The Seattle Taiwanese American Film Festival (STAFF), presented by TAP-Seattle, concluded on Sunday, July 1 with over 1,000 attendees for the three days combined. As an inaugural event, STAFF was met with overwhelming response from the Seattle community. The Festival featured five Taiwanese-American short films, seven Taiwanese feature-length films, and two Q and A sessions with Director Li-chou Yang and Director Charlie Chu from Taiwan. The Festival also included panel discussions and seminars by speakers from the Pacific Northwest. TAP-Seattle selected films that fit the Festival themes of “Family and Home(land)” by authentically portraying Taiwanese and Taiwanese Americans.
The Film Festival opened on June 29th at University of Washington with a private reception followed by Taiwanese American short films with nearly 200 people in attendance. Director Li-chou Yang arrived from Taiwan with AR/VR equipment to promote his documentary, Father. Combining traditional culture with modern technology, the audience could view Master Chen’s puppetry through VR helmets; and see traditional puppets pop up via AR on cell phones. Post the viewing of Taiwanese American short films, a panel led by Professor Yomi Braester discussed the uniqueness of Taiwanese American films in relation to the present and outlook of Taiwanese Cinema. The evening concluded with “Never Let You Go,” the short film directed by Taiwanese American Remii Huang, winning the People’s Choice Award.
Opening of Short Film Block on 6/29
Post movie Q and A with Direct Li-chou Yang moderated by Angel Hsu and Alodie Yen
The Film Festival continued June 30th to July 1st. Director Li-chou Yang opened Saturday morning with his film, Father. During the post-film Q and A, Yang revealed that he believes filming documentaries can change the world. According to Yang, just as every family has its own album, Taiwan has a growing collection of documentaries. “Each documentary film is like a photo representing a part of Taiwan,” Yang said. “You can come to understand the family, Taiwan, watching the films.”
Directors are not the only focus of the Film Festival. Bar-Chya (BC) Lee, a former Vancouver city councilor, discussed the conflict between majority sentiments and the protection of minority culture and heritage after Pakeriran in the afternoon. For the Saturday evening showings of The Bold, the Corrupt, and the Beautiful, Professor Yomi Braester introduced the audience to the hidden messages within the film.
Audience watching Formosa 3D
On Sunday, the audience was awed by “Formosa 3D,” one of the rare Taiwanese documentaries filmed entirely in 3D. Director Charlie Chu, who took ten years to capture the footage used in the film, was there to answer questions after the movie. “The movie will make Taiwanese who live outside of Taiwan miss their home,” Chu said. The audiences could relate to the people in the film and feel their energy to proudly present and preserve the culture, as well as learn about the disappearing Taiwanese sites and cultures.
Other movies showed during the festival included Take Me to the Moon, The Great Buddha+, and A Journey of 35.
The films in the Festival had different stories and characters. However, through the communal experience of watching these films and exchanging ideas through the planned programs, TAP-Seattle hope the audience would become aware of Taiwan’s uniqueness and continue the dialogue in their homes. The three-day Festival brought the community together and see Taiwan as a distinct culture, people, and nation.
TAP board members and volunteer after the film festival
Some Special Guests Who Attended the Festival
- Director Li-chou Yang of Father
- Director Charlie Chu of Formosa 3D
- Director General Vincent Yao of TECO in Seattle
- Director Ben Chen of TECO Culture Center in Seattle
- Profession Yomi Braester, Editor-in-Chief of Journal of Chinese Cinemas
- Mia Gregerson, Washington House of Representatives
- Janice Zahn, Bellevue City Council Member
Our Partner Organizations
- University of Washington, Taiwan Studies Program
- Vancouver Taiwanese Film Festival
- Victoria Taiwanese Film Festival
- Taiwanese American Film Festival by TAP-LA
Photos from the Festival
Please see https://photos.app.goo.gl/b12jStUH9xXqLoLT9