Acclaimed Taiwanese director Tsai Ming-Liang discussed his craft with Professor Lin Chi-Ming's (林志明教授) undergraduate class about film and political issues (電影藝術與當代議題) on November 2. Tsai just returned from Paris where he was promoting his new film Face, a collaboration with the Louvre. The talk was moderated by ICLP teacher Huei-Feng Phoebe Huang (黃慧鳳老師), and several ICLP students were in attendance.

Tsai discussed the different reactions to his work in Taiwan and abroad. Tsai won a Golden Lion at the 1994 Venice Film for Vive L’Amour. While his success on the international film festival circuit has allowed him to pursue his artistic vision, Taiwanese audiences are less receptive to his work. “Reporters here often ask me whether I’m afraid that people won’t get my work. That’s something I’m never asked in Europe.” He emphasized that he doesn’t compromise his vision, explaining that in his mind his target audience is only twenty people.

NYU film major and ICLP student Thomas Miller was in attendance and remarked, "Never have I finished a Tsai Ming-Liang film and not been left with countless unanswered questions.  That's probably why I keep coming back for more."

Face, which was nominated for the Golden Palm at the Cannes Film Festival this year, opened in Taipei in October. It stars French supermodel Laetitia Casta, French Actress Fanny Ardant and Taiwanese Lee Kang-sheng, and is loosely based on the story of Salome. The Louvre commissioned Tsai to produce “Face” and will screen the film over the next several months before adding it to its collection.

*Tsai is Malaysian Chinese but came to Taiwan to attend Chinese Culture University and has resided here ever since.