14th Taiwan International Documentary Festival (TIDF) Competition Winners Announced

The awards ceremony of the 14th Taiwan International Documentary Festival (TIDF) takes place on May 16. 42 nominated films in the Asian Vision Competition, International Competition, Taiwan Competition and 14 works shortlisted for the TIDF Visionary Award, an award for promoting sinophone documentaries, competed for 11 awards.

 

The Programme Director Wood Lin says this is his 7th time participating in TIDF’s programming since 2010, and a persistent self-pursuit for incarnating the spirit of documentary through curating has made each version more challenging than imagined. He also thanks all the filmmakers at the ceremony for devoting their lives to and fully engaging in filmmaking; their works are wonderful gifts that introduce the complexity and beauty of the world to the audience in Taiwan. He then quoted this year's Outstanding Contribution Award recipient, Chang Chao-tang: "We exist, because people who remember us", saying that TIDF also exists because all who participate, remembers it.

  

 TFAI Chairperson Arthur Chu, TIDF Programme Director Wood Lin

 

Audacious, Innovative, Surprising: Taman-taman (Park) Wins Grand Prize of Asian Vision Competition

In Taman-taman (Park) directed by So Yo-hen, the multilayer narrative unfolds through the encounters between two Indonesian poets in Tainan Park. The Grand Prize winner of the Asian Vision Competition, this film is praised by the jury as a highly original oeuvre: surprising, audacious, and innovative in its form and narrative, with radical mis-en-scène and vivid settings that make the entire film interesting and meaningful. The Jury Prize goes to K-Family Affairs, a documentary by Nam Arum from South Korea about her family story. The film is hailed as successfully intertwining a personal story with universal themes; it reveals the director’s particular family experience and also deeply reflects the status quo and history of South Korea. Announced as the winner, Nam Arum immediately bursts into tears. She talks about the unfavorable social conditions in her country and feels deeply about winning this award, which brings her the courage to move on. She also wishes this award would inspire more effort for democratization in Asia.

 

Taman-taman (Park) producer Liao Hsu-hui,  K-Family Affairs director Nam Arum

 

The Special Prize goes to Damnatio Memoriae, recognized for cleverly connecting many forgotten histories and stories of massacres on the Asian continent, through juxtaposition of pop music with propaganda footage, moving the audience towards a thought-provoking exercise. The director Thunska Pansittivorakul from Thailand says he was touched by many outstanding works at the festival and, thanks to such a sense of collectivity, he no longer feels alone. The jury also presents a Special Mention to Song of Souls directed by Sai Naw Kham from Myanmar, a film of calmness and courage, which allows neglected communities to speak out in a situation filled with challenges.

  

 Damnatio Memoriae director Thunska Pansittivorakul, Song of Souls director Sai Naw Kham

 

Critical Moment of Transitional Justice in Latin America: The Trial Wins Grand Prize of International Competition

The Grand Prize of the International Competition goes to The Trial. Entirely made with edited footage of court proceedings, it is a record of the most critical moment of transitional justice in Latin America’s history. According to the jury, this film invites us to learn lessons from the past; through horrible stories and without showing the violence directly, it successfully represents a history that should never repeat itself. Alberto Daniel Ponce, the editor of the film, receives the award on behalf of his team. He particularly mentions the global rise of the right wing and how Argentina’s right-wing government is destroying the culture and interfering in the film industry of the country. He says memory and justice are our mottos and hopes this film conveys such ideas to audiences across the world.

The Trial editor Alberto Daniel Ponce

 

Knit’s Island, made and completed during an online game, wins the Jury Prize. Hailed by the jury as a work that invites contemporaries to reflect on “existence” while showing the dilemma and poetry in game (or in life). The producer Boris Garavini said, the award is a great honor for his team; perhaps the subject of this film is not among the world's most pressing issues, but its exploration of virtual reality still greatly facilitates our understanding of the world. An extra Special Mention added by the jury goes to Guapo’y recognized for its touching filming approach and intended messages, like a remedy taking us back to our origin. The director Sofía Paoli Thorne says she is glad for the recognition won by this film and that more people can learn about the horrible history of dictatorship; many Paraguayans choose to forget this past, but this work serves as a reminder of the extreme importance of memory about the past.

  

Knit’s Island producer Boris Garavini, Guapo’y director Sofía Paoli Thorne

 

Taiwan Competition Winners: Taman-taman (Park) (Grand Prize) and Diamond Marine World (Jury Prize)

For the Taiwan Competition, Taman-taman (Park) wins once again the Grand Prize. According to the jury, it is an unusual film that encourages imagination and curiosity and invites us to reflect on complex insights into Taiwan’s history and culture through multiple perspectives. The producer Liao Hsu-hui is extremely surprised to learn this film wins again and speaks on behalf of the director So Yo-hen. She particularly thanks all those who appreciate this film and everyone who participated in the production, adding that winning such major awards brings a lot of pressure, and she hopes to bring a new work to the audience next time!

Taman-taman (Park) producer Liao Hsu-hui

 

The Jury Prize goes to Diamond Marine World which is praised for creating a new language as a fusion of different feelings, leading to a thorough comprehension of the ambition and hope of people in another land. The director Huang Hsiu-yi says this is her first time participating in TIDF as a director and sighs for the hardship in completing each work until the end. Yet such a burden in the filmmaking process is entirely surpassed by the experience of film-viewing with everyone and expressed her gratitude for the recognition.

Diamond Marine World director Huang Hsiu-yi

 

Grand Prize of TIDF Visionary Award Goes to The Clinic: Ingenious Insight into Reality in Myanmar

The Grand Prize of TIDF Visionary Award goes to The Clinic praised by the jury for its approach through disease and ingenious insight into the turmoil and panic of Myanmar’s social reality, with a poetic and organic visual aesthetics rooted in a profound rumination on culture. On behalf of the director Midi Z, the producer Wang Shing-hong thanked the entire creative team of this film, saying that the award represents great encouragement for both the director and artists from Myanmar, and they hope for more support for works from this country.

The Clinic Aung Min, producer Wang Shing-hong

 

Taman-taman (Park) also receives the Special Jury Prize in this category. The jury praised the film for using rather limited elements in telling a story with multiple layers and humor, which reflects the situation of migrant workers in Taiwan as well as bottlenecks in terms of the filmmaker’s narrative perspective. Taiwan Film Critics Society Prize goes to Hsiao Mei-ling, the director of Parallel World, which is a touching piece based on a 12-year record of her daughter growing up.

Parallel World director Hsiao Mei-ling

 

My Stolen Planet Recognized with Next Generation Award and Audience Award

My Stolen Planet wins the Next Generation Award co-organized by TIDF and Fubon Cultural & Educational Foundation, an award representing the perspective of a new generation and based on the voting by 18 teenage jurors. The jury appreciate the expression of courage and perseverance of Iranian women in this film, which reminds us of the fragility of freedom and the value of democracy. Deeply moving for its visual resistance against oblivion, My Stolen Planet also wins the Audience Award based on the audience’s voting during the festival. The director Farahnaz Sharifi says, with deep emotion, that the two awards mean a lot to her and expresses her gratitude for the appreciation of such a large audience and the young generation.

My Stolen Planet director Farahnaz Sharifi

 

Added screenings of all award-winning films will be held on May 19, the last day of the TIDF. These are not-to-be-missed opportunities to watch these winning films! The venues include SPOT-Huashan and Vie Show Cinemas Taipei Qsquare. For complete remarks by the jury on the winning films as well as screening information, please follow the latest news on TIDF’s official website.

 

 

Complete Winners List

Asian Vision Competition

Grand Prize: Taman-taman (Park)
Jury Prize: K-Family Affairs
Special Prize: Damnatio Memoriae
Special Mention: Song of Souls

International Competition

Grand Prize: The Trial
Jury Prize: Knit’s Island
Special Mention: Guapo’y

Taiwan Competition

Grand Prize: Taman-taman (Park)
Jury Prize: Diamond Marine World

TIDF Visionary Award

Grand Prize: The Clinic
Special Jury Prize: Taman-taman (Park)

Taiwan Film Critics Society Prize

Parallel World

Next Generation Award

My Stolen Planet

Audience Award

My Stolen Planet

Outstanding Contribution Award

CHANG Chao-tang