In order to get acquainted with Taiwanese cinema, it is essential to understand the history of Taiwan.” The opening words of Taiwanese actor-cum-filmmaker Wen Pin Chen clearly highlighted that the connect between reel and real remains an undeniable fact.
Chen has essayed the role of the protagonist in the film, I Can’t Live Without You, which won the Golden Peacock award at 2010 International Film Festival of India (Iffi).
In 2011, he was seen at the Kolkata Film Festival, where Taiwan was selected in the “Country in Focus” section.
Turning back the pages of Taiwanese cinema, the filmmaker remarked, “The post World War II period in Taiwan witnessed decades of martial law and during that era creative freedom remained curtailed.”
“Right from the 1950s till the fag end of the 1980s, China kept an intrusive eye on our cinema and to an extent there was indirect American pressure, as Taiwan fell in the superpower’s strategic radar in the business of keeping a close watch on China. Although geographically small in size, Taiwanese society surprises many first time visitors with its multicultural face. Over the years, the Japanese and Chinese presence gradually assimilated in our culture and lifestyle. So almost each province of Taiwan has a different dialect of Mandarin and varied style of dressing. Perhaps this diversity provides the perfect metaphor for cinema to go on exploration mode,” said Chen who directed the critically-acclaimed film, Everlasting Moments, which is based on Taiwan’s aboriginal community.
Talking about the transition that cinema has witnessed in his country, Chen said, “Hou Hsiao-Hsien one of the most well-known Taiwanese filmmaker grew up during this volatile period and later on, his works reflected the background realities of fifties and the sixties. Hsien along with Edward Yang are instrumental in bringing a new wave cinema to Taiwan.”
“Earlier our films were mostly about the simple country life but the 1990s saw the transition where the focus shifted to the complexities of urban society.”
According to Chen the socio political change has made the government develop a tolerant mindset, and in the process it has resulted in a far more accommodating censorship.
Wen Pin Chen spoke from personal experience when he shared, “Two decades back, my film I Can’t Live Without You, that narrates the struggle of a father to win back his daughter could have landed in trouble because of its anti-establishment tone. But the winds of change ensured a liberal approach from the authorities. Its content did not ruffle feathers, in fact it was partially state fund and managed to bag the Golden Horse, the most prestigious film award in Taiwan.”
“Another vital difference has been the post globalisation effect, which has allowed economic growth and opened up the society, films too have not remained unaffected and it is reaching out to new territories,” Taiwanese actor-cum-filmmaker said.
“Earlier when cinema lovers felt the need to look beyond Hollywood, they turned to European films especially from Spain, Italy and France. Today South Asian films from Japan, Thailand, China and Taiwan are the other options on hand,” Chen said.
“And on the Indian front cinemas, there is good news as Bollywood too is capturing the imagination of the Taiwanese people. The film Three Idiots is quite popular back home. It deals with the moral values and the prevalent educational system. Both the issues hold a lot of relevance in my country, just like it is in India,” Chen concluded.