In the ongoing process of technology shaping human civilization, the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is akin to the mysterious black monolith in Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey. A single touch unleashed a torrent of inspiration and knowledge, altering the trajectory of human destiny. Today, AI not only profoundly impacts industries worldwide but also challenges our traditional understanding of creativity, consciousness, and design practices. Taiwan plays a crucial role in this AI revolution. The Taiwan Design Research Institute, in collaboration with Giloo Documentary, has curated the "2024 Taiwan Design Week" online film festival. Curators Hsieh Tsung-yen, Yu Qian, and Lin Wei-che jointly selected films for the theme "Fingertips Touching AI," inviting viewers to explore the diverse possibilities for design and creation in the future world through cinematic works. These films not only reflect the profound impact of contemporary technological advancements on design but also lead audiences to ponder the future evolution of humanity. Through continuous "touching" and "stimulation," we hope to ignite humanity's innate potential and creativity. Let us together step through this glowing gateway of wisdom and inspiration, to imagine and construct a new world transformed by technological evolution. Perhaps the answers of the future will be entirely different from the past, and we stand at the forefront of this profound transformation.
Author財團法人台灣設計研究院國家級設計研究院，主要任務是以設計力增進全民福祉並促進國際設計交流， 為進一步放大台灣設計的國際能量，由經濟部產業發展署指導，設研院統籌執行「2023台灣設計週」，邀請草字頭、艸執荒地質造所共同策展。
Taiwan has long since become the first country in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage, and LGBTQ+ lives seem to be increasingly woven into everyday life. Yet, when we turn our gaze to Asia’s mainstream media and cinema, where are the stories of lesbian women? The love left unspoken, the relationships that defy definition, and the intimacies that blur the line between friendship and romance—are they still hidden beyond the frame? And when lesbian women do appear on screen, how often are their stories truly told from their own perspectives? This time, through a collection of films, we summon those who have always been there, yet have rarely been seen. “I summon you by this name. Reveal yourself.”
The Taiwan Film Festival of Boston is dedicated to showcasing Taiwan’s diverse cultures and social landscapes through cinema while fostering meaningful exchange between Taiwanese filmmakers and North American audiences. Since 2011, the New Taipei City Documentary Film Award has supported documentary filmmaking and encouraged creators to engage with their times, capturing lived experiences and social realities through the moving image. Together, the two organizations present this virtual film festival, featuring outstanding works from past editions of the Taiwan Film Festival of Boston and the New Taipei City Documentary Film Award. By bringing Taiwanese stories of ecology, culture, identity, and coming of age beyond geographical boundaries, this collaboration invites audiences around the world to discover Taiwan through the lens of documentary filmmaking and engage in cross-cultural dialogue. Through the power of documentary cinema, the festival seeks to foster greater cross-cultural understanding, celebrate the creativity and vitality of Taiwan’s documentary tradition, and strengthen connections between New Taipei City, Taiwanese filmmakers, and international film communities. New Taipei City Documentary Award Section Title | Habitats of Life Envisioning a Sustainable Future Where People and the Environment Thrive Together From oceans and forests to where Indigenous communities and cities meet, life seeks ways to survive, grow, and belong. Where the Bees Belong, Hearing from the Dolphin, The Elimination, A Tayal, and Childhood In Between explore ecological conservation, wildlife conditions, cultural heritage, and identity, revealing complex relationships between people, nature, and society. As habitats shift and generations change, each story shows how life responds to environmental and social challenges while seeking new possibilities for coexistence. Echoing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), this program invites audiences to reconsider habitat not only as a physical place, but also as an ecological, cultural, and emotional home—and to imagine a more diverse, inclusive, and sustainable future. The online screenings held in collaboration with the New Taipei City Documentary Film Awards concluded successfully on October 11. Some films have been taken offline as scheduled. We invite you to continue enjoying the other outstanding films available on the platform!
“Lu-se” (魯蛇, Taiwanese internet slang borrowed from the English word “loser”) seems to have become a dead word. You rarely hear anyone say it anymore, and I’m not sure why. I don’t think the term can be understood simply as the English “loser.” In the way it’s used in Taiwan, it seems to carry a touch of self-deprecating humor, and that’s a quality I really love. The films above are the ones that, to me, have that feeling.