other nominees because of its “condensed shots and unique aesthetic that formed an isolated, primitive and poetic space,” the jury said in the statement.
“The immediate glimpse into the lives of five marginalized persons exiled from society inspires contemplation on the nature of and needs in life,” the jury said about the movie that begins with the story of a Nigerian immigrant in Vietnam, who lost his job as a soccer player.
Photo courtesy of Taipei Film Festival
The jury called Le Bao’s film “an audacious piece from an emerging director” in the statement.
The Vietnamese director expressed his appreciation for the jury’s decision, saying the prize means a lot to him, his crew and the actors, and invigorates his desire to tell more stories.
Meanwhile, Celts by Serbian Milica Tomovic, also her first feature film, won the special jury prize.
Photo courtesy of Taipei Film Festival
“With a children’s party as the starting point, the desires and conflicts of the characters reflect the changing times and social dilemmas seen in Serbia,” the jury said about Tomovic’s movie.
Celts also received the audience choice award at the festival, the start of which was delayed from late June to this month because of a local COVID-19 outbreak.
The movie also won the Taiwan Film Critics Society Award, which was presented for the fourth year during the festival, as Tomovic’s “skillful mise-en-scene” shows how “adult desires and childish fun are intricately intertwined,” the statement said.
The winner of the grand prize and special jury prize receive NT$600,000 and NT$300,000 (US$21,567 and US$10,784) respectively.
An extra showing of Celts and Taste has been added on Tuesday and Wednesday next week respectively, with tickets going on sale on the OpenTix ticketing service, the festival organizers said.
It was the second consecutive year that the winners of the competition were announced without a ceremony because of COVID-19.
The festival, which opened on Thursday last week, is to conclude with the Taipei Film Awards ceremony for locally made movies on Saturday next week.
In addition to acting and technical awards, 20 movies, including feature films, documentaries, shorts and animated films, are to compete for the top prize of NT$1 million.
Foreign travelers entering Taiwan on a short layover via Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are receiving NT$600 gift vouchers from yesterday, the Tourism Administration said, adding that it hopes the incentive would boost tourism consumption at the airport. The program, which allows travelers holding non-Taiwan passports who enter the country during a layover of up to 24 hours to claim a voucher, aims to promote attractions at the airport, the agency said in a statement on Friday. To participate, travelers must sign up on the campaign Web site, the agency said. They can then present their passport and boarding pass for their connecting international
Temperatures in northern Taiwan are forecast to reach as high as 30°C today, as an ongoing northeasterly seasonal wind system weakens, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said yesterday that with the seasonal wind system weakening, warmer easterly winds would boost the temperature today. Daytime temperatures in northern Taiwan and Yilan County are expected to range from 28°C to 30°C today, up about 3°C from yesterday, Tseng said. According to the CWA, temperature highs in central and southern Taiwan could stay stable. However, the weather is expected to turn cooler starting tonight as the northeasterly wind system strengthens again
COOLING OFF: Temperatures are expected to fall to lows of about 20°C on Sunday and possibly 18°C to 19°C next week, following a wave of northeasterly winds on Friday The Central Weather Administration (CWA) on Sunday forecast more rain and cooler temperatures for northern Taiwan this week, with the mercury dropping to lows of 18°C, as another wave of northeasterly winds sweeps across the country. The current northeasterly winds would continue to affect Taiwan through today, with precipitation peaking today, bringing increased rainfall to windward areas, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng (劉沛滕) said. The weather system would weaken slightly tomorrow before another, stronger wave arrives on Friday, lasting into next week, Liu said. From yesterday to today, northern Taiwan can expect cool, wet weather, with lows of 22°C to 23°C in most areas,
Three Taiwanese airlines have prohibited passengers from packing Bluetooth earbuds and their charger cases in checked luggage. EVA Air and Uni Air said that Bluetooth earbuds and charger cases are categorized as portable electronic devices, which should be switched off if they are placed in checked luggage based on international aviation safety regulations. They must not be in standby or sleep mode. However, as charging would continue when earbuds are placed in the charger cases, which would contravene international aviation regulations, their cases must be carried as hand luggage, they said. Tigerair Taiwan said that earbud charger cases are equipped
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