2013 Taipei Film Festival Kicks Off Star-Studded Opening Night with Soul
On June 28, the 15th Taipei Film Festival held its opening ceremony at the Guangfu Auditorium at Taipei Zhongshan Hall. Numerous film stars arrived for the opening party and brought glamour to the event, including the leading actress of When a Wolf Falls in Love with a Sheep, CHIEN Man-Shu; actors from Tomorrow Comes Today, HUANG Shan-Ho and LU Yu; and Chinese actress HUANG Lu from Apolitical Romance, among others.
At the opening party, Taipei Mayor HAU Lung-Bin and other government officials toasted the launch of the event and celebrated the cultural exchange among local and international filmmakers made possible through the Festival, as well as the government’s friendly support of film productions in the city through Taipei Film Commission.
Distinguished guests from around the world and avid local audience gathered to attend the premiere of this year’s opening film – Soul. At the premiere, Festival President Sylvia Chang announced the official start of the three-week-long festivities.
Director CHUNG Mong-Hong, producer YEH Jufeng, and almost the entire cast of Soul attended its world premiere. Chung complimented Jimmy Wang, the male lead who appears in almost every scene of the film, for his strenuous work during the incessant shooting. 70-year-old Wang is an iconic film star known for his action-packed martial arts films in the 60s and 70s. After suffering a stroke a few years ago, Wang this time plays a father battling the demon who allegedly possesses his son’s body. He commented that, even as a veteran actor who had starred in over 80 films, this role posed challenge for him since he had to deal with a lot of emotions. He was also impressed by the young actors’ enthusiasm and professional attitude during the shooting.
This year, there are nearly 170 films and 260 screenings at the festival. The “City in Focus” of this edition is Istanbul, Turkey. 21 Turkish films from noted auteur-directors since the 90s will be screened during the festival. In addition, the Festival also focuses on emerging new directors, local talents, as well as Chinese films from Hong Kong and mainland China. For more information, please visit Taipei Film Festival's official website at http://www.taipeiff.org.tw