MOFA awards winners of Taiwan video clip competition

2016/03/25

The winners of the Show Taiwan in One Second competition organized by ROC Ministry of Foreign Affairs were recognized at a ceremony March 23 in Taipei City.

Featuring 920 clips up to 10 seconds in duration, the two month competition concluding Feb. 29 attracted submissions from everyday people on the most interesting aspects of their lives. A total of 20 clips by 15 recipients were selected as finalists.

Manfred P. T. Peng, director-general of the MOFA’s Department of International Information Services, praised the diversity of the submissions and said when viewed together, they tell the story of Taiwan. “This vivid imagery is special in that it is shaped by the people and serves as an truthful snapshot of life on our island.”

According to Peng, this form of engagement with society strengthens Taiwan’s soft power and enables it to stand out on the international stage.

All of the submissions were reviewed by a three-member judging panel. One of the participants was Kurt Lu, a creative talent who garnered headlines earlier this year as the brains behind ROC President-elect Tsai Ing-wen’s Internet and TV election campaign advertisements.

Lu edited the best clips into a pair of two-minute shorts. His compilations, along with the 20 finalists, will be uploaded to Trending Taiwan—a MOFA YouTube channel boasting more than 200 videos showcasing the island’s natural beauty, rich heritage and prosperous society.

“It is impossible for one person to accurately capture the essence of Taiwan,” Lu said. “Only through creating together can we pull the curtain back on the reality of life in Taiwan and touch people the world over.”

The top three place-getters are “Red Envelope,” “Ants” and “The George’s Love for Taiwan.” The first reveals the emotional ties between a family and deceased relative; the second, seniors lining up to recycle garbage; and the third, a brother and sister exercising at locations around Taiwan.

Source: Taiwan Today (http://taiwantoday.tw/ct.asp?xItem=243269&ctNode=2194&mp=9)