4 movies, 2 islands

Singapore film-makers look to Taiwan for funding, hands-on support, cultural kinship

- John Lui Film Correspondent

When Singapore writer-director Nelicia Low needed to film scenes for her debut feature film Pierce in Taiwan, the Taichung city government turned into more than just a funder – it became her location scout.

“When we went location scouting, they provided drivers to take us to every single location for three days. They really took care of us. It’s not just giving money, they showed us everything,” the 33-year-old says.

Thanks to them, Pierce’s crucial fencing sequences found a home in an underground school facility.

This hands-on support is one reason for the growing pattern of Singapore-Taiwan collaborations, and four such co-productions have made festival appearances.

Opening in Singapore cinemas on Nov 7, Pierce won Best Director at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in the Czech Republic in June.

Mongrel earned a Special Mention Camera d’Or prize at the Cannes Film Festival in May, and Stranger Eyes became the first Singapore film to compete for Venice Film Festival’s Golden Lion in August.

Stranger Eyes will make its Asian premiere as the opening film at the Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival, which runs from Nov 7 to 24. It also has six nominations, including for Best Director and Best Narrative Feature, at the Golden Horse Awards on Nov 23.

In addition, it will open the Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF), which runs from Nov 28 to Dec 8. The film is slated for a wider theatrical release in Singapore in December.

Mongrel, which will be screened at SGIFF, has seven nominations at the Golden Horse Awards and is set to play on the big screens here in January 2025.

Tomorrow Is A Long Time, which opened in Singapore cinemas in May, premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival in 2023.

BUILDING THE BRIDGE

The timing follows specific policy changes, such as the establishment of the Taiwan Creative Content Agency (TAICCA) in 2019, for example.