Flowers of Taiwan II film festival is set to open Sept. 24 at Cinema Farnese in Rome, Italy, offering a selection of 14 peerless pieces drawn from multiple genres over six decades.
Organized by Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Spain and Rome-headquartered Joint Cultural Initiatives, the four-day event promises to take cinephiles on a silver screen voyage signposted with some of Taiwan’s historic events and social issues.
Highlight titles include horror “Detention” by John Hsu and comedy “Eat Drink Man Woman” by internationally celebrated homegrown director Ang Lee. The former—set during Taiwan’s martial law era—is adapted from a video game of the same name, while the latter touches upon food, love and family relations.
Other must-watches are “Binding” by Chen Ting-ning; “The Fourth Portrait” and “Soul” by Chung Mong-hong; “The Boys from Fengkuei” by Hou Hsiao-hsien; “The Rice Dumpling Vendors” by Hsin Chi; “Raining in the Mountain” by Hu King; “Missing Johnny” by Huang Xi; “Boluomi” by Lau Kek-huat; “Grandma’s Small Talk” by Lin Shih-ching; “The Garden of the Evening Mist” by Lin Shu-yu; “The Husband Secret” by Lin Tuan-chiu; and “Super Citizen Ko” by Wan Jen.
Sideline activities include virtual interviews with auteurs John Hsu, Lau Kek-huat and Lin Shu-yu. The highly anticipated engagements will draw the curtain back on the creative processes behind the movies, as well as afford viewers the opportunity to learn more about filmmaking approaches and techniques.
According to the MOC, the festival is expected to maintain the moment of last year’s successful inaugural edition while further raising the profile of Taiwan’s cinema industry in the lucrative Italian market. (YCH-E)
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