John Hsu (徐漢強), director of the Taiwanese supernatural comedy Dead Talents Society (鬼才之道), said on Saturday at the film’s London premiere that he hopes it would shed light on what he calls Taiwan’s “social anxieties.”
Speaking at the London East Asia Film Festival, Hsu said Taiwanese society is grappling with the anxiety of “being seen” and a desire for “Taiwanese pride.”
In the movie, a group of ghosts are vying to become the spookiest urban legends and the most famous stars of the underworld through their macabre scare tactics.
Photo: CNA
The movie received 11 nominations for the 61st Golden Horse Awards, more than any other film this year, including for Best Narrative Feature and Best Director awards.
“Perhaps due to its longstanding political situation and historical background, Taiwan has often lacked confidence in its own culture,” Hsu said.
Taiwanese society tends to believe that being seen by certain foreign parties is what validates someone or something as “worthy of attention,” he said.
However, he aimed to explore what it really means to be seen, what must be done to achieve it, and whether achieving that goal actually would resolve all the issues, he said.
Such anxieties might stem from that “we are not so sure about who we really are,” he said.
The festival, running from Wednesday last week to Sunday at the Odeon Luxe Leicester Square, showcases films from Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, China, Hong Kong, Vietnam and the Philippines, including more than 20 UK and world premieres.
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