by Adrian Branzan, Samuele Matteuzzi, Elina Boeva, Katarina Mihelic, Ada Gabor
The category of Asia’s Best Music Video for AAIFF is by far the most versatile of them all. Filled with amazing music, storytelling and energy, each director creates a memorable experience. The category has it all — be it upbeat bangers that make you dance along or heart-breaking love stories which awaken a sense of longing and nostalgia.
MELODY BEYOND TIME (2022) – Dir. Lo I-li
Xie Jia-chen, nicknamed A-chen, keeps hearing a strange melody in his mind. While collecting nature sounds in the forest, he inadvertently wanders into an abandoned house. It is at that point that the story truly begins.
The story unfolds around a song produced in a soft rock style popular in Taiwan back in the 1980s. The tailor-made theme song’s characteristic rock lineup of vocals, drums, bass, and guitars is infused with fuzzy overdrive tones typical of the 1980s. The song captures the meandering, rousing sound of rock to paint a portrait of that era, creating the perfect backdrop to this animated micro-film.OWN SELF (2022) – Dir. Tiffany Ike
“Own Self” is one of the parts of a 5-part music video series by 2Chang called “The Weather Inside”. A deep dive into the depths of jonnychang’s mind, told through stunning imagery and poetic lyricism. Each episode builds upon the next to create a fully-realized narrative, exploring themes of identity, mental health, and growing pains through an Asian American lens.
