The 2021 Liberty International Movie Festival recently held its opening and awards ceremony in South Korea. Prof. Ming-Yi Tsai from the Department of Information and Communication, STUST, won the Best Director Award. Prof. Tsai’s work "Travel—Train to Paradise" was nominated last year for the Best Screenplay Award and the Best Director Award in Buenos Aires International Film Festival, which is recognized by the Ministry of Culture as the third category international film festival. This time, at the Liberty International Movie Festival, Tsai’s work once again demonstrated its charm in the fierce competition of more than 360 works from more than 50 countries around the world, winning Best Director Award.

[A poster of the award-winning work "Travel-Train to Paradise" by STUST]

The award was presented by the President of New Daily Media Group in South Korea, and the heroine of the movie, Wan-Ni Tsai was also nominated for the Best Actress Award. The heart-warming film "Travel—Train to Paradise” tells the story of a rehabilitated person and a female high school student from a prestigious school, who met on a train by chance and started the story of their extraordinary journey. The motivation of the film is the hope that parents can listen more to their children, allowing the next generations to live their own lives. The judges of the 2021 Liberty International Movie Festival believe that the film has sublimated the worries and sensibility of hesitating young people into an excellent image of beauty.

[Assistant Professor Ming-Yi Tsai is currently teaching at the Department of Information Communication, STUST.]

Director Ming-Yi Tsai has signed up to participate in international film festivals under the name "Tsai Tsai" since 2013 and has won numerous awards, including Buenos Aires International Film Festival (BUEIFF), Argentina; London Independent Film Awards (LIFA), New York Film Awards (NYFA) , ONIROS Film Awards, Los Angeles Film Awards (LAFA), and MOD Gold Film Contest.

[Assistant Professor Ming-Yi Tsai won the Best Director Award at the 2021 Liberty International Movie Festival in South Korea. Miss Shiao-Wen, Li, who lives in Seoul, received the award on the behalf of Tsai, who was absent due to the impact of the pandemic.]

Prof. Ming-Yi Tsai expressed his gratitude to the open, creative environment of STUST and the various supports from the department he works for. Under the influence of the epidemic, Prof. Ming-Yi Tsai also thanked Miss Shiao-Wen, Li, a friend of his living in Seoul, for receiving the award on his behalf. In addition to continuing to create and exhibit his works in the future, Prof. Tsai will also teach practical applications through his classes to share with students his creative filming experience.

President Deng-Maw Lu of STUST said that in recent years STUST has been actively recruiting young teachers with vitality and potential. It is hoped that through these enthusiasm and new blood, STUST students can get a better learning content. In addition to showing the profound directing skills of Prof. Tsai, it also means that the students of STUST will learn more professional knowledge through the guidance of a strong faculty group. STUST look forward to students who are passionate about film production and who have their own ideals. Everyone can come to South Taiwan to grow up with us and move towards the international stage together. The winning film will be exhibited at https://www.libertymoviefestival.com/ until the 27th, leading the world to see more works from Taiwan.