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We are delighted to invite you to a new In Conversation event between SDI Founder Noe Mendelle and acclaimed documentary filmmaker S. Leo Chiang, the director of Island In Between (2023) recently nominated for an Academy Award in the Best Documentary Short Film category.

Follow this Zoom link to join us on the day. 

S. Leo Chiang is an independent documentarian based in San Francisco and Taipei. His previous films include Emmy and Gotham-nominated Our Time Machine (2019) and Out Run (2016), which received support from ITVS, Sundance, & Tribeca and had its European premiere at Sheffield Doc Fest. Chiang co-founded A-Doc, the Asian American Documentary Network in 2016, and he has served as a mentor/trainer for the Hot Docs CrossCurrent Fellowship and the CNEX Chinese Documentary Forum.

Island In Between| 19 min | Taiwan

The rural Taiwanese outer islands of Kinmen sit merely 2 miles off the coast of China. Kinmen attracts tourists for its remains from the 1949 Chinese Civil War. It also marks the frontline for Taiwan in its escalating tension with China. Filmmaker S. Leo Chiang weaves lyrical vignettes of tourist visits and local life with his own narrative as someone negotiating ambivalent personal bonds to Taiwan, China, and the US, Island In Between explores the uneasy peace in these islands, and contemplates Taiwan's uncertain future.

Read more about the Island in Between on the New York Times Op-Docs.

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Our In Conversation series features inspiring filmmakers delving into the journey of their career and the process of crafting a film - from developing an idea, working with participants, funding, editing and distribution. These free, interactive virtual events are an incredible opportunity to speak to award-winning filmmakers and learn key tools and insights for working in the industry.