Taiwan Originals Get TAICCA Showcase at ATF’s Virtual Market

Taiwan has become a production destination of choice for regional pay-TV and streaming platforms to shoot Mandarin-language content for pan-Asian audiences. This week’s fully-virtual Asian Television Forum allows the island’s producer to showcase TV content originated by Taiwan’s own producers broadcasters and cable networks.

Taiwan Creative Content Agency (TAICCA), a promotion organization established last year, has organized a virtual umbrella stand at the Singapore-based ATF that is home to 37 companies and 95 titles. To help buyers navigate, it has compiled an online catalog of content and put together an online program that shifts away from the previous interview format and instead adopts a storytelling approach.

Among the Taiwan-originated TV works being pitched in Singapore is the series adaptation of “Detention,” the horror-mystery film which was set during Taiwan’s so-called White Terror period and was itself derived from a video game.

Mini-series, “Who Killed the Good Man” focuses on the debt problems of today’s younger generation. Also included are “The Rootless” and the Public Television Service-produced original series “The Magician on the Skywalk,” and comic book adaptation “The Summer Temple Fair.”

Other highlights are the period epic, “Seqalu” which explores the conflict between Taiwan’s aboriginal tribes, Hakka, Hoklo Taiwanese, and foreigners who arrived in 1867; the occupation-focused drama, “Tears of Fire” and series adaptation of the hit movie “More Than Blue.” All debut in 2021.

TAICCA is also using the online showcase to pitch the territory as a place for runaway production and co-productions. It recently announced an incentive called International Joint Venture and Co-production Last Stage Program.