TERRITORYFOCUS ■AUDIENCE TASTES■SHOOTING IN TAIWAN
Taiwanese renaissance T
aiwanese film-makers such as Hou Hsiao-hsien, Tsai Ming-liang and the late Edward Yang have been regulars at the Cannes Film Festival for many years
but at home their fi lms have struggled to fi nd signifi cant audiences. However, the past few years have seen the
emergence of an increasing number of market- driven films in Taiwan which have been wel- comed by local cinema-goers. More and more producers are seeking inter-
national collaboration and, on the whole, the film financing situation has been improving. The period is being described as the renaissance of Taiwan cinema. “Before 2008, we were generally pessimistic
about box-offi ce takings of local fi lms,” says Liu Wei-jan, founder of Atom Cinema, producer of Arvin Chen’s Au Revoir Taipei, which grossed $948,000 (NT$26.56m) at the local box offi ce in 2010 (more than $1m box offi ce is considered a success for local fi lms). “But now, both fi lm pro- ducers and investors are beginning to believe in Taiwanese fi lms. We saw the possibilities and are more willing to try.” A young, vibrant generation of Taiwanese
fi lm-makers are producing fi lms of diverse gen- res — or at least dramas with a faster tempo. Atom Cinema is now producing Tom Lin’s
Starry Starry Night with the China’s Huayi Brothers and Hong Kong’s Tomson. It will be an adaptation of Jimmy Liao’s popular graphic novel and plans to target Liao’s pan-Asian fans.
Beginning of the revival In 2008, Wei Te-sheng, who used to work as assistant director for Edward Yang, madeCape No. 7, a comedy about a group of failed musi- cians and their thwarted ambitions. The sleeper hit ($18.9m/NT$530m) raised the cur- tain of the so-called ‘renaissance’. The director is putting fi nishing touches to ambitious $25m action drama Seediq Bale, about the Taiwanese rebelling against Japanese occupation in the 1930s. In 2010, gangland dramaMonga, directed by
actor and former TV drama director Doze Niu, grossed $9.3m (NT$260m) and made pan-Asian stars of leads Ethan Ruan and Mark Chao. Now Doze is preparing a drama titled Love for Huayi Brothers, which will be aimed at the mainland China market. Last year also saw the release of writer-
turned-director Su Chao-pin’s Reign Of Assas- sins, starring Michelle Yeoh. Not only was it the most popular martial-arts film of the past 10 years in Taiwan, it went on to be released in more than 18 international territories. “Many young directors grew up watching
genre films. They don’t feel the need to pass down the tradition of making arthouse fi lms,” says Lee Lieh, producer ofMonga.
Au Revoir Taipei Traditionally, the Taiwanese Government
Information Office’s (GIO) Subsidy For Film Production has been a main source of funding for many local producers. The subsidy grants between $107,000 (NT$3m) to $535,700 (NT$15m) depending on the project. In recent years, however, many producers have sought fi nancing from outside the industry and from international partners. Monga, for example, received fi nancing from private investors with technology business backgrounds. Atom Cinema (which also co-produced the
2010 romantic comedy Love You Ten Thousand Years with Arclight Films); Serenity Entertain- ment whose credits include the 2010 romantic comedy Love In Disguise; and Double Edge Entertainment, producer of crime-action fi lm Black & White are among those production companies actively involved in international co-production and fi nancing. “For international partners, we are not just
looking for a source of investment but more for the company’s advantage in distribution and marketing,” says Atom Cinema’s Liu Wei-jan. While most of Taiwan’s fi lm companies are
Seediq Bale
small to mid-sized, two have unveiled ambi- tions to emerge as big studios. CatchPlay, Taiwan’s largest fi lm distributor,
which has been operating for only three years, has announced plans to set up the $30.2m (NT$900m) CatchPlay Film Production Fund No1 to invest in US and Greater China projects. The goal is to invest in two features in the next fi ve years as an entrée into fi lm production. Meanwhile in March, media tycoon Yang
Teng-kuei said he was establishing the Polyface Entertainment Media Group, which aims to invest $102m (NT$3bn) in fi lm and TV produc- tions in the next fi ve years. “We are very optimistic about the overall
investment environment of fi lm and TV busi- nesses,” says Taipei Film Commission director Jennifer Jao, pointing to a government policy to encourage enterprises to invest in cultural and creative industries. In March, Taiwan’s Ministry of Culture said it was preparing a $357m (NT$10bn) fund to invest — as government shares — in 15 selected entertainment enter- prises. More than 30 companies have put them- selves forward.
s May 11, 2011 Screen International at the Cannes Film Festival 17■
‘Now, both film producers and investors are beginning to believe in
Cape No. 7 kickstarted the Taiwanese ‘renaissance’
Taiwanese films’ Liu Wei-jan, Atom Cinema
Audiences are embracing a raft of fast-paced and exciting Taiwanese fi lms. Sen-lun Yu reports
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