Please join the UW Taiwan Studies Arts & Culture Program for a special screening of A CHIP ODYSSEY (HSIAO Chu-Cheng, 2025) with post-screening Q&A with Producer Ben Tsiang.
Sunday, May 31 | 4:00 PM (PDT) | Northwest Film Forum
️ FREE FOR UW TSP COMMUNITY MEMBERS! Please sign up here to reserve your place in the queue—RSVP does not guarantee a seat: https://tinyurl.com/ChipOdysseyRSVP
Seats are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. Please sign up here to join the queue. You will receive a separate email from the TSP team to confirm your reservation on or after May 20.
Prefer to secure your ticket now? You can also purchase directly through NWFF: https://nwfilmforum.org/films/a-chip-odyssey/
A CHIP ODYSSEY Special Screening + Q&A with Producer Ben Tsiang
What does it mean for a small island to power the world’s digital future? A Chip Odyssey takes audiences inside Taiwan’s semiconductor industry, uncovering the human stories, political tensions, and global stakes behind the chips that drive our everyday lives.
Stay after the screening for a live Q&A with producer Ben Tsiang, as we explore the making of the film and Taiwan’s critical place in today’s technological landscape.
ABOUT A CHIP ODYSSEY
(Hsiao Chu-Chen, 2025, Taiwan, 106 min, in Mandarin Chinese with English subtitles)
In 2019, director Hsiao Chu-Chen was deeply moved by stories shared at the memorial of semiconductor pioneer Hu Ding-Hwa—accounts of engineers who, driven by a sense of national mission, journeyed overseas to acquire the crucial knowledge that ignited Taiwan’s chip industry. Their spirit of sacrifice and collective resolve not only laid the foundation for Taiwan’s semiconductor revolution, but also marked a pivotal chapter in the island’s struggle for survival and global relevance.
Directed by award-winning Hsiao Chu-Chen and produced by semiconductor veteran Ben Chen and acclaimed Oscar member Ben Tsiang, this five-year project draws on insights from voices across generations—from early contributors to today’s professionals in the semiconductor industry. A Chip Odyssey traces Taiwan’s journey from humble beginnings to its emergence as a critical pillar of the digital world. Through the eyes of pioneering engineers, female line technicians, frontline policymakers, visionary scientists, and a new generation now facing critical choices, the film reveals how, half a century ago, an entire island came together in a high-stakes gamble to shape its own destiny—and the future of global technology.
Though Taiwan accounts for less than 0.02% of the world’s landmass, it has become an indispensable force in the era of AI and advanced chipmaking. As the invisible engines of modern life, chips produced in Taiwan now power everything from smart devices to strategic defense, placing the island at the center of the global technology race.
A Chip Odyssey is not only a chronicle of technological ascent; it is a powerful testament to the spirit of a small island that poured its heart and soul into survival, innovation, and global relevance. As tensions rise and the semiconductor race intensifies, the film reminds us that behind every chip lies a human story—and behind every breakthrough, a cross-generational gamble. CO-PRESENTERS Special Thanks to Frank Wen, Council Member, Overseas Community Affairs Council, R.O.C. (Taiwan), for his generous sponsorship! TECO-Seattle | TECO-Seattle represents Taiwan across the Northwest United States, serving Washington, Oregon, Alaska, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming. The office’s mission is to promote and strengthen comprehensive exchanges between Taiwan and these six states across political, economic, cultural, and academic fields. Northwest Film Forum | NWFF fosters a vibrant creative community by empowering filmmakers, amplifying emerging voices, and cultivating cinematic experiences for all. A nonprofit film and arts center located in Seattle, Northwest Film Forum presents hundreds of films, festivals, community events, multidisciplinary performances, and public discussions each year. A comprehensive visual media organization, the Forum offers educational workshops and artist services for film and media makers at all stages of their development. Artist services include access to space, gear, fiscal sponsorship, grants, and an edit lab. Northwest Film Forum is a member-based organization.
CO-PRESENTERS
Special Thanks to Frank Wen, Council Member, Overseas Community Affairs Council, R.O.C. (Taiwan), for his generous sponsorship!
TECO-Seattle | TECO-Seattle represents Taiwan across the Northwest United States, serving Washington, Oregon, Alaska, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming. The office’s mission is to promote and strengthen comprehensive exchanges between Taiwan and these six states across political, economic, cultural, and academic fields.
Northwest Film Forum | NWFF fosters a vibrant creative community by empowering filmmakers, amplifying emerging voices, and cultivating cinematic experiences for all. A nonprofit film and arts center located in Seattle, Northwest Film Forum presents hundreds of films, festivals, community events, multidisciplinary performances, and public discussions each year. A comprehensive visual media organization, the Forum offers educational workshops and artist services for film and media makers at all stages of their development. Artist services include access to space, gear, fiscal sponsorship, grants, and an edit lab. Northwest Film Forum is a member-based organization.