TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan boasted a strong presence at the Hong Kong International Film and TV Market (FILMART), which came to a close on Thursday (March 14).
Known as Asia's top event for the film and television industry, Taiwan featured animations, TV series, documentaries, narrative features, talk shows, and the restored classic “Be With Me” (車頂上的玄天上帝). A total of 92 local companies offered up around 250 projects for an assortment of buyers and film executives to consider at the Taiwan Pavilion.
There was also a trio of high-profile projects. These included the series "Hello Marriage, Goodbye Love" (婚內失戀), which was inspired by the bestselling self-help book and resulting stage play about being trapped in a loveless marriage.
In the spotlight was the TV series "Love on a Shoestring” (完全省錢戀愛手冊), a collaboration between Taiwan's TVBS channel and Singapore’s Mediacorp. It has a work romance narrative against the background of finance.
Meanwhile, the movie "Haunted For Rent" (租屋怪談) looked at something familiar to many Taiwanese, the horror story of finding a place to rent. Actors and film crews from the production were on hand in Hong Kong to promote it.
The nation’s offerings were spearheaded by the Taiwan Creative Content Agency (TAICCA) and it teamed up with the Hong Kong - Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF) to introduce the TAICCA Award. This offered a US$10,000 (NT$315,000) prize to incentivize international co-productions.