Over 100 attend 'A Chip Odyssey' screening in The Hague

Brussels, Sept. 5 (CNA) A documentary tracing the development of Taiwan's semiconductor industry over the past five decades was screened at a special showing in The Hague Thursday.

In a news release on Friday, the Taipei Representative Office in the Netherlands said it held a screening of "A Chip Odyssey" (造山者-世紀的賭注) at the Bar Beton center in the Dutch city's central train station for more than 100 attendees.

The screening included a special panel discussion on the film for the attending guests, which included Taiwanese expats and members of the Dutch media.

The film is Taiwan's first documentary spotlighting its world-leading semiconductor industry and chronicling Taiwan's rise from underdog to becoming the central hub of the global chip supply chain over the past five decades.

Its Chinese title, "Mountain Builders," was derived from the film's intention to "deliver the spirit of the mountain builders" -- those who have helped propel the nation's semiconductor ascent, the film's director, Hsiao Chu-chen (蕭菊貞), told CNA.

Another reason for the title is Taiwan's affectionate nickname for semiconductor giant Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC), "The Mountain that Guards the Nation."

As for the English title, Hsiao told CNA that she named it "Odyssey" after drawing inspiration from the ancient Greek epic about a hero's long and arduous journey home -- a path filled with challenges, much like Taiwan's journey in developing its semiconductor industry.

At the screening on Thursday, Taiwan's representative to the Netherlands, Tien Chung-kwang (田中光), further expanded on the film's English name in a speech, stating that Taiwan's semiconductor journey reflected the plight of the main character in Homer's epic.

Tien echoed Hsiao's explanation, saying that like Odysseus, it took several decades for Taiwan's semiconductor industry to overcome obstacles and bring success home, through skills such as foresight and innovation.

Tien said Taiwan's technological advancements were the result of a positive talent cultivation environment that was founded upon the respect for democracy and human rights, adding that Taiwan will continue to work with like-minded governments to help further technological advancement around the world.

Besides Taiwanese and Dutch officials, several experts in tech and global politics were also among the guest list for both the screening and the subsequent panel.

Panelists at the event included Chen Lin-lin (陳玲鈴), dean of the Industrial Design Department and a full professor of design innovation strategy at the Netherlands' Eindhoven University of Technology, as well as the Hague Centre for Strategic Studies' Strategic Analyst Benedetta Girardi and Cagan Koc, Bloomberg's former Netherlands bureau chief.

Centered around semiconductor chips, the panelists shared and exchanged their insights on the challenges faced by Taiwan's industry as well as the tech industry's relationship with global politics.

Aside from the Thursday screening, the movie had its Netherlands premiere last November in Eindhoven.