The 26th Taipei Film Festival in 2024 has been causing a stir ever since last week’s announcement of the opening and closing films, “Ping Pong Boy” and the new work “Unordinary Family” by Korean actress Kim Hee-ae. Today, it was announced that the internationally renowned Japanese director Tadayo Mori will be coming to Taiwan with the film “September 1923,” starring Rena Tanaka.
The film takes a sharp look at the long-neglected “September 1923 Incident” by the authorities. It depicts the aftermath of the 1923 Kanto Earthquake, where false rumors spread rapidly, leading to increased hostility towards Koreans by the local population. Under collective fear, a witch hunt ensues, resulting in a tragic human event sparked by racial conflicts. The film won the New Currents Award at the Busan Film Festival last year.
In addition, this year’s Taipei Film Festival also unveiled 12 other selected Asian films, each addressing social issues that will prompt audiences to reflect on their own circumstances.
Japanese film enthusiasts are also looking forward to “Worlds Apart,” starring Japanese national idol Yui Aragaki and popular actress Erena Ono, which tells a refreshing story about a 35-year-old social anxiety novelist learning to live under the same roof with a quirky 15-year-old high school girl.
Japanese director Atsuhiro Yamashita, who participated in the Taipei Film Festival last year with “Just One Second,” presents his new work “Confession” this year. The film departs from its usual light-hearted tone to delve into psychological thriller and suspense, featuring powerhouse actors like Toma Ikuta from Japan and Lee Yi-jun from South Korea, with popular actress Nao making a special appearance. The story revolves around a hidden secret between two friends that escalates tensions due to a confession.
This year, many emerging talents from East Asia are capturing the passage of time through their lenses, echoing the theme of the festival: “What time takes away, film leaves behind.” For example, director Hirohiro Takita spent a year filming “The Cats of Gokogu Shrine,” focusing on stray cats and their coexistence with residents and tourists in a harbor town.
Selected for last year’s Venice Film Festival, “Following the Sound” by director Kyoshi Sugita and cinematographer Sachiko Iioka takes on the rhythmic style of Japanese tanka poems to portray the inner thoughts of a mature woman in a small town in a realistic yet profound manner.
Furthermore, South Korean emerging director Kim Tae-yang spent four years filming “Mimang,” capturing the changes in Seoul’s landscapes and the appearances of characters to showcase the evolution and constants of life and environment.
Among the selected Asian films this year, Hong Kong actress Carol Cheng stars in the new film “Love Lies” alongside newcomer Thomas Cheung, portraying the tangled story of a middle-aged woman encountering a teenage scammer on a dating app.
Malaysian director Chai Chisin depicts the life of a female laborer in Kuala Lumpur in “Oasis of Now,” reflecting the struggles and experiences of those working in the shadows.