Under the shadow of Covid-19 pandemic, the world-famous Festival De Cannes has been forced to stop all the activities, and Hong Kong Film Awards has also been canceled. In comparison, it seems more commendable that the 57th Golden Horse Award can still be held as usual. The nominees also include film producers from Singapore, Malaysia, and Hong Kong, which further highlights the extraordinary status of the Golden Horse Awards “World’s Most Iconic Chinese Film Award”
Do you wonder why the movie award is named Golden Horse, unlike most of the famous movie awards are named after the location of the awards? What do the movies have to do with the horse?
In 1962, to encourage the filmmakers and promote the movie industry, the government held the 1st Golden Horse Award. In Chinese, the “Golden Horse” is pronounced as “Jing-ma”, which individually represent the initial words of Kinmen and Matsu. Kinmen and Matsu were the military forefront, so the name contains the expectation from the government, to urge all the film workers to as strong as the militaries.
In 1970s, Taiwan movies were formulated. Audience were tired of the patriotic movie. It was the time when the movie directors came back from the film academies oversea. They started to target the camera at the daily life of ordinary public, and achieved a great achievement.
However, due to the globalization and the government’s misleading policy, and the competition among multi-medias, Taiwan movie industry declined.
The dominating US film-making enterprises were weaken in 2007 by the global economic recession. It gave Taiwan movie a chance to breath. People were re-attracted by the movie made by Taiwanese. Since then, there are more and more Taiwan movies with good quality were released. Now let’s see what you can add into your weekend movie list.
Little Big Women
IMDb: 7.9
On Shoying’s 70th birthday, she learns that her long-lost husband Bochang has died. The worse is that there is another woman Tsai, who stayed by Bochang till his last breath. A merry reunion turns into a wake, an unfortunately perfect time for the family to face their complicated mother-daughter relationships. Shoying decides to find out who Tsai is. Will Shoying get the closure she has longed for all her life?
The Silent Forest
IMDb: 7.7
Hearing-impaired 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 in the last row on the school bus, his excitement about blending into a new environment immediately turns into fear. Seeing Bei Bei, the girl he has a crush on, getting hurt so badly, Xiao Guang, the ringleader, behaving like a king and other schoolmates acting innocent, Chang debates with himself on whether he should reveal the cruel truth about the game or whether he should join in. As the divide between the perpetrators and the victim begins to blur, confusion and anxiety grow among everyone in school.
Dear Tenant
IMDb:7.8
For the past five years, Lin has been looking after the son (Yo-yu) and the elderly mother (Mrs. Chou) of his deceased boyfriend (Li-wei). They live together like a family, and it is Lin’s way of remembering Li-wei – by continuing to be in the life he once had and loving the people he once loved. But when Mrs. Chou passes away, her other son (Li-gang) returns from overseas and discovers that Mrs. Chou’s property is passed on to Yo-yu, who has been legally adopted by Lin. Li-gang contacts the police, accusing Lin of killing his mother. As the ensuing investigation continues, more and more evidence mounts against Lin.
My Missing Valentine
IMDb:7.7
Hsiao-chi does everything so quickly that she’s always one step ahead of others. She works in the post office and a bus driver comes to post a letter every day. Hsiao-chi is turning thirty soon and longs for love. Finally, 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 the Valentine’s Day has mysteriously passed.
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