Taiwan films, IP, immersive works seek global recognition at Cannes

Cannes, May 16 (CNA) Taiwan is showcasing films, intellectual property (IP), immersive works and music at the 79th Festival de Cannes, seeking greater recognition for its creative industries in the global arena.

The digitally restored 1989 Taiwanese classic "The Dull-Ice Flower" (魯冰花), directed by Yang Li-kuo (楊立國) and adapted from the novel of the same title by Chung Chao-cheng (鍾肇政), has been selected for the Cannes Classics section.

The festival described the film as using an "unadorned visual style to lay bare the social realities of everyday life," noting that it premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival in 1990.

The restored version was scheduled for its global premiere Sunday afternoon (local time) at Cannes.

Meanwhile, the Taiwan Creative Content Agency (TAICCA) has set up a Taiwan Pavilion at the Marché du Film, the festival's film market, to promote Taiwanese on-screen content, as well as connect creators with international partners.

Among the featured projects is the manga "The Echo Before Dawn" (黎明前的回聲) by mangaka Lang Chi (狼七), which was selected for the "Shoot the Book! Pitches" section alongside eight other works from around the world for its adaptation potential.

Shoot the Book! is an initiative launched in 2014 designed to bring outstanding literary works to the screen, according to the TAICCA's official website.

TAICCA Chairperson Sue Wang (王時思) told CNA that IP development is one of the pavilion's main focuses, describing intellectual property as the starting point for adaptations into animation, short films, feature films, and games.

Expressing hope for partnerships with global filmmakers and distributors, Wang said Taiwan's strength lies in its "rich originality."

Apart from films and manga IP, Taiwan is also promoting immersive media works at Cannes.

The "Taiwan Immersive Showcase" on Wednesday opened the Immersive Market, featuring internationally exhibited projects including "Dark Rooms," "Drift in Time" and "Modern Times," as well as international co-productions supported by Taiwan's Ministry of Culture or TAICCA, including "The Immersive Carnival of the Animals."

Wang said immersive creations represent a future growth market, noting that representatives from Venice Immersive at the Venice Film Festival and France's NewImages Festival attended the Taiwan showcase.

In addition, "Playing With Fire: An Immersive Odyssey with Yuja Wang," a co-production involving the United Kingdom, France and Taiwan, was selected as one of nine entries competing in the Immersive Competition.

Taiwanese director and new media artist Huang Hsin-chien (黃心健) is serving on the competition jury.

Taiwanese musical talent is also making splashes at the festival.

Taiwanese composer Lee Pei-chin (李沛岑) was selected as one of five participants in "Composers on the Rise," a new 2026 Marché du Film initiative spotlighting emerging musical talent.

Lee composed the music for "Nagi Notes", directed by Koji Fukada, which was selected for the Palme d'Or competition. The film's ending theme, composed by Lee, was performed by Taiwanese singer-songwriter Enno Cheng (鄭宜農).

The 79th Festival de Cannes runs from May 12-23.

Meanwhile, the Marché du Film is being held May 12-20, bringing together around 15,000 industry professionals from more than 140 countries, according to its website.