“Tayal Forest Club (男孩奇幻夜),” a short film by Taiwanese director Laha Mebow (陳潔瑤), received a Special Mention from the Jury at the 47th Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival on Feb. 9.
Established in 1979 in France, the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival is one of the largest short film festivals in the world and is often referred to as the “Oscars of short films.”
Laha Mebow won Best Director at the 59th Golden Horse Awards in 2022 with “Gaga (哈勇家),” becoming the first female Indigenous film director in Taiwan to receive the honor. “Gaga” explores themes of Indigenous identity and culture, as well as the tension between tradition and modernity.
A total of eight screening of “Tayal Forest Club” were held at the festival. During a post-screening talk on Feb. 3, Laha Mebow shared insights into the creative process behind her first short film. The film captures the raw emotions of Indigenous children, the mountain landscapes of Yilan, and the shifting weather in high-altitude terrains, leaving a strong impression on audiences.
In addition, “The Fishbowl Girl (金魚缸小姐)” by rising director Wu Hung-yi (巫虹儀) was nominated for the festival’s International Competition, while “The Eye and I (自監體),” a work by Taiwanese artist Huang Hsin-chien (黃心健) and French musician Jean-Michel Jarre, was featured in the XR Panorama program.
Hu Ching-fang (胡晴舫), Director of Taiwan Cultural Center (TCC) in Paris, noted that TCC began collaborating with the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival in 2023 and has since built a strong partnership.