主題節目FEATURED PROGRAMS
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Cinema of Escape
In the intricately complex world of human existence, there exists a common thread― the desire to escape. It is the innate human desire to break free from the ordinary, the mundane, and the constraints that bind us. It is the kind of desire that brings out the trajectory to transcend boundaries, the path to transformation, and the ultimate pursuit of surpassing life's prescribed limits. This featured program showcases nine films from different countries, cultures, genres and eras, taking us on a cinematic journey that delves into the essence of "escape." Each film can be seen as a unique chapter in the book of escape, highlighting different facets of human desire to transcend limitations while also revealing the various forms of expression encapsulated by this concept. The routes through which we will revisit these classic films are illegal immigration, prison break, exile, migration, and road trips. Mou Tun-fei's Lost Souls explores the painful journey of individuals escaping oppression, demonstrating how the road to illegal migration can become a battleground for survival. In Clifford Choi Kai Kwong's Hong Kong Hong Kong, the protagonists seek refuge in order to survive, but also struggle to suppress their desire to escape from their present reality. Jacques Becker's The Hole takes us inside the walls of a prison, where inmates meticulously design escape routes, challenging the concept of confinement. Nicholas Ray's They Live by Night follows the adventurous journey of young lovers on the run, depicting the ambiguous line between escape and the quest for freedom. Raúl Ruiz's Dialogues of the Exiles invites us into the lives of Chilean exiles, presenting the dual challenges of assimilating into a new place and holding on to existing beliefs. Chantal Akerman's From the Other Side crosses the US-Mexico border to shine a light on those who seek to escape adversity, providing a profound reflection on contemporary displacement. In Wong Kar Wai's Happy Together and Sophie Calle's No Sex Last Night (Double Blind), lovers embark on intimate yet alienated road trips across America, steering through contradictory posturing that brings them closer yet further apart. Wang Tsai-sheng's A Cha-Cha for the Fugitive invites us on a dance with a protagonist on the run, embracing the joys of breaking free from ordinary life and narratives through splendid, fragmented visuals. Every frame, every scene, and every piece of dialogue in these films unfolds in unique ways. When watching the films, please take in the various representations of escape and their different landscapes. Immerse yourself in the diverse worlds of these characters and feel their longing for freedom, change, and rebirth. Despite their trauma, displacement, or sojourns in foreign lands, the tensions and convergences arising from their escapes have also contributed to the fluidity and redefinition of boundaries. And in the end, open up one after another of these cruel yet beautiful paths of escape. -
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GODZILLA FOREVER
THE KING OF MONSTERS It is observed that the arrival of superhero league blockbusters has gradually shifted the popularity of charismatic actors and actresses to the characters they play on screen, giving new context to our impressions of "movie stars.'' While fictional celebrities rise, and the old stars fade, Godzilla has stood out as the king of monsters since its debut in 1954. Mutated from an ancient organism woken by the tremors of H-bomb testings in Bikini Atoll, Godzilla has become the synonym of nuclear and disaster, inflicting an addictive terror that has accumulated a variety of fans. Godzilla's influence goes beyond its role as it echoes the trauma of post-war Japan and raises environmental awareness, triggering reflection on our own reality. Endowed with a realistic background, the existence of Godzilla is closely linked to our surroundings, demonstrating versatility in plot, which has allowed it to star in a total of 37 films and counting. For years Godzilla has ruled its genre and will never cease to intrigue fans, sparking endless speculations on the global superstar. WHICH WAY TO TOKYO? When Godzilla turned Tokyo into ashes in 1954 faster than the city recovered from the war, it became natural to associate the big monster with "Tokyo.'' Though we expect Godzilla to carry on its original settings in every appearance, the succeeding series rarely stage in Tokyo. Similarly, Godzilla evolves according to production budget, contemporary trends and directorial preferences, leaving certain familiar elements behind as the franchise grows. Prepare to discover the unexpected variations of Godzilla in TFAI's 8 selected titles, kicking off with the classic Godzilla, followed by King Kong vs. Godzilla, Mothra vs. Godzilla, Godzilla vs. Hedorah, Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla, Godzilla vs. Biollante, Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah and Shin Godzilla. Though no matter where the iconic monster lands, Godzilla forever remains breathtaking within and behind the screen, and imperishable by time. -
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2023 World Day for Audiovisual Heritage
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My Favorite Taiwan Feature Films
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Edward Yang Retrospective: Film Program
The "A One & A Two: Edward Yang Retrospective" originated in 2019 when Ms. Peng Kai-li, a concert pianist and the wife of director Edward Yang (1947-2007), entrusted over 2,000 unreleased artifacts related to Yang to the Taiwan Film and Audiovisual Institute. These artifacts include manuscripts, notes, filming proposals, scripts, letters, documents, audiovisual materials, props, etc., representing the creative trajectory of Yang's various life stages.As one of the Taiwan New Cinema movement’s prominent figures, Edward Yang stands as an internationally acclaimed filmmaker, garnering numerous accolades for his artistic contributions. His oeuvre, characterized by its distinct modernistic sensibilities, is praised as precise surgical tools that dissect the alienation and hypocrisy of contemporary society. Within his cinematic exploration, the intricacies of emotions and love intertwine with the profound and ceaseless quest for the essence of life itself.The film program presents three sections: "A One: The Rational Soul," "A Two: Edward Yang's Top 10," and "Special Screenings." By exploring the artifacts left by Edward Yang, we attain a deeper understanding of how his characters are intricately constructed. Within cinematic storytelling, he breathes life into his characters, infusing them with vitality, emotions, and a sense of realism. His early affinity for comics and the impact of influential cinematic masterpieces have significantly shaped his cinematic vision. The film retrospective endeavors to engross participants in Yang's extensive body of work through curated screenings, lectures, and showcases of archival materials. This program provides an unparalleled opportunity to revisit and reimagine his cinematic universe. Moreover, this retrospective synergistically aligns with the Taipei Fine Arts Museum exhibition, creating a comprehensive and heartfelt homage to the renowned soulful pioneer of Taiwan New Cinema, Edward Yang."Well, whenever someone asks me how I ended up on this path of filmmaking, I find the question itself quite interesting. They always say 'this path of filmmaking' and use the word 'walk.' And that's right. Back then, I was like sitting in a spacious and comfortable air-conditioned car, and suddenly I realized that the car wouldn't stop until the final destination. How boring! So, I jumped off the car, and till this day, I'm still walking, walking this path." This is what the young Edward Yang, who transitioned from computer engineering to filmmaking in 1985, said.*To this day, Edward Yang's immortal cinematic works continue to traverse, persistently walking this path.*Edward Yang, excerpt from “Rebel's Departure: Edward Yang’s Journey from Computer to Cinema,” In PEOPLE Magazine. (Taipei, 1985), pp.128-129. -
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Amongst the Silence: How Are We Moving Further
The Project Amongst the Silence explores various ways to respond and connect to multiple issues one confronts in this era, while forming one’s own values and viewpoints, via art. As a continuation, Amongst the Silence: How Are We Moving Further organizes a series of screenings, and invites eight Taiwanese and foreign contemporary artists to talk about how their works questioned and explored subjects of urban spaces, media and technology, regime/institution, and public expression, and thus developed more active purposes. This program is divided into four themes: “Simulation of Crowd Control,” “Reconstructing the Destruction—Monument and City,” “Fear and Confrontation,” and “The Tales of Collective.” With twelve pieces in different forms intertwined, this project attempts to discuss: How should we be more active in this era? And moreover, how are we moving further? ※ Program Curators: LAI, Yi-Hsin Nicole, TIEN, Zong-Yuan -
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The One and Only Jean-Luc Godard
Born in Paris on December 3rd 1930, Jean-Luc Godard is the icon of the French New Wave and amongst one of the key figures who revolutionized cinema in the late 1950s and 60s. His cinematic journey consisted of ciné-clubs, writing film critics for journals, and eventually directing his first short film Opération Béton inspired by a laboring job on a dam. Regardless of how times change, Godard celebrates a life-long career of expressive and radical film-making. “Jean-Luc Godard, giant of the French New Wave, dies at 91” took over the headlines on September 13, 2022. To commemorate the iconic cinema giant, TFAI is screening five of Godard’s classics under Special Focus this month. Godard’s debut feature Breathless established the core values of the Nouvelle Vague, as it demonstrated auteur cinema with improvised and uninhibited filming style, while ridiculing studio production. Best known for his politicized films, Godard continues to rave the 60s fuelling his features with radicalism, observed in the film-noir and sci-fi hybrid Alphaville, as well as the highly taunting “communist” drama The Chinese Girl. Godard imprints his strong ideology into his films, such as in both Pierrot le Fou and the epic film-on-film Contempt, revealing his subjective consciousness in between every dialogue of the characters. -
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Special Focus: Hamaguchi Ryusuke
Graduate of Tokyo University of the Arts, Hamaguchi Ryusuke achieved international acknowledgement at an early stage, with his graduate project Passion selected into the 2008 Festival de San Sebastián, followed by receiving Special Mention for the Script and Best Actress for his epic chronicle Happy Hour at the Locarno Film Festival in 2015. At the age of 39, Hamaguchi made his first appearance at Cannes with Asako I & II, which solidified his reputation as the most creative Japanese director of his time in succession to Japan contemporary cinema giants Kore-eda Hirokazu and Kawase Naomi. 2021 marked a phenomenal year of Hamaguchi’s career. After winning the Berlin Film Festival's Grand Jury Prize for Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy, he proceeded to astonish the international film society with his recent production inspired by Murakami Haruki's novel Drive My Car, taking home numerous critics awards, the Golden Globe Awards for Best Picture–Non-English Language and the Academy Award for Best International Film; unquestionably an Auteur that cinephiles won’t miss.Hamaguchi Ryusuke has numerously mentioned his profound admiration of director Edward Yang’s films. In correspondence with Hamaguchi’s anticipated appearance at the “A One and A Two: Edward Yang Retrospective” exhibition forum, a selection of his films will be screened at TFAI this month to highlight the director’s creative imprints, shared by the Auteur himself. -
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The Aftertaste of Time: Ozu Yasujiro 120
OZU Yasujiro (1903-1963) rose to fame at the Shochiku Kamata film studio and witnessed the two golden eras of Japanese cinema before and after World War II. Influenced by Ernst Lubitsch and Harold Lloyd, he specialized in silent comedy and realist working-class drama in his early career, and later focused on middle-class family settings with his consistent style of low-angle camera, contemplative pacing, and precise composition. This "tofu-maker" who humbly claimed he made only one type of film, often reworked similar plots and characters throughout his career. However, he was able to exhibit different sensibilities and extract the rich, nuanced flavors of daily life in post-war Japan. Western scholars have used terms such as "mono no aware" and "zen" to describe how Ozu embodies Japanese aesthetics, and how his poignant use of "pillow shots" evokes lasting emotions that permeate across scenes. This retrospective features eight new restorations of Ozu's post-war films, including the timeless "Noriko Trilogy" and other lesser-known gems that portray marginalized people and prohibited desires rarely seen in the master's creations. Since Ozu's passing, directors of different countries and generations have repeatedly paid tribute to Ozu in their films. Through selecting these works, this program also explores the enduring reverberations of Ozu's influence on world cinema. ※ Special Thanks: SPOT-Taipei ( Taipei Film House ) -
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Virtual Reality: The Man Who Couldn't Leave
Date｜05.06-06.18 FRI-SUN／06.21-07.02 WED-SUN Venue｜ 1st Floor Lobby, TFAI Optional Chinese or English subtitles are provided for each VR screening, which takes place hourly during the opening days. For screening schedule and ticket info, please visit TFAI’s official website or www.opentix.life/o/tfai. The Man Who Couldn't Leave 陳芯宜 Singing CHEN｜臺灣 Taiwan ｜2022｜VR360｜Color｜35min 2022 Best Experience of Venice Immersive, Venice FF Within the walls of the former Green Island prison, political detainee A-Kuen, tells the stories of imprisonment and persecution in the 1950s. Among fellow inmates, frozen in time, he recounts his own experiences and those of his friend, A-Ching, who never made it out. Experience the time and place, and the waiting, in hope, for a chance to keep the stories alive. The Man Who Couldn’t Leave integrates the stories of numerous political victims of the White Terror and told through the form of an undelivered family letter. An immersive VR experience of hope, fear and camaraderie.