Since 2009, world-renowned filmmaker HOU Hsiao-hsien founded the Golden Horse Film Academy. LIAO Ching-sung has remained the Film Academy’s Dean these years, where emerging scriptwriters, directors and cinematographers are invited annually to take part in this exciting mentorship and development program in Taiwan. These budding talents from Mandarin-speaking regions come to the program having completed short films each year. They are then teamed-up with one another and given a month’s time for shooting and producing collaborative short film for screening at the Golden Horse Film Festival. At the same time, distinguished filmmakers in the same Mandarin-speaking regions are invited to teach and share their expert opinions on scriptwriting, directing, cinematography, and other aspects of filmmaking, in addition to the numerous supplementary panels where industry professionals communicate field experiences and trade secrets to Academy talents.

In the past few years, directors at the forefront of Taiwan cinema, such as YANG Ya-che, Tom Shu-yu LIN, Arvin CHEN, LIEN Yi-chi, CHENG Yu-chieh, YAO Hung-I, CHANG Chan, LEE Chung, Midi Z, FU Tien-yu, WONG Chun, CHIANG Hsiu-chiung, HUANG Hsin-yao, LEE Yun-chan, DJ CHEN, John HSU and Wong Yee-Lam have taken turns to guide Film Academy talents through each step of the film production process. Film Academy Talents have also enjoyed instruction and attention from such distinguished filmmakers as John WOO, Stanley KWAN, Ang LEE, Mark LEE Ping-bin, TU Du-chih, WANG Shau-di, Fruit CHAN, WANG Xiao-shuai, Nansun SHI, KWAN Pung-leung, LIM Giong, Apichatpong WEERASETHAKUL, LI Qiang, SU Chao-bin, CHANG Chia-lu, WANG Chih-cheng, CHIENN Hsiang, TAN Ji-liang, Aben LEE, MEI Feng, Adam CHAN, Gino YANG, TIAN Zhuang-zhuang, Owen WANG, Annie LO, CHEN Chien-chi, Clara LAW and Eddie FONG Ling-ching.

The Film Academy has successfully nurtured several promising young directors and outstanding films, including The Sunny Side of the Street which screenplay and directed by LAU Kok-rui, cinematography by LEUNG Ming-kai, won Best New Director, Best Original Screenplay and nominated for Best Narrative Feature, Best Cinematography at Golden Horse Awards 2022, nominated for Best New Director, Best Screenplay at Hong Kong Film Awards 2023. Till Love Do Us Part which screenplay and directed by LI Ran, cinematography by HU Chen, won Special Jury's Mention Award at Odyssey: a Chinese Cinema Season 2023. Incantation which cinematography by CHEN Ko-chin, was nominated for Best Narrative Feature, Best Cinematography both at Golden Horse Awards and Taipei Film Awards 2022. Days Before the Millennium which screenplay and directed by CHANG Teng-yuan, cinematography by WEI Tz-yang, was official competition film at Osaka Asian Film Festival 2022. LAU Kek-huat’s Taste of Wild Tomato, was Asian Competition Short Film at Taiwan International Documentary Festival 2022. To The Sea which screenplay and directed by LIN Po-yu, cinematography by LIU Shih-wen, was nominated for Best Live Action Short Film at Golden Horse Awards 2022. When the Whistle Sounded which screenplay and directed by HSIEH Li-ling, cinematography by JUAN Hsiang-wen, was nominated for Best Live Action Short Film at Seoul International Women’s FF 2023. The Patient which screenplay and co-directed by CHAN Yoke-yeng, was nominated for Best Asian Drama for a Single Market in Asia at ContentAsia Awards 2023. The VR Short which Cinematography by LO Wei-en Madame Pirate: Becoming A Legend, was a competition film at Cannes XR x VeeR Future Award 2022.

The 2024 Golden Horse Film Academy is held from October 21 through November 23 with the mission to nurture up-and-coming Mandarin language film talents and visionaries; and, by supporting the next generation of industry leaders and luminaries, to promote exchanges and dialogues among these emerging filmmakers, in order to preserve the unique culture, people, and style of Mandarin-language films.