(Variety) After operating relatively quietly in Chinese language content since 2016, global streamer Netflix is now making a noise about its presence in the sector and in Taiwan in particular.
Among the highlights is "Born for the Spotlight," a 12-part series about the unravelling of a friendship between two top actresses, and an upcoming youngster who will do anything to achieve success in show business. It is written and directed by Yen Yi-wen ("The Making of an Ordinary Woman") and produced by Olive Ting ("Oh No! Here Comes Trouble"). It stars Hsieh Ying-hsieh ("Dear Ex," "Green Door") and Cheryl Yang ("Yi, Yi").
The series is also selected for the On-Screen section at the Busan International Film Festival, hosting its world premiere next month, and will be released on Netflix on Nov. 7, 2024.
With mainland China closed to Netflix as a streamer and Hong Kong largely working in the Cantonese minority variant of Chinese, Taiwan has become the de facto hub of the company's Chinese-language production operations. Netflix's head of Chinese-language content, former screenwriter Maya Huang makes a virtue of this.
"Creators, producers, writers, and directors in Taiwan have a good understanding of genres and a very strong sense for universal topics that are not only relevant to our local audience, but also appeal to global audiences," she said Tuesday at the Content Asia conference in Taipei. "We are trying to push the boundaries by bringing in more resources, investing in local stories more, and also helping creators dare to tell bolder stories, to make genres that have not been seen in Taiwan before."
She cited the example of "Copycat Killer," and example of a successful Japanese to Taiwanese adaptation, as well as upcoming Taiwan-made shows "The Resurrected" and "Forget You Not."
"What we are looking for is really to have stories that will first and foremost resonate with our local audience, which is in Taiwan. Because when we talk about Chinese-language content, we are not talking about a diaspora all over the world — we are more focused on Taiwan and then the Asia-Pacific regional audience. Because it's not just the language that we share, there's also the cultural part, the history that we share."
In order to embed itself deeper in Taiwan the company recently launched the Netflix Fund for Creative Equity, operated in collaboration with government-backed creative industries agency TAICCA.
"The production ecosystem here in Taiwan has its own strengths and challenges. What we are doing right now is really making long term investments in talent, both above the line and below the line. Each time we make an original show, we are working with local talent to really bring up the quality of the storytelling, the quality of the production, and also the best practice when it comes to safety and respect on-set."
In a similar vein, Netflix is seeking closer links with key festivals. This year it becomes an official industry partner with the Busan festival, where it will launch the inaugural Creative Asia Forum, a one-day event designed to nurture emerging filmmakers, creatives, and production professionals.
In addition to the opening film "Uprising" and "Born for the Spotlight," Netflix has three other films or series selected for the 2024 edition of the festival. Japan's Beyond Goodbye delves into the enduring power of love as a woman meets the recipient of her late fiancé's heart. The second season of hit Korean zombie series "Hellbound" will also premiere at the festival, depicting "a world where hellbound decrees and gruesome banishments are now commonplace." Norwegian documentary "The Remarkable Life of Ibelin," about a young man's adventures in a virtual world amid the restrictions of his physical life. makes its transition from Sundance, where it won two prizes.
Watch the trailer for 'Born for the Spotlight' here.
