Taiwan's Culture Minister reunites with French critics in Paris to mark New Cinema

Minister of Culture Li Yuan, who is currently visiting Paris, was invited to attend a panel discussion titled "Taiwan's New Cinema" today (the 12th), where he reunited with French director and film critic Olivier Assayas, who had written articles introducing the Taiwanese New Wave as a journalist in the 1980s. During the discussion, Li said that Assayas brought the voice of Taiwan's New Cinema to Europe back then, "ensuring that we were not alone." This remark not only validated the difficult environment of that era, but also reflected the power of cross-border cultural exchange. Their conversation at the venue extended from personal memories to the fluctuations and breakthroughs of Taiwanese cinema on the international stage over the past four decades.

The emergence of Taiwan's New Cinema can be traced back to the late 1970s, when the film industry was still dominated by commercial films and bureaucratic censorship. Creators lacked funding, shooting equipment, and distribution channels, forcing many young directors to shoot on extremely low budgets within campuses or small studios. Li pointed out that it was precisely this "hardship" that nurtured a keen observation of real life and an experimental spirit. Figures such as Hou Hsiao-hsien, Edward Yang, and Tsai Ming-liang used realistic techniques to depict the changes in urban and rural areas, attempting to break through the framework of mainstream narrative. Although these works struggled to achieve box office success in the domestic market, they gradually gained prominence in domestic and international film festivals, becoming milestones in the history of Taiwanese cinema.

In an era when information dissemination was not yet globalized, European film critics and directors, particularly in France, played a crucial role as a bridge. In 1984, Assayas was invited by Cahiers du Cinéma to travel to Taiwan. After visiting film sets in person, he published an article titled "The Light and Shadow of Taiwan's New Cinema" in a mainstream French film magazine, systematically introducing the works and creative philosophies of Hou, Yang, Tsai, and others for the first time. Recalling that period, Li said that Assayas's reports not only allowed European audiences to see Taiwan's visual experiments, but also secured tickets for the directors of the time to attend international film festivals such as Cannes and Berlin, thereby breaking the stereotype that "Taiwanese cinema could only exist locally." This article generated resonance within the critical community at the time, facilitating the screening tours of multiple Taiwanese New Wave films in Europe and laying the foundation for subsequent international cooperation.

Driven by recognition at European film festivals, Taiwan's New Cinema rapidly advanced onto the world stage in the 1980s and 1990s. Edward Yang's A Brighter Summer Day won the Special Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival, while Hou Hsiao-hsien's Summer at Grandpa's won the Silver Bear at the Berlin Film Festival. The success of these two directors not only raised the international visibility of Taiwanese cinema, but also inspired later generations, such as Wei Te-sheng and Peter Chan, to combine local narratives with a global language. Li pointed out that this wave not only rewrote the development trajectory of Taiwan's film and television industry, but also allowed the discourse of Asian cinema in the global film arena to be reassessed.

Li's remarks in Paris today served as a reaffirmation and extension of this history. As Minister of Culture, he has in recent years promoted the policy of "Taiwanese Cinema Going Global," actively seeking cooperation with European film festivals, providing production subsidies and international marketing platforms, and aiming to enhance Taiwan's soft power through visual culture. The significance of reuniting with Assayas lies not only in reviewing the past, but also in reminding contemporary creators that cross-cultural dialogue remains the key to breaking through limitations and gaining recognition. Li concluded by urging future Taiwanese filmmakers to continue taking local stories as their root, combined with an international perspective, so that the world may see a more multidimensional Taiwan.

(Source of facts: Central News Agency)