Taiwan Expands Cannes Footprint With Film Sales, Immersive, IP

As the Marché du Film continues to expand beyond a traditional sales hub into a broader cross-media marketplace, Taiwan arrives in Cannes this year with a presence that reflects that shift – spanning film sales, XR showcases and IP adaptation platforms.

At the Marché, the Taiwan Pavilion marks genre as a central export driver, underscoring sustained demand from regional buyers for commercial storytelling. Among the titles highlighted are crime thriller “Dead End” and action drama “Papa Don’t Preach,” both structured around accessible narratives designed to travel across Asian markets.

Horror remains a cornerstone of Taiwan’s international positioning. “The Rope Curse 4: Kuntilanak,” the latest installment in a long-running franchise, expands into Southeast Asia through a Taiwan-Indonesia co-production framework.

Produced by Jeff Tsou, the hit franchise announced in late 2025 that principal photography would be set in Jakarta, with Shih-Han Liao returning to direct. Vera Chen and Wilson Hsu star in the production, which represents the franchise’s first venture outside of Taiwan.

The three previous “Rope Curse” films have collectively grossed over NT$200 million ($6.5 million) at the Taiwanese box office, making it the highest-grossing horror franchise in the country.

Alongside these export-oriented titles are more grounded projects that emphasize social realism and cultural specificity. “To Be Ordinary,” a family drama centered on long-term care and intergenerational responsibility, and “The Songs From Within,” a documentary exploring identity within Taiwan’s Indigenous Paiwan community, point to a parallel curatorial logic within the slate.

The films in the lineup reflect a calibrated dual-track strategy — pairing export-oriented genre fare with narratives rooted in local experience, a balance that has become increasingly characteristic of Taiwan’s international market positioning.

Beyond film sales, Taiwan is also extending its reach into immersive and cross-media sectors, aligning with Cannes’ wider push into experiential formats.

“Playing With Fire: An Immersive Odyssey With Yuja Wang” (co-produced by VIVE Arts) has been selected for Cannes’ Immersive official selection.

At the Cannes Immersive Market, projects such as “Drift in Time,” which was adapted from a live audiovisual performance into a large-scale projection environment, and “Modern Times,” which integrates robotics, AI-driven sound and live performance, point to an ongoing convergence between screen-based storytelling and installation formats.

Other works, including “Sensory Concerto: The Seasons” and “Dark Rooms,” shift toward more individualized and psychologically driven experiences, reflecting broader experimentation with audience engagement and immersive storytelling models.

Taiwan is also present in the IP adaptation space through Shoot the Book!, where “The Echo Before Dawn” is being introduced to potential international partners. Lang Chi’s graphic novel has cross-border appeal — it’s the story of two lonely teens from opposing worlds who seek connection despite drug addiction, bullying and broken families. The participation underscores a growing emphasis on connecting local publishing with global production pipelines, positioning literary properties as adaptable assets within co-production and financing frameworks.

Being front and center on the Croisette follows a strong presence at Hong Kong FilMart in March, where it hosted a pavilion housing 106 companies showcasing 242 titles across diverse genres. Notable entries include Taiwan’s first single-shot horror film, “Suffocation,” which has been selected for the 2026 Cinequest Film Festival — Horror, Thriller & Fantasy Feature Competition. The feature “I Blew Out the Candles Before Making a Wish” explores themes of money, family and responsibility. Similarly, Taiwan made a splash at Berlin’s European Film Market. The Taiwan Creative Content Agency spearheaded the territory’s EFM activities with its Taiwan Pavilion and Taiwan Spotlight Pitching Session, while production companies Flash Forward Entertainment, GrX Studio and Pegasus Entertainment are marketing titles ranging from action blockbusters to single-take horror and cross-cultural romance.

All together, Taiwan’s expanded presence across Cannes and other international reflects a broader restructuring of the global content market. As distribution pathways diversify and format boundaries erode, the focus is shifting toward integrated strategies that connect film, immersive content and IP development.