Organizers of the Golden Horse Film Awards said Wednesday that this year's ceremony will follow Taipei City's typhoon stop-work standards, moving the red carpet indoors and barring public bleachers if storms such as Champi threaten outdoor gatherings.
What audiences should expect
The executive committee told ticket holders that November 22 events at Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall will switch to a rain plan when the capital declares a land warning or suspension of outdoor activities. Nominees will still walk a carpet, but only accredited press and crew may enter the lobby track.
Fans who bought outdoor watch-party tickets will receive streaming codes instead of refunds, a compromise after COVID-era caps on venue capacity. The committee said it learned from 2024, when a late typhoon scramble left photographers exposed on wet marble steps.
Industry logistics
Studios shipping gowns and archival prints from Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur were asked to pad arrival dates by 48 hours while Champi disrupts air cargo. Taiwan Film Institute staff will vault 35mm prints in climate-controlled rooms rather than shuttling them between preview theaters along riverside roads prone to flooding.
Why the call landed now
With Champi approaching and Golden Horse advance ticket sales opening Oct. 25, organizers wanted a single public rulebook rather than daily guesses. Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an's office said city hall will coordinate road closures near the memorial if winds exceed thresholds, even if the ceremony remains indoors.
For filmmakers, the announcement is less glamour than grit: Taiwan's biggest night can still happen while typhoons prowl, but the red carpet becomes a hallway, and applause will have to carry through live feeds instead of rainy plazas.
Broadcast partners
Public television said it would add sign-language overlays and storm tickers without cutting acceptance speeches short. Streaming partners in Southeast Asia asked for earlier master feeds in case satellite uplinks glitch when rains peak.
Nominees from Malaysia and Singapore said indoor plans reduce weather risk but also limit fan interactions that help arthouse titles build word of mouth.