A passion for the movies

The popular Taiwan Film Festival returns to Bangkok this month with eight Taiwanese films and two Thai films screening from January 17 to 23 at Quartier CineArt, EmQuartier.
Presented by Taiwan’s Culture Ministry and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Thailand, this year’s edition is curated by Kriengsak “Victor” Silakong, director of the World Film Festival of Bangkok. 
The festival opens with Laha Mebow’s “Hang in There, Kids!”. The first female Taiwanese aboriginal film director, Mebow won critical acclaim for her drama, which was selected as Taiwan’s entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 89th Academy Award. It tells the story of three ethnic kids who grew up in the mountains and the forest. Optimistic, energetic and playful, they are also troubled by their own family issues. One day, they discover their handicapped teacher’s wonderful voice on a musical audition tape and decided to bring the tape to the capital Taipei, a journey that will change their lives forever.

Also screening is “A Fish out of Water”, the first full-length feature by music video and TV commercial editor Lai Kuo-An. 
It’s centred on a squabbling couple, the wife’s ailing father-in-law who cannot help himself, the couple’s only son who insists that mum and dad help find his parents in his past life. The film had its world premiere at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival.
“Godspeed" a black comedy heist directed by Chung Mong-Hon and starring Hong Kong actor Michael Hui, Lin Yu-Chih and Thai actor Vithaya Pansringarm tells the story of a jobless punk who often engages in stealing. After deciding to find a stable job, he becomes a drug trafficker quite by accident and while transporting heroin, he and a taxi driver are dragged into conflict between gangsters.
“Missing Johnny” directed by female first-time feature director Huang Xi, who worked with veteran director Hou Hsiao-Hsien before deciding to go solo, tells the humorous story of three individuals: a young woman who raises parrots and is persistently fending off wrong numbers; a young man who struggles with the constant breakdown of his car; and an autistic teenager who tries to free himself from his protective mother. The lives of the three intersect when the young woman’s parrot goes missing. 
Documentary “Ode to Time” directed by Hou Chi-Jan (“One Day”, “When a Wolf Falls in Love with a Sheep”) follows a group of veteran musicians as they reunite after four decades. As they reprise the songs they wrote in the’70s, the unpredictability of life, the cruelty of fate and the complicated relations between Taiwan and China are gradually revealed. The film made its debut at the Tokyo International Film Festival.

Chu-Hsien-Che’s “White Ant” focuses on a man with an uncontrollable fetish for women’s underwear. One day, he receives a video recording of himself caught in the act of stealing female lingerie that leads to tragic consequences. The film earned praise for its exploration inside the dark side of the human mind. It was selected for the Busan, Singapore, Hong Kong and Taipei International Film Festivals.
“The Laundryman” by rookie feature director Li Zhong stars Chang Hsiao-chuan, best-known for its roles in “Girlfriend Boyfriend” and "Eternal Summer”, Sonia Sui and Wan Qian, is a comedy about a contract killer haunted by the ghosts of his victims. Following a suggestion from his boss that he seek help from a psychic, he is shocked to find that the laundry is hiding secrets.
Also showing is the newly restored 1991 film “A Brighter Summer Day” by Edward Yang. The four-hour film was inspired by the director’s true experience as a youngster and tells the story of Taiwanese teenagers in the early ’60s when crimes rocked the nation. 
Victor has also selected two Thai films for the festival. “Phantom of Illumination” is a documentary by Wattanapume Laisuwanchai that depicts the decline of standalone cinemas in Thailand, which causes a film projectionist to lose his job. The film got Special Mention Award at Copenhagen International Documentary Film Festival in Denmark and was shown at the Salaya International Documentary Film Festival, Singapore International Film Festival, and Taipei International Film Festival.
Last but not least is the 1984 classic “The Story of Nampu” directed by Euthana Mukdasanit and starring Amphol Lumpoon and Wasamon Watharodom. Nampu is a young man from a broken family searching for meaning in his life but instead becomes a drug addict. The film was selected as the Thai entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 57th Academy Awards.

Coming soon

- The 2018 Taiwan Film Festival in Bangkok will be held from January 17 to 2018 at Quartier CineArt, the EmQuartier, Sukumvit Soi 33.

- Tickets costs Bt160 for all films except the four-hour “A Brighter Summer Day”, for which Bt250 will be charged.

- All films are screened with English and Thai subtitles. 

- Find out more at www.MajorCineplex.com.