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| The 2024 Taiwan Creative Content Fest drew over 4,000 participants from across the globe. (Image Source: Taiwan Creative Content Agency) |
The 2024 Taiwan Creative Content Fest (TCCF), a major event for Asia’s content industry, drew record breaking numbers in international participation, cash prizes and awards, and project submissions. TCCF aims to connect global industry professionals with key resources while helping Taiwanese companies reach international markets. This year’s TCCF held last November 5-8, 2024 experienced record participation with 600 project proposals from 50 countries, 101 exhibition booths, and over 300 international professionals, media, and buyers from 30 countries joining for negotiations.
This year, TCCF is being held for the first time at Nangang Exhibition Center Hall 2, organized into three major sections. The PITCHING competition offered substantial prizes and resources with 62 proposals from 21 countries competing for a record NT$7.65M (approximately US$250,000) in total awards, 35 prizes, and invitations to international exhibitions. The MARKET exhibition featured a record 93 organizations and companies from around the world showcasing IPs (intellectual properties) across film, TV, gaming, animation, and publishing. Notable participants include KOCCA and Gyeonggi Content Agency from Korea; TV Tokyo, Fuji TV, and Rakuten Group from Japan; as well as Vietnam National Television and Singapore Film Society. Meanwhile, this year’s FORUM centered on the theme “Together For Impact" with 15 engaging discussions led by 30 industry experts from 13 countries, covering topics like variety shows, film, animation, children’s content, and IP, attracting over 1,000 participants.
The opening ceremony on TCCF's first day featured Deputy Minister of Culture Sue Wang, Taiwan Creative Content Agency (TAICCA) Chairperson Homme Tsai and CEO Jiunwei Lu, and Taiwanese Legislator Chiaohui Su. Through an official activation ceremony featuring floating cubes, representatives from various participating countries including French Office (Taipei) Director Franck Paris, Chilean Trade Office Taiwan General Directorate of Export Promotion Fernando Schmidt, Malaysian Friendship and Trade Centre (Taipei) Deputy Director of Tourism Naimatul Farah Haji Isa, Philippe TZOU, Belgian Office (Taipei) Trade & Investment Commissioner for the Regions of Wallonia and Brussels-Capital Philippe Tzou, Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association Taipei Office's Cultural Affairs and Public Relations Department Secretary-General Chiaki Muramoto and Manila Economic and Cultural Office Director for Commercial Affairs Anthony Rivera were present on stage to symbolically infuse the cubes with creative energy and resources, culminating in a spectacular digital display. Also present were representatives from New Zealand, Chile, France, Thailand, Indonesia, and other countries, along with key industry partners from TV networks, tech firms, and film associations. Chairperson Tsai noted that the new venue at Nangang Exhibition Center marked a new chapter in TCCF history, indicating a shift to industry focused and commercial viability, as opposed to previous years which were held at Songshan Creative and Cultural Park. He added, “We hope that the investments of TAICCA, informed by the private sector and industry participation, will be more impactful to meet the needs of Taiwanese creative content.” Deputy Minister Wang stated, “Taiwan needs more commercially viable content that attracts international audiences, we need talented storytellers to create these stories to build our international recognition.” Tsai also expressed that the event will showcase the quality and diversity of Taiwanese cultural content, facilitating more international partnerships and business opportunities through pitches, negotiations, and forums. Many attendees praised TCCF for its high standards, especially appreciating the international participation that provided Taiwanese companies with more opportunities to connect globally.
FORUM: International And Intercultural Collaboration And Adaptation With Thailand Creative Content Agency (THACCA), Federation Studios, BL Drama “Cherry Magic”
At the TCCF Forum, Thailand’s National Soft Power Strategy Committee’s Film and Series Subcommittee President Chalermchatri Yukol shared plans to establish the Thailand Creative Content Agency (THACCA) by 2027. Inspired by Taiwan, Korea, the US, and France, this agency aims to boost Thailand’s cultural industry by fostering collaboration between public and private sectors, driving economic transformation, and enhancing cultural innovation. In "Creating A Global Entertainment Empire: Federation Studios’ Comprehensive Blueprint For The Film And TV Industry", Federation Studios President Pascal Breton shared his insights on how the studio is shaping the future of the entertainment industry amid the convergence of digital platforms and traditional media. He also remarked on stage the similarities between Taiwan and France, stating, “France and Taiwan both need to explore our culture and our stories due to the scale of our nation, we have to adapt and to create new IP’s that become worldwide brands that state who we are.” At "IP Localization: Key Factors Behind The Overseas Success Of Adapting BL Manga 'Cherry Magic' Into TV Dramas", challenges and insights in adapting manga for television as well as cross-cultural adaptation was the topic of discussion with Japanese film director Kazama Hiroki, original series producer Homma Kanami, and Thai adaptation director Nuttapong Mongkolsawas sharing their experiences and compared the adaptations in different cultures and countries. In another session entitled "Shaping New Horizons In Variety Shows: Production Insights And Creative Experience Sharing", Something Special (SS) Vice President Kim In-Soon and Munhwa Broadcasting Company (MBC) producer Kim Gi-Woo of the variety show series "Adventure By Accident" shared their experiences. In-Soon emphasized that SS specializes in packaging Korean shows for overseas co-productions, incorporating international elements to expand global reach. Repackaging content with these elements is a key part of their strategy.
PITCHING: Shoot The Book! TCCF x France Collaboration And International Film Festivals - Bucheon, Udine, Malaysia Impressed With Feature Film Pitches; Clouded Leopard Wins Grand Prize
A special collaboration between TCCF’s Pitching Conference and France’s SCELF Shoot the Book! TCCF was held for the first time. Representatives from Institut Français praised the professionalism and smooth execution of the event, noting the enthusiastic response and numerous follow-up meetings that took place. On the opening day, "Project To Screen: Feature Films participants included representatives from various organizations such as the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival, Udine Far East Film Festival, Malaysia International Film Festival, Taipei Film Commission, Taichung Film Development Foundation, and Taiwanese buyers. Longtime attendees praised the team’s exceptional performance this year, noting that it helped industry professionals gain a deeper understanding of story contents. The diversity of pitches showed strong potential for international co-productions. On the TCCF 2024 closing ceremony last November 8, 2024, an awarding ceremony for the PITCHING section was held and this year’s grand prize, the TAICCA X CNC AWARD, was awarded to Clouded Leopard by Mangowork Studio Co. Ltd. while the TAICCA AWARD: Best Story went to Rest In Pieces by Balena Islet Publishing Inc. Each winner took home US$30,000 and US$10,000, respectively. Additionally, following the jury’s recommendation, a Special Jury Award was introduced due to the exceptional diversity and quality of proposals. This award was presented to the tri-country co-production The Alleyway (South Korea, Qatar, and Denmark) which received US$10,000 in prize money as encouragement to inspire more market-potential projects in the future. This year’s PITCHING section featured diverse proposals and the jury found the content outstanding with many projects receiving multiple awards. For example, Taiwanese Folklore ‒ The Crown Prince and the Boys on the Railways won the friDay Video Original Story Award and the CTS Original IP Award; Reborn as Grandma: There Must Be Something More Important Than Inheritance received the GTV Best Originality Award and the SET TV NEXT STAR Award; Don't Worry About Vampire won the Taipei International Film Award and the BIFAN+ Award, an invitation to the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival’s Asian Project Market. TAICCA CEO Lu Jiun-Wei added that this year’s proposals were not only diverse but also highly international, earning unanimous recognition from international professional judges. This underscores that TCCF PITCHING has become a significant pitching event in Asia and globally. It also received substantial support and acknowledgment from industry professionals both domestically and internationally. TAICCA will continue its efforts, collaborating with industry partners at home and abroad.
FORUM: Producer Nah's Variety Shows And The Possibilties Of Horror Film Themes
Additionally, on the last day of TCCF, the FORUM section featured Korean variety show ace producer Nah Yung-Suk as star speaker, presenting “Producer Nah's Variety Shows: Unveiling How South Korea's Ace Producer Creates Globally Popular Entertainment Programs”. Yung-Suk shared his experiences and journey through producing renowned variety programs, attracting a large audience of fans and industry attendees. The morning session entitled “Crafting Fear: The Possibilities Of Horror Film Themes” highlights a discussion between notable figures in the Asian horror film industry: Thai director Banjong Pisanthanakun, Japanese producer Taka Ichise, and Taiwanese director Lester Hsi who served as the moderator. It explores their experiences in crafting horror narratives and building effective horror elements. Hsi, known for directing The Bridge Curse and its 2023 sequel The Bridge Curse: Ritual, co-founded D-Day Pictures to develop film and TV projects across Asia. His work includes Gourmet Affairs, Taiwan’s first culinary crime-action series on Netflix, and a successful horror game adaptation of The Bridge Curse. Pisanthanakun gained fame with Shutter (2004) and continued his success with films like Alone (2007) and Pee Mak (2013), the highest-grossing Thai film of all time. His latest work includes The Medium (2021), a Thai-Korean collaboration, and producing You & Me and Me (2023). Ichise, president of OZLA Pictures Inc., is a key figure in popularizing J-horror with films like Ringu (1998) and Ju-On: The Grudge (2003). His work has influenced English-language remakes and extended to international collaborations in Japan, the US, and Asia including series like JU-ON: Origins (2020) on Netflix. The discussion highlighted the ability of horror films to transcend language and cultural barriers, making them an effective medium for sharing Asian stories globally.
