Speaker: Chong Keat Aun 張吉安
Chong Keat Aun is a Malaysian Director and screenwriter who works in broadcasting, classic scents and performance arts. In 2017, his short film “Cemetery of Courtesy” was selected to the Busan International Film Festival. In 2020, he made “The Story of Southern Islet,” which won the Best New Director, the FIPRESCI Prize, the NETPAC Award at the 57th Golden Horse Awards, and was selected to the IFFR and Locarno Film Festival.

Speaker: Laha Mebow 陳潔瑤
Laha Mebow is the first female indigenous film director in Taiwan. She has devoted herself to the industry over 25 years as a scriptwriter, director and TV producer. She used to work as a script supervisor with Taiwanese directors Tsai Ming-Liang (Goodbye Dragon Inn, 2003) and Chang Tso-Chi. Her works focus mostly on the shared experience of indigenous peoples in Taiwan. Her previous feature film “Hang in There, Kids!” (2016) not only swept five Taipei Film Awards including best narrative feature, the grand prize and best director, but was also nominated for Golden Horse Awards and selected as Taiwan’s Oscar entry.

Speaker: Chan Ching-lin 詹京霖
Chan Ching Lin graduated from Shih Hsin University with a master degree in art composing. His works mostly focus on exploring issues of the underprivileged groups in the society. He has won the Best Director at the Taipei Film Festival for short film “A Breath from the Bottom.” In 2016, his feature debut “The Island that All Flow By” was nominated for multiple Golden Bell Award honors and won the Best Director and Best Scriptwriting. He was also nominated for Best Director at the Golden Horse Awards for that film the next year, showing that his ability of directing has been recognised.

Moderator: Kuo Ming-Jung 郭敏容
Kuo Ming-Jung has spent much of her career in film festival management, programming and talent support initiatives. Her work as Program Director for Taipei Film Festival (2014-2018), carried a balance of showcasing new talent and introducing narrative VR programs as well as celebrating cinema heritage. She also partnered with Produire au Sud and launched PAS Taipei in 2015 to help reinforce script development, co-production and sales strategies. Having worked as the program consultant from 2017, she joined the Singapore International Film Festival in 2019, first as the Program Director before becoming Artistic Director. Between 2019 and 2021, she was on the selection committee for the Locarno Festival Open Doors. She has also been extensively involved in the selection of projects for Taiwanese and Southeast Asian script development and regional funding schemes. She set up Island X Pictures in 2022 and is developing feature films. In 2022 she joined Directors’ Fortnight as a consultant covering Southeast Asia and Taiwan.

Important Notice

• This forum will be conducted in Mandarin without any English subtitles or interpreters present.
• The forum will commence promptly at 1100. Please note that registration will begin at 1000.
• It is important to be punctual as latecomers may risk being denied admission to the forum.
• For on-site registration, please ensure to bring your IC/Passport for identification purposes.
• Please note that seating for the forum is on a first-come, first-served basis. There is no assigned seating; it is free seating.