Vancouver Taiwanese Film Festival is honoured to have the renowned director, Li-chou Yang, joining this year for the opening film, the North America Premiere of his latest documentary, Father!

Director Yang has been recognized for his achievements in cinema internationally, and received awards include Best Documentary at the Golden Horse Awards, Best Director for Non-drama programme at the Golden Bell Awards and Best Film at the Visions du Reel. He believes that documentary films can impact changes around the world. That is why he continues to record the people and events in Taiwan with his cameras all these years. On the seminar, Director YANG will share heartwarming behind the scene stories with the Vancouver audience.

CHU, Chuan-li, Taiwan’s leading 3D filmmaker, was diagnosed with a brain tumor in 2002. After undergoing the surgery, the left half of his body no longer functions properly, including lost of eyesight and hearing. Calling himself a “foolish director who is half-blind and half-deaf,” Chu spent a decade painstakingly capturing Taiwan’s beauty in 3D film.

In 2013, Chu won the Harold Lloyd Award for 3D Taiwan, along with director Ang Lee for Life of Pi. Since 2014 Chu has also toured Taiwan with a van installed with two 3D televisions, setting up his mobile cinema in schools in remote and underprivileged areas. He said he was encouraged by how the medium expands children’s ambitions and raises their awareness of the environment.