KOTA SAMARAHAN: The Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) Mini Film Festival has made its first collaborative move with film organisations in Taiwan, namely the Taiwan Film Institute and Taiwan Docs.
According to Unimas festival programmer Yow Chong Lee, the collaboration with counterparts in Taiwan is hitherto the first ever in the history of the Borneo film festivals.
Thanks to such unprecedented collaboration, five films made by filmmakers from Taiwan, Myanmar and Malaysia will be shown to audiences for the first time here.
“Through the “Duduk dan Tonton” platform, we strive to bring in films for audiences in Sarawak as these films are rarely accessible except when attending international film festivals in other countries,” Yow said.
Taiwan Docs is under the Taiwan Films Institute, an organisation responsible for promoting Taiwan documentaries abroad.
“As the organisation’s objective is to promote Taiwan documentaries at home and abroad, our collaboration with the Mini Film Festival can be seen as a great springboard that will open chances to Taiwanese films to shine and be appreciated by a wider audience in Malaysia,” said Jessie from Taiwan Docs.
In conjunction with the theme for the upcoming “Duduk dan Tonton”, which is “Swaying between Past and Present; God and Man”, there are five short films carefully curated by Fan Wu, the festival programmer from the Taiwan International Film Festival.
The cost of screening these films is borne entirely by Taiwan Docs and Taiwan Film Institute.
The highlight of the screening, according to the event organiser, is “Return”, a film directed by prolific young Taiwanese filmmaker Huang Pang-Chuan.
He is known for his works which always combine the three elements of memory, travel and traditional film technology.
Another highlight in this screening is “Firefly” directed by Malaysian filmmaker Lau Kek-Huat, which tells the story of ethnic Chinese Malaysians in the late 18th century and early 19th century.
“Duduk dan Tonton” will take place at 8pm at the Saradise Innovation Space. Those interested are advised to register for free tickets on the Mini Film Festival Facebook’s event page.
For more information, contact Lanida at 011-1918 4256.
