Seven Taiwan films are available free of charge for nonprofit public screenings in Thailand as part of government efforts to strengthen exchanges with the New Southbound Policy country, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Thailand announced July 11.
Featuring newly produced Thai subtitles and print introductions, the movies have been released under the Ministry of Culture-organized Taiwan Cinema Toolkit project, an initiative launched with the Taiwan Film Institute in 2014 providing access to select works for nonprofit events overseas.
Offerings in the TCT Thai-language collection include documentary “They Are Flying” by Huang Chia-chun, groundbreaking drama “Blue Gate Crossing” by Yee Chin-yen, and classics “Dust in the Wind” by Hou Hsiao-hsien and “The Young Ones” by Li Hsing.
“They Are Flying” follows 30 teenagers with challenging childhoods as they attempt to ride unicycles around Taiwan. A seminal work in Taiwan LGBT cinema, “Blue Gate Crossing” examines teenage explorations of sexual orientation through the story of a high school love triangle.
Released in 1986, “Dust in the Wind” by internationally renowned filmmaker Hou is a coming-of-age love story set in the town of Jiufen in New Taipei City, while 1973 romance “The Young Ones” centers on a man who falls in love with twin sisters at different periods in his life.
Also featured are modern productions “Seven Days in Heaven” by Essay Liu and Wang Yu-lin, “The Fourth Portrait” by Chung Mong-hong, and “When Love Comes” by Chang Tso-chi. All three picked up prizes at the 2010 Golden Horse Awards, widely considered the Chinese-language Oscars.
“Seven Days in Heaven,” which bagged the honors for best adapted screenplay and supporting actor, is a drama exploring a daughter’s grief after the passing of her father and the meanings behind traditional funeral rites in Taiwan’s seven-day mourning vigil.
Recipient of the awards for best director, supporting actress and outstanding Taiwan film of the year, “The Fourth Portrait” revolves around a young boy’s attempts to make sense of the loss of his father and chaotic contemporary society. “When Love Comes,” which won for best feature film, art direction and cinematography, charts a family’s life after a teenage daughter discovers she is pregnant.
According to TECO in Thailand, the films will help foster cultural understanding and raise awareness of Taiwan’s vibrant cinema landscape. The collection also underscores the nation’s commitment to strengthening across-the-board exchanges under the NSP, the office said, adding that parties interested in screening the works can submit applications to its Cultural Division.
A key plank in President Tsai Ing-wen’s national development strategy, the NSP aims to deepen Taiwan’s agricultural, business, cultural, education, tourism and trade ties with the 10 Association of Southeast Asian Nations member states, six South Asian countries, Australia and New Zealand. (CPY-E)
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