Taiwan Black Movies

Documentary about an episode from Asian film history that has been literally forgotten and of which virtually all traces have disappeared. In the early 1980s in Taiwan, a time of censorship and political repression, `social realist’ crime films were made. Social realism is a rather euphemistic description for what is really a B-film genre, exploiting both sex and violence. The genre was made famous by sensational dramas featuring female avengers. This documentary comprises many fragments from almost untraceable films that are never shown any more, alongside interviews with people who were involved. Taiwan Black Movies is being screened together with The Lady Avenger by Yang Chia-yun, a high point from the genre. (GjZ)