The Taiwan Film and Audiovisual Institute (TFAI) on Saturday kicked off a series of special screenings to honor Taiwanese contemporary dance troupe, Cloud Gate Dance Theater, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year.
The special screenings will run from March 4 to April 2 at the TFAI's base in Xinzhuang District, featuring motion picture versions of the five works premiered by the dance troupe from 1994 to 2020.
These include "Songs of the Wanderers," "Moon Water," and "Formosa" curated by Cloud Gate's founder Lin Hwai-min (???), as well as "Sounding Light" and "13 Tongues" by Cheng Tsung-lung (???), the troupe's artistic director since 2020.
At the same time, five Asian movies have also been selected to correspond to Cloud Gate's five works during the four-week program, such as Indian Bengali-language drama "The World of Apu" by director Satyajit Ray, "Poetry" by award-winning South Korean director Lee Chang-dong, and Golden Horse Awards best documentary winner "Your Face" by Tsai Ming-liang (???).
Speaking with CNA on Saturday, TFAI President Lan Tsu-wei (???) said the five Asian movies were individually chosen "to respond to" a selected Cloud Gate work.
Viewers are encouraged to see both the motion picture version of the Cloud Gate works and their "corresponding" movies, and to think about how they "mirror" each other, Lan added.
Meanwhile, Lin expressed hope that those passionate about dance will be keen to discover the five "classic movies" by Asian filmmakers when they visit the TFAI to view the troupe's works.
Likewise, he went on, he hoped movie enthusiasts would be amazed by Could Gate's works shown on the big screen.
Lin founded Cloud Gate -- Taiwan's first professional dance group - in 1973 and served as the troupe's artistic director for 46 years until he passed the baton to Cheng in 2020.
As part of the celebrations for Cloud Gate's 50th anniversary, the dance group will tour Taiwan, starting in April, to perform its 1978 work "Legacy" curated by Lin.
Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel