GIO starts fantabulous new promotion scheme

This article was written by Chen Ting and published by the Taiwan Journal on November 4, 2005. It is the second of a series of four articles that feature the 2005 Taiwan International Film and TV Expo recently held in Taipei.

With the launch of the Taiwan International Film and TV Expo, the Government Information Office brings four big events together -- the Golden Horse Film Festival and Awards, the Golden Bell Awards for TV and Radio, the Taipei TV and Film Festival, and the Taiwan Film and Television Project Promotion. This is an attempt to combine the talents of Taiwan's broadcasting, television, telecommunications and motion-picture industries, in order to promote "Fantabulous Taiwan" as a regional center for film and television production.

The Government Information Office aims to increase the number of movies made in Taiwan every year to 100. Up to July 2005, 35 Taiwanese films have been completed, compared to just 13 in 2004. Also up to July 2005, 209,260 people have paid to see Taiwanese movies. This is a 50 percent jump from the figure of 138,712 people in 2004.

This article introduces the history of the four events included in the Taiwan International Film and TV Expo. It further reviews the major achievements of Taiwan's film and TV industries in recent decades.