REM KOOLHAAS screening cancellation

A power outage caused by heavy typhoon rains forced us to cancel the screening of REM KOOLHAAS: A KIND OF ARCHITECT originally scheduled for October 6 at 4:30pm. The power outage lasted two and a half hours and affected not only the Flora Expo Dome, where the screening was to be held, but the entire Yuanshan District of Taipei. We would like to thank our audience for their patience and understanding, as it was a real inconvenience to all involved. You guys are truly amazing. In 12 years of Urban Nomad, this is the first time we were ever forced to cancel a screening.

We are currently checking into various possibilities for rescheduling the screening. Please check this blog and our Facebook for any news.

Design Cinema to return: 9/27 ~ 10/6

We are feeling frothy of late, because for the second year in a row we will be able to collaborate with Taiwan Designers Week to produce a series of films on art, architecture and design: URBAN NOMAD x DESIGN CINEMA (Sep 27 ~ Oct 6). The films are all hand picked and docs that we, a bunch of self avowed art geeks, not only love, but can look forward to watching over and over again. The overwhelming theme here is modernism and the subsequent movement into postmodernism. As the body of design docs grows, that is a very major area of examination. These films give us great windows on the work and ideas of Charles and Ray Eames (designers of the fames “Eames chair“), Lallo and Massimo Vignelli (they did logos for Ford, American Airlines, and all NYC Subway signage), architect Rem Koolhaas, painter Jean Michel Basquiat (by popular demand, we are showing this film one more time) and contemporary artist Cindy Sherman (the film is by her ex~boyfriend and totally hilarious). We have Urbanized (the third installment in Gary Hustwits design trilogy, which began with Helvetica) and a highly entertaining film on childrens book author Tomi Ungerer, who was banned from publishing because he also published erotic drawings. In all there will be seven docs, 12 screenings, a neo psychedlic booth installation we are still designing, and maybe some other surprises. The film series will be held in conjunction with the largish Taiwan Designers Week exhibition. With any film ticket you can get into the exhibition for free after 6pm. Hope to see you all there.

URBAN NOMAD x DESIGN CINEMA WEBSITE: CLICK HERE!

Urban Nomad Design Cinema
Location: Expo Dome, Taipei Expo Park (台北花博公園爭艷館設計廣場區)
Dates: 9/27 (Fri) ~ 10/6 (Sun)
Tickets: NT$170元 in advance, NT$200 at the theater
Online purchase: http://tickets.books.com.tw/search/tag_search.php?tag=%AB%B0%A5%AB%B9C%AA%AA%BCv%AEi
Taiwan Designers Week: www.designersweek.tw

2013 Award Winners

Winning director Jimmie Wing with producer Joyce Wing. 

Congratulations to this years prize winners! Supporting local filmmakers through cash prizes continues to be a priority for Urban Nomad, and we are happy to see that the field of entries continues to grow, as does the audience for these short gems. Screenings took place in an open air cinema for six consecutive days, with directors present at each screening for Q&A. This years Big Nomad Prize went to Australian director Jimmie Wing for his 27 minute short EXPATZ and the Jury Prize went to Rob Jabbaz for his scabrous parody of early Disney animation. It is the first time that both Urban Nomad jury awards went to expatriate filmmakers.

The Big Nomad Prize, Jury Award and a Special Mention Award were selected by three jurors, film critic Dan Tong-mo (但唐謨), film director DJ Chen Yin-Jung (陳映蓉) and rock musician Dupi (肚皮). The Audience Choice Award was calculated from audience ballots at each short film screening, and a parallel award was given by Toshiba. You can see the results below!

Lee Teng-hui in new film about Taiwan democracy

US filmmakers probe murky waters of Taiwan democracy through interviews with Japanese PM, US congressional hearing, and Taiwanese politicians

The new documentary GODSPEED TAIWAN pursues the complicated -- and often controversial -- issue of Taiwanese politics through interviews with top politicians in Taiwan, the US and Japan. Los Angeles-based production company Gatling Pictures has created the first international documentary in more than a decade to look Taiwan’s history of martial law and its uncertain political future. Interviewees include former Taiwanese president Lee Teng-hui, Japanese PM Shinzo Abe, US congressional representatives, media mogul Jimmy Lai, filmmaker Wu Nien-jen and top politicians from Taiwan’s two opposed political camps. The film will have its international premiere at the Urban Nomad Film Fest in Taipei on Friday at 3pm.

Taiwan remains divided between those who strive to establish closer ties to China and those fighting to maintain the political status quo and more, the United States continues to toe a precarious diplomatic line with regard to Cross-Strait relations. By "opposing" Taiwanese independence, but also promising to adhere to its pledge to militarily defend Taiwan in the event of an act of Chinese aggression, the U.S. policy of intentional ambiguity has created great confusion about its role and responsibilities in the Asia Pacific.

The film is helmed by director/producers Jeff Broadway, an American, and Kai Boydell, a Canadian. The main producer is Taiwanese Sam Lang. Together, they aim to represent the myriad of opinions about Taiwan and the realpolitik that will determine the island-nation’s future. "Our goal in producing this film is to strike a balance between politics, culture and history and offer a fresh, contemporary perspective that an international audience can understand."

Through exclusive interviews with Lee, Abe, former Taiwanese presidential candidate Peng Ming-min, DPP legislator Hsiao Bi-khim (DPP), Justin Chou (KMT), US congressman Lester Wolff (D) and other top policymakers, as well as rare footage of congressional hearings on Taiwan, they hope to catalyze an international conversation about Taiwan’s fate and the balance of power in the Asia-Pacific region as a whole.

“Godspeed Taiwan” will be shown as a "work in progress" at SPOT Huashan as part of the Urban Nomad Film Festival of Taipei at 15:00 on May 3rd and May 5th. The filmmakers are actively seeking finishing funds for post-production -- hence its "work in progress" status. Following the Sunday, May 5 screening, there will be a discussion panel featuring the film’s producers and journalists Michael Cole (Taipei Times), Martin Williams (president of the Taiwan Foreign Correspondents Club) and Taiwanese journalist TC Chang. Everyone -- politicians included -- are welcome to participate in the discussion.

WHAT: Theatrical screenings of GODSPEED TAIWAN
WHEN: May 3rd, 3pm
              May 5, 3pm with panel discussion
WHERE: SPOT Huashan (No. 1, Section 1, Bādé Rd, Taipei, Taiwan)

To purchase tickets, visit:
http://tickets.books.com.tw/progshow/01030001040098

Advance Tickets Now On Sale

Tickets are now on sale for all feature film programs. You can purchase advance tickets here.

This year Urban Nomad will present 17 international documentaries, our short film awards program, 11 short film programs and panel discussions on crowdfunding, animation and radical approaches to doducmentary. Highlights will include visits to Taiwan by Danish film director Mads Brugger and French filmmaker Jerome de Missolz, who will present their films on the festivals opening two days (April 26 and 27), and then appear together in a panel discussion on Sunday, April 28.

Brugger is a maverick documentary filmmaker who uses Borat like approach to filmmaking, though his goals as an investigative journalist are certainly more noble if no less entertaining. In THE RED CHAPEL, winner of the 2010 Sundance Jury Prize for International Documentary, he brings a Danish theater troupe to North Korea to put on an absurd performance in an even more absurd country. In his latest, highly celebrated documentary, THE AMBASSADOR, he heads to the Central African Republic posing as a diplomat and trying to buy conflict diamonds.

Jerome de Missolz is a veteran documentary filmmaker of French TV, specializing in experimental documentary and histories of rock n roll. This year for Urban Nomad, he brings both strains together in KIDS OF TODAY, an encounter between young, hard partying staff of a Paris music magazine and the veteran French rock critic Yves Adrien.

ADVANCE TICKETS
You can buy advance tickets for $200/each or 4 tickets for NT$720 ($180 each) through: http://tickets.books.com.tw.

To buy tickets, you will need to register an account with Books.com.tw. Once you have an account, you can place your order online, then pay at 7 Eleven through the ibon machine, where they will print your ticket. There is a $30 service charge for each purchase of 1 to 4 tickets, i.e. 4 ticket packs are $750, 3 tickets $630, 2 tickets $430, etc. For more info, see the purchasing instructions (in Chinese only).

Seating is first come first serve. All films have Chinese+English. For news about sold-out screenings please check the left column of this site. If a screening is not sold out, there will be tickets available at the door.

2013 Short Film Selections

Short film lovers, directors, fellow nomads, the list is out!

Here is the list of short films that will be screened in the 2013 Urban Nomad Short Film Program. We will send out more info about the screening schedule and all the films very soon, but for now, here is the list of OFFICIAL SELECTIONS and AWARD NOMINEES.

2013 URBAN NOMAD OPENING PARTY

In the true festival spirit, we are going to have a whole lotta fun on our opening weekend. We have invited electro dance rockers Mop of Head from Japan, after seeing them rock the socks off of 5,000 people at Fuji Rock last year. We also have one of our favorite DJs from our favorite label, Mad Decent ~ South Rakkas Crew, says The Guardian, produces “some of the most electrifying dance music on the planet.” Juicy Lero Lero, a Cosplay weirdness band from Japan, will add double shot of insanity. DJ Noodles just tore it up so much at our stage for the Mega Port festival in early March we couldnt not invite her back. DJ Marcus Aurelius is a rock steady party stalwart, Pro Res makes a Taipei debut from Brickyard in Kaohsiung, Hang in the Air is one of the best reggae bands on the island, and there will be an 8bit DJ + VJ show by up and comers Physical Chemical Brothers. Eight hours of fun, people! Remember to stretch :)

時間｜Time： 4/27 （Sat/六） 7:30pm doors
地點｜Place：Huashan 1914 Creative Park 1, Sec 1, Bade Rd
                         華山1914創意園區 台北市八德路一段1號3東A
門票｜Ticket: $800 door / $650 advance (on sale from 3/20)
預售｜Buy tix: www.iNDIEVOX.com, AMPM, KGB, Toasteria, Screaming (3/18 starts)
臉書｜Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/events/547546685285554/

★★★★ MOP of HEAD ★★★★

Tokyo's Mop of Head have played big stages at Fuji Rock in each of the past two years, had their song "Retronix Symphony" listed as one of the top tracks of 2011 by BBC Radio 1 DJ Gilles Peterson, and supported the Japanese tour of the German electro-house duo Digitalism. Think Justice, Daft Punk or Boyz Noize, but coming from a 4-piece band. When we saw them rocking a dance party of 5,000 at Fuji Rock last year, we knew they had to play Urban Nomad!!! Though band members claim rock influences like Led Zepplin, Primal Scream, Hi-Standard and Stevie Wonder, the band initially came together because they wanted to figure out how to play live rock versions of breakbeats, dubstep, drum ‘n’ bass, house and club music in general. Then they added electronic loops, which they distort and manipulate live. Its been almost a year since we last saw them play. We cant friggin wait!

http://mopofhead.com/

Did You Receive My Film?

If you submitted a film to Urban Nomads 2013 Short Film Competition, thanks! We have had fun reviewing all your films these past two weeks. You can confirm that we received your submission at the following link:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AvzSrxBvGOX7dHNuWEE1SXpyZUtxMlMwcFlGUmJ5bGc#gid=0

Applications for volunteers are closed. We have had a great number of volunteers apply this year, more in fact than we can probably find jobs for. We would like to thank all of you good hearted, culture loving people who applied. We will begin organizing the volunteers towards the end of March. Please be patient until then.

2013 Call for Film Submissions and Volunteers

DOWNLOAD THE 2013 SUBMISSION FORM

DEADLINE (short films): March 1, 2013
DEADLINE (feature length): Feb 15, 2013

URBAN NOMAD 2013
Hootie hoo! This year Urban Nomad will run from April 26 to May 5 in Taipei. We can't wait to get started, so let's go ahead and announce it: We hereby welcome submissions of short films (45min or less), video art, documentaries (short or feature length), skateboarding films and any other moving images you can compress to a digital file or DVD!!! Yes, send us your awesome! We will also consider proposals for VJ performances, audio-visual performances (not bands), installations or other other genre-bending works. We love weird stuff and will try to make things happen.

VOLUNTEER
If you live in Taipei, and would like to volunteer for the festival, please send us an email with VOLUNTEER in the subject line. Include your telephone number, email and other important contact info, as well as any relevant experience and how you think you can help us. Check here for more info on how to volunteer.

MORE INFO ABOUT THE SHORT FILM COMPETITION IS BELOW.