A Reborn 'The Dull-Ice Flower' at Cannes: Chu Ming-jen and Mark Lee Ping-bing Reminisce
The 1989 classic Taiwanese film 'The Dull-Ice Flower' has been digitally restored and selected for its world premiere in the Cannes Classics section, successfully promoting Taiwanese film culture on the international stage.
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(CNA, Paris, 17th) The Taiwanese film "The Dull-Ice Flower" has been selected for the Cannes Film Festival's Classics section, with its newly digitally restored version having its world premiere in Cannes. Chu Ming-jen, chairman of the Taiwan Film and Audiovisual Institute which promoted the restoration, and the film's cinematographer, Mark Lee Ping-bing, spoke with CNA in an exclusive interview, recalling how in 1989, amidst the whirlwind of "Taiwan New Cinema," the more commercially-oriented director Yang Li-kuo created the national classic, "The Dull-Ice Flower."
Chu stated that restoring and re-releasing classic films is not for nostalgia, but "to let a new generation understand our past through film, because only by knowing your land will you come to love it."
● An All-Ages Favorite, Deeply Rooted in Hearts: 'The Dull-Ice Flower' Goes to Cannes
Speaking about the film's restoration and selection for Cannes, Chu mentioned that the Institute held a "My Favorite Taiwanese Film: Feature Film" poll three years ago, and surprisingly, the 1989 film "The Dull-Ice Flower" won first place, while the other nine were all post-2000 works.
He said the film's audience spans all age groups, making it a "national film." Since its release, it has been frequently re-broadcast on TV and screened on campuses, elevating its value to a part of Taiwan's collective memory. Being recognized by Cannes and reborn is a major boost for the restoration, preservation, and promotion of Taiwanese cinema.
Upon learning that "The Dull-Ice Flower" would premiere its new restoration at Cannes, Chu said he was immediately moved by the thought of its theme song being sung before an international audience.
Lee, who had not seen the restored version before the screening, was curious about how it would look on the big screen. However, he also lamented that every film has its own destiny. "'The Dull-Ice Flower' being reborn after so many years of rest also represents the charm of cinema."
● As Taiwan New Cinema Made Waves, 'The Dull-Ice Flower' Started from a Commercial Standpoint
Lee recalled that by 1989, he had already shot "Taiwan New Cinema" films like Hou Hsiao-hsien's "Dust in the Wind" and "A Time to Live, A Time to Die," and Wang Tung's "Run Away" and "Strawman." One morning while working in Hong Kong, Gidden Ko told him the script for "The Dull-Ice Flower" in a coffee shop, and he agreed to shoot it.
He said that at the time, he and Hou Hsiao-hsien were hoping to "reform light and shadow" because the lighting in past Taiwanese films was too full and lacked a sense of life. Thus, he used a method of reducing the amount of light by a tenth, or even not using any artificial light, controlling natural light to present a sense of time and era. This method was also applied to "The Dull-Ice Flower."
Chu, who had just finished his military service and was a film reporter for the Min Sheng Pao in 1989, said that at that time, Taiwan, with figures like Hou Hsiao-hsien, Edward Yang, Tsai Ming-liang, and Ang Lee, created a glorious decade for "Taiwan New Cinema" in the world.
"I feel that even today's Korean cinema would be in the rearview mirror of Taiwanese cinema from that era. At that time, selectors from the big three festivals like Cannes, Berlin, and Venice had to fly to Taiwan, because it would be a bit embarrassing not to have selected a 'Taiwan New Cinema' film."
Chu added that in 1989, both Hou Hsiao-hsien, director of "A City of Sadness," and Yang Li-kuo, director of "The Dull-Ice Flower," were nominated for Best Director at the Golden Horse Awards. Chu remembers interviewing Director Yang, who was ambitious and wanted to make a creative breakthrough with "The Dull-Ice Flower."
Lee added that he had worked with Director Yang on two films, and Yang's style was different from Taiwan New Cinema, being more traditional and commercial.
He stated that during the filming of "The Dull-Ice Flower," Director Yang adjusted from the "standard performance" of traditional commercial films, combining it with the "non-acting" pursued by Taiwan New Cinema. The soul of the film, the young actors, were given space for natural performance through their dynamic interaction, and thus, the movie "The Dull-Ice Flower" was born.
● Gentle Like a Mother, Unafraid of Fate: 'The Dull-Ice Flower' is Reborn
Chu said the script for "The Dull-Ice Flower" was adapted from the novel of the same name by Chung Chao-cheng, the "mother of Taiwanese literature"; "Lupinus" (the flower's name) is a flower representing the Hakka mother. Cannes is held annually in mid-May, and as in previous years, he always prepares to fly to Cannes from Taiwan on the Monday after Mother's Day. These subtle connections are touching.
Chu said that after its Cannes premiere, "The Dull-Ice Flower" will have a commercial release in Taiwan. He looks forward to hearing from Director Yang again and wants to know his thoughts.
Chu emphasized that "Taiwan New Cinema" is one branch of Taiwanese cinema that gained international fame, but the types of Taiwanese films are vast and diverse. For example, the national film style of "The Dull-Ice Flower" existed like a parallel universe in 1989, and there were still many directors like Yang Li-kuo who did not give up on facing the market and pursuing films for all ages.
Chu said that tickets for the Cannes premiere of "The Dull-Ice Flower" were sold out before the screening, and many international distributors are in talks with them. He hopes to make Taiwan better known globally by promoting classic Taiwanese films.
Lee said the film talks about the "Lupinus" flower, which exists to be fertilizer, just as many people seem to exist to support others. The film hopes that people can resist fate, and regardless of the outcome, the process itself is a kind of spirit. And now, "The Dull-Ice Flower" is reborn. (Editor: Chen Hui-ping) 1150518
Chu stated that restoring and re-releasing classic films is not for nostalgia, but "to let a new generation understand our past through film, because only by knowing your land will you come to love it."
● An All-Ages Favorite, Deeply Rooted in Hearts: 'The Dull-Ice Flower' Goes to Cannes
Speaking about the film's restoration and selection for Cannes, Chu mentioned that the Institute held a "My Favorite Taiwanese Film: Feature Film" poll three years ago, and surprisingly, the 1989 film "The Dull-Ice Flower" won first place, while the other nine were all post-2000 works.
He said the film's audience spans all age groups, making it a "national film." Since its release, it has been frequently re-broadcast on TV and screened on campuses, elevating its value to a part of Taiwan's collective memory. Being recognized by Cannes and reborn is a major boost for the restoration, preservation, and promotion of Taiwanese cinema.
Upon learning that "The Dull-Ice Flower" would premiere its new restoration at Cannes, Chu said he was immediately moved by the thought of its theme song being sung before an international audience.
Lee, who had not seen the restored version before the screening, was curious about how it would look on the big screen. However, he also lamented that every film has its own destiny. "'The Dull-Ice Flower' being reborn after so many years of rest also represents the charm of cinema."
● As Taiwan New Cinema Made Waves, 'The Dull-Ice Flower' Started from a Commercial Standpoint
Lee recalled that by 1989, he had already shot "Taiwan New Cinema" films like Hou Hsiao-hsien's "Dust in the Wind" and "A Time to Live, A Time to Die," and Wang Tung's "Run Away" and "Strawman." One morning while working in Hong Kong, Gidden Ko told him the script for "The Dull-Ice Flower" in a coffee shop, and he agreed to shoot it.
He said that at the time, he and Hou Hsiao-hsien were hoping to "reform light and shadow" because the lighting in past Taiwanese films was too full and lacked a sense of life. Thus, he used a method of reducing the amount of light by a tenth, or even not using any artificial light, controlling natural light to present a sense of time and era. This method was also applied to "The Dull-Ice Flower."
Chu, who had just finished his military service and was a film reporter for the Min Sheng Pao in 1989, said that at that time, Taiwan, with figures like Hou Hsiao-hsien, Edward Yang, Tsai Ming-liang, and Ang Lee, created a glorious decade for "Taiwan New Cinema" in the world.
"I feel that even today's Korean cinema would be in the rearview mirror of Taiwanese cinema from that era. At that time, selectors from the big three festivals like Cannes, Berlin, and Venice had to fly to Taiwan, because it would be a bit embarrassing not to have selected a 'Taiwan New Cinema' film."
Chu added that in 1989, both Hou Hsiao-hsien, director of "A City of Sadness," and Yang Li-kuo, director of "The Dull-Ice Flower," were nominated for Best Director at the Golden Horse Awards. Chu remembers interviewing Director Yang, who was ambitious and wanted to make a creative breakthrough with "The Dull-Ice Flower."
Lee added that he had worked with Director Yang on two films, and Yang's style was different from Taiwan New Cinema, being more traditional and commercial.
He stated that during the filming of "The Dull-Ice Flower," Director Yang adjusted from the "standard performance" of traditional commercial films, combining it with the "non-acting" pursued by Taiwan New Cinema. The soul of the film, the young actors, were given space for natural performance through their dynamic interaction, and thus, the movie "The Dull-Ice Flower" was born.
● Gentle Like a Mother, Unafraid of Fate: 'The Dull-Ice Flower' is Reborn
Chu said the script for "The Dull-Ice Flower" was adapted from the novel of the same name by Chung Chao-cheng, the "mother of Taiwanese literature"; "Lupinus" (the flower's name) is a flower representing the Hakka mother. Cannes is held annually in mid-May, and as in previous years, he always prepares to fly to Cannes from Taiwan on the Monday after Mother's Day. These subtle connections are touching.
Chu said that after its Cannes premiere, "The Dull-Ice Flower" will have a commercial release in Taiwan. He looks forward to hearing from Director Yang again and wants to know his thoughts.
Chu emphasized that "Taiwan New Cinema" is one branch of Taiwanese cinema that gained international fame, but the types of Taiwanese films are vast and diverse. For example, the national film style of "The Dull-Ice Flower" existed like a parallel universe in 1989, and there were still many directors like Yang Li-kuo who did not give up on facing the market and pursuing films for all ages.
Chu said that tickets for the Cannes premiere of "The Dull-Ice Flower" were sold out before the screening, and many international distributors are in talks with them. He hopes to make Taiwan better known globally by promoting classic Taiwanese films.
Lee said the film talks about the "Lupinus" flower, which exists to be fertilizer, just as many people seem to exist to support others. The film hopes that people can resist fate, and regardless of the outcome, the process itself is a kind of spirit. And now, "The Dull-Ice Flower" is reborn. (Editor: Chen Hui-ping) 1150518