We present the winners of Taipei Film Festival which took place from June 23 until July 9, 2022.

Taipei Film Awards

Grand Prize Award

After 20 years of absence, director Elvis Lu A-liang returns home to his family. He comes back with the aim of facing the real motive of his departure : the stubborn belief in the powers of his elder brother, A-zhi, a psychic in the village, who promises to change the lives of his clients, despite the poverty which haunts him and his parents, as well as the repeated failures of his agricultural enterprises. Their father, addicted to gambling, and their mother, seriously ill, also seem to rely all their chances of redemption on the gods. A-liang documents day by day, realizing that in the end, maybe the real wound in the family life was, in fact, his own departure. (TFF 2022)

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Best Narrative Feature

When her mother suffers a relapse, Fang-yi, who has lived in the US for five years, moves back to Taiwan with her mother and younger sister and is reunited with her father. Despite being born Taiwanese, Fang-yi struggles to define her national identify. Missing everything in the US, Fang-yi finds it hard to fit in with the school and feels alienated from her classmates. A rebellious teenager who longs to return to the US, Fang-yi fights with her mother every day. When a SARS outbreak occurs, her sister is forced go into isolation and Fang-yi disappears after having a big row with her mother. As the tension between mother and daughter intensifies, how will they reconcile with each other? (TFF 2022)

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Best Documentary Award

Best Short Film Award

Chia-chen is turned out by his wife whom he is going to divorce. One day, he sneaks back home while Typhoon “Yong-Ching”, which has the same name as his wife, is coming… (TFF 2022)

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Best Animation Award

The young and talented martial artist Su Huan-Jen makes his first venture into the martial arts world to find his parents, but is dragged into a conspiracy surrounding the Five Mountains. Framed as a murderer, he must find the true culprit and clear his name, but before he can, tragedy befalls Eight-Toed Qilin, his beloved master. As the true mastermind behind the murders unseals the legendary power of Five Mountains, Su Huan-Jen must discover his true destiny with the help of the mystical beast of Qilin, and save the world from overwhelming destruction. (TFF 2022)

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Best Director Award

Ah-Lun, who has a choice to make in the underworld, decides to be a god of love in Chinese mythology. As he advances with his tasks on Earth, his biggest challenge is to tie a red string with the woman he loved the most. (TFF 2022)

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Best Screenplay Award

“During the night of his 18th birthday, Jan-wen committed a random shooting homicide in the crowned night-market, with his self-made modified gun and for some mysterious reasons. The tragic incident caused the life of his family and friends, the victims and the witnesses all facing the tremendous impact in the aftermath.

However, what if there was a chance for these people to make different choices, will the tragedy remain? Will it be a brand new outcome if they all altered their behavior at the crucial moment?” (TFF 2022)

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Best Actress Award

Mr. Yan’s mistress from many years ago suffers from dementia and lives in a nursing home. Mrs. Yan is secretly pleased when learning about this news. Her grievances for many years are finally eased now. Mrs. Yan decides to take her husband to see the mistress, as revenge. Mr. Yan is aware of the revenge, but after all these years he seems like a castrated animal and loses the will to resist his wife’s demand.

After seeing the mistress, Mr. Yan runs away. Their son’s wedding is taking place soon. Mrs. Yan has to get her lost husband back to fulfill the family task. (TFF 2022)

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Best Actor Award

Best Supporting Actress Award

Best Supporting Actor Award

“My name is Ruo-Nan, the reason why I’m making this video is I hope that people could help me lift the curse bestowed upon my daughter after watching what I have to say.

Because of my ignorance, I never thought that it was my actions that brought the curse. The following content may contain certain hidden dangers and risks, which includes myself retelling the horrifying encounters that happened six years ago.” (TFF 2022)

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Best New Talent Award

Best Soundtrack Award

Best Editing Award

Best Cinematography Award

Loong, coming from the lower echelons of society, fantasizes about elevating his status through his relationship with affluent, well-to-do Olivia. However, he realizes that his purpose in her life is nothing more than a means to allay her loneliness. Loong’s half-sister Chin-sha is always there, waiting for him. This is a food-chain of love and loneliness. (TFF 2022)

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Best Sound Design Award

As a storied apartment complex awaits its eventual demolition, its inhabitants teeter on the edge of poverty – unaware that the deadliest building fire in the city’s history will soon arrive. (TFF 2022)

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Best Art Design Award

Best Model Design

Outstanding Technology Award – Voice Performance

Best Visual Effects

Outstanding Contribution Award

Kevin Chu (朱延平) for playing an irreplaceable role in the development of the Taiwanese film industry.

International New Talent Competition

Grand Prize

Ten-year-old Johnny stands out from his family and his tough neighborhood in Eastern France. He’s sensitive, intelligent and interested in all kinds of things way beyond his years. Things change when a new teacher, fresh from the big city, takes over Johnny’s class. Mr. Adamski believes in Johnny and wants to open a new world to him. And the sophisticated young teacher also intrigues the boy. (TFF 2022)

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Special Jury Prize

Addi, a boy raised by a clairvoyant mother, decides to adopt a bullied misfit into his gang of outsiders. Left to their own devices, the boys explore aggression and violence but also learn about loyalty and love. As their behavior escalates towards life–threatening situations, Addi begins to experience a series of dreamlike visions. Can his newfound intuition guide him and his friends back to a safer path, or will they dive irrevocably into further violence? (TFF 2022)

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Audience Choice Award

Cáit is a nine-year-old girl from an overcrowded, dysfunctional and impoverished family. As summer arrives and her pregnant mother’s due date approaches, Cáit is sent to live with distant relatives. The Kinsellas are farming people, like her own, but hard-working and wanting for nothing, it seems. Despite a warm reception from the woman, Eibhlín, the man of the house, Seán, keeps his distance from Cáit and she from him, but over time, their strained relationship begins to deepen. Slowly, in the care of the Kinsellas, Cáit blossoms and discovers a new way of living. But in this house where affection grows and there are meant to be no secrets, she discovers one painful truth. (TFF 2022)

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