"I'm Still Kind of a Daydreamer" Film Garners Enthusiastic Response in Paris, Questions Reality with Absurdity

(Central News Agency reporter Li Jo-yun, Paris, 9th exclusive report) Taiwanese director Chen Yung-ching was recently invited to the Paris Taiwan Film Festival to participate in a post-screening discussion for her film "I'm Still Kind of a Daydreamer." The film, with its nonlinear experimental narrative and humorous take on mainstream societal values, attracted a full house of young audiences eager to ask questions. The French distributor stated that the dreams in the film are not about escapism, but a strong resistance against reality through absurdity.

"I'm Still Kind of a Daydreamer" is Chen Yung-ching's debut experimental feature film. She explained in an exclusive interview with the Central News Agency that the English title, "I'm Still Kind of a Daydreamer," better represents her creative mood.

"I'm Still Kind of a Daydreamer" was entirely shot with an iPhone, and the filming process involved only Chen Yung-ching and the actors. She said, "When freedom becomes purer, it gets closer to reality. Creation is how I experience life; I wanted a film that looks fun."

Chen Yung-ching went abroad to study at age 15 and returned to Taiwan after completing her Master's in Film in the United States. At 32, with the mindset of living life to the fullest, having fun, and treating it as a gift to her 50-year-old self, she completed the filming of "I'm Still Kind of a Daydreamer" in Taiwan with minimal funding (feature film budget for a short film) and minimal crew (serving as director, screenwriter, producer, etc.).

Chen Yung-ching said that such independent production is common in Los Angeles, but filming on location there is difficult, whereas it is much more convenient in Taiwan. For example, when mountain scenery was needed for the plot, the crew members carpooled up Yangmingshan, even stopped to eat boiled chicken halfway through filming, and then went home to rest in the evening, resuming filming after breakfast the next day.

Chen Yung-ching, a food lover, extended food into baffling film chapters, such as "The Tragedy of the Egg Yolk Pastry" and "The Realistic Braised Pork Rice." The story enters the inner world of a female novelist, experiencing the struggles of contemporary young creators. The narrative jumps between the protagonist's writing, dreams, and reality, humorously exploring the challenges of being an adult or a woman in reality.

Many scenes are thought-provoking. For example, a man in the mountains concentrating on eating a sesame bun, too busy to talk to others because eating a sesame bun is important work; or a female painter looking for a legitimate job in the city, contemplating whether to straighten her iconic Afro to increase her chances of being hired.

"I'm Still Kind of a Daydreamer," which won Best International Feature Film at the Culver City Film Festival in the US and Best Debut Feature Film Director at the Luleå International Film Festival in Sweden, was the closing film for the 2026 "Paris Taiwan Film Festival." It deeply resonated with young audiences, with many questions revolving around "dreams and reality." The event was held from April 1st to 10th, supported by the Ministry of Culture.

"I'm Still Kind of a Daydreamer" has been acquired for distribution by French independent distribution company Contrejour. Distributor Yves Khachan stated in an exclusive interview with the Central News Agency that "I'm Still Kind of a Daydreamer" has a highly personal style but expresses itself in a peculiar way, deeply moving him.

Khachan explained that in "I'm Still Kind of a Daydreamer," through a series of dreams, despite repeatedly saying "wanting to escape society," it actually confronts reality more bravely from a private sphere, pursuing dreams.

Khachan, who studied the classic absurdist play "Waiting for Godot" during his student days, said that the core strength of "I'm Still Kind of a Daydreamer" lies in transforming absurdity into a tool of resistance. Especially, the visual language shot with an iPhone is extremely emotional, re-demonstrating cinema as an art form with hypnotic charm.

Chen Yung-ching stated that as a filmmaker, her ultimate hope is to communicate with the audience through her work. "I'm Still Kind of a Daydreamer" has many layers hidden within its open narrative, allowing audiences different interpretations and definitions. Although the post-production period of this film encountered difficulties, she also met many benefactors and collaborators willing to play hard with her. She said, "The process was stress-free, we could have given up at any time, but we captured the essence of the story." (Edited by Hsieh Yi-hsuan) 1150510

Stand with facts, every sponsorship you provide is a force to protect press freedom.

Download the Central News Agency's "First-hand News" APP to stay updated with the latest news.

Text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, publicly transmitted, or used without authorization.