Department of Cultural Affairs

Disaster Film 96 Minutes to Open 2025 Taipei Film Festival 

Two-Time Ambassadors Austin Lin and Vivian Sung Share the Screen 

Coming-of-Age Drama Marching Boys to Close the Festival 

Super Nova Talents Rosen Tsai and JN Yu Take the Lead

The 27th Taipei Film Festival unveiled its opening and closing films today (May 2). Opening the festival is 96 Minutes, the latest blockbuster by The Scoundrels director Tzu-hsuan Hung, starring Austin Lin and Vivian Sung, 2024 and 2025 festival ambassadors, respectively. They are joined by Jacob Wang (Best Actor, Taipei Film Festival), Lee-zen Lee (Best Supporting Actor), and Eleven Yao (Best Supporting Actress) in a gripping disaster action-thriller filled with high-stakes tension and explosive suspense. 

The closing film is Marching Boys, a spirited new work from Ray Jiang, director of the billion-dollar box office Gatao series. The film stars Taipei Film Festival’s Super Nova talents Rosen Tsai, JN Yu, and rising star Yu-ren Liu in an inspiring story of high school marching band members fighting to keep their dreams alive.

The opening film, 96 Minutes, is the latest work by Tzu-hsuan Hung, one of Taiwan’s few emerging directors to specialize in action cinema. The project took nine years from script to screen. To recreate the intensity of a real-time crisis, the production built Taiwan’s first full-scale high-speed rail car interior in a smart studio and incorporated Hollywood-grade virtual art technology. They spent over NT$100 million to deliver scenes of breathtaking realism, making it one of Taiwan’s most ambitious action films to date. 

The story follows newlywed bomb disposal expert (Austin Lin) and his police detective wife (Vivian Sung), who find themselves aboard a high-speed train going from Taipei to Kaohsiung. As a bomb threat unfolds, the couple must race against time to prevent disaster within 96 minutes: the fate of everyone on board is in their hands.

“This is the first time one of my films has opened the Taipei Film Festival,” said former ambassador Austin Lin upon learning that 96 Minutes had been selected as the opening film. “It’s a huge one on my actor’s bucket list!” 

“It’s already such an honor to be serving as this year’s ambassador,” said Vivian Sung, equally thrilled. “I never imagined 96 Minutes would also open the festival. It’s like the universe secretly wrote this script for me!” 

Vivian and Austin are inviting all movie lovers to attend the world premiere on June 20, kicking off this year’s Taipei Film Festival.

96 Minutes features an all-star cast that also includes Jacob Wang, Lee-zen Lee, Eleven Yao, Kent Tsai, and Frederick Lee. With heart-pounding action and emotionally charged performances, the film promises to launch the festival with an unforgettable adrenaline rush.

 Opening film 96 Minutes brings together two Taipei Film Festival ambassadors, Austin Lin and Vivian Sung, in a thrilling on-screen performance.

In 96 Minutes, festival ambassador Vivian Sung plays a newlywed police officer married to the character portrayed by former ambassador Austin Lin.

The closing film, Marching Boys, comes from director Ray Jiang, whose Gatao series broke box office records. The project was developed over six years by Black & White screenwriter Kelly Chen and Listen Before You Sing producer Wolf Chen. The film follows a group of high school students who come together to fight to save their school’s marching band and chase their dreams. Taipei Film Festival’s Super Nova actors Rosen Tsai and JN Yu and newcomer Yu-ren Liu bring these roles to life with passion and dedication. 

To prepare for the role, Rosen Tsai underwent intense physical training and transformed himself from a trumpet novice into a skilled marching band musician. “I didn’t dwell on being the lead. I just focused on playing the character well,” he said. Although this was his first time in a lead role, he stayed grounded.

Although JN Yu has played drums since childhood, he trained rigorously to fully embody his role, marching with a 20-kg drum for eight hours a day, three days a week. Even when his hands blistered and bled, he embraced the challenge with joy. “This whole experience, from the prep to the filming, and the emotional bonds we formed throughout, made me fall in love with acting. I feel incredibly lucky,” he said.

In addition to its rising stars, Marching Boys also features compelling performances from seasoned actors Lee-zen Lee, Umin Boya, and Di-yang Huang. The film’s stirring energy is further amplified by the musical direction of Golden Horse-winning composer Chris Hou, whose dynamic score injects youthful passion and cinematic grandeur and delivers a rousing finale that promises to leave audiences both exhilarated and moved.

 Marching Boys, Taipei Film Festival’s closing film, follows the inspiring journey of a high school marching band chasing their dreams with an unwavering spirit.

Former Taipei Film Festival Super Nova honorees, Rosen Tsai and JN Yu and emerging talent Yu-ren Liu star.

The 27th Taipei Film Festival will run from June 20 to July 5, 2025, across multiple venues including Taipei Zhongshan Hall, Vieshow Cinemas (Xinyi), and SPOT-Huashan. A rich programme of screenings and events will be revealed in the weeks to come. 

The nominees for the “Taipei Film Awards” will be announced May 15th, while the nominees for the International New Talent Competition will also be announced mid-May. 

For the latest updates, visit the official Taipei Film Festival website:

https://www.taipeiff.taipei/tw/