Golden Horse Project Prizes Go to ‘SARStorm’ and Lee Sinje

Local film project “SARSTorm” dominated the 2020 edition of the Golden Horse Film Project Promotion, winning three prizes including the NT$1 million Grand Prize. Lee Sinje, a previous winner of the best actress prize at the Golden Horse Awards, picked up two further prizes with her executive producing debut, “ABang ADik,” featuring producer-turned-director Jin Ong.

The project market, which ran Nov. 16-18, focuses on Chinese-language film-making and consists of three parts: one-on-one private meetings between producers and potential financiers, distributors and sales agents; professional workshops; and industry panels. It also includes a work-in-progress section and for the first time this year opened to projects to be made as TV or streaming series.

Organizers claimed to have facilitated 992 meetings between financiers from around the world and representatives of the 40 selected projects across the three sections.

Past winners have included “Nina Wu,” Lina Yang’s “Spring Tide,” ”Heavy Craving,” “Changfeng Town” and ”Back to the Wharf,” which is currently on release in mainland China. Last year’s WIP section included three of the films that turned out to be among the most significant from Taiwan in 2020: “Silent Forest,””IweirDo” and “Your Name Engraved Herein.”

“SARStorm” is to be co-directed by Golden Bell Awards-winning director Lin Chun-yang and “Detention” producer Aileen Li, with Li also executive producing. The jury praised it for “creative ambition to confront current issues head-on through a genre film structure, as well as the well-rounded production team at its core.”

In addition to the Grand Prize, “SARStorm” also collected the Catchplay Development Award worth NT$300,000 in cash, and the cash and in-kind Central Picture Corporation award.

Golden Horse Film Project Promotion 2020 Winners

Grand Prize
“SARStorm” Dirs: Lin Chun-yang, Aileen Li. Producer: Zhang Ting-fei.

Taipei New Horizon Screenplay Award (NT$400,000 cash prize from Taipei New Horizon
“Deep Quiet Room” Dir: Shen Ko-shang. Producer: Huang Li-yu.

CNC Cash Award (EUR8,000 from France’s Centre National du Cinema et de L’image Animee)
“Snow in Midsummer” Dir: Chong Keat-aun. Producer: Wong Kew-soon.

FPP Visionary Award ($12,000 cash prize from Taiwan Creative Content Agency)
“Her Lullaby” Dir: Oliver Chan Siu-kuen. Producer: Lung Kwok-yiu.
“ABang ADik” Dir: Jin Ong. Executive Producer: Lee Sin-je. Producers: Nicole Teoh, Lam Pui-yee.

 FPP TAICCA Original Award ($10,000 cash from Taiwan Creative Content Agency)
“Time in a Bottle” Dir: Lien Chun-chien. Producer: Allen Yang Chung-shun.
“Call of Lobster” Dir: Yin Chen-hao. Producers: Jin Pai-lunn, Lin Chin-erh.

MirrorFiction Story Award NT$ 300,000 cash prize from MirrorFiction)
“ABang ADik” Dir: Jin Ong. Executive Producer: Lee Sin-je. Producers: Nicole Teoh, Lam Pui-yee.

Catchplay Development Award (NT$300,000 cash prize from Cathchplay)
“SARStorm” Dirs: Lin Chun-yang, Aileen Li. Producer: Zhang Ting-fei.

Central Picture Corporation Award NT$500,000 cash prize for project development, and NT$500,000 deduction of expenses at Central Taiwan Film Studios)
“SARStorm” Dirs: Lin Chun-yang, Aileen Li. Producer: Zhang Ting-fei.

WIP Awards
WIP TAICCA Original Award ($10,000 cash prize from Taiwan Creative Content Agency)
“Far Away Eyes” Dir: Wang Chun-hong. Producers: Chang Chu-ti, Stefano Centini

Series Awards
myVideo Creative Series Award NT$500,000 cash prize from Taiwan Mobile)
“My Future Daughter” Dir: Lee Ching-jung. Script: Hsu Chao-ling. Producer: Nicky Hsieh, Jewel Lai Chen-lin.