TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwanese comic book “Echoes Before Dawn" was presented Thursday at the Cannes Film Festival “Shoot The Book!” pitching session alongside seven other international publications, seeking production companies interested in adapting the work into a film, per CNA.
The coming-of-age comic follows two teenage boys brought together through music who quickly become inseparable while navigating adolescence. As their friendship deepens, one of the boys becomes involved in a drug-dealing gang, drawing the other into a downward spiral.
Su Wong (王時思), chair of the Taiwan Creative Content Agency, said Cannes is more than just a showcase for celebrities and red carpets, describing it as both a major film market and an incubator for international productions. According to the festival, it will host about 250 project pitching sessions this year, with roughly 4,000 films and projects seeking collaboration.
Wong said the Taiwan Pavilion at the festival market has become an important platform for Taiwanese filmmakers to connect with international partners. Now in its sixth year, the pavilion is promoting Taiwanese thriller films seeking overseas distribution, including “Dead End,” “A Ghost in the Market,” and “The Rope Curse 4: Kuntilanak.”
She said Cannes differs from many major European film festivals because of its strong commercial focus. Wong said Taiwanese films are currently best known internationally for horror and teen romance genres, prompting this year’s “Fantastic Taiwan" initiative centered on genre productions, per CNA.
She added that this year’s Taiwan Pavilion has placed particular emphasis on intellectual property development. When promoting international co-productions, Wong said a key question is whether Taiwan’s intellectual property can resonate internationally.
Wong believes intellectual property such as comics can serve as the foundation for adaptations across multiple media formats, including animation, short films, feature films, and video games.
“Taiwan’s strength lies in its abundant originality,” Su said. “We hope to leverage that creativity to match the commercial ambitions of Cannes and collaborate with international producers and distributors.”
