Taipei: Taiwan's Minister of Culture Li Yuan emphasized the significant impact of a pivotal article by French filmmaker and critic Olivier Assayas in bringing Taiwan New Cinema to Western audiences during a seminar in Paris. Li's remarks were made at a post-screening discussion of Edward Yang's 1986 classic, The Terrorizers, at the L'Entrep´t cultural space.
According to Focus Taiwan, the event was part of a retrospective on Taiwan New Cinema, a film movement that began in the Republic of China (Taiwan) in the 1980s. The seminar featured Assayas and French film critic Jean-Michel Frodon. Li recounted hosting Assayas in Taipei in 1984, where, as a young film critic for Cahiers du Cin©ma, Assayas watched eight Taiwanese films over two days with Li explaining the plots due to the lack of English subtitles.
Upon returning to France, Assayas penned an influential article titled "In the Margin of World Cinema," which introduced a new generation of Taiwanese filmmakers to European audiences. Li noted that the article came at a crucial time when Taiwan New Cinema was struggling under martial law and facing domestic criticism. Li credited the article with helping Taiwan New Cinema survive and gain recognition at major European film festivals.
Assayas shared that few international film enthusiasts were aware of Taiwanese cinema at the time. A recommendation from film critic Chen Kuo-fu motivated him to visit Taiwan, where he met filmmakers like Edward Yang, Hou Hsiao-hsien, Sylvia Chang, and cinematographer Christopher Doyle. Assayas expressed his admiration for Taiwan New Cinema's profound impact on both Chinese-language and world cinema.
The movement's filmmakers, willing to experiment under political constraints, later produced landmark works such as "A Brighter Summer Day" and "A City of Sadness," which explored previously untold stories. Li, who worked at Central Motion Picture Corp. in the 1980s, reflected on his and his colleagues' efforts to reexamine Taiwan through film and introduce its cinema to the world.
Reflecting on the movement's legacy, Li described his role as simply opening a door, noting that Taiwan New Cinema's influence continues today. Younger directors carry its spirit while offering fresh perspectives on history and contemporary life. Earlier on Saturday, Li visited Le Cube Garges, a newly opened digital and cultural innovation center in Garges-l¨s-Gonesse, France.
Li's visit to France follows his arrival in the U.K. on Sept. 6. He is attending events related to the Taiwan-France Cultural Award and is expected to return to Taiwan next Wednesday.