Selection to the Academy will see Qing Xie mentored by celebrated directors such as Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Ang Lee and Tsai Ming-liang, as well as participate in 3 weeks of intensive master classes, meetings with global industry heavy-weights, and hands-on production and post training with a select group of emerging pan-Asian film talent.

“Having my work seen and supported in this way by Hou Hsiao-Hsien, and the Academy he leads, is already a rare honour, but in combination with mentoring by 2010 Palme d’Or winner Apichatpong Weerasethakul, this truly is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, which I sincerely and passionately cherish” says director Qing Xie.

Qing Xie is the first Australian filmmaker to be selected to the Academy, and the only one to be invited this year from outside of Asia. Her selection was based on her award-winning graduating film ‘Red Water Red’, which has screened at 14 film festivals around the world since its in-competition debut at the 20th Stockholm International Film Festival in November 2009.

The Golden Horse Film Festival Film Academy accelerates the careers of 16 rising stars of Chinese language direction and cinematography, as well as contributing to the continuing renown of an Asian literate world cinema.

Leader of the Golden Horse Film Festival Film Academy, Hou Hsiao-Hsien, is one of the most acclaimed directors of the past three decades.

He has won best film or best director awards at Venice, Berlin, Hawaii and Nantes Three Continents international film festivals, and is a six-time nominee for the Cannes Film Festival Golden Palm.

The 47th annual Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival and Film Academy runs 3–20 November, 2010, for more information see http://www.goldenhorse.org.tw/ui/index.php?&lang=en&switch_lang=1.