Once called "the First Lady of Czech New Wave" in the 60s, Chytilova (in her 70's) demonstrates her proficient narrative style by adding humor and irony to her beautiful cinematography, while still powerfully indicting society's abuse of women's bodies.
Local filmmaking is no doubt a major focus for each year's WMW. Representatives of local feature film are Huang Yu-san's (黃玉珊) Spring Cactus and Wang Shau-di's (王小棣) Yours and Mine. The former talks about a short but splendid life of a young prostitute, and the latter focuses on the neurosis of Taiwan society. Thanks to Taiwan's favorable public funding for documentary films in the past year, most of the local works are documentaries.
Last but not least are the programs on outstanding directors who are also special guests at WMW 2000. Shu Lea Cheang (鄭淑麗) holds a history degree at National Taiwan University, but she is one of the most active Taiwanese visual artists in New York and at many international film festivals. Describing herself as a "digital drifter," Cheang's creativity combines installation art, experimental films and multi media art on the Internet. Themes of her work often mingle race, sex, and sexuality. Cheang is presenting five of her short films this year as well as a new piece titled IKU, a Japanese sci-fi porn.
US senior film and documentary maker Barbara Hammer will also visit Taipei. The "godmother" of lesbian and female experimental films will present three documentaries and a feature film, including her 1998 work, the Female Closet, which talks about the sexuality secrets of three prominent female artists, and Tender Fiction, a tribute to Gertrude Stein.
The Women Make Waves festival starts Wednesday and runs through May 28. For details about venues and times, call 2395-1965 or 2327-8751 or go to www.wmw.com.tw
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