How did the organizers of this year’s Sundance Asia mark their return to Taiwan? By growing the festival in every way possible. For the second year in a row, Sundance Asia returned to Taipei. The expansion of the festival’s programming was a reflection of Taiwan’s efforts to boost filmmaking in the region.
The festival run was extended from three to five days. Only three feature films were shown last year. This time around, 15 films including “Didi,” “Sujo,” “Little Death” and “Your Monster” were among the films showcasing the best of U.
S. independent storytelling. Last year only two filmmakers attended; this time around, there were eight.
The festival also doubled in scale its panels and masterclasses. Not only is it showcasing films and hosting panels, but the organizers are also helping to raise the country’s profile as a hub for local and international filmmakers. “It was such a great way for us to grow the festival in Taiwan,” said Kim Yutani, Sundance Film Festival director of programming.
“That is the heart of what we do; connecting those filmmakers to audiences.” Yutani continued, “To be able to do it on this level was incredibly gratifying.” The satellite event sits alongside London and Mexico.
Sundance Asia began back in 2014 as Sundance Hong Kong, remaining there until COVID. The festival moved to Jakarta in 2022, and finally to Taipei in 2023. There was no shortage of Hollywood star power at the festival to share and help educat.