Taiwan directors Chen Kun-hou and Huang Yu-shan shared their opinions of the Taiwan New Wave April 11 and 12 in London as part of the event “Myriad Voices: Reframing Taiwan New Cinema.”
According to the Ministry of Culture, Chen, who is a winner of the Golden Horse Awards’ best director and lifetime achievement honors, introduced “The Boys from Fengkuei” by Hou Hsiao-hsien April 11. He shared his extensive cooperation experience with Hou and expressed hope that British audiences would get a taste of Taiwan’s hospitality through the film’s depiction of culture and scenery and be inspired to visit the country.
Huang delivered a lecture at a seminar April 12, sharing female perspectives on Taiwan’s film reform movement and the development of its movie industry in the 1980s. The role of female characters expanded to become a key part of new wave films, she said, adding that the liberation of women’s voices echoed the changes in their socioeconomic status during the period.
Both Chen and Huang attended post-screening Q&A sessions of their works, including “My Favorite Season” and “Out of the Blue” by Chen and “Autumn Tempest” by Huang, the MOC said. The ministry added that it is committed to strengthening bilateral cinematic exchanges, increasing the exposure of Taiwan films in the U.K. and boosting access of domestic productions to the British market.
Organized by the Cultural Division of the Taipei Representative Office in the U.K. and the locally based British Film Institute, “Myriad Voices” runs March 31 through April 30. It features 30 screenings of 15 films, showcasing works by renowned directors such as Chang Yi, Edward Yang, Hou, Wan jen and Wang Toon. (YCH-E)
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