Asian CineVision and TECO Showcase New Taiwanese Cinema at 33rd Asian American International Film Festival

New York (June 14, 2010) --- Asian CineVision (ACV) and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York (TECO) have announced a special presentation on New Taiwanese Cinema. The program will be presented during the 33rd Asian American International Film Festival from July 15 through July 24, 2010 throughout various venues in New York City. This unique showcase consists of four feature length films and two short film programs that bring together the works of Taiwan's new generation of filmmakers. TECO continues its commitment to promoting cross-cultural exchanges between Taiwan and the United States by joining ACV in presenting a program that highlights Taiwan's burgeoning independent film community.

“The New Taiwanese Cinema program marks the first collaboration between TECO and the ACV,” says TECO Press Division Director Tony Ong, who explains that the event is a wonderful opportunity to introduce the creativity and distinctiveness of Taiwan’s emerging directors to an American audience. Says Ong, “These works demonstrate how films from Taiwan are gradually finding international appeal while maintaining their unique Taiwanese characteristics.” The film industry is one of the “six key industries” the Taiwanese government hopes to develop for future growth. Director Ong notes, “We see film as a sort of cultural ambassador for Taiwan, an important aspect of our culture that we wish to fully appreciate and develop further.”

TECO and ACV will jointly present a pre-festival press conference at 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 14, 2010 at the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York. Filmmakers and talent participating in the New Taiwanese Cinema program will be in attendance. "It’s a privilege and a pleasure to collaborate with TECO in presenting a program that represents the diversity and breadth of contemporary Taiwanese cinema," says Martha Tien, Program Manager of the AAIFF10. The feature film line up includes Taiwanese-American director Arvin Chen's feature film debut Au Revoir Taipei, Swedish-Taiwanese director Håkon Liu's first feature length film Miss Kicki, Cheng Yu Chieh's sophomore feature film Yang Yang, and Cho Li's first feature length film Zoom Hunting. All four features will be making their New York Premieres, with Zoom Hunting making its U.S. premiere. All directors will compete for the AAIFF10 Emerging Director, Narrative Feature Award.

"Taiwanese cinema is experiencing a resurgence of sorts," explains ACV Acting Director John Woo. "The New Taiwanese Cinema program celebrates this renaissance including works by diasporic Taiwanese filmmakers. We want to show that Taiwan's cinematic influence is truly global." Arvin Chen's Au Revoir Taipei has been selected to be the AAIFF10's Centerpiece Presentation and will screen on July 17 at 9:00 pm at the Chelsea Clearview Cinema. Cho Li will make an appearance after her respective screening for a Q+A session. Additionally, a special reception will be co-hosted by ACV and TECO in honor of the filmmakers and their works.

In addition to these four features, New Taiwanese Cinema will include two shorts programs consisting of a total of 12 films. Taipei 24H invites eight filmmakers to lend their distinct styles to create a filmic portrait of Taiwan's capital city. This special program, partitioned off into eight time frames, shows what events unfold throughout the course of the day. Eye on Taiwan, meanwhile, offers four films that each speak to the social and cultural issues that are impacting contemporary Taiwan. The New Taiwanese Cinema shorts programs will screen at the Chelsea Clearview Cinema throughout the course of the festival.