Urban Nomad Block Party: Powered by NVidia

On October 20, 2012 we had a very cool chance to produce a DJ Stage for the Daniel Pearl World Day of Music in Taipei, a free outdoor concert with three stages. Our DJ corner, a.k.a. The Urban Nomad Block Party, was powered by NVidia, a sponsor which offered great support for a very cool lighting setup. The DJs were all killing it, but the star of the show had to be the VJ, Dr DMT, who set up some truly amazing mapped projections, so awesome in fact the first reaction of nearly everyone was to pull out their iPhone and shoot a video of it. In all, we had 2,500-3,000 people show up. Thanks to NVidia, the DJs, and all of you who came out!

More pics are posted on the other side of the link.

URBAN NOMAD x DESIGN CINEMA

Urban Nomad has hooked up with Taiwan Designers Week to create a weeklong film series called URBAN NOMAD x DESIGN CINEMA, which will run from Sep 15 to 23 at the Taipei Expo Park. The series includes seven films covering all aspects of design: graphic design, product design, architecture, urban planning, digital design, fashion design and street art. Many of them are award-winning docs with great pedigrees at big film festivals like Sundance, SXSW, Hot Docs and the rest. The films include three Taiwan premiers: The Pruitt-Igoe Myth (about the St. Louis housing project), Indie Game: The Movie (about video game developers), and How Much Does Your Building Weigh, Mr. Foster? (about the architect Norman Foster). There are also a couple of favorites from recent years, including Helvetica, a 2007 film that started a trend of docs on design, and the street art doc Beautiful Losers. The idea is to bring a bit of context and historical view to a design exhibition that's otherwise mainly looking forward. Amongst all the new, cool designs, we think it's also a good thing to look back. Design is very trendy right now. It might be a good idea to wonder why that's so.

EVENT:  URBAN NOMAD x DESIGN CINEMA
DATES:  9/15 ~ 23
PLACE:  Taiwan Designers Week @ Taipei Expo Park #1 Yumen St (台北市玉門街1號)
GET THERE:  A map and stuff
TICKETS: $170 advance @ tickets.books.com.tw│$200 door
Tickets include free entry to the design exhibition after 6pm on the day of the screening.

CLICK HERE FOR FILM INFO!!!!

Taiwan Designers Week website: http://www.designersweek.tw/

ANVIL! THE BAND AND THE MOVIE! LIVE IN TAIPEI!

YOU'VE SEEN THE MOVIE, NOW SEE THE BAND !!!

FILM: ANVIL! THE STORY OF ANVIL
Location：Huashan 1914 Creative Park, Building 中2, 2F
#1, Sec 1, Bade Rd, Taipei
華山文化創意園區 中2館2樓 台北市八德路一段1號　　　　　
Time：6/30 (Sat) 7:00pm film screening 《ANVIL! THE STORY OF ANVIL》
           7/1 (Sun) 1:30pm  film screening 《ANVIL! THE STORY OF ANVIL》w/ band Q&A!!!
           7/1 (Sun) 4:00pm  film screening 《ANVIL! THE STORY OF ANVIL》
Ticket：NT 150｜at the door
＊50 free film tickets are available to concert ticket holders at each screening, on a first come first serve basis. You can pick up the free tickets from 6-9pm on June 30, or 1pm on July 1. There is a limit of two ticket exchanges per person.
＊＊SEATING: Please note, most of the seating will be on the floor. It's a wooden floor covered by a soft surface for dancing, so it's reasonably comfortable. Feel free to bring your own cushions or camp chairs.
＊＊＊The screening schedule was updated on 6/22.


CONCERT: ANVIL LIVE IN TAIPEI
Date：July 1 (Sun)
Time：8pm
Location：Legacy (@Huashan)
Ticket：NT 1200

The Urban Nomad Film Fest will present one of the most rocking documentaries of all time, ANVIL! THE STORY OF ANVIL on July 1, with a Q&A with band members from the documentary. These two screenings comes right before the heavy metal band Anvil plays its first ever concert in Taiwan as part of the Célébration Canada, a celebration of Canada's national day, at the Huashan 1914 Creative Park on July 1 at 8pm. So get ready to rock out with your cock out! Coz they sure as hell don't make bands like Anvil anymore!

Keep reading for more info on the film, the band and the upcoming events.

Taichung Screenings: May 22 to June 10

Tsai Hsu-cheng (bottom left), director of Time of Cherry Blossoms and winner of the 2012 Big Nomad Award, and festival director Dave Frazier (bottom right) at the Taiwan National Museum of Fine Arts on May 27, 2012.

Urban Nomad's 2012 program is touring to the Taiwan National Museum of Fine Arts from May 22 to June 10. This will include almost the entire 2012 program as it screened in Taipei, including Lemmy, Greatest Movie Ever Sold, If a Tree Falls and much more. See full schedule details below.

Venue：Taiwan National Museum of Fine Arts

Address：#2 Wuquan West Rd, Sec 2, Taichung City
台中市西區五權西路一段 2 號

Tel：(04) 2372-3552

Museum website：http://www.ntmofa.gov.tw/
Dates：5/22 to 6/10
Link to schedule：here

Q&A SESSIONS：
5/27 （Sun） 4:20pm
Film：《Time of Cherry Blossoms》winner of the 2012 Big Nomad Award
Speakers：Tsai Hsu-cheng, film director ＋ David Frazier, Urban Nomad curator 

6/2（Sat）3pm

Film：《Green Peace: The Story》
Speaker：Frances Lo, Green Peace Regional Development Officer

6/10（Sat）3pm
Film：《Rainbow Over the Ruins》2012 Urban Nomad Special Mention
Speaker：Sandy Lo, film director and independent curator

2012 Urban Nomad Awards

“Time of Cherry Blossoms" director Tsai Shui-cheng (left)

In 2012, more than 160 short films were submitted to Urban Nomad. Of these, we chose about 35 for our short film programs, and selected seven nominees. Prizes were decided by an independent jury of three members, Lee Yao-hua, Brook Hall and Shu Kuo-chih. The winners are as follows:

THE BIG NOMAD (NT$20,000)： 
【Time of Cherry Blossoms】
Director：Tsai Shui-cheng 蔡旭晟
JURY STATEMENT: Time of Cherry Blossoms sets young boys as its main characters, and their playtime with the gods of an old temple takes place between the real and the imaginary. Friendships between the boys and the gods are established, and at the same time we're shown a natural way of relating between the world of people and the world of spirits. But then, due to the disregard (or arrogance?) of the adult world of men, the boys' new friends are dispelled and returned to the spirit world. The filmmaker has designed both his human and otherworldly characters tale using a rich array of color and imagination. Visually there is no large gulf between them and this indeed is his major theme.. - Lee Yao-hua

片尾主題曲點名創作宗旨，旋律輕快優美，不論詞或曲都再一次重申生死、 人界神界一線之隔的關係。至於男孩的經歷是真是夢，也不用再多追究了！－ 李耀華

Short Film Awards Tonight!!!

Which of this year's field of about 25 short films will win the 2012 BIG NOMAD PRIZE? Find out today from 7:15 to 9:15pm, when we screen a bunch of fantastic nominated shorts, hold the final voting for the audience choice award, and for good measure throw in a performance of traditional Macedonian music (just because it's awesome!) and last but not least: cloud porn.

What could be better? Admission is only NT$50!!!

The Big Nomad Award (NT$20,000) and a Jury Prize ($10,000) will be selected by an independent jury. This year's jurors are Lee Yao-hua (film director), Brook Hall (theater director) and Shu Kuo-chih (writer). The Audience Choice Award (NT$10,000) will be selected by you, the audience!

The nominees for this year's Big Nomad Award and other jury prizes are as follows:

Taiwan Oyster: Encore Screening Sunday 12:20pm

After two packed houses for The Taiwan Oyster at Urban Nomad, and numerous requests for another showing, we are giving the film an encore. We've scheduled an extra screening for Sunday, April 22 at 12:20pm. Several cast and crew, including two co-producers of the film and a number of actors, are still in Taiwan and we'll invite some for a post-film Q&A. The list of attendees will be announced soon.

This will be Oyster's last showing in Taiwan for the time being, and the people who see it here are among the first anywhere to watch it. This is a truly brand new film, with Urban Nomad just its second festival appearance following the world premier at SXSW last month. We of course hope the film gets picked up for local distribution, but these things take time. So don't wait for several more months or possibly more than a year! The Nomad is happy to bring you the Oyster one more time!

FILM: The Taiwan Oyster (special added screening)
TIME: Sunday, April 22, 12:20pm
TICKET: NT$220 / $170 student
ADVANCE: $200 (at the Urban Nomad festival box office through April 21)

Opening Night Photos

Full house for 2012 UNFF Opening Film: The Taiwan Oyster

Too many softball questions at the Q&A? Maybe, but there's one screening left. Bring it people!

The Jarrett Brothers: Producer Mitchell (left) and director Mark (standing in front of a installation we commissioned from local graffiti artist Candy Bird)

PHOTOS: Garrett M. Clarke and Steven Vigar (UP AGAINST THE WALL ASIA)

Taiwan Oyster Director and Producer to Attend Opening

Mark Jarrett, director of The Taiwan Oyster

Mark and Mitchell Jarrett, director and producer of The Taiwan Oyster, will arrive in Taiwan on Wednesday night in advance of the film's Asian premier as the Opening Film of the 2012 Urban Nomad Film Fest on Thursday (4/12). If anyone is wondering if there is a back story connecting The Taiwan Oyster and Urban Nomad, there most certainly is. Urban Nomad founders Sean Scanlan and Dave Frazier knew Oyster director Mark Jarrett when he lived in Taichung between 1999 and 2001. We remember Mark driving a shuttle bus to the first ever rave in Kenting, a Taiwanese pickup truck - or was it a van? - that departed irregularly from Spring Scream, back when that music festival was a the Liufu Ranch at the foot of the big knife-shaped mountain that overlooks the Kenting seaside. It may not have been the best conceived of all plans, and you could say Mark's new movie, The Taiwan Oyster, is a reflection of those kinds of manic quests that he experienced while on this island. We certainly recognized it as such.

We Were Here: Special Advance Tickets

Yesterday (Friday 4/6) we began offering a special run of discounted advance tickets for the film WE WERE HERE at two locations in Gongguan. The tickets cost $200 (or $20 cheaper than at the door), and the quantity is limited. You can get the tickets at:

GinGin Store

#8, Alley 8, Lane 210, Sec 3, Roosevelte Rd, Taipei

www.ginginbooks.com

Love Boat

#11, Lane 240, Sec 3, Roosevelte Rd, Taipei

www.lesloveboat.com

REMINDER: Regular advance ticket sales (through iNDIEVOX) end on April 11 at midnight. After that, you can buy tickets for all remaining screenings at festival's ticket sales area at Huashan. 

In the News

The Taiwan Oyster: Asian premier 4/12 @ Urban Nomad 

Taipei Times coverage of Urban Nomad is out today:

"Over the past decade, the Urban Nomad Film Festival has brought some of the most exciting and thought-provoking indie films from around the world to Taipei." - Catherine Shu, Taipei Times

TT's story also has Urban Nomad director David Frazier talking about hosting the upcoming Asian premier of The Taiwan Oyster, how the festival has cultivated a new audiences for docs on "culture, technology and activism", and lots of other things that make us sound, well, really good. Read the rest in the Taipei Times.

In the companion piece, we got a big ol' kick out of Alita Rickards' take on the Trippple Nippples, the Tokyo band who'll play our whompin' opening party on April 14.

"Headlining the night is Japanese art-dance-fashionista-freaks Trippple Nippples. Think Lady Gaga triplets crossed with gross-out band Gwar, and you still aren’t even close."

Further down, Rickards writes:

"The group’s wild stage antics and messy costumes have had them kicked out of various venues. 'You should think about how you could mess us up rather than worrying about how you can get away from getting messed up,' warned Yuka Nippple, who describes the group’s music as 'headache and stomachache and strawberry ice cream.'"

Read the rest here.

UN2012: The Basic Info

DATES: 4/12 - 4/22

LOCATION: Huashan 1914 Creative Park, Building 3-East, 1, Sec 1, Bade Rd, Taipei

SCHEDULE: Feature Documentaries  +  Short Films

DOWNLOAD THE SCHEDULE (.PDF)

TAIPEI FILM SCREENINGS: 
At the door: $220/ $170 student ID
Advance sales (thru 4/11): $200/ $170 or 4-ticket packs for $680

OPENING PARTY (4/14) 
with Trippple Nippples + Mochipet: 
$700 Door / $600 Advance

GENERAL TICKET INFO
This year we will feature a SHORT FILM HAPPY HOUR each weekday from 6-7pm. Admission is free with any ticket the 7pm screening that night, so come early and check out some killer shorts! Or if you only want to see the shorts, admission is NT$50. Advance tickets are on sale for all screenings through Indievox.com. We know a lot of people are used to buying tickets at the door, but some screenings will probably sell out, so for films you really want to see, we recommend you buy advance tickets. They're also a little cheaper. For news about ticket availability and sold-out screenings, please check the main page on this site and our Facebook page.

WHERE TO BUY PARTY TICKETS?
KGB 台北市師大路114巷5號 5, Lane 114, Shida Rd (02) 2363-6015
Toasteria (Shida)  台北市雲和街72巷1號 Yun-He St, Lane 72, #1 (02) 2365-3051
Toasteria (Zhongxiao) 台北市忠孝東路4段248巷2號 #2 Lane 248, Zhong Xiao East Rd. Sec 4. (02) 2731-8004
Toasteria (Dunhua) 台北市敦化南路一段169巷3號 #3, Lane 169, Sec 1, Tunhua S Rd

HOW TO BUY FILM TICKETS ONLINE 
http://www.indievox.com/urbannomadfilmfest/events/ 
To buy tickets through Indievox, you must first register and create an Indievox account. Once you click and buy your tickets, you get a code which you can take to any 7-Eleven, where you can pay cash. Get step-by-step instructions: right here!

2012 Film Submissions

Dear film directors: You guys are the best! Urban Nomad's selection committee has been enjoying the heck out of watching your films over the last couple of weeks, and especially the mad crunch this past weekend. A list of received films is below at the link. It includes the following information: film title (Chinese and English), country of production, language, subtitle language. We will announce the list of accepted films within the next two weeks, so please be patient until then. Thanks again for sending us your films!

List of 2012 Film Submissions

OPENING PARTY: SAT, APRIL 14

THIS ONE'S GOING FULL BLAST!

The annual Urban Nomad party is not going to try to be weirder than last year, though who knows, it might happen anyway? Instead of going for all-out strangeness, this time we’re going for raw energy, so we put together the best lineup of full-blast and highly visual bands and DJs we could find, including Japan’s fashion-art-dance-rock-bizarrities TRIPPPLE NIPPPLES, a San Francisco DJ who dresses like a purple dinosaur, MOCHIPET, and home favorites GO CHIC, DJ NOODLES, FUNKY BROTHERS and MARCUS AURELIUS. In addition expect plenty of projectors, VJs and a whole warehouse full of trippy fun.

2012 SUBMISSIONS ARE NOW OPEN!!!

DEADLINE (Feature Films): February 15, 2012 (SUBMISSIONS CLOSED)
DEADLINE (Short Films): March 1, 2012
* Please note, these are deadlines for RECEIVING films (not mailing films).

SHORT FILM COMPETITION: NT$40,000 IN PRIZES

In 2012, Urban Nomad's short film competition will award two jury prizes, with a top prize of NT$20,000 and a second prize of NT$10,000 for "Taiwanese short films". This means films of 45 minutes or less by Taiwanese filmmakers, filmmakers who are residents of Taiwan, or films produced in Taiwan or with some strong connection to Taiwan.

NEW! The Audience Choice Award (NT$10,000) is now open to films from Chinese-speaking territories in Asia, including but not limited to Hong Kong, Singapore, China and Malaysia.

Urban Nomad has the right to decide all questions of eligibility for competitions.