A Taiwanese movie about children and preteens with cancer is being shown in the US and Canada.
BIG, which is directed by Wei Te-sheng (魏德聖) and is about children living in a Taiwanese pediatric oncology ward who move into Room 816, or “BIG,” as they call it, began its North American tour on Thursday last week as part of the sixth North America Taiwanese Film Tour Festival.
In partnership with Canada’s Pride Asian Film Festival and the Taiwan Film Festival in Toronto (TFFT), BIG is to be screened in 27 cities this month and next month.
Photo courtesy of Taiwan Film Festival in Toronto
The film’s first stop was in Southern California where it was first played in Thousand Oaks on Friday last week, followed by Monrovia and San Diego on Saturday.
The film was on Sunday screened in Houston, Texas, and it is tomorrow to be screened in Atlanta, Georgia.
During each screening, director Wei interacts with audience members to give additional insight into the movie and his creative process.
BIG was written and directed by Wei, who is often credited with reviving Taiwan’s film industry with his breakout rom-com Cape No. 7 (海角七號) and the two-part historical blockbuster Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale (賽德克巴萊).
Wei said he was inspired to venture into a different genre after he met an amputee a few years ago.
They had bone cancer, but remained optimistic about life, which inspired Wei, he said.
Cutting between animation and live action, BIG first hit screens across Taiwan on Dec. 1 last year.
Although it initially failed to win big at the box office, the film went on to amass a following among fans and supporters who resonated with the topic.
Fans of the film helped BIG establish a reputation among non-profit groups and also religious, medical, and educational institutions, leading to a record number of screenings in Taiwan.
The film had earned more than NT$40 million (US$1.27 million) domestically by last month, following the screening successes.
The movie features actors such as Hsia Yu-tung (夏宇童), Chen Po-cheng (陳博正) and Van Fan (范逸臣), as well as Taiwanese-American actor Andrew Chau (周厚安) and Japanese actress Chie Tanaka.
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