從台灣到法國巴黎的《台灣女性電影展》
黃玉珊 法國台灣女性影展籌備會召集人
在歐洲辦台灣女性電影展，一直是台灣女性影像學會歷屆理監事推動台灣女性影像到國際的目標,也是大家深切的願望。早在六年前我曾跟女性影像學會談過這個構想， 但當時各方面的條件還沒有成熟，加上女影學會辦影展，也要考慮到資源和人力的分配 ，而大家都有不同程度的忙碌和工作負擔，雖然當時在西蒙波娃視聽中心擔任總監的Nicole Fernandez聽說我們要去法國辦女性影展，很阿莎力給了一個檔期，但當時沒有一鼓作氣全力衝刺，這一鬆懈六個年頭就過去了, 中間又卡了三年疫情，台灣女性影展在國內很幸運地持續以實體方式辦理，但出國經商旅遊都停頓了，哪還有機會到國外去辦影展呢? 但是在內心深處還是藏著這個夢想，疫情雖然阻絕了旅行，但並沒有影響意志和交流，不少藝文團體也在有限的資源下展開反思和突破的行動，幾位朋友開始又談到計畫中的女性影展歐洲行，希望藉由資源的整合和新血的注入而讓影展繼續向前行。
這個想法得到國內曾經為台灣女性影展奉獻的朋友的支持，兩年半前我們成立了一個籌備會, 邀請了台灣女性影像學會資深的成員包括理事長、策展人等，我們開始了這個跟時間拔河的工作。 為了讓影展順利推動，企劃就寫了好幾版 ，從早期的三人工作小組：游惠貞、陳怡君的奠基，旅居巴黎的鄭淑麗導演擔任策展顧問，在推動過程中給了幾項具體建議，籌委會逐漸成形，包括王慰慈、范情、王君琦、羅佩嘉、單俐君等；我們集思廣義，從位影片初選到尋找法方合作單位、工作分配，最後定調由導演自己選出本次最適合參展的影片，終於催生出一個大家還算滿意的片單，接下來的重點工作就是籌募經費，過程中不是一帆風順，有一些曲折，也有很多收穫，感謝文化部對於影展作為做為國際文化交流的肯定和支持，籌委會可以全心投入這個具有挑戰性的工作，因為有這次影展，女影學會的不同世代，有機會共同合作，希望在台灣國際女性影展的三十週年， 在歐洲的第一次出擊， 能夠締造出亮眼的成績。
這次影展最大的挑戰是如何把台灣女性影像創作者的作品，從九十年代迄今， 她們所投入的精力、關注的題材、表現的形式，以及開闊的性別視界，憑藉自己的敏銳觀察和影像語言在銀幕上呈現。
選片範圍很廣，包括劇情長片、紀錄片、動畫片，還有短片，更特別的是，影展還策畫了胡台麗導演的專題，同時策畫了兩個論壇，還有一個影展工作坊， 幾乎是對台灣女性電影這30年來一個 精簡的、重點的回顧和檢視。
在這份片單裡面， 呈現了台灣女性電影的不同世代的風貌，除了在影視行業長期耕耘的資深導演作品外，也邀集了新生代嶄露頭角實力派的女導演作品，所選影片在國內外的影展都受到高度讚賞和關注，除了在國內的金馬獎、台北電影節、紀錄片雙年展得到重大獎項外，在國際影展如威尼斯影展、柏林影展、釜山影展、女性影展、同志影展也備受肯定和獲獎，也是女性創作者和女性影展這幾年累積的成果。因為影展活動，策展團隊有機會去檢視女性電影在台灣成長的歷史，影像創作者、電影學者，與影像教育者也有了攜手合作，深入對話和探索的空間。在片單定案後，工作人員和導演及製片公司連繫時， 很多導演表示，因為這一次的影展，她們也有機會回過頭來注意到自己平常疏忽的影片保存工作。
這次在歐洲女性影展發源地巴黎，與當地具有實力的Forum des Images 的合作，正好也是台灣國際女性影展歡度三十周年的特別年度，更顯得意義非凡。台灣女性影展在1993年成立 (首屆稱為女性影像藝術節)，2000年到紐約辦第一次的 <台灣女性電影展> ，2006年第二次到紐約辦<台灣女性電影展>，2012在上海辦<台灣女性電影觀摩暨跨文化研討會>，這次到巴黎的影展也是首次台灣女性電影的歐洲之旅，姊妹伙伴們心心念念想要把台灣女性電影推介到歐洲，希望如同影展主題:<台灣女性影像掀浪潮>(Les Femmes De Taiwan Font Des Vagues)，也希望在這個影展中，女性影像工作者、電影研究者、能和觀眾作廣泛而深度的交流，謝謝贊助影展的文化部和協助的交流司、巴文中心，合辦單位Forum des Images、國家電影和視聽文化中心；協辦單位和贊助的製作公司和導演、製片們，所有參與籌劃執行的顧問、籌備委員和工作人員的努力，以及過程中給予我們支持和協助的朋友們，祝福影展成功圓滿，希望這個活動能引起更多國內外的迴響和跨視界的文化交流！
From Taiwan to Paris, France: Taiwanese Women's Film Festival
HUANG Yu-shan
Convener of the Taiwan Women's Film Festival Preparatory Committee in France
Hosting the Taiwanese Women's Film Festival in Europe has consistently been a goal for the successive board members of the Taiwan Women's Cinema Association, aimed at promoting Taiwanese women's cinema on an international stage. This aspiration is deeply shared among us. Roughly six years ago, I had discussed this vision with the Association. However, at the time, various conditions were not yet mature. The Association had to take into account the allocation of resources and manpower when organizing film festivals. Given that everyone had varying degrees of responsibilities and workloads, the initiative wasn't pursued with full vigor then. Although Nicole Fernandez, who served as the director during Simone de Beauvoir's tenure, had generously offered a slot upon hearing our intentions to host the festival in France, momentum waned. Consequently, a lapse of six years ensued. In the interim, a three-year pandemic setback occurred. Fortunately, the Taiwan Women's Film Festival continued in physical format domestically, but as international business and travel were halted, how could we even think of organizing a festival abroad? Deep down, the dream still lingers. Although the pandemic has halted travel, it hasn't affected our will and communication. Many art and cultural groups have initiated reflection and breakthrough actions with limited resources. Some friends have begun discussing the planned European tour for the women's film festival, hoping that by integrating resources and bringing in fresh blood, the film festival can continue to move forward
This initiative garnered support from friends who had previously contributed to the Taiwanese Women's Film Festival. Two and a half years ago, we established a preparatory committee, inviting seasoned members of the Taiwan Women's Cinema Association, including the chairman and curators, thus commencing our race against time. To ensure the festival's smooth progression, several drafts of the plan were crafted. From the early 3-member workgroup founded by You Hui-chen and Chen Yi-jun, to Director Cheng Shu-li, based in Paris, serving as the curation consultant offering invaluable recommendations, the preparatory committee took shape, comprising figures such as Wang Wei-tzu, Fan Ching, Wang Chun-chi, Luo Pei-jia, and Shan Li-chun. Our collective brainstorming ranged from initial film selections to seeking French collaborative partners and allocating tasks. Ultimately, directors chose the films they deemed most suitable for exhibition. The result was a film list that met with general approval. The subsequent pivotal task was fundraising. The journey was not smooth, but it was also full of rewards. We are profoundly grateful for the endorsement and support from the Ministry of Culture to support the festival as a platform for international cultural exchange, allowing the preparatory committee to wholeheartedly dive into this challenging endeavor. Thanks to this event, different generations within the Women's Cinema Association had the opportunity to collaborate. We aspire that on the 30th anniversary of the Taiwanese International Women's Film Festival, this inaugural European venture can achieve remarkable results.
The most significant challenge of this film festival is how to present the works of Taiwanese female filmmakers from the 1990s to the present, capturing the energy they've invested, the topics they've focused on, the modes of expression they've adopted, and their expansive gender perspectives. All these need to be conveyed on the big screen through their own keen observations and cinematic language. The film selection is diverse, encompassing feature films, documentaries, animations, and short films. What's more special is that the festival has curated a spotlight on Director Hu Tai-li. Additionally, two forums and a film festival workshop were planned, offering a concise and focused retrospective and review of Taiwanese women's cinema over the past 30 years.
In this film list, various generations of Taiwanese female cinema are represented. Besides the works of seasoned directors who have long cultivated the film and television industry, we have also gathered films from emerging powerhouse female directors of the younger generation. The selected films have been highly praised and noticed at both domestic and international film festivals. In addition to garnering major awards at domestic events such as the Golden Horse Awards, Taipei Film Festival, and TIDF, they have also received acknowledgment and awards at many international film festivals. This represents the
cumulative achievements of female creators and women's film festivals over the years. Due to the festival activities, the curatorial team had the opportunity to examine the growth history of female cinema in Taiwan. Filmmakers, cinema scholars, and film educators also collaborated, fostering a space for in-depth dialogue and exploration. After finalizing the film list, many directors, when contacted by the staff along with production companies, expressed that due to this festival, they also had the chance to revisit and address the film preservation work they might have overlooked in their regular course.
Holding this event in Paris, the birthplace of European women's film festivals, in collaboration with the esteemed Forum des Images, is particularly significant as it coincides with the 30th anniversary of the Taiwan International Women's Film Festival. The Taiwan Women's Film Festival was established in 1993 (initially termed as 'Women's Film and Art Festival'). The festival journeyed to New York for the first 'Taiwan Women's Film Festival' in 2000, again in 2006, and in 2012, it was held in Shanghai as the 'Taiwan Women's Film Screening and Cross-cultural Seminar.' This festival in Paris marks the inaugural European journey for Taiwanese women's films. The collective dream of our team has been to introduce Taiwanese women's cinema to Europe, in line with the festival's theme: 'Taiwanese Women's Cinema Making Waves' (Les Femmes De Taiwan Font Des Vagues). We hope that, through this festival, female filmmakers, cinema researchers, and the audience can engage in extensive and profound exchanges. We extend our gratitude to the Ministry of Culture for sponsoring the event, the Department of Exchange for their assistance, the Taipei French Center, co-organizers Forum des Images and the National Film and Audiovisual Cultural Center; co-organizing production companies, directors, and producers. We're also deeply thankful to all the consultants, preparatory committee members, staff who worked tirelessly, and friends who supported and assisted us along the way. We wish the festival every success and completion and hope this event stimulates more domestic and international responses, promoting cross-cultural exchanges!
