Renowned Taiwanese filmmaker Hou Hsiao-hsien says the language
of cinema can convey meaning beyond words. The 61-year-old director
tells that he plans to make "really original and inspiring
pictures" and not waste time on awards.
For nearly two decades, Taiwanese filmmaker Hou Hsiao-hsien has
impressed Asian and Western cinemagoers with his unique artistic
films typically set during times of social upheaval and
hardship.
Hou downplays overt melodrama, but one can feel the powerful
emotions behind the long takes of his signature calm and
sequestered lens. His works are extremely popular in Europe.
Hou's camera is always quietly trained on the eternal truths. He
likes to recapture the atmosphere of transitional times and
believes strongly that cinema as the potential to convey meaning
beyond words.
"The language of cinema has another important function as the
personal story runs parallel to larger social or historical
perspectives," says the 61-year-old who was recently in town for
the 10th Shanghai International Film Festival.
Though his storytelling is oblique, audiences are amazed at
Hou's sharp-edged style - his minimal camera movement, long static
shots, low camera angles and focus on the quiet nuances of human
emotion.
Hou's latest French production, Le Voyage Du Ballon
Rouge (Looking for the Red Balloon), which stars
French actress Juliette Binoche, was chosen as the festival's
closing film.
The film featured in Un Certain Regard section of the 2007
Cannes Film Festival and is a tribute to the classic children's
short "The Red Balloon." It centers on a Chinese babysitter who
shares the imaginary world of her young charge. The two are
followed on their adventures by a mysterious red balloon.
"Red balloon symbolizes care and hope," director Hou says. "I
want to showcase the delicate relationship between the red balloon
and kids."
It took Hou six weeks to shoot the film in France. He continued
his practice of employing amateur performers. Extensive
improvisation added to the low-key, naturalistic acting.
Song Fang, a student majoring in directing at Beijing Film
Academy, plays the Chinese babysitter.
"This is my first acting experience," Song says. "Fortunately I
received lots of advice from the director. Hou's patience and good
relations with the crew strengthen my belief that directing is
actually team work."
Gentle and mild in appearance, Hou has a clear and firm view
that in his filmmaking career he must just "be myself." But he is
more than a director as he also writes and thinks. It seems that
coveted film prizes and filmmaking trends of different periods
inevitably influenced his works.
"But I know what I really need now," Hou adds. "I am not young.
Now I hope to present really original and inspiring pictures rather
than waste passion and energy vying for honors. I love films. I
will never stop standing behind the camera lens until the day I am
unable to shoot."
Born in Meixian County, Guangdong Province, in 1947, Hou and his
family moved to Taiwan the following year. He studied at the Taiwan
Academy of Arts, graduating in 1972. Then he worked as a salesman
until he landed a job as an assistant director and a
scriptwriter.
Hou made his directorial debut with Cute Girl in 1980.
But until he made The Son's Big Doll, one of the first
films of the New Taiwan Cinema Movement, Hou attracted little
critical attention.
In 1989, Hou's career reached its peak when he won the Golden
Lion at the Venice International Film Festival for his historical
movie "City of Sadness."
His subsequent films such as Goodbye, South, Goodbye
(1996), Flowers of Shanghai (1998) and Three
Times (2005) have all been critically acclaimed but failed to
win an audience at home.
"The cinema of Taiwan has passed through its flourishing period
and now faces decline and degradation," Hou says.
He attributes the regression of the film industry mainly to the
economic slowdown and recession of the economy in Taiwan. Lack of
diversity in content also harms the film industry.
"Many Taiwanese producers and distributors were so keen to
purchase martial arts spectaculars from Hong Kong that they failed
to support other movie genres and our young directors," Hou
adds.
Though he anticipates that revival may take at least 10 years,
Hou is happy to find that many student filmmakers in Taiwan have
included new elements in their works.
"The young generation are very energetic and original," Hou
says. "With the booming of DV-making, they don't have much
financial pressure in making a film. Our role is equivalent to that
of 'spring' - providing our experience and resources to pave roads
for these young talents."
Hou calls himself "a lover of Chinese literary classics" ever
since his childhood. His next shooting plan may involve excerpts
from The Legend of the Tang Dynasty, an ancient collection
of Tang (618-907 AD) tales and stories.
"Culture cannot be copied," he says. "There is no Western movie
that can touch the soul of Chinese culture. A mission for us is to
preserve our own civilization and history through images."
(Shanghai Daily June 27, 2007)
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