"Gaga" is a little word that contains an entire world: the world of the Tayal people, from the northeastern part of Taiwan. Four letters that describe a lifestyle and above all a set of moral values that all must respect. Despite making up only 2.42% of Taiwan's population, indigenous Taiwanese cultures have been the subject of several films, and the Far East Film Festival 25 has chosen director Laha Mebow's Gaga to represent a culture and tradition which are almost unknown in the West. Eagerly awaited in Udine for its European premiere after winning the best director prize at the 2022 Golden Horse Awards (Laha Mebow made history as the first indigenous Taiwanese director to win an award!), the film tells the story of the Hayung family. A family in which, upon the death of the patriarch, the political aspirations of the eldest son, an unplanned pregnancy and a dispute over financial matters shatter a peace that has lasted decades. To accompany Gaga on stage, Laha Mebow herself, along with lead actress Kagaw Piling. And in a completely different genre but again with roots deep in the heart of Taiwan, it's The Abandoned by Tseng Ying-ting: a pitch-black old-school noir in which the trajectory of the investigation merges with a reflection on the phenomenon of illegal immigration. A fascinating psychological thriller where detective Wu Jie has to deal with her own demons as well as with a mysterious serial killer... There are currently around 700,000 immigrant workers in Taiwan: even though The Abandoned might not be a political exposé, it uses its crime movie narrative to take on those who exploit the weakest.
All the seventh day, minute by minute!
TEATRO NUOVO
09.00
PRESS REVIEW
News from Asia with Giulia Pompili (Il Foglio) and Francesco Radicioni (Radio Radicale).
9.00
SWALLOWTAIL BUTTERFLY
Directed by IWAI Shunji
(Japan, 1996)
Set in a Japan where a strong Yen is attracting thousands of migrants, a dystopian crime movie shot with handheld camera and music video aesthetics.
11.00
INCONTRI/TALKS
Two talks this morning: one dedicated to Korean and Filipino horror cinema and the other to the wonderful Baisho Chieko (who will be present).
11.40
MAD FATE
Directed by Soi CHEANG
(Hong Kong, 2023)
With Johnnie To as producer, Soi Cheang directs his most bizarre and unpredictable film yet!
15.00
GAGA
Directed by Laha MEBOW
(Taiwan, 2022)
Can a close-knit family rooted for decades in a Taiwanese village preserve their traditions even when contemporary life tells them otherwise?
17.10
VITAL SIGN
Directed by CHEUK Wan-Chi
(Hong Kong, 2023)
A serious accident on the highway puts a pair of paramedics with very different characters to the test.
19.30
KILLING ROMANCE
Directed by LEE Won-suk
(South Korea, 2023)
A starlet retires from the movies and marries rich Johnathan. The marriage is an unhappy one, but her husband forbids her from going back to acting. Prompted by a neighbour who is a huge fan, she concocts a plan to free herself of her 'enemy'... Feff regulars will already be familiar with the talents of Lee Won-suk, but FEFF newcomers will get to know one of the most eccentric pop-culture personalities in Korean cinema!
17.45
BAMBÙ TALKS
Intimate Rivals - Japan, Korea and China: A Past That Keeps Returning. Curated and presented by Giulia Pompili and Francesco Radicioni.
21.30
THE ABANDONED
Directed by TSENG Ying-ting
(Taiwan, 2022)
A nocturnal old-school noir with a protagonist who is dealing with her own demons as well as a killer. And failure means abandoning migrant women to their fate.
***
VISIONARIO
14.00
SPARROW
Directed by Johnnie TO
(Hong Kong, 2008)
15.40
800 TWO-LAP RUNNERS
Directed by HIROKI Ryuichi
(Japan, 1994)
18.30
WHERE SPRING COMES LATE
Directed by YAMADA Yoji
(Japan, 1970)