“International
New Talent Competition” is Taiwan’s only international competition aimed at
debut and second feature films (above 70 minutes) by emerging filmmakers. The competition
selects 10 to 12 films per year, focusing on the potential of emerging directors
in their structuring, storytelling, grasp of themes, and aesthetic style. In
addition to Grand Prize
(about USD 200,000) and Special Jury Prize
(about USD 100,000) selected by 5 juries, the competition also includes Audience Choice Award and Taiwan Film Critics
Association Award. Taipei Film Festival will
also invite representatives of all the selected films to Taipei and exchange
with audience in Taiwan.
Many
well renowned directors with unique styles in the international filmdom emerged
from “International New Talent Competition”, like Marielle Heller who recently
launched A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood featuring Tom Hanks, Oliver Laxe who won
Jury Prize of “Un Certain Regard” at 2019 Cannes Film
Festival with Fire Will Come, and Taika Waititi who won People's Choice Award at 2019 Toronto
International Film Festival with Jojo Rabbit have their debut films
selected into the Competition. Besides, in its 2019 version, the Grand
Prize-winning film－System
Crasher,
and selected films－The
Chambermaid
and Being Impossible respectively represented Germany, Mexico and Venezuela to compete for Academy Award for Best International Feature Film,
proving the Competition an important window introducing international new filmmakers.
To
select films with high potential and innovative audacity, “International New
Talent Competition” introduces diverse perspectives of juries from various
cultural backgrounds. Jury members of the Competition have included Tran Anh
Hung (winner of Golden Lion at Venice Film Festival), Ruben Östlund (winner of
Palme d'Or at Cannes Film Festival), Hamaguchi Ryusuke (director of Asako
I & II selected to compete for Palme d'Or at 2018 Cannes Film
Festival), Pema Tseden (Best Director of Golden Horse Awards) and renowned
Japanese director Yamashita Nobuhiro, who jointly picked out new stars of
tomorrow’s film world.
The
number of entries to “International New Talent Competition” has risen since its
inauguration in 2005. In 2019, more than 610 films internationally joined the
competition. For its 2020 version, the submission deadline is April 1, the
shortlist will be announced in mid-May, and the winners list will be revealed
at the awards ceremony taking place on June 30.