_____________________________________________________________________________________The 26th ifva Awards - Asian New Force Category Juror’s Comment
Jurors: Kuo Ming-jung, Brillante Mendoza, Felix Tsang
WeekendKuo Ming-jung: The visual style is simple but effective; right to the point. The film asks us to ponder themundane way people get used to state violence as part of their life (and the implication that they may notchallenge it).
Brillante Mendoza: Two powerful shots that speak volumes. We saw an ordinary family that exist in anarchaic society. The narrative and the voice of the filmmaker are clear. This for me is an ideal short film.
Felix Tsang: Very simple static shot, but a very powerful story that turns on its head. Appreciate theaudacity of the director to choose to let the audience believe one thing that is seemingly mundane, but at
the end twists it around.
Heading SouthKuo Ming-jung: The girl neatly characterizes a new generation caught in transition. No one, including her
father’s new wife, is portrayed unduly negatively. Growing up, torn between her parents and two different
lifestyles, the girl suppresses her inner emotions, revealing more, her confusions about what the futureholds. Accomplished, professional filmmaking, notably the editing and cinematography, but to the extent
of leaving the viewer hoping for a stronger personal voice from the filmmaker.
Brillante Mendoza: The journey of the child took us from innocence to impurity. The protagonist took us
for a ride in full circle both dramatically and narratively. The child's performance is commendable but thenarrative lacks syntax.
Felix Tsang: Touches on sensitive issues within Mainland China, ie. the cultural assimilation of the ‘han’people with other small tribes, which is a very timely issue considering the current social and politicallandscape. All told through the eyes of a young girl who has landed in this foreign place. Taken awayfrom the beauty of nature, but plunged into a disgusting world of misogyny and forced culturalassimilation. Very daring story to be told under the current landscape of China.

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Mina’s World
Kuo Ming-jung: A girl assumes responsibility for a killing committed by her mother. The girl escapes andsearches for her mother who has begun a new life and rejects her daughter. In hiding, the girl reflects on
the meaning of ‘home’, recalling a painting from her detention centre.
Seemingly an attempt to critique Iran’s judicial system and punishment processes, however, the film issomewhat elliptical making its intentions rather elusive. As such, it’s difficult for the viewer to fully
engage with the film.
Brillante Mendoza: The narrative is not clear and the film language is not consistent. The film lacks
vision and focus.
Felix Tsang: Shows the troubles of being a female in Iranian society, and even betrayed and abandonedby her mother. She tries her best to escape, but ironically cannot escape death by a snakebite. Is the snakea phallic symbol of the poisonous male figure in society? No matter how hard women try to escape, they
will meet their bitter end in the hands of men.
The Child of Nowhere
Kuo Ming-jung: Somewhat typical short film about a child from Taiwan. Focusing mostly on mood, it
therefore, lacks a strong narrative spark. The observational style and lack of events makes it difficult for
the viewer to fully engage with the character’s feelings and psychology. The film also feels rather too
long, again perhaps a result of the rather singular tone that the observational mood presents. It may farebetter in a shorter length.
Brillante Mendoza: Too predictable and simplistic. I don't understand the vision of the filmmaker despite
the length of the film.
Felix Tsang: Heartbreaking story, and very beautifully shot, but I’m not sure whether this story has thepolitical edge that other stories have. The kid is good, and the father son relationship really shines, whichmakes it even more heartbreaking when he leaves the kid in the end. However, in this type ofcompetition, are we looking at projects that have the most interesting social/political commentaries?
Those projects are more daring. This is heartbreaking, but it’s not something we haven’t seen before.

_____________________________________________________________________________________The VisitKuo Ming-jung: The director has a good grip on human emotions from its characters. A film with a lot of
details to read into it without forcing any message on the audience - the girl is a key lead for the story.
The film lets us see or understand the difficulty and anticipation the adult has to negotiate.
Brillante Mendoza: The performances are believable but the film as a whole did not move me. Maybebecause the information that were provided are not clear and transitive.
Felix Tsang: Based on a true story, this film explores the struggles of fair legal opportunities in Iranthrough the lens of a child. With great performances from the lead actors, we have an insight into thelegal rights of family visits and the rights of a prisoner in Iran. This short film allows us to reflect on abroken judicial system, which is now a very timely subject around the world.
One Night Two Threads
Kuo Ming-jung: Narrative structure, editing, cinematography, directing and acting seem to lackimagination. It’s hard to see the potential.
Brillante Mendoza: I did not find the film pretentious despite its melodrama. The simplicity of thenarrative is commendable considering the cultural insinuation that the filmmaker was trying to evoke.
Felix Tsang: Relevant message about modern day women, but the acting and shooting style did notresonate with me.

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Drifting
Kuo Ming-jung: In the beginning the film seems to cram too many ideas into it: one child policy, son
being dressed up as a girl to get away birth control, son grows up wanting to dress as a woman and thefamily house facing demolition.
Still, with minimum dialogue, the characters are convincing, the film has a real cinematic eye with spaceand composition, to find a way for lighting to create different situations, connect past and present. It’s avery modern visual and in line with contemporary Chinese cinema.
We get to know the protagonist and share his frustration when he drives at dark round and round incircles. A talent to look out for.
Brillante Mendoza: The narrative structure is too vague despite the political issues that the film was trying
to project. The ensemble performances is commendable.
Felix Tsang: Beautiful visual composition, and very interesting insight into the effects the ‘one childpolicy’ has on families around China, as well as exploring issues of sexuality, family, and acceptance.
This coming-of-age tale allowed us to have an insight into this family’s life, and it was a refreshing takeon the subject with an interesting visual style and intriguing subject matter.
God's Daughter Dances
Kuo Ming-jung: The brain and heart lies with the protagonist, but the characters may come across as
somewhat stereotypical. Acting from the lead is convincing and the ending is the strongest part of thefilm.
Brillante Mendoza: The social and political commentary about gender issue in a military service that waspresented in a comedic way is effective and commendable. It was not forced and assuming. I enjoyed thefilm.
Felix Tsang: Truly enjoyed this one! This story highlights the issues of transgendered people. Verycommitted performance from the lead actor, however, the ending is a little awkward, but also liberating ina way.

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Coffin Maker
Kuo Ming-jung: Not completely sure about the story. Too many gaps and questions in the film leaving
one unable to properly understand what is really the core of the film - it seems to be about a moral
decision but it’s perhaps rather vague for viewers.
Brillante Mendoza: The couple's dilemma in an exploitative and abusive society was not clearlypresented. Ergo, we did not sympathize with the protagonist. There were too many questions in my mind
that I was trying to process and put together that I lost the grip of the narrative.
Felix Tsang: Another stellar entry from Iran. With powerful performances by the two leads, andintricately constructed characters by the writer and director, they were able to take us through thisstruggle between necessity and religion - choosing between the life of your daughter and the so-called
religious rules that had to be followed. What is more important?
I am Wounded
Kuo Ming-jung: Editing and narrative structure are not entirely convincing and it is unclear what the film
wants to say. A lot remains unexplained. It doesn’t really get to build a broader picture of the situation
people like this family are living in.
Brillante Mendoza: The narrative was cluttered and complicated. There was no definite film language. I
did not sympathize with any of the characters.
Felix Tsang: I’m afraid to say that this piece was not my cup of tea. I can appreciate the hard life of thetwo brothers, but I could not really get into the story, maybe because of the ‘rough’ filmmaking style.

Asian New Force Category award winners
Gold Award
Weekend
Ario Motevaghe (Iran)
Silver Award
Drifting
Bo Hanxiong (China)
Special Mention
God’s Daughter Dances
Byun Sung-bin (South Korea)