TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Sundance Institute and G2Go Entertainment held a press conference on Tuesday (Aug. 20) announcing the return of the Sundance Film Festival Asia to Taipei.

Held at SPOT-Huashan from Aug. 21–25, the festival will highlight selected films from the 40th edition of the Sundance Film Festival held earlier this year in Park City, Utah. Aside from showcasing independent feature films, several “master panels” will be held on the sidelines, involving prominent film directors, producers, and curators, per a festival press release.

Each year, the Sundance Film Festival is committed to promoting cinema that exists outside of the mainstream Hollywood studio model, providing opportunities for young, up-and-coming directors, as well as giving a voice to fringe artists and groups. The festival is also inclusive, screening films from the US, Europe, Asia, and South America.

Appearing at the press conference held at Huashan 1914 Creative Park was Sundance Institute Director of Programming Kim Yutani. She began programming short films for the festival in 2006 and was promoted to her current role in 2018, overseeing all of the programming for both the festival and related year-round events.

The Taiwan organizer of the event is G2Go Entertainment, formed by Kevin Lin (林士斌), Iris Wu (吳采頤), and Jonathan Liao (廖炳坤). The trio aspires to “build a bridge” between the Sundance community and Taiwanese filmmakers, creating more opportunities for film production and distribution.

Some of the most highly anticipated films to be screened at the festival this year include the opening film, "Didi,” directed by Sean Wang. This film will be shown after a red carpet event is held on Wednesday afternoon (Aug. 21) outside the SPOT-Huashan Theater.

Other films, directors, or producers attending the Taipei screenings include “Porcelain War,” directed by Brendan Bellomo; "Sujo,” directed by Astrid Rondero and Fernanda Valadez; “Your Monster,” directed by Caroline Lindy; and “A New Kind of Wilderness,” produced by Mari Bakke Riise.

For more information about the festival as well as general ticket availability, please visit the festival website.