Tsao Shih-han's "Southern Days" well-received in France; unwilling to change original intention for the market
Taiwanese director Tsao Shih-han's debut feature film 'Southern Days' was praised by audiences and media in Paris. He revealed that he anticipated the film couldn't enter the Chinese market during the writing phase but refused to change his creative vision for market reasons.
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(CNA Correspondent Tseng I-hsuan, Paris, 15th) Taiwanese director Tsao Shih-han's debut feature film "Southern Days" was screened in Paris, receiving praise from the audience and media. He revealed that during the creative stage, he anticipated this work could not enter the Chinese market, but he was unwilling to change his original creative intention just for the market.
This year's Taiwan Film Festival in Paris featured Tsao Shih-han as the "Filmmaker in Focus," and selected "Southern Days" as the opening film. The story is set against the backdrop of Taiwan's first direct presidential election in 1996 and the accompanying Chinese missile threats.
A French woman shared her thoughts with the CNA correspondent after the screening: "I was very touched, especially by the boy (referring to the character played by actor Chen Xuan-li) exploring his relationship with himself and the world." Another French youth chimed in: "It was really good, I liked it a lot too."
During the post-screening Q&A, some French audience members interacted with Tsao Shih-han, expressing curiosity about Taiwan's current geopolitical situation and past corporal punishment phenomena, while others focused on the unspoken familial love between the father and son in the film.
The Taiwan Film Festival in Paris successfully concluded last week. A recent interview article with Tsao Shih-han in the French cultural magazine "À Rebours" noted that through a series of fixed shots and a confident, well-controlled sense of perspective, he delicately portrayed the everyday landscape of a teenager under the threat of war, triggering the nostalgia of an entire generation born in the 1980s.
A review on the film information website eastasia.fr mentioned that besides its political implications, the film narrates the story of a teenager surrounded by family, friends, and gangs, reminiscent of director Hou Hsiao-hsien's "Goodbye South, Goodbye," presenting a fresh, melancholic, yet warm world of youth.
In 1996, Tsao Shih-han was only a teenager, deeply impressed by the elections and missile threats. Recalling his complex feelings dealing with physical and environmental changes during his youth prompted him to ponder "what growth is."
In an interview with CNA in Paris, Tsao described his teenage self as a "student unaccepted by the system"—in the lower-tier class, loving to fight, seemingly falling short of elders' expectations and general societal standards. Yet, he found resonance for his misunderstood feelings in literature and film, specifically mentioning writer Pai Hsien-yung's "Lonely Seventeen," director Edward Yang's "Taipei Story," and Hou Hsiao-hsien's "A Time to Live, A Time to Die."
He said growth is not just a process of physical change, "It's actually when you discover that this world has some secrets you were never aware of, and then realize some things will eventually disappear." That adolescent confusion and unease are similar to the feelings many Taiwanese had when society transitioned to democracy.
He stated that at the time, some chose to leave Taiwan, some decided to stay, and others just wanted to live their lives as best they could. What couldn't be ignored was that the election results that year reflected the Taiwanese people's choice and desired direction. "Southern Days" observes the changes in Taiwanese society from a teenager's perspective.
Given the movie's historical background and story setting, it was inevitable to film many election flags and the Republic of China flag. Tsao revealed that as early as the scriptwriting stage, he knew it wouldn't be able to enter the Chinese market.
Chinese investors once showed interest in the work but requested changes to some settings. Tsao said that removing those settings "would defeat my original intention of wanting to make the film in the first place." "I didn't want to change what I wanted to make because of the market."
"Southern Days" was originally nominated for the Marrakech International Film Festival (FIFM) in Morocco last year, but the nomination was suddenly canceled before departure. The festival explained that the government "for some unknown reason" did not issue visas and screening permits.
However, earlier this year, the film won the International Jury Prize and the Prix Netpac at the Vesoul International Film Festival of Asian Cinema (FICA) in France. It was also recently announced as a nominee in the competition section of the Buenos Aires International Festival of Independent Cinema (BAFICI) in Argentina.
Facing pressure from China, Tsao believes it's inevitable for Taiwanese people to be slapped with a "political label" internationally, and not just in the film field. Everyone has their own way of coping, and his idea is to firmly and gently advocate his demands with reason and evidence.
Tsao Shih-han continues to plan his next work, which will be a contemporary story about the plight of teenagers in rural Taiwan amid the wealth gap. The script is nearing completion. (Editor: Chen Cheng-kung) 1150415
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(CNA Correspondent Tseng I-hsuan, Paris, 15th) Taiwanese director Tsao Shih-han's debut feature film "Southern Days" was screened in Paris, receiving praise from the audience and media. He revealed that during the creative stage, he anticipated this work could not enter the Chinese market, but he was unwilling to change his original creative intention just for the market.
This year's Taiwan Film Festival in Paris featured Tsao Shih-han as the "Filmmaker in Focus," and selected "Southern Days" as the opening film. The story is set against the backdrop of Taiwan's first direct presidential election in 1996 and the accompanying Chinese missile threats.
A French woman shared her thoughts with the CNA correspondent after the screening: "I was very touched, especially by the boy (referring to the character played by actor Chen Xuan-li) exploring his relationship with himself and the world." Another French youth chimed in: "It was really good, I liked it a lot too."
During the post-screening Q&A, some French audience members interacted with Tsao Shih-han, expressing curiosity about Taiwan's current geopolitical situation and past corporal punishment phenomena, while others focused on the unspoken familial love between the father and son in the film.
The Taiwan Film Festival in Paris successfully concluded last week. A recent interview article with Tsao Shih-han in the French cultural magazine "À Rebours" noted that through a series of fixed shots and a confident, well-controlled sense of perspective, he delicately portrayed the everyday landscape of a teenager under the threat of war, triggering the nostalgia of an entire generation born in the 1980s.
A review on the film information website eastasia.fr mentioned that besides its political implications, the film narrates the story of a teenager surrounded by family, friends, and gangs, reminiscent of director Hou Hsiao-hsien's "Goodbye South, Goodbye," presenting a fresh, melancholic, yet warm world of youth.
In 1996, Tsao Shih-han was only a teenager, deeply impressed by the elections and missile threats. Recalling his complex feelings dealing with physical and environmental changes during his youth prompted him to ponder "what growth is."
In an interview with CNA in Paris, Tsao described his teenage self as a "student unaccepted by the system"—in the lower-tier class, loving to fight, seemingly falling short of elders' expectations and general societal standards. Yet, he found resonance for his misunderstood feelings in literature and film, specifically mentioning writer Pai Hsien-yung's "Lonely Seventeen," director Edward Yang's "Taipei Story," and Hou Hsiao-hsien's "A Time to Live, A Time to Die."
He said growth is not just a process of physical change, "It's actually when you discover that this world has some secrets you were never aware of, and then realize some things will eventually disappear." That adolescent confusion and unease are similar to the feelings many Taiwanese had when society transitioned to democracy.
He stated that at the time, some chose to leave Taiwan, some decided to stay, and others just wanted to live their lives as best they could. What couldn't be ignored was that the election results that year reflected the Taiwanese people's choice and desired direction. "Southern Days" observes the changes in Taiwanese society from a teenager's perspective.
Given the movie's historical background and story setting, it was inevitable to film many election flags and the Republic of China flag. Tsao revealed that as early as the scriptwriting stage, he knew it wouldn't be able to enter the Chinese market.
Chinese investors once showed interest in the work but requested changes to some settings. Tsao said that removing those settings "would defeat my original intention of wanting to make the film in the first place." "I didn't want to change what I wanted to make because of the market."
"Southern Days" was originally nominated for the Marrakech International Film Festival (FIFM) in Morocco last year, but the nomination was suddenly canceled before departure. The festival explained that the government "for some unknown reason" did not issue visas and screening permits.
However, earlier this year, the film won the International Jury Prize and the Prix Netpac at the Vesoul International Film Festival of Asian Cinema (FICA) in France. It was also recently announced as a nominee in the competition section of the Buenos Aires International Festival of Independent Cinema (BAFICI) in Argentina.
Facing pressure from China, Tsao believes it's inevitable for Taiwanese people to be slapped with a "political label" internationally, and not just in the film field. Everyone has their own way of coping, and his idea is to firmly and gently advocate his demands with reason and evidence.
Tsao Shih-han continues to plan his next work, which will be a contemporary story about the plight of teenagers in rural Taiwan amid the wealth gap. The script is nearing completion. (Editor: Chen Cheng-kung) 1150415
Stand with facts, your every sponsorship is the power to protect press freedom
Download the CNA "First Hand News" APP to grasp the latest news instantly
The text, images and audio/video on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast or publicly transmitted and used without authorization.