Flowers of Taipei – Taiwan New Cinema

It is more than 30 years ago that the Taiwan New Cinema movement emerged and flourished, closely related to the changing political climate in Taiwan. Even though Taiwan still has tense relations with China, which regards the island as a wayward province, the country embarked on a process of democratisation in 1979, culminating in the lifting of the martial law in 1987.
In the early 1980s, a new group of politically conscious directors emerged, rebelling against the tradition of melodrama in the Taiwanese film industry. As a result of their innovative style, with long takes and frontal framing, directors such as Hou Hsiao-hsien, Edward Yang and others started to make a name at foreign film festivals. For the documentary Flowers of Taipei, Taiwan-born director Chinlin Hsieh – also a programmer for IFFR – spoke to directors, artists and film critics about the long-term influence of this pioneering movement on the international film world. Her homage to these ‘miraculous years’ is larded with beautiful clips.
With Critics’ Talk on Sat 24-1 in the lobby in LantarenVenster.

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