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Editorial: Encourage stars before their rise

With his latest film Lust, Caution winning the Golden Lion Award at this year's Venice Film Festival, Oscar-winning director Ang Lee (李安) was awarded a prize on Tuesday from the Government Information Office (GIO) for his outstanding work.

In accordance with GIO guidelines for promoting film industry professionals, Lee and the film's production company were each given NT$10 million. The GIO has also offered up to NT$80 million in financing if Lee shoots another Taiwan-made film within two years.

The GIO also wants Lust, Caution to represent Taiwan in next year's Oscars in the Best Foreign Language Film category.

Applause goes to Lee who richly deserves the honor awarded by the GIO.

It is laudable as well that Lee has decided to donate the prize money to help nurture Taiwan's budding filmmakers.

With all the cheering, however, the GIO would be well advised to avoid heaping all its praise and attention -- and resources -- on something that is already radiant.

What the GIO really should be doing is awarding recognition and financing to local filmmakers who are laboring with nothing but their own time and money.

A good example is director Lin Jing-jie (林靖傑).

Earlier this month, Lin's movie The Most Distant Course (最遙遠的距離) won high acclaim and the International Critics' Week Award at the Venice Film Festival.

The Most Distant Course was shot against the backdrop of picturesque Taitung County, telling the story of three Taipei residents' escape to Taiwan's countryside.

The storyline touches upon issues such as preservation of natural habitat and Aboriginal tribal lands and the film includes many scenes of the nation's beautiful landscape.

Lin, however, is in debt to the tune of NT$5 million after finishing the film. He was not even able to receive the International Critics' Week Award in person because he had no money to get to the awards ceremony.

Lee said the mental and physical labor required behind the scenes when directing Lust, Caution had taken such a toll on him that it nearly "killed half of his life."

Lin, alluding to Lee's comments, said the filming of The Most Distant Course had taken him "eight lives."

Lin says his next priority after the promotion of The Most Distant Course is to take on a part-time job for the next three years just to pay off his substantial debts.

The GIO would be of greater help to local filmmakers if it were to grant these talented but financially strapped artists more timely assistance.

Better this than leaving them to battle on their own and decorate them only if they are lucky enough to get their film produced, played in theaters and receive foreign prizes.
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