The historical drama A City of Sadness (悲情城市) by Taiwanese director Hou Hsiao-hsien (侯孝賢) has topped this year’s list of the 100 best films in Asia in the Busan International Film Festival’s (BIFF) latest rankings.
The 1989 award-winning film, which tells the story of a family caught up in the events of Taiwan’s White Terror era, climbed from fifth place in the previous BIFF Asian Cinema 100 Ranking.
Two other Taiwanese films, both directed by the late Edward Yang (楊德昌), also ranked among the top 10 films in Asia.
Photo: CNA
A Brighter Summer Day (牯嶺街少年殺人事件), a 1991 drama about two gangs, ranked third, while the 2000 romance Yi Yi: A One and a Two (一一) placed 10th.
The South Korean film festival’s list is updated every five years by curators from around the world, with the aim of highlighting and promoting Asian cinema internationally.
The previous rankings, released in 2015, shortlisted 113 movies. A Brighter Summer Day and A City of Sadness were in the top 10.
In other news, the Taiwanese animated film City of Lost Things (廢棄之城) has won another award, taking first prize at a children’s film festival in the US, the movie’s marketing company said on Nov. 13.
The animation by Taiwanese director Yee Chih-yen (易智言) won first prize for Best Animated Feature Film in the Professional Jury Awards category at the 38th Chicago International Children’s Film Festival (CICFF).
Voiced mainly by Taiwanese actors Joseph Chang (張孝全), Kwai Lun-mei (桂綸鎂) and River Huang (黃河), the film tells the story of a teenager named Leaf, who is a social outcast and does not think much of his life.
When Leaf stumbles into a place called the City of Lost Things, he finds unwanted and forgotten garbage and befriends an anthropomorphic plastic bag named Baggy. Together, they embark on a soul-searching adventure.
The film also gained recognition at last year’s 57th Golden Horse Awards, where it took home the prize for Best Animation Feature.
It was the first time in 22 years that a Taiwanese animation has won a prize at the Chicago festival. The Taiwanese cult classic Grandma and Her Ghosts (魔法阿媽) won the Certificate of Merit Feature Film and Video — Animation in 1999.
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