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MORETony LEUNG, Carina LAU, Leslie CHEUNG, Cherie CHUNG, and More! TFAI's “Heterodox Drifting: Flesh, Fate, and the Red Chamber of Chiu Kang-chien” Unleashes the Boundless Passions of Death and Desire on the Big Screen
What kind of screenwriter could collaborate with renowned directors such as Stanley KWAN, Ann HUI, and Patrick TAM, while also attracting international stars including Tony LEUNG Chiu-wai, Carina LAU, Leslie CHEUNG, Cherie CHUNG, and Andy LAU? CHIU Kang-chien is a name every cinephile should know. This July, the Taiwan Film and Audiovisual Institute (TFAI) presents “Heterodox Drifting: Flesh, Fate, and the Red Chamber of Chiu Kang-chien.” Beyond the dazzling casts assembled across its nine featured films, CHIU’s screenplays reveal a cinematic world that is daring, provocative, and utterly uncompromising. From period eroticism and queer desire to suspense and murder, brace yourself for the defiance and excess that is about to unfold on the big screen. Born on Xiamen’s Gulangyu Island in China’s Fujian province, CHIU Kang-chien moved to Taiwan as a child. His time studying in the United States broadened his horizons and shaped his avant-garde outlook. After returning to Taiwan, he co-founded Theatre magazine with friends including CHUANG Ling and HUANG Hua-cheng, introducing Western art and thought to Taiwan and Hong Kong and inspiring countless young artists, writers, and intellectuals. His literary sensibility and remarkable talent for drama soon attracted the attention of Hong Kong’s Shaw Brothers Studio, where he became a close creative collaborator of key figures of the Hong Kong New Wave, including directors Ann HUI, Patrick TAM, Tony AU Ting-ping, Eddie FONG, and production designer William CHANG Suk-ping. In his first screenplay to reach theatrical release, The Bells of Death (1968), he blended genre elements from 1960s Italian Westerns and Japanese samurai films, infusing them with a strange and unsettling atmosphere unmistakably his own and creating a strikingly modern reimagining of the wuxia film. The women in CHIU Kang-chien's screenplays are invariably bold and ahead of their time. In Intimate Confessions of a Chinese Courtesan (1972), a young prostitute seeks to master unparalleled martial arts in order to avenge herself against abusive clients, only to enter into a forbidden romance with her madam. Meanwhile, An Amorous Woman of Tang Dynasty (1984), starring Pat HA and Alex MAN, caused a sensation upon its release with its daring scenes and breathtaking imagery. The film vividly portrays the Tang dynasty poet-courtesan YU Xuanji’s transcendence in the face of fate and desire, and the declaration, "I have walked paths that many women dare not tread," has since become an iconic line. CHIU Kang-chien also captured the inner world of modern men and women with great precision. For Women (1985), the first screenplay he wrote for Hong Kong director Stanley KWAN, he brought together CHOW Yun-fat and Cora MIAO to play a married couple, along with Cherie CHUNG as a seductive mistress, crafting a nuanced portrait of the contradictions of human nature within marriage. His second collaboration with Stanley KWAN, Love Unto Waste (1986), starring Tony LEUNG Chiu-wai, Elaine JIN, TSAI Chin, and CHOW Yun-fat, depicts young men and women seeking to dispel their loneliness through romantic entanglements, only to become caught up in a murder case. Steeped in metaphors of death and sex, it was the screenplay CHIU considered the most satisfying of his career. I Am Sorry (1989) traces the journey of urban women’s self-awakening in the late 1980s. Its four vividly drawn female protagonists, relentless in their pursuit of love, left a lasting impression, leading later generations to hail the film as "Hong Kong’s Sex and the City," with Carina LAU in particular stealing the show. With his keen insight into human nature, CHIU Kang-chien also used his screenplays to convey his reflections on the times and on history. Nomad (1982) brings together Leslie CHEUNG, Kent TONG, Pat HA, and Cecilia YIP as a group of young men and women who love and hate with equal abandon. They pass their days in a cycle of endless revelry, until the appearance of a defector from the Japanese Red Army plunges them into a struggle for survival. Boat People (1982), the final installment of director Ann HUI's "Vietnam Trilogy," is set against the backdrop of refugees displaced in the aftermath of the fall of South Vietnam in 1975. Making his big-screen debut, Andy LAU plays the young To Minh, earning a nomination for Best New Performer at the 2nd Hong Kong Film Awards. CHIU Kang-chien’s works spanned literature, theater, and film. Despite his prolific screenwriting, he directed only three feature films, the first of which was Dream of the Red Chamber (1977), an adaptation of one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. Relocated to 1970s Singapore, the story retains the simmering tensions of the love triangle between Lin Daiyu, Jia Baoyu, and Xue Baochai. TFAI provided the world's only surviving 35mm print of Dream of the Red Chamber for digital restoration by Singapore’s Asian Film Archive, allowing this long-lost “Red Chamber” dream, dormant for nearly half a century, to make its Taiwan premiere in this program. Due to the film's age and the severe fading of the original print, the Asian Film Archive elected to restore the film, originally in color, into black and white in order to preserve its viewing quality, making it a unique case among restored Chinese-language films. This screening will also feature a special appearance by restoration specialist Tee Pao CHEW from the Asian Film Archive, who will share firsthand insights into the restoration process. Pat HA (right) and Alex MAN (left) in the sensational hit An Amorous Woman of Tang Dynasty (1984). (Courtesy of Celestial Pictures Limited) A young prostitute and her madam embark on a forbidden romance in Intimate Confessions of a Chinese Courtesan (1972). (Courtesy of Celestial Pictures Limited) Love Unto Waste (1986), starring Tony LEUNG, Elaine JIN, TSAI Chin, and CHOW Yun-fat, was the screenplay CHIU Kang-chien considered the most satisfying of his career. (Courtesy of Fortune Star Media Limited) Women (1985) stars CHOW Yun-fat (center) alongside Cherie CHUNG (left) in the role of a seductive mistress. (Courtesy of Celestial Pictures Limited) Nomad (1982) brings together Leslie CHEUNG (right), Kent TONG, Pat HA, and Cecilia YIP (left) as a group of young men and women who love and hate with equal abandon. (Courtesy of TFAI) Boat People (1982) earned Andy LAU, in his big-screen debut, a nomination for Best New Performer at the 2nd Hong Kong Film Awards. (Courtesy of TFAI) -
MORETFAI Enters a Pivotal Year in Transformation into a Museum, Pioneering a New Model of Cross-Institutional Collaboration
On May 22, the Taiwan Film and Audiovisual Institute (TFAI) partnered with the Committee for Museum Education of the Taiwan Museum Association (CME) to host an exchange forum titled “From Preservation to Sharing: Audiovisual Collection, Restoration, and Outreach.” TFAI Chairperson Arthur CHU, CEO DU Li-chin, and Deputy Director of Operations Alina LIN led the TFAI team in discussions with CME Chair LIN Wen-ling and dozens of experts from Taiwan’s museum sector. The TFAI is actively transforming from a film archive into a modern museum and has officially launched its 2026-2030 Strategic Development Plan. Moving forward, it will fully activate more than 200,000 audiovisual items in its collection, including Taiwanese-language films, Taiwan Film Culture Co. newsreels, and Taiwan New Telecommunication (TNT) radio broadcasts. Through the establishment of an open-access initiative, TFAI aims to become a “cultural resource hub” supporting cross-disciplinary curation in museums across Taiwan. Five-year plan lays the foundation for brand transformation, deepening academic research, and cross-disciplinary curation. CEO DU Li-chin noted that TFAI originated in 1978 as the “Film Library,” later evolved into the “Film Archive,” and has now become a public administrative body. Over time, the scope of its collection has expanded from film to encompass television and radio as well. The TFAI Board has now formally approved the TFAI 2026-2030 Strategic Development Plan, establishing three core objectives: “Centering Taiwan,” “Archiving Time,” and “Accessing Memories.” TFAI possesses extensive resources in independent research and oral history and has long published the Film Appreciation Journal. In the future, it will further support scholars and curators across Taiwan in accessing digitized resources through both its physical library and online TFAI Open Museum. Addressing the question of how to incorporate historical audiovisual archives in contemporary museum exhibitions, DU shared that over the past year or so, TFAI has set up a “complementary” collaboration model with many major domestic institutions. One example is its partnership with the National Museum of Taiwan Literature (NMTL). For exhibitions focused on literary works adapted into film and television, NMTL takes the lead on the original texts, while TFAI provides cinematic perspective. This is further supported by the “Class in Cinema” educational program, which organizes screenings and talks, establishing a successful model for future cooperation. ▶ CEO DU Li-chin presented an overview of TFAI and highlighted selected institutional partnership projects. Implementing open-access plan and activating “non-film” materials The exchange forum also featured a screening of Formosa (1920s) , the earliest known film footage of Taiwan. Wood LIN, Supervisor of the Division of Research & Program at TFAI, delivered the introduction, discussing the distinctive visual language of “tinted” film stock and related research findings and discoveries. The footage documents everyday life, social classes, and historical landmarks in Hsinchu more than a century ago. The digitally restored version has been uploaded to TFAI’s official YouTube channel as part of its open-access initiative for historical audiovisual materials. ▶ Wood LIN, Supervisor of the Division of Research & Program at TFAI, introduced Formosa. Beyond film reels, TFAI is actively promoting the use of “non-film” materials as fresh content for contemporary museum exhibitions: Human Rights and Democracy Archives: TFAI preserves recordings from TNT, an early underground radio station in Taiwan. Among these materials, researchers have uncovered what is believed to be Taiwan’s first LGBTQ+ radio program, providing invaluable resources for the study of democratization and human rights diversity in Taiwan. Environmental and Ecological Materials: Early archival holdings from the Broadcasting Development Foundation contain extensive footage of native Taiwanese marine species that have since disappeared or become extremely difficult to document , making them valuable resources for direct use in environmental education. Taiwan Film Culture Co. Newsreels: TFAI has made freely available more than 5,000 newsreels produced by Taiwan Film Culture Co. on its Open Museum digital platform. TFAI encourages museums and cultural institutions to download and incorporate these materials in various exhibitions and programs under the Creative Commons license. Advancing digital restoration technologies and long-term preservation During the forum, Watson LEE, Supervisor of the Division of Preservation and Restoration; CHIU Chu-yen, Head of the Department of Film Collection; and WANG Ping-chun, Head of the Department of Paper and Audiovisual Collections demonstrated TFAI’s continuously advancing digital restoration capabilities. These include addressing physical damage caused by “vinegar syndrome” in Taiwan’s high-humidity climate; using advanced wet-gate scanning to conceal minor scratches; and integrating infrared defect detection, AI-assisted voice and image recognition, and other technologies to significantly improve restoration efficiency. Digitally restored files can also be transferred back onto physical film stock as a medium for long-term preservation. ▶ Watson LEE, Supervisor of the Division of Preservation and Restoration During the discussion session, Joy C. N. HSIN, a board member of the Taiwan Museum Association, commended TFAI’s strategy of allowing “market demand” to guide the activation of audiovisual resources. She noted that all kinds of museums across Taiwan are increasingly focused on their own cultural histories, making them the largest and most direct potential market. HSIN encouraged museums and institutions to proactively propose curatorial projects, thereby helping to stimulate and shape TFAI’s restoration and development schedule. She also expressed her hope that TFAI would move beyond its role as an archive to become an indispensable professional partner for museums nationwide. CHEN Wan-ping of the National Taiwan Museum’s Collection Management Department also offered feedback: As both an observer and a partner, she expressed strong admiration for TFAI’s commitment to making its digitization work publicly accessible, noting it a tremendous benefit to curatorial colleagues. Citing the National Taiwan Museum’s recent exhibition “Signals of the Times: The Stirring of Democracy and Communication Technology” as an example, she said that TFAI had provided important communication artifacts, and that the exhibition greatly benefited from audiovisual materials that enriched its narrative—precisely the kind of material that traditional museums tend to lack. She also made a pointed suggestion: In the future, TFAI could proactively package specific themes or its “special collections” and organize small-scale workshops or matchmaking events, making it easier for museum professionals to identify historical materials suited to their own institutions. -
MORETFAI Confirms Leadership Reappointment and Unveils Next Five-Year Plan for Transformation into a Museum
The Taiwan Film and Audiovisual Institute (TFAI) convened the first meeting of its third Board of Directors on May 28th. During the meeting, the Board approved Chairperson Arthur CHU’s nomination of Executive Director DU Li-chin, confirming her reappointment for a new term. The two leaders will continue to work together to advance the Institute’s long-term vision and development. The announcement was accompanied by the official launch of the “TFAI 2026-2030 Strategic Development Plan,” laying the foundation for TFAI’s transformation into a museum. Through this initiative, TFAI aims to further preserve, revitalize, and promote Taiwan’s film, television, and broadcasting heritage as a shared cultural asset for the public, while ushering in a new phase of institutional growth and development. Arthur CHU began his career as a film journalist and has long been dedicated to Taiwan’s film and television production, promotion, and distribution sectors. Since assuming the chairmanship in September 2023, CHU has worked closely with the TFAI team to advance a wide range of initiatives with notable success. By sharing the Institute’s digital restoration achievements through international partnerships and screenings at leading film festivals, TFAI has helped bring the stories, history, and cultural legacy of Taiwan’s film and audiovisual heritage to audiences around the world. Chairperson CHU remarked: “A love for cinema never dies! I am delighted to continue serving at TFAI and working alongside such an outstanding team. The digital restoration of Taiwan’s classic films has become the Institute’s most compelling cultural calling card on the international stage. These works carry profound cultural and historical significance while highlighting the importance of preserving, restoring, and making audiovisual heritage accessible to the public.” Recent initiatives have showcased TFAI’s growing capacity and impact in promoting Taiwan’s audiovisual heritage. Among them is the launch of the digital restoration of the Taiwanese classic The Dull-Ice Flower (1989). Long cherished by generations of Taiwanese viewers, the film was selected for the Cannes Classics section of this year’s Cannes Film Festival, bringing this landmark work of Taiwan cinema to one of the world’s foremost platforms for film heritage. TFAI has also, for two consecutive years, presented the New Year’s Eve open-air screening of Vive L’Amour (1994) in Daan Forest Park. By bringing together an iconic urban space and a masterpiece of Taiwanese art cinema, the event became a widely discussed cultural phenomenon and attracted coverage from international media outlets including CNN. The film also returned to the Venice International Film Festival last year in a newly restored 4K version, where it was selected for the Venice Classics section. The public presentation and research on Formosa (1920s), the earliest surviving film related to Taiwan from over a century ago, brings local audiences closer to their own history through the landscapes and customs during the Japanese colonial period which were captured in the documentary. TFAI has also further strengthened its connections with global film archives, hosting its first international forum, “Future to the Back: Archives in Motion.” By continuing to reinforce its core functions in collection, preservation, restoration, research, public outreach, and education, TFAI is laying the groundwork—in both expertise and organizational capacity—for its transformation into a museum of film, television, and audiovisual culture. Founded in 1978 (former name: Film Library of the Motion Picture Development Foundation) , TFAI relocated in 2022 from Qingdao East Road in Taipei’s Zhongzheng District to its current site in Xinzhuang, New Taipei City. Through year-round screenings, events, and exhibitions, it has cultivated a loyal audience and established itself as a leading venue for film culture and new cinematic discourse in Taiwan. The ultimate goal of the next phase of TFAI’s brand transformation is to relocate its archives and work stations in Shulin to its Phase II site on Wenyi Road in Xinzhuang. This will enable the integrated preservation and management of over 200,000 items, including Taiwanese, film, television, and radio files and artifacts, creating a new kind of “film and audiovisual museum” that aims to provide Taiwan’s invaluable audiovisual heritage with a more professional, comprehensive, and permanent home. CEO DU Li-chin, who joined TFAI in 2024, brings extensive expertise in cultural and arts development in Taiwan and abroad, with a professional focus on digital archiving and museum studies. DU remarked, “TFAI is an exceptionally unique institution. In most museum projects, whether in Taiwan or elsewhere, the focus is typically on continually enhancing the facilities, collections, and services of an existing museum. TFAI, however, already possesses a rich collection and is now in the process of building a home of its own. For the team, this is an unprecedented and formidable undertaking. At the same time, it also means we are fortunate to have tremendous flexibility to help shape a new chapter in the development of museums in Taiwan.” The “TFAI 2026-2030 Strategic Development Plan” announced today is guided by three core principles: “ Centering Taiwan”, “Archiving Time,” and “Accessing Memories.” Through these, TFAI seeks to reconstruct Taiwan’s cultural and historic narratives in both visual and auditory forms, positioning film and audiovisual heritage as a gateway for Taiwanese people to better understand themselves, and for the world to better understand Taiwan. As TFAI enters this pivotal stage in its transformation toward becoming a museum, Chairperson CHU remarked: “ TFAI will celebrate its 50th anniversary in just two years. It feels as though I’m standing on the shoulders of all the predecessors and giants who came before us. As TFAI continues moving toward becoming a museum, we are writing a new chapter in its history. It is both a great honor and a heavy responsibility, and I look forward to working together with the team to fulfill the aspirations we have set for ourselves.” CEO DU Li-chin further noted: “This long-term and ongoing mission is also a public commitment. Beyond their expertise in digital restoration, archiving, curatorial practice, and research, our colleagues must, in the next phase, also build the knowledge and capabilities required to operate a museum. Our approaches to talent recruitment, training, and organizational management are therefore undergoing transformation in parallel.” Internally, administrative reforms will be carried out in parallel to improve efficiency and strengthen collaboration, knowledge management, and professional training. Key initiatives include the comprehensive enhancement of collections management, cataloguing, and digitization workflows; the development of a new official website and active expansion of open access; and active participation in and hosting of domestic and international cultural events to enhance public engagement and visibility. Through the implementation of this new five-year plan, TFAI aspires to become a new cultural institution that is faithful to history and rooted in Taiwan, while fostering innovation and social connection. Above all, it seeks to serve as a new gateway through which the world can discover Taiwan. The full text of the TFAI 2026–2030 Strategic Development Plan will be available at a later date on the official TFAI website. Taiwan Film and Audiovisual Institute announced the reappointment of its leadership team, confirming that Chairperson Arthur CHU and Executive Director DU Li-chin will continue to work together. TFAI also unveiled its “2026–2030 Strategic Development Plan,” outlining its transformation into a dedicated national museum of film and audiovisual culture. Chairperson Arthur CHU stated: “A love for cinema never dies! I am delighted to continue serving at TFAI and working alongside such an outstanding team.” CEO TU Li-chin said: “We are fortunate to be part of a pivotal chapter in the development of Taiwan’s museum landscape.” -
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Copyright Notice
Our institution has recently become aware of certain unauthorized uses of films, including public screenings and other forms of exhibition or exploitation conducted without proper authorization. We therefore issue the following notice: Most films listed in our line-up catalogue are subject to copyright and related rights owned by Taiwan Film and Audiovisual Institute. Certain titles, however, have been licensed to regional sales agents or distributors for rights management and distribution purposes. Any public screening, reproduction, distribution, transmission, adaptation, or other use not directly authorized by our institution or the legitimate rights holder may constitute unauthorized exploitation and infringement of copyright and related rights. For any inquiries regarding rights status or licensing procedures, please contact TFAI licensing department at [email protected].
