Taipei Cultural Center in New York

In celebration of the 20^th edition of its annual international nonfiction film festival, the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) will be presenting “20 Years of Doc Fortnight” at its virtual cinema from 3/4-3/17. MoMA will be streaming 10 different films “emblematic of Doc Fortnight’s eclectic history, selected from around the world with focuses ranging from the cosmic to the deeply personal.” Included among them is Taiwanese director Chung Mong-hong’s debut documentary feature, DOCTOR(醫生), which was originally selected for Doc Fortnight 2008. Film lovers will be able to watch the film online from 3/11-3/17.

DOCTOR revolves around a Taiwanese-American oncology doctor, Dr. Wen, who previously lost his son Felix to suicide. The film follows his journey of healing through grief while treating a 12-year-old Peruvian boy, Sabastian, who is suffering from cancer. In efforts to subdue scenes filled with mawkish sentimentality, Chung shot the documentary in black-and-white, blended in Dr. Wen’s home video footage as well as Felix’s precocious drawings, and scored the images with Bach’s classics, John Cage’s modern music, and Latin music. “The result is a documentary that is both factual and poetic,” said Chung. The audience is able to reflect on life, death, and hope throughout the screening.

DOCTOR won the Best Documentary Award at the 2006 Taipei Film Festival, as well as the Merit Prize from the Asian Vision Competition and the PTS Audience Choice Award at the 2006 Taiwan International Documentary Festival. It was also selected for the “Regards Neufs” section at the 2007 Visions du Réel International Film Festival.

Director Chung Mong-hong, also known through his pseudonym Nagao Nakashima, is a Taiwanese film director, screenwriter and cinematographer. His latest fiction feature A SUN (陽光普照) has made the Oscar shortlist in the International Feature Film category of the 93^rd Academy Awards. BAMcinématek, a Brooklyn-based year-round film program, wrote in 2015 that “Chung Mong-hong has established himself as one of the boldest voices in contemporary Asian cinema… his films encompass everything from documentary to psychological horror, retaining a unique quality that is darkly comic, strikingly stylish, and subtly surreal.”

For more information, please visit MoMA’s official website: https://www.moma.org/calendar/film/5291.

Thu, Mar 11, 12:00 p.m.–Wed, Mar 17, 12:00 p.m.

Directed by Chung Mong-hong (鍾孟宏)
Taiwan | 2006 | 92min | B&W | 35mm | In English, Mandarin, and Spanish with English subtitles

On July 4^th, 1996, Taiwanese-American 13-year-old genius Felix posted a puzzling notice on the door of his bedroom. Three hours later, he ended his own life. Devastated, his father, Dr. Wen, left Iowa City, his home of 20 years, and moved to Miami. Though the warm, sunny climate and the passage of time have distanced him from the traumatic experience, his grief and perplexity lingers. Six years after Felix’s death, Dr. Wen treats a boy from Peru, Sabastian, who is suffering from lung cancer. Sabastian’s optimism brings a new perspective to Dr. Wen. Through the stories of the two adolescents and Dr. Wen’s loving concern for them, the documentary touchingly portrays the transience, struggles, mysteriousness and precious nature of life.

Chicago’s Asian Pop-Up Cinema (APUC) will celebrate its upcoming Season 12 with 33 new Asian films from March 15 through May 1. Included among them are five of the most critically and commercially acclaimed Taiwanese films of 2020 – THE SILENT FOREST (無聲), CHEN UEN (千年一問), 76 HORROR BOOKSTORE (76号恐怖書店), DEAR TENANT (親愛的房客), and MY MISSING VALENTINE (消失的情人節). Four of these five films will be having their American premieres at the festival.

These five films reflect the diverse storytelling seen throughout Taiwan’s film industry in recent years, and all of them were recognized by Taiwan’s Golden Horse Awards or by international film festivals. The Taipei Cultural Center and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Chicago are pleased to introduce the charm of Taiwanese films to an American audience by collaborating with the Asian Pop-Up Cinema, Chicago’s only pan-Asian film festival, which is organized by the non-profit organization Sophia’s Choice.

MY MISSING VALENTINE, a fantasy comedy drama directed by Chen Yu-hsun (陳玉勳), was the biggest winner of the 57th edition of Golden Horse Awards, receiving five separate awards, including best feature film and best director. DEAR TENANT, a moving drama about the love found within LGBT families, received three awards. In particular, Mo Tzu-yi (莫子儀) and Chen Shu-fan (陳淑芳) were named best leading actor and best supporting actress for their roles in the film. THE SILENT FOREST, a sexual abuse drama based on real events at a school in Taiwan, received eight total nominations and won two awards.

CHEN UEN is a documentary revolving around Taiwanese legendary comics artist Chen Uen (鄭問, 1958-2017). Director Wang Wan-jo (王婉柔) depicts the artist’s life through music, framing, and recreated scenes, creating an aesthetically pleasing film that honors the artist’s rich legacy. The documentary received a nomination for best documentary at the 57th edition of Golden Horse Awards. 

76 Horror Bookstore is a Taiwanese mini-film series, consisting of four spine-chilling horror vignettes titled Rent, Hunger, Hide and Seek, and Taxi. It was selected for the SITGES Festival Internacional de Cinema Fantàstic de Catalunya and the Spooky Movie International Horror Film Festival last year.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, APUC announced that this season will be available through a hybrid format, as 24 films will be available to stream in its virtual cinema, and nine will be played at the Lincoln Yards Drive-in. 

For more information, please visit APUC’s official website: https://www.asianpopupcinema.org/.


Screening Schedule and Film Descriptions (Subject to changes as announced by APUC)

March 17-21
APUC Virtual Cinema (geo-blocked for Illinois only)
THE SILENT FOREST (無聲) | U.S. Premiere
Taiwan | 2020 | 104 Minutes
Producer: Yu Pei-Hua, Chu Yu-Ning
Director: Ko Chen-nien
Stars: Buffy Chen, Troy Liu, Kim Hyun-bin, Liu Guan-ting

Deaf teenager Chang Cheng transfers to a school for children with special needs. However, the world of the hearing-impaired doesn't seem quiet at all. When Chang witnesses the "game" taking place on the school bus, his excitement about blending into a new environment turns into fear. Chang struggles with whether he should reveal the cruel truth about the game or join in.

March 24-28
APUC Virtual Cinema (geo-blocked for the U.S.)
CHEN UEN (千年一問) | U.S. Premiere
Taiwan | 2020 | 135 Minutes
Producer: Wang Shih
Director: Wang Wan-jo

Chen Uen is one of the most celebrated comic artists in Asia. His work is presented in a unique aesthetic that blends Chinese ink painting with western painting techniques. His skillfulness in using a variety of materials has made his style unparalleled, as it is commonly recognized as the “Chen Uen aesthetic.”

March 27-31
APUC Virtual Cinema (geo-blocked for the U.S.)
76 HORROR BOOKSTORE | Midwest Premiere
Taiwan | 2020 | 97 Minutes
Directors: David Chuang, Hung Tze-Peng
Stars: Esther Huang, Joe Zhang, Rexen Cheng, Eric Lin, Troy Liu, Annie Chen, Jason King

RENT: A bargirl discovers dreadful secrets about her landlord.
HUNGER: A fugitive wakes up to discover that eating has become a crime.
Hide and Seek: A round of hide-and-seek amongst a group of teenagers turns into a deadly game.
TAXI: A pregnant young woman must confront her fears of the past.

April 16, showtime at sunset
Lincoln Yards Drive-in
DEAR TENANT (親愛的房客) | U.S. Premiere
Taiwan | 2020 | 106 Minutes
Producer: Yang Ya-che
Director: Cheng Yu-chieh
Stars: Morning Mo Tzu-yi, Chen Shu-fang, Bai Run-yin, Yao Chun-yao

For the past five years, Lin has been looking after his elderly landlady, Mrs. Chou, and her grandson, as it’s his way of remembering someone. When Mrs. Chou passes away, her son Li-gang returns from overseas and discovers that Mrs. Chou's property has passed on to her grandson, who has been adopted by Lin. Li-gang accuses Lin of killing his mother. As the investigation continues, more and more evidence mounts against Lin....

April 24, showtime at sunset
Lincoln Yards Drive-in
MY MISSING VALENTINE (消失的情人節) | U.S. Premiere
Taiwan | 2020 | 119Minutes
Producers: Yeh Ju-fen, Lee Lieh
Director: Chen Yu-hsun
Stars: Liu Guan-ting, Patty Lee, Joanne Missingham, Duncan Lai

Hsiao-chi does everything quickly, and she always seems to be one step ahead of everyone else. She is turning thirty soon and longs for love. On the eve of Valentine’s Day, a hot guy asks her out, but to her astonishment, she wakes up the next morning and finds that Valentine's Day has mysteriously passed....