Minister of Culture Li Yuan reunited with famous French director Olivier Assayas in Paris to recall the birth of Taiwan’s new film wave 42 years ago

Culture Minister Li Yuan and famous French director Olivier Assayas reunited in Paris after 42 years. (Photo by reporter Ling Meixue)

[Reporter Ling Meixue/Paris Report] Culture Minister Li Yuan visited France. At a symposium held in Paris on the 12th, Li Yuan returned to his role as a filmmaker and had a conversation with Olivier Assayas, whom he had not seen for 42 years, and film critic Jean-Michel Frodon on the topic of "Taiwanese Film New Wave". The venue was packed with audiences.

Perhaps for most people in Taiwan, "Maggie Cheung's ex-husband" is the biggest impression on Assayas, but for Li Yuan, "the first encounter 42 years ago was a historical moment." Li Yuan recalled that at that time, no one in the world knew that there was a new movie in Taiwan, and in Hong Kong However, Assayas came to Taiwan by chance because the film critic Chen Guofu said, "Go to the next island and see it, it is very different from Hong Kong." "Within 2 days, I accompanied him to watch 8 movies in the Chinese Film Screening Room." After he returned, he starred in "Cahiers" du Cinema" wrote "On the fringes of the world's film industry".

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Li Yuan said, "Without this far-reaching article, new films would have been wiped out in a very short time." Because during the martial law era, Taiwan's new films had never been easy to produce and had been criticized. Therefore, after 42 years, he still wants to thank Assayas again for coming to Taiwan at the most critical time to "keep us from being lonely."

Assayas added that at that time, Hong Kong was mostly producing kung fu and martial arts films. Chen Guofu told him that Taiwan had very modern film creations and the style should be consistent with "Movie Notes", so he decided to go to Taipei. "It was still the era of martial law, and it was not easy to go to Taiwan." He was introduced to Ono through Chen Guofu, and then met a group of active young people through Ono, including Edward Yang, Hou Hsiao-hsien, etc. They were completely in sync with the wave of world cinema, which made Assayas feel like he had "discovered a new continent."

Assayas believes that the importance of the New Wave of Taiwanese films has even influenced world cinema. "It was a great honor for him to be able to witness the birth and budding of these films in person." He also emphasized that under the background of martial law at that time, this group of young people had the courage to develop a new film language. "They opened the door" for those behind to continue to explore Taiwan's history. The New Wave of Taiwanese films is not only an artistic creation, but also a call for intellectual reflection and social innovation. "It is a complete change."

Li Yuan responded that during the martial law era, what he wanted most was to re-see Taiwan through movies, and also wanted Taiwanese movies to be seen by the world. He quoted Edward Yang to describe the hard work of making movies back then, "We are so lucky to grow up in an unfortunate era and become a complete filmmaker."

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