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.
