Private sponsorships and independent film exhibition in Taiwan

Following the deregulation of the Taiwanese film exhibition industry in the late 1990s, local movie theatres increasingly have spurned domestic productions in favour of more dependable Hollywood blockbusters. With little commercial support for the screening of their projects, independent filmmakers in Taiwan have begun to turn to private sponsors as a means of securing theatrical deals. This article explores the historical development of this practice, and examines how it has helped some filmmakers overcome the structural and economic constraints that affect domestic productions at the cinema. The article is based on research conducted by Hongchi Shiau over a five-year period in Taiwan.