Date: Monday March 23, 10:00-16:00
Venue: Room 5, University of Helsinki Main Building (Fabianinkatu 33)
10:15-11:57 The Husband’s Secret
12:00-12:25 Grandmother’s Small Talk
12:25-12:55 Discussion with famous French film scholar Wafa Ghermani
13:15-14:57 The Husband’s Secret
15:00-15:25 Grandmother’s Small Talk
15:25-15:55 Discussion with famous French film scholar Wafa Ghermani
FREE ADMISSION. All WELCOME
The Husband’s Secret 2K Restoration 1960∣102 min∣ B&W∣ Narrative Feature∣ Taiwanese
Tshiu-Bi and her husband Siu-Gi have a seemingly perfect marriage but still have no children. When Tsiu-Bi’s friend, Le-Hun, a single mother, is forced to work in a nightclub to raise her son, Tshiu-Bi tries her best to help her. However, unbeknownst to Tshiu-Bi, Le-Hun and Siu-Gi were once lovers. To avoid complications, Le-Hun decides to move away, only to run into Siu-Gi again in a nightclub. After a night together, Le-Hun becomes pregnant. When Tshiu-Bi learns this startling truth, she makes a surprising decision. Adapted from a Japanese novel and film, The Husband’s Secret dissects social relations through its tearjerking, love-triangle melodrama. Differing from other films of the period, LIN’s work gave greater voice to female characters, addressing feminine consciousness and the mutual support among women. This representation broke away from traditionally ill-fated female characters, allowing audiences to reconsider established family structures and gendered power relations. Additionally, the film uses an occasional thirdperson female voice-over that both sympathizes with, and judges the characters, adding to the emotional stakes.
Director: LIN Tuan-Chiu Born in 1920 to a wealthy coal-mining family, LIN studied in Japan. He became a playwright, active in Taiwan’s New Drama Movement, and a writer-director for Taiwaneselanguage films. After working at the Toho Company in Japan, he became one of the first Taiwanese filmmakers with hands-on studio experience. In 1958, LIN established Yufeng Pictures and Hushan Film Studio. His films are well known for their detailed psychological portraits, especially the portrayals of female characters. Using compelling stories, diverse camera movements and carefully-designed composition, LIN shot many classics, notably The Husband’s Secret (1960), May 13th, Night of Sorrow (1965) and Six Suspects (1965).
Grandma's Small Talk 2019 │ DCP │ Colour, B&W │ 25min Le-Hun moved away to avoid her good friend Tshiu-Bi and her husband Siu-Gi, but by a twist of fate, she ended up rekindling her romance with Siu-Gi and accidentally fell pregnant with his child. Forty years later, Le-Hun’s grandson uses his camera to capture her recollection of the past and her yearning for her son.
Director: LIN Shih-ching Lin Shih-ching is studying filmmaking at National Taiwan University of Arts. Her first short film, Bad Luck won Best Student Film and Best Director at LEXUS Film Award. She was a participant of the 10th Golden Horse Film Academy.
This screening is part of 'Taiyupian: Taiwan's Lost Commercial Cinema'
Did you know regular filmmaking on Taiwan only started in the 1950s? With a Taiwanese-language film industry? 1,000-plus Taiwanese-language features were made up to the 1970s. But the budgets were miniscule, the companies short-lived, and there was no archive. They were quickly forgotten, and only 200-plus survive. Now, Taiwan’s lost commercial cinema is being recovered and restored by the Taiwan Film Institute. Our 2020 edition follows the successful 2017 edition to bring 7 scholars together for a symposium at King’s College London on 8 February 2020, launching a screening tour of 7 newly restored and subtitled dramatic films and 4 contemporary short films.
This event and tour are a collaboration between the Cultural Divsision of the Taipei Representative Office in the UK, Taiwan Film Institute, and Kings College London. For more information, visit Taiyupian.uk