‘The Road to Mandalay’ flies flag for Taiwan at Venice Days

2016/08/31

Taiwan-made “The Road to Mandalay” by Myanmar-born director Midi Zhao is set to make its world premiere and compete for the best film award at the 13th edition of Venice Days, an independent section run alongside the Venice International Film Festival Aug. 31 to Sept. 10 in northeastern Italy.

“This is the only movie from Taiwan entered in the prestigious competition,” said Chang Chung-jen, director-general of the Ministry of Culture’s Bureau of Audiovisual and Music Industry Development. “More importantly, though, it represents an artistic achievement by Taiwan cinema.”

Chang, who made the comments during a news conference attended by Zhao and members of the main cast Aug. 29 in Taipei City, said the feature film—a joint production by Taiwan, France, Germany and Myanmar—was partly subsidized by the MOC. The movie will also screen in the Contemporary World Cinema program at the Toronto International Film Festival Sept. 8-18 in the Canadian city.

The film is one of 12 titles in competition from countries such as Australia, Colombia, France, Italy and the Philippines, with the opening film being “The War Show,” a Denmark-Finland production about the Syrian uprising and subsequent conflict in the Middle Eastern country.

“The Road to Mandalay” chronicles the lives of a young man and woman as they travel illegally from Myanmar to Thailand. A relationship soon develops between the pair, but their expectations for the future diverge: The man wants to return to his native Myanmar, while the woman wishes to move to Taiwan.

This is the fourth feature film by Zhao, who relocated to Taiwan from Myanmar in 1998 at age 16 and is now a Republic of China (Taiwan) national. His last movie “Ice Poison” represented Taiwan in the Best Foreign Language Film category at 2015 Academy Awards.

Taiwan-directed movies are no stranger to VIFF. Acclaimed Taiwan talent Hou Hsiao-hsien’s “A City of Sadness” claimed top prize in the main competition in 1989 and Tsai Ming-liang’s “Vive L’Amour” followed suit in 1994. Academy Award winner Ang Lee won in 2005 with “Brokeback Mountain” and in 2007 with “Lust, Caution.”

Source: Taiwan Today (http://taiwantoday.tw/ct.asp?xItem=247543&ctNode=2194&mp=9)