"H.A.H.A.H.A"
To support Taiwanese TV series to enter the international market and attract more international buyers and investment for co-productions, the Taiwan Creative Content Agency (TAICCA) established a partnership with Series Mania in 2022. This year marks the fourth time TAICCA participates in the festival as a partner with multiple initiatives.
TAICCA Chairperson Homme Tsai stated, "Taiwan's outstanding talents and television series are a force to be reckoned with, and Taiwan has always maintained a close partnership with Series Mania. This year, Taiwan participated as a partner for the fourth time, demonstrating the high productivity and creative ambition of the Taiwanese series industry. He hopes that the teams showcasing their projects can learn from international professionals at the festival and exchange resources, so as to facilitate even more international co-productions."
TAIWAN PAVILION
In Series Mania Forum, TAICCA has set up a Taiwan Pavilion and joined hands with industry professionals to exhibit 76 works in search of business opportunities, including black comedy "Undertaker"; "GG Precinct"; the second season of "Fragrance of the First Flower", and "Breeze by the Sea", starring Chen Bo-lin and Puff Kuo. In addition, the Taiwan-Belgium co-production "NEST" has been selected for official Co-Pro Pitching sessions this year at Series Mania, making it Taiwan's first entry into this program.
TAIWAN SPOTLIGHT PITCHING SESSION
On the other hand, TAICCA and Series Mania co-selected 5 projects that will be presented at the TAIWAN SPOTLIGHT Pitching Session on March 25, including the crime drama "Fly", an original IP by Taiwanese author Chang Kuo-Li and winner of the 2024 TCCF - Series Mania Award, set to be produced by the French Cinéfrance Studios and the Taiwanese Yoosonn Entertainment.
Another TAICCA highlights are "H.A.H.A.H.A," the latest work of Sun Chieh-heng, director of "Three Tears in Borneo", which was nominated for the International Panorama competition in Series Mania Festival 2024; "Fanteasia", an edgy feel-good comedy that celebrates Taiwan as a beacon of LGBTQ+ rights in Asia; "Cold War Hot Wax", which portrays the mainstream music revolution of 1960s Taiwan; and "When the Tigers Come Out", which narrates the attempt of two mothers who have lost their children to expose the dark secrets behind an educational group.
The five teams of the chosen projects will take turns going on stage to present their works and engage in direct exchange with international buyers, investors, and industry professionals to seek opportunities for international co-production and to enhance the visibility of Taiwanese TV series going forward.
TALENT DEVELOPMENT
As for talent development during the festival, the Serial Bridges Asia program, co-organized by TAICCA and Series Mania Institute, has selected six series projects in development to go through the 4-stage mentorship program and to participate in the Series Mania Institute Creative Bazaar. Backed by Taiwan’s Ministry of Culture’s Bureau of Audiovisual and Music Industry Development, throughout the 8-month process, the Serial Bridges Asia program covers script writing, financing and production, marketing and distribution, and more, offering Taiwanese and Asian filmmakers the knowledge and know-how to better grasp international market trends through hands-on experience sharing and mentorship.