Taiwan’s Calendar Studios Unveils International Film, Series at TCCF

variety.com:

Naman Ramachandran Taiwan‘s Calendar Studios is advancing its production slate with two new projects: “Call of Lobster,” a cross-border action-comedy, and crime series “The Scammers,” both unveiled at the Taiwan Creative Content Fest (TCCF). “Call of Lobster,” helmed by “Man in Love” director Yin Chen-Hao, draws inspiration from a real-life story about a Taiwanese lobster farmer who volunteered to teach farming techniques in North Korea.

The film follows a protagonist who becomes entangled in a drug case while pursuing his dream of lobster farming in North Korea, forcing him to collaborate with a South Korean agent. “This story was inspired by a news article in Taiwan,” says Yin. “Chen Jia-fu, a lobster farmer from Pingtung, once wrote a letter to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, volunteering to go to North Korea to teach lobster farming techniques – and he actually succeeded in going and returning.

I’ve always been deeply interested in the legendary stories of ordinary people. ‘Call of Lobsters’ wraps its narrative in comedy, blending elements of espionage, suspense, and personal growth.” The project assembles a creative team including executive producers Jin Pai-Lunn and Cheng Wei-Hao, alongside producer Chang Ya-ting, known for coordinating large-scale international productions involving the U.S., Japan, and South Korea, who served as Taiwan production supervisor for Martin Scorsese’s “Silence.” Calendar founder Jin plans to complete casting for the Korean roles and secure funding by first half of 2025, with production set for the latter half. “‘Call of Lobster’ will be a groundbreaking international co-production for Taiwan,” says Jin.