Kaohsiung's answer to the Taipei Film Festival

"Actually, Reflections and Three Times are two sides of the mirror. When I presented the synopsis to Hou, he was intrigued by one of my leading actresses OuYang Ching (歐陽靖), and made the third story of his film based on her life story," Yao told Taipei Times.

Even though the modest filmmaker sometimes expressed doubt over whether he had the talent to be a director, his film proved to be enlightening for Yao.

"The position of director and cinematographer are two very conflicting roles when it comes to filmmaking. As the director, you need to let your imagination roar, but as a cinematographer, you are trained to think in practical terms to transform the imagination into reality," Yao said. "I made a promise to myself before shooting the film that I would never use pretty cinematography to solve problems because as a small budget film, the most basic thing is to tell a good story rather than to pack the film with stylish visual elements."

Having a giant in the industry standing behind you can be a blessing and a burden. In its Taiwan premiere at KFF tomorrow, Reflections will meet the challenges from local film professionals and critics on the question of whether or not it conveys the contemporary spirit of Taiwan.

FESTIVAL NOTES

What: 2006 Kaohsiung Film Festival

Where: Kaohsiung Film Archive (高雄電影圖書館) and Kaohsiung Warner Village Cinema (高雄華納威秀影城)

When: Tomorrow through June 25

Tickets: NT$100 for the screenings at the Warner Village Cinema, available at the door. For more information on the films, screening schedules and venues, go to www.twfilm.org/2006KFF