European Shadows Tour: Watch 3 Award-Winning Films from Major World Film Festivals for Free Across Taiwan

By Liu Jiawen, compiled and reported

Movie lovers looking to save money are in luck! The annual European Shadows Film Festival is back, touring 10 cities including Taipei, Taichung, Tainan, and Hualien from now until January 15, 2012. Screenings will take place in campuses and local cultural centers, with no prior reservation needed and all entries free of charge. This year’s festival features 13 films recommended by 12 countries including Denmark, Hungary, Spain, and France. Among them are the Venice Film Festival Jury Prize-winning Soul Kitchen, the Golden Globe Best Foreign Language Film The White Ribbon, as well as popular domestic films from various countries such as Belgium’s Ben X and the UK’s Heart of Independence, offering a diverse showcase of European cinema in one go.

The 13 films at the European Shadows Film Festival span various genres including comedy, romance, and documentaries, catering to different audience preferences. The award-winning international hit The White Ribbon, recognized at major film festivals worldwide, depicts a teacher recalling a series of strange events while teaching in a rural village in northern Germany on the eve of World War I. The Venice Film Festival Jury Prize-winning Soul Kitchen uses comedy to tell the story of two brothers trying to save their family restaurant. The festival’s opening film Victory portrays how a talented young pianist faces a crossroads in life and rediscovers his future and glory.

Screening venues in Taipei include Taipei Film Theme Park, Taipei College of Business, Tamkang University, and Ming Chuan University. Today (the 7th), the first screening at Tamkang University is 9 1/2 Days, running until January 7. The final screening is Victory at Taipei Film Theme Park. Other counties and cities, such as Taoyuan County Cultural Affairs Bureau, National Chung Hsing University, and National Yunlin University of Science and Technology, also start screenings today, ending on December 31, December 30, and December 20 respectively. The tour then moves to Tainan Municipal Cultural Center and Xinying Cultural Center, concluding all screenings on January 15. For detailed schedules and information, please visit the official blog: teff.pixnet.net/blog.