TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taichung is emerging as a major filming hub for overseas film and television crews.

The city government said Wednesday that it has stepped up film subsidies and one-stop coordination services to help crews move in, set up, and carry out shoots more smoothly. Officials noted that the Central Taiwan Film Studios has become a key production base after supporting major local films and attracting international projects.

The city’s Information Bureau Director-General Luan Chih-i (欒治誼) said studios are a core part of the city’s screen industry policy. She said ongoing upgrades to facilities and services now allow crews to handle large and complex shoots in Taichung instead of going abroad.

Luan also said the studio houses Taiwan’s largest indoor soundstage, along with an international-grade wave pool and deep-water pool. She said these facilities let teams scale up action and disaster scenes and have helped raise Taichung’s profile within the film industry.

The city said recent projects include TV series, reality shows, and the Taiwanese film “96 Minutes,” which built a high-speed rail car set at the studio. Yahoo News reported that “96 Minutes” grossed more than NT$200 million (US$6.3 million) at the box office and earned recognition at the Golden Horse Awards.

Taichung Film Development Foundation CEO Chang Wan-yu (張婉榆) said the foundation was involved in 102 film and TV shoots in the city last year, spanning movies, series, and other screen content, per Mega News. She said Taichung is working to link the screen industry more closely to the city’s growth.

Central Taiwan Film Studios is a production base in Taichung that supports film, TV, and streaming projects across Taiwan. It features large indoor soundstages and specialized facilities that let crews carry out complex shoots in one location.