Local talent wins praise at filmfest

Tu Tu-chih (杜篤之), an award-winning Taiwanese sound engineer, is the focal figure in the ongoing 26th International Tri-Continental Film Festival in Nantes, France, organizers said yesterday.

International film festivals traditionally focus attention on directors and actors or actresses, but few film festivals ever select backstage personnel as their theme figures. Nantes film festival organizers said Tu was selected as this year's theme figure because they want to recognize his professional accomplishments and emphasize the importance of team spirit in film production.

Tu, a winner of the 2004 Taiwan National Literary and Arts Awards, said he was honored to be featured at the festival.

At the invitation of the festival organizers, Tu used synthesizers and other equipment to create sound for a 1919 silent movie, directed by American director David Wark Griffith, screened Saturday evening, winning much acclaim from film industry professionals gathered in Nantes for the festival.

In a eulogy delivered after Tu's performance, Yang Teh-chang (楊德昌), a noted Taiwanese director, said Tu is a perfectionist who devotes all his energy to his work.

"Tu has never been daunted by setbacks and challenges in his work. He has always tried to learn useful lessons from flops and has finally attained a pinnacle in a profession he loves very much," said Yang, who has collaborated with Tu on many films.

Speaking on the same occasion, Wong Kar Wei (王家衛), a Hong Kong director, said Tu is one of the best screen recording masters he has ever collaborated with. "I'm very pleased with the Nantes film festival organizers' decision to honor Tu and exhibit some of his screen recording works this year."

Tu also won an award at the 2001 Cannes Film Festival for his work on What Time Is It There?