Sue Wang

Source: TAICA

Sue Wang

“Taiwan is home to many outstanding actors. However, if their opportunities are limited to productions made in Taiwan, it can be difficult for them to further develop their craft and gain international exposure,” says Sue Wang, chairperson of Taiwan Creative Content Agency (TAICAA), organizer of Taiwan Creative Content Fest (TCCF) which returns for its seventh edition (November 6-9). 

Wang therefore intends to use this year’s edition - which takes place at Taipei Nangang Exhibition Centre  - as a platform for showcasing successful local content and talents to the global film community. 

For the first time, TCCF will be holding Spotlight Screenings, aimed at giving international buyers and investors a chance to see the potential of Taiwanese content. Featuring the Philippines’ Angel Aquino in the lead role, Freddy Tang’s April, which premiered at the 2025 Tokyo International Film Festival, will kick things off on Nov 7, followed by drama series See You At 11pm, co-produced by Taiwan’s Three-Giant Production and Singapore’s Mediacorp.

Also aimed at promoting Taiwanese acting talents is the inaugural TCCF x Golden Horse Awards: Taiwan Rising Actors Showcase. Actor Chang Chen, chairperson of the Golden Horse Film Festival Executive Committee, will be joined by six young actors who will be introduced to foreign attendees.

However, Wang says this year’s TCCF wants to go beyond merely introducing talents.

Industry matchmaking 

“One of TCCF’s key priorities this year is to turn industry connections into real business opportunities. We’re focusing on targeted matchmaking and helping content reach its commercial potential,” Wang says.

Divided into three main sections – pitching, market and forum – this year’s TCCF comes on the back of the 2025 edition, which drew 2,100 international industry professionals from 35 countries.

This year, the market will host 107 exhibitors from seven countries. First-time exhibitors include Japan’s Nippon TV, the Philippines’ GMA Network and French children’s animation companies Madgic Distribution and Zephyr Animation.

“Compared with previous years, two shifts really stand out. First, Southeast Asia is stepping up. Second, IP is taking centre stage. The share of exhibitors in publishing, comics and characters has grown by 13% compared with last year. The market wants stories with a fan base, stories that can travel to the screen and be licensed across formats,” Wang says.

To improve the business matching side of the market, TCCF has upgraded its meeting booking system, introduced a business matching system for the first time for more targeted matchmaking, and pushed back the daily closing time to align with international practice.

The emphasis on fostering cross-border exchange can also be seen in the forum section. Themed “reshape” this year, the section features panels and talks about international co-productions, streaming industry consolidation, IP development, and the impact of short-form content and AI. Speakers include representatives from Japan’s Toei, Türkiye’s İki Dakika Creative House and NBCUniversal.

At the pitching section, TCCF will be hosting 70 projects spanning film, television and publishing. Selected projects include the latest from Japanese director Nobuhiro Yamashita, a Taiwanese remake of hit K-drama Taxi Driver and a Japanese adaptation of hit Chinese novel The Kitchen of 16 Nights.

Wang says that TAICCA’s ability to host 70 projects alongside a market is testament to how well their system operates, especially considering the process lasts far longer than just the market period.

“Before TCCF, we select projects and provide pitch training to help teams engage international buyers at their best. During the event, a data-driven matchmaking system schedules intensive one-on-one business meetings to make connections between buyers and sellers more efficient. Afterwards, TAICCA’s content, market and international network teams continue to follow up, so that projects keep receiving substantive support after the event ends,” Wang says.

Previous TCCF pitching titles include Koji Fukuda’s Cannes competition title Nagi Note, Indonesian horror-comedy Sleep No More, Golden Horse-nominated documentary After the Snowmelt, and local rotoscope animation Welcome to Dolly’s House, which screened at Annecy, Sitges and Busan this year.

Wang says that TCCF’s priority is to help the local industry weather a rapid changing production landscape caused by new technologies.

“We want to help more local companies and creative teams stay in the market and continue developing, rather than risk being pushed out by these changes. Retaining our people and talent is essential to ensuring that Taiwan is ready to seize new opportunities when the industry enters its next growth phase,” Wang says.