New Taipei mayor vows to build Xinzhuang into Taiwan film hub

Taipei, Jan. 7 (CNA) New Taipei Mayor Hou Yu-ih (侯友宜) pledged to build the city's Xinzhuang District into a hub for Taiwan cinema at a ceremony to mark the inauguration of a new permanent base for the Taiwan Film and Audiovisual Institute (TFAI) Friday.

Following the opening of the new TFAI base, the city government hopes that a plan to build a new cinema museum nearby will go ahead soon, Hou added.

The planned museum and the TFAI will make the area a hub for Taiwan's cinema and audiovisual industry, while introducing a wider audience to Taiwan movies, he said.

The mayor noted that with the assistance of the central government, he hopes to finally realize the city's plan to build the film hub, which was first proposed by his predecessors.

Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) commented that the Cabinet approved NT$5.4 billion (US$195.04 million) in funding for the planned 1.6-hectare museum in 2021 and would provide more if necessary.

"The central government will give its full support" for the project, Su said, adding that a new cinema museum would help to better store the TFAI film archive.

TFAI's archive center is currently located in rented factory space in Shulin District, where roughly 18,000 rolls of film and more than 200,000 artifacts are stored.

TFAI President Lan Tsu-wei (藍祖蔚) said the institute would strive to educate more people as to the importance of film archives, which he said serve as a testimony to a country's history, collective memories and personal stories.

"Preserving the memories of Taiwanese people is our responsibility," Lan said, adding: "we hope to let Taiwanese understand the stories of their fellow citizens and allow the world to better see Taiwan."

President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) later commended the efforts of the TFAI to preserve and remaster Taiwan films so young people and even foreign nationals have a chance to see them.

Tsai added that she hopes in future the TFAI will expand its focus from cinema to the promotion of television and radio work.

The TFAI is currently tasked with preserving film archives, conducting research, and promoting Taiwan film through exhibitions and special screenings.

The institute held the official inauguration of its new base Friday morning, following a soft opening late last year.

The one-hectare building is the TFAI's first permanent base in the 44 years since it was established, housing an office, movie theater, film library and exhibition spaces.