At the Taipei Culture Center in New York City has had a long-standing collaboration with the New York Asian Film Festival (NYAFF). This year, four Taiwanese short films were selected for the short film section of the festival, including “Perhaps This Story is Called Lip Balm,” “Black Dog,” “Dream of Spring,” and “Paused Life.” Directors Jenny Jen, Hsieh Ying-hsuan, and Yang Ling traveled to New York to participate in the festival activities, meeting with reporters from New York’s Chinese media on July 14 at the Taipei Culture Center.
“Perhaps This Story is Called Lip Balm” premiered at the Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival and was also selected for the New York Asian Film Festival and the Bali International Film Festival, bringing Jenny Jen and Hsieh Ying-hsuan to New York to exchange ideas with filmmakers from around the world. Jenny Jen and Hsieh Ying-hsuan expressed that by appreciating the works of others, they gained a deeper understanding of themselves. They explored New York, made new friends, visited numerous galleries, experienced the city’s streetscapes, watched films, and even visited Broadway, which inspired various creative ideas while immersing themselves in the vibrant atmosphere of the city.
For Jenny Jen, her first venture into making short films was inspired by personal experiences and observations. She transitioned from theater to film and television at a time when streaming services were on the rise and there was an explosion of Taiwanese drama series. Initially involved in writing streaming series such as “The Artificial Waver of the Person of Choice” and adapting the Korean drama “Itaewon Class” into “Let’s! Gold Let’s!,” Jenny Jen faced challenges in adapting to the rapid changes in the streaming landscape as everyone navigated through different episode numbers and themes.
Jenny Jen enjoys observing industry changes and has encountered dilemmas in her work as a writer and adapter, such as deciding the number of episodes for an adaptation, whether to produce half-hour or one-hour episodes, what additional characters to introduce when lacking material or storyline substance. Combined with her preference for meta-cinematic elements, she embarked on a new experiment with her first short film.
Golden Horse Award-winning actress Hsieh Ying-hsuan readily accepted Jenny Jen’s invitation to star in the film. For Hsieh Ying-hsuan, the size of the production is not as important as having “interesting characters.” The two have worked together since their theater days, energizing each other through their shared passion for acting.
Director Jenny Jen introduced that “Perhaps This Story is Called Lip Balm” is a self-deprecating satirical comedy, with editing done by director Hsu Han-chiang, setting the pace for the comedy. Collaborating with the band Sorry Youth on music, the film features a diverse soundtrack rearranged by Golden Melody Award-winning musician Kevin Ko, enhancing the overall viewing experience.
“Black Dog,” directed by Yang Ling, which was nominated at the Busan International Film Festival last year, stars Dai Li-ren, Pan Zhi-min, and Zou Xian-ya. The film tells the story of a father on the verge of losing his wife who is witnessed by his daughter as he struggles with a nightmarish presence, portraying a narrative of sorrow and despair while endeavoring to confront internal fears. The film is guided by the senses of smell and bodily perception as its visual foundation, conveying emotions transcending language barriers.
Yang Ling mentioned that “Black Dog” draws from childhood memories and is a tribute to fathers and those accustomed to silent and unspoken emotions.
In addition to participating in the festival, Yang Ling recently selected the Asian Cultural Council New York Fellowship program, where she will be based in New York for six months in the latter half of 2026, preparing in advance through her involvement in the New York Asian Film Festival for her upcoming projects next year.
Currently, Yang Ling is working on the television film “Diary of a Madman” for Public Television Stable Drama Exhibition, as well as developing the script for her first feature film “Like Water.” This project was previously selected for presentation at the Asian Film Academy in Busan and the Asian Day Production Workshop. Additionally, the short film “Lonely Cat Cake” directed by Yang Ling, part of the Public Television Student Drama Exhibition, premiered in Japan in March and was selected for the competition at the Osaka Asian Film Festival.