Three Taiwan productions have been short-listed in two categories at this year’s Tokyo International Film Festival, according to the Ministry of Culture Sept. 25.
Making its Asian premiere at TIFF, which will take place from Oct. 28 to Nov. 6, “Daughter’s Daughter” is among the 15 entries short-listed for the Competition section following its Honorable Mention at the Toronto International Film Festival. It was directed by Huang Xi and stars Sylvia Chang, with Chang and Hou Hsiao-hsien, another Taiwanese cinematic icon, as the executive producers.
The film depicts the story of a mother who must confront her hidden past after learning of the death of her daughter, who had lived in the U.S. with her same-sex partner. Through the mother’s struggle with past remorse and future responsibilities, the drama delves into the complexity of LGBTQ+ issues, in vitro fertilization and reproductive rights.
A Taiwan-Japan co-production directed by Shinzo Katayama, “Lust in the Rain” is also nominated for the Competition category. With 90 percent of its content shot in Taiwan, the film presents a unique adaptation of a surreal love story by Japanese cartoonist and essayist Yoshiharu Tsuge.
“Black Ox,” starring Lee Keng-sheng and jointly produced by Taiwan, Japan and the U.S., is selected in the Asia Future category. This drama with stunning visual imagery tells the journey of a man and an ox on the path to spiritual awakening, inspired by a Zen legend.
According to the MOC, the selection of the three films marks an exciting milestone for the country’s cinema, as it has been 20 years since “The Passage,” directed by Cheng Wen-tang, was nominated for the TIFF Competition category. Prior to that, “Darkness and Light,” directed and written by Chang Tso-chi, won the best film award at the 1999 TIFF, the ministry added.
Taiwan’s soft power will also be on display at this year’s IF Illustration Festival set to take place Sept. 27-29 in the French city of Lyon. Saitemiss, Abwu and An Chen will fly the flag for the country at the second edition of the festival, with the former chosen as one of the event’s five featured creators, the MOC said. (SFC-E)
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