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2015-09-01 | Sundance Film Forward Brings Five Films and Three Filmmakers to Taiwan

Sundance Film Forward Brings Five Films and Three Filmmakers to Taiwan, September 19-23, 2015

Filmmakers Malik Vitthal (Imperial Dreams), Geeta Patel (Meet the Patels) and Lacey Schwartz (Little White Lies) to Travel with the Program

The American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), in collaboration with the United States President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, Sundance Institute, and CNEX Foundation Limited, is pleased to announce that Sundance Film Forward will host free screenings of acclaimed independent films in Taipei, New Taipei and Taichung from September 19-23, 2015. Filmmakers Malik Vitthal (Imperial Dreams) Geeta Patel (Meet the Patels) and Lacey Schwartz (Little White Lies) will travel with the program and hold discussions with Taiwan audiences. Additional films screening are The Internet’s Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Schwartz and We Are the Giant For a full schedule of events visit www.sundance.org/filmforward or https://www.facebook.com/events/304227206368129/

Sundance Film Forward is a touring program designed for 18 to 24 year olds, students and artists that offers film screenings and discussions to excite and cultivate new audiences for independent film. It uses the power of cinema to promote broader cultural understanding, inspire curiosity and enhance awareness of shared stories and values across generations, religions, ethnicities and borders. Sundance Film Forward is an initiative of Sundance Institute and the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

The program in Taiwan, produced in collaboration with AIT and CNEX, will focus on the collision of tradition and modernity, beating the odds, and the human experience behind the headlines. Common themes explored in the films include acceptance, overcoming adversity and the transformative power of the arts to heal and bridge differences. This will be the third year Sundance Film Forward, AIT and CNEX collaborate in Taiwan to present Film Forward films and discussions.

Meredith Lavitt, Director of Sundance Film Forward, said, “Independent film illuminates different ways of thinking and brings about understanding of new cultures. We look forward to traveling to Taiwan with a thought-provoking slate of films and talented filmmakers to inspire a dynamic exchange of ideas.”

Rachel Goslins, Executive Director of the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities “Being able to bring these filmmakers to engage audiences around the world is one of the most exciting things about Sundance Film Forward. Through film, personal stories are made universal and universal issues become personal, bringing filmmakers and audiences together in a global conversation.”

Sundance Film Forward will also participate in the 2015 Taipei Documentary Film Festival September 18-27, 2015, with the following Film Forward films: Little White Lie, The Internet’s Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz; and We Are The Giant. Directors Lacey Schwartz will be in attendance for guided discussions. The third edition of Taipei Documentary Film Festival will showcase the perseverance of people from around the world in the face of adversity.

Sundance Institute staff members traveling with the program are: Sundance Film Forward Director Meredith Lavitt and Sundance Film Forward Manager Jacqueline Carlson.

2015 Sundance FILM FORWARD Films

  • Little White Lie (Directed by Lacey Schwartz Lacey)
    Little White Lie (Directed by Lacey Schwartz Lacey)

    is a personal documentary about family secrets, denial and the power of telling the truth. The film follows Lacey Schwartzs journey to confront her family secrets in order to come to terms with her dual identity of being Black and Jewish. 

  • Meet The Patels (Directed by Geeta Patel & Ravi Patel)
    Meet The Patels (Directed by Geeta Patel & Ravi Patel)

    is a laugh out loud real life romantic comedy about Ravi Patel, an almost 30 year old Indian American who enters a love triangle between the woman of his dreams...and his parents. Filmed by Ravis sister in what started as a family vacation video, this hilarious and heart breaking film reveals how love is a family affair. 

  • We Are The Giant (Directed by Greg Barker)
    We Are The Giant (Directed by Greg Barker)

    In We Are The Giant, ordinary citizens face the same moral questions that have defined revolutionary leaders across the ages, from Jefferson to Che to Mandela. With remarkable access, the film takes its audience inside the lives of six extraordinary people who grapple with the agonizing and universal dilemmas at the heart of all struggles for justice and freedom: whether to take up arms and fight, or to advocate change through peace and nonviolence. 

  • The Internet’s Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz (Directed by Brian Knappenberger)
    The Internet’s Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz (Directed by Brian Knappenberger)

    chronicles the story of programming prodigy and information access activist Aaron Swartz, who forever left his imprint on the Internet with his development of the basic Internet protocol RSS, his cofounding of Reddit, and his open access activism, which eventually ensnared him in a two year legal battle that ended with his taking his life. 

  • Imperial Dreams (Directed by Malik Vitthal)
    Imperial Dreams (Directed by Malik Vitthal)

    An aspiring and gifted 21-year-old writer, freshly returned to his Watts neighborhood after a two-year prison stint, dreams of better days for himself and his 4-year-old son in this unexpectedly hopeful depiction of inner-city life. 

Sundance Film Forward Federal Partners

The President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities (PCAH) bridges the interests of American federal agencies and the private sector, supports special projects that increase participation and excellence in the arts and humanities, and helps incorporate these disciplines into White House objectives. First Lady Michelle Obama is the Honorary Chairman of the PCAH.

The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation's 123,000 libraries and 35,000 museums. The mission of IMLS is to inspire libraries and museums to advance innovation, lifelong learning, and cultural and civic engagement. The agency’s grant making, policy development, and research help libraries and museums deliver valuable services that make it possible for communities and individuals to thrive. To learn more, visit imls.gov and follow @US_IMLS on Twitter and on Facebook.

The National Endowment for the Arts was established by Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government. To date, the NEA has awarded more than $4 billion to support artistic excellence, creativity, and innovation for the benefit of individuals and communities. The NEA extends its work through partnerships with state arts agencies, local leaders, other federal agencies, and the philanthropic sector. To join the discussion on how art works, visit the NEA at arts.gov, follow us on Twitter @NEAarts or like us on Facebook.

The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), an independent federal agency, provides support for documentary films, digital media and other educational programs in the humanities through competitive grant programs. The NEH is the nation’s leading supporter of research, education, preservation and public programs in the humanities. Additional information about the National Endowment for the Humanities and its grant programs is available at neh.gov.

Sundance Institute

Founded in 1981 by Robert Redford, Sundance Institute is a nonprofit organization that provides and preserves the space for artists in film, theatre, and new media to create and thrive. The Institute's signature Labs, granting, and mentorship programs, dedicated to developing new work, take place throughout the year in the U.S. and internationally. The Sundance Film Festival and other public programs connect audiences to artists in igniting new ideas, discovering original voices, and building a community dedicated to independent storytelling. Sundance Institute has supported such projects as Beasts of the Southern Wild, Fruitvale Station, Sin Nombre, The Invisible War, The Square, Dirty Wars, Spring Awakening, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder and Fun Home. Join Sundance Institute on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.

The American Institute in Taiwan

The American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) is a non-profit, private corporation established shortly after the United States Government changed its diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing on January 1, 1979. AIT is charged with carrying out the "commercial, cultural and other relations between the people of the United States and the people on Taiwan." The Department of State, through a contract with the Institute, provides a large part of AIT's funding and guidance in its operations. Learn more about AIT and its programs at www.ait.org.tw and https://www.facebook.com/AIT.Social.Media.

CNEX Foundation

CNEX Foundation, established in 2006, is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the development of independent documentaries on the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong & Taiwan. CNEX aims to facilitate cultural exchange between Greater China and the rest of the world through supporting documentaries depicting contemporary stories of the people of Chinese ethnicity, their living and their society. CNEX host annually a documentary film festival and a pitching forum CNEX Chinese Documentary Forum (CCDF) in Taipei. http://www.cnex.org.tw/

For more information, and to view trailers of the selected films, please visit AIT's Facebook Page