Tsai Yu-han's Short Film "Dua Ji" Selected for San Francisco International Film Festival
Taiwanese director Tsai Yu-han's short film "Dua Ji" (Big Sister, Virtuous) has been selected to participate in this year's San Francisco International Film Festival. Starring Yang Kuei-mei, the film delves into the roles and struggles of women in rural Taiwan, earning international acclaim.
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Central News Agency
(Central News Agency reporter Chang Hsin-yu, San Francisco, 1st) Taiwanese director Tsai Yu-han's short film "Dua Ji" (Big Sister, Virtuous) has been selected to participate in this year's San Francisco International Film Festival. She talked about her collaboration with lead actress Yang Kuei-mei at the screening, stating that Yang was able to transform her directions into even more unexpected performance choices, subtly shaping the entire film.
"Dua Ji" was screened today at the San Francisco International Film Festival (SFFILM). Tsai Yu-han, who lives in New York, attended and told Central News Agency before the screening that she has always loved San Francisco and was very happy to hear that her film was selected.
The San Francisco International Film Festival organizers today screened five short films directed by female directors from different countries in a short film unit, exploring the heavy burdens women bear in different roles such as mothers, professionals, and community members.
"Dua Ji" is the only Asian film screened in this short film unit. The organizers stated on their official website that the plot is about rural Taiwan, where the eldest daughter (played by Yang Kuei-mei) silently bears the heavy burden of traditional customs at her mother's funeral; however, her inner grief and surging resistance threaten the deeply rooted ritual order.
Personnel from the San Francisco office and overseas Chinese attended the screening, and Tsai Yu-han also expressed her happiness at seeing Taiwanese people in a foreign land.
During the Q&A session, Tsai Yu-han was asked how she invited Yang Kuei-mei to perform and about the collaboration process. Tsai Yu-han said that when she was writing the script, she knew it would be difficult to find an actress for this main role, and if she couldn't find someone who could handle it, it would be difficult to move the audience. She felt from the beginning that Yang Kuei-mei was the best candidate, and she made thorough preparations to talk to her, feeling very fortunate that she could participate in the performance.
Tsai Yu-han said, "The more interesting part was on set. Every time I gave her (Yang Kuei-mei) a subtle adjustment or a different direction, she was able to bring out an interpretation I hadn't originally thought of, which was very helpful during post-production editing."
Tsai Yu-han's inspiration came from her mother, feeling that her mother had a kind of pressure; or, some things she wanted to say, but found it difficult to speak due to family and cultural structures. "That kind of feeling is hard to explain to others in words, so I wrote a story."
Tsai Yu-han told Central News Agency that although this short film is set against the backdrop of Taiwanese culture, the true core is the character's state of mind, so many foreign audiences can still empathize with it. She mentioned that a female audience member in her 50s once told her that this film affected her life; a high school girl also cried after watching it, remembering her mother.
Tsai Yu-han said that some foreign audiences became interested in Taiwanese funeral rites because of this film, and she also hopes that this film can provide an emotional outlet for audiences, allowing those who empathize or understand the character or situation to have a space for expression.
Regarding future filming plans, she said that she hopes to shoot a feature film with a theme spanning situations in both the United States and Taiwan. (Editor: Tang Pei-chun) 1150502
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(Central News Agency reporter Chang Hsin-yu, San Francisco, 1st) Taiwanese director Tsai Yu-han's short film "Dua Ji" (Big Sister, Virtuous) has been selected to participate in this year's San Francisco International Film Festival. She talked about her collaboration with lead actress Yang Kuei-mei at the screening, stating that Yang was able to transform her directions into even more unexpected performance choices, subtly shaping the entire film.
"Dua Ji" was screened today at the San Francisco International Film Festival (SFFILM). Tsai Yu-han, who lives in New York, attended and told Central News Agency before the screening that she has always loved San Francisco and was very happy to hear that her film was selected.
The San Francisco International Film Festival organizers today screened five short films directed by female directors from different countries in a short film unit, exploring the heavy burdens women bear in different roles such as mothers, professionals, and community members.
"Dua Ji" is the only Asian film screened in this short film unit. The organizers stated on their official website that the plot is about rural Taiwan, where the eldest daughter (played by Yang Kuei-mei) silently bears the heavy burden of traditional customs at her mother's funeral; however, her inner grief and surging resistance threaten the deeply rooted ritual order.
Personnel from the San Francisco office and overseas Chinese attended the screening, and Tsai Yu-han also expressed her happiness at seeing Taiwanese people in a foreign land.
During the Q&A session, Tsai Yu-han was asked how she invited Yang Kuei-mei to perform and about the collaboration process. Tsai Yu-han said that when she was writing the script, she knew it would be difficult to find an actress for this main role, and if she couldn't find someone who could handle it, it would be difficult to move the audience. She felt from the beginning that Yang Kuei-mei was the best candidate, and she made thorough preparations to talk to her, feeling very fortunate that she could participate in the performance.
Tsai Yu-han said, "The more interesting part was on set. Every time I gave her (Yang Kuei-mei) a subtle adjustment or a different direction, she was able to bring out an interpretation I hadn't originally thought of, which was very helpful during post-production editing."
Tsai Yu-han's inspiration came from her mother, feeling that her mother had a kind of pressure; or, some things she wanted to say, but found it difficult to speak due to family and cultural structures. "That kind of feeling is hard to explain to others in words, so I wrote a story."
Tsai Yu-han told Central News Agency that although this short film is set against the backdrop of Taiwanese culture, the true core is the character's state of mind, so many foreign audiences can still empathize with it. She mentioned that a female audience member in her 50s once told her that this film affected her life; a high school girl also cried after watching it, remembering her mother.
Tsai Yu-han said that some foreign audiences became interested in Taiwanese funeral rites because of this film, and she also hopes that this film can provide an emotional outlet for audiences, allowing those who empathize or understand the character or situation to have a space for expression.
Regarding future filming plans, she said that she hopes to shoot a feature film with a theme spanning situations in both the United States and Taiwan. (Editor: Tang Pei-chun) 1150502
Choose to stand with facts, every sponsorship of yours is the power to protect press freedom.
Download the Central News Agency's "First-hand News" APP to stay updated with the latest news.
The text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, publicly transmitted, or utilized without authorization.