Opening and Closing Films Announced

Hao Wu’s People’s Republic of Desire, winner of the SXSW Grand Jury Prize for Best Documentary in 2018 and a generally shocking documentary on livestreaming in China, is Urban Nomad’s opening film for the 2019 festival. The Closing Film will be Valerie Soe’s Love Boat: Taiwan on the 50-year-old study exchange program and its thousands of alumni, showing as an Asia premier and screening at its third festival overall. Both directors will be in attendance at the festival.

Essential Info on the 2019 Urban Nomad Film Fest

This 18th year of the Urban Nomad Film Fest includes 55 films, including 25 feature films and 22 short films and 8 music videos. Most of these films will be seen in Taipei or Taiwan for the first time and include one Oscar nominated film, winner of a SXSW Grand Jury Prize, and other prestigious award-winning films. There will be 37 local premieres as well as 12 Asia premieres, while five short films will have world premieres. At least seven international filmmakers will visit the festival and around 30 local filmmakers will participate. There will be at least two concerts, and every single day of the festival we will have filmmakers at screenings for audience Q&As. We’ll have several panel discussions, some free film screenings, and a few parties as well. Participation and bringing creators into direct contact with audiences is what we’re all about.

Urban Nomad Music Video Award Sees Most Submissions Ever

Top names in Taiwan indie music will all compete for the 2019 Urban Nomad Music Video Award, with a record 105 entries in the competition including some of the hottest names in Taiwan’s music scene. Entries to the competition include mandarin hip hop and R’n’B acts MJ116, Leo Wang and 9m88, veteran indie bands and pop stars Wonfu, Quarterback, Ma Nien Hsien, and Lara Veronin, metal band Flesh Juicer, and popular young indie bands Deca Joins, Manic Sheep and Elephant Gym. For a full list of entries, click the link.

mouse on the keys, METALCHICKS, Buckman Coe to play 2019 Urban Nomad Freakout

Back for the fifth straight year, Urban Nomad’s two-day music festival, the Urban Nomad Freakout, will bring its carnival of fun and weirdness back to Taipei’s Tiger Mountain on April 13-14. Headliners include Japan’s piano post-rockers Mouse on the Keys, fresh off North American tours and releases of a new album and EP, and the female duo METALCHICKS, featuring guitarist suGar Yoshinaga (Buffalo Daughter) and drummer Yuka Yoshimura (OOIOO, DMBQ). Canadian recording artist Buckman Coe will bring his soulful R&B and rootsy world rhythms.

Urban Nomad in 2019: Music Fest Apr. 13-14; Film Fest May 16-26

Urban Nomad’s two-day music festival, the Urban Nomad Freakout, will return to Taipei’s Tiger Mountain on April 13-14. The Urban Nomad Film Fest will be held one month later, from May 16 to 26, at the Wonderful Theater in Ximen. April and May will also see other warmup events, parties, special screenings, talks and appearances. For info, follow us here on our official website or on our Facebook or Instagram pages.