Once a squatter community inhabited primarily by war veterans who retreated to Taiwan with the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), Treasure Hill (寶藏巖) has witnessed the city’s transformation while undergoing a metamorphosis itself to become what it is today: an artist village and youth clubhouse frequented by camera-wielding visitors.
Bearing its history in mind, there is probably no better place to hold the Treasure Hill Film Festival: Mirage — Urban and Architecture (海市蜃樓 — 城市與建築專題影展), an outdoor event that aims to explore the relation between urban inhabitants and the environment through cinema.
Co-organized by Treasure Hill Artist Village (寶藏巖國際藝術村) and Taiwan Film institute (國家電影中心), the mini-festival opens today with a lineup of 10 films from Taiwan, Hong Kong and China and runs through August 15.
Photo Courtesy of Treasure Hill Artist Village
Among the selected works, both Wan Jen’s (萬仁) 1998 Connection by Fate (超級公民) and Robinson’s Crusoe (魯賓遜漂流記, 2003) by Lin Cheng-sheng (林正盛) tackle issues surrounding land development and urban living. Meanwhile, Waterfront Villa Bonita (水岸麗景, 2007) by Lou Yi-an (樓一安) examines the absurdity of urban life through the eyes of people living on the margins of society.
Other selected films include Tsai Ming-liang’s (蔡明亮) Vive L’Amour (愛情萬歲), Chinese maestro Jia Zhangke’s (賈樟柯) 24 City (二十四城記) and McDull, Prince de la Bun (麥兜，菠蘿油王子) by Hong Kong animation director Toe Yuen (袁建滔).
The outdoor screenings will take place Fridays and Saturdays at 7pm. After each screening, there will be a panel discussion on the films and related issues featuring filmmakers, artists and scholars. All activities are free of admission, and the films have Chinese subtitles only.
Photo Courtesy of Treasure Hill Artist Village
Treasure Hill Artist Village is located at 2, Alley 14, Ln 230, Dingzhou Rd Sec 3, Taipei City (台北市汀州路三段230巷14弄2號). For more information, visit www.artistvillage.org.
Photo Courtesy of Treasure Hill Artist Village
Photo Courtesy of Treasure Hill Artist Village
Photo Courtesy of Treasure Hill Artist Village
Photo Courtesy of Treasure Hill Artist Village
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