Art and Entertainment

Taiwan enters Cannes-winning The Assassin for 2016 Oscars

Want China Times
Date: 2015-09-10
By: Xinhua and Staff Reporter

Taiwan’s Motion Picture and Drama Association has entered Taiwanese director Hou Hsiao-

Shu Qi in a still from Hou Hsiao-hsien's The Assassin. (Photo/CFP)

Shu Qi in a still from Hou Hsiao-hsien’s The Assassin. (Photo/CFP)

hsien’s acclaimed martial arts film The Assassin for the 2016 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.

According to a statement released by the association on Wednesday, The Assassin stood out among 13 candidates thanks to “its high degree of proficiency in cinematography, lighting, arts and character shaping, which succeeded in demonstrating natural personalities of people in a classic setting.”

“The director shows great ambition in creating a new film language style,” the statement read.

Set in ancient China, the film tells about a general’s daughter named Nie Yinniang who was trained by a nun to become an assassin.     [FULL  STORY]

First overseas Anpanman shop to open in Taiwan in September

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Children are joined by Anpanman and other characters at the Anpanman Children’s Museum in Mall in Fukuoka’s Hakata Ward. (The Asahi Shimbun)

The Asahi Shimbun
Date: September 01, 2015
Translated by The Asahi Shimbun from the website of Anime Anime Japan Ltd.

The first overseas shop specializing in the long-running Anpanman anime series for children will open in Taiwan in September.

The Anpanman Official Shop Taipei will be located at the Shin Kong Mitsukoshi department store in Taipei. It will serve as the flagship store for future operations in the region of publisher Froebel-Kan Co., anime studio TMS Entertainment Co. and Nippon Television Network Corp., which have handled business deals related to the superhero series.

Based on a picture-book series by Takashi Yanase, the “Soreike! Anpanman” animated TV series hit the airwaves 27 years ago in Japan. Since then, the superhero, whose head is made of a sweet bun, has always been ranked high on the list of children’s favorite characters in Japan.     [FULL  STORY]

Deceased actress Yang among nominees for TV Golden Bell Awards

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/08/26
By: Wang Ching-i and Brook Hsiao

Taipei, August 26 (CNA) The deceased actress Yang Ke-han (楊可涵), who committed 201508260032t0001suicide in July, was nominated for the Best Leading Actress Award of the 2015 TV Golden Bell Awards Wednesday.

The Bureau of Audiovisual and Music Industry Development, the organizer of the awards for Taiwan’s TV industry, announced the shortlist for various categories of the awards at a press conference in the afternoon.

Yang, along with Janel Tsai (蔡淑臻), Chu Chih-ying (朱芷瑩), Ruby Lin (林心如) and Huang Pei-chia (黃姵嘉) were nominated for the Best Leading Actress Award in the category of TV drama.

The jury group of the 50th Golden Bell Awards said that Yang was nominated for her outstanding performance in the TV drama “The New World” (新世界).     [FULL  STORY]

Eye-catching sculpture by Japanese artist unveiled in Yuanlin

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/08/25
By: C.H. Wu and Flor Wang

Taipei, Aug. 25 (CNA) Changhua Magistrate Wei Ming-ku on Monday unveiled a public

(Photo courtesy of the Changhua County government)

(Photo courtesy of the Changhua County government)

installation artwork by Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama at the newly built train station in Yuanlin in the hope of boosting the county’s tourism and economy.

At a ceremony that marked the upgrade of Yuanlin from a town to a city, Wei said the 1.3 meter tall sculpture shoe was of special significance and would become part of Changhua’s history.

The sculpture, titled “Let’s Go and See Our boyfriends in High Heels,” depicts a red polka dot shoe that holds a giant flower.

It stands in the plaza in front of Taiwan Railway Administration’s (TRA) new train station in Yuanlin, a central Taiwan area that now has a rail service for the first time.      [FULL  STORY]

Organizer denies questions over who painted damaged artwork

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/08/24
By: Christie Chen

Taipei, Aug. 24 (CNA) The co-organizer of the “The Face of Leonardo, Images of a

photo from Della Rocca Casa d'Aste catalogue

photo from Della Rocca Casa d’Aste catalogue

Genius” exhibition on Monday rejected suspicions that it misidentified the painter of the artwork damaged by a Taiwanese boy on Sunday.

TST Art of Discovery Co. (京銓藝術) released a surveillance tape earlier on Monday, showing that the 12-year-old boy tripped over a rope barrier post while walking near a painting, which organizers identified as “Flowers” by Italian painter Paolo Porpora (1617-1673).

The boy’s tumble left a hole the size of a fist in the painting, and it was being restored on the spot as of Monday evening.

Organizers said the 200-centimeter tall painting was valued at over NT$50 million (US$1.5 million).     [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan film festival and food fair opens in New Zealand

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The opening of the Taiwan film festival at the Sylvia Park shopping center, Aug. 22. (Photo courtesy of Taiwanese Business Association of New Zealand)

Want China Times
Date: 2015-08-23
By: CNA

A Taiwanese film festival and food fair opened at the Sylvia Park shopping center in the Auckland suburb of Mount Wellington on Friday, according to a statement released by Taiwan’s representative office in Auckland.

The events, jointly organized by the Taiwanese Business Association of New Zealand and Taiwanese Junior Business Association New Zealand, are a lead-up to the Republic of China National Day (Oct. 10) celebrations, the office said.

The films that are being screened at the festival include Everlasting Glory, Good Luck! Boy and The Frogville.     [FULL  STORY]

The Vinyl Word

Taipei Times
Date: Aug 21, 2015
By: Marcus Aurelius  /  Contributing reporter

Most Westerners who come to Taiwan spend a year teaching, save some money and

Fratzuki, pictured here at last week’s Havana Pool Party, will open for Moti tonight at Elektro. Photo courtesy of Jason Matthew Peters

Fratzuki, pictured here at last week’s Havana Pool Party, will open for Moti tonight at Elektro. Photo courtesy of Jason Matthew Peters

then move on. Sometimes, however, something magical happens in that first year. Because Taiwanese are extremely welcoming and those passing through Taiwan are stimulating, deep bonds are made in a short time, and soon that first year inexplicably becomes three, and then five and then 10.

This story is true for Fratzuki (real name Dominick Fresnia), who deejays and emcees at Elektro four times a week. He arrived in Taiwan after traveling the world and was in need of a financial windfall. In the decade since, he has been a party promoter, worked as a magician, started his own booth that sold deep fried oreos at the Raohe night market, made a hip-hop album in Mandarin, and has been an all around hustler since he has stepped off the plane.

The people that have a hard time in Taiwan usually get sick of teaching snotty-nosed kids rather quickly and are frustrated that there are not a ton of other opportunities out there. Fratzuki’s advice to them is to find something to do that you are passionate about.     [FULL  STORY]

Magic moment: Illusionist Lu Chen transforms into a father

Want China Times
Date: 2015-08-19
By: CNA and Staff Reporter

Renowned Taiwanese magician Lu Chen’s wife gave birth to a baby boy Sunday at a

Lu Chen and Wang Xiyi. (Internet photo)

Lu Chen and Wang Xiyi. (Internet photo)

hospital in Beijing’s Chaoyang district, according to local media reports.

The illusionist shared a wedding photo on Weibo in May, announcing his marriage to model Wang Xiyi and later confirming his wife’s pregnancy in a media interview.

Wang Xiyi is also a third-generation member of the Family Li Imperial Cuisine restaurant dynasty, a high-end restaurant chain known for its recipes for imperial dishes from the Qing Dynasty.

Lu’s agent said the couple will hold wedding ceremonies in both Taiwan and China sometime after Wang recuperates from giving birth.

Carly Rae Jepsen cancels Taipei appearance due to typhoon

Want China Times
Date: 2015-08-09
By: CNA

Canadian singer Carly Rae Jepsen will not be performing at the Super Slippa 2015

Carly Rae Jepsen. (Photo courtesy of Universal Music)

Carly Rae Jepsen. (Photo courtesy of Universal Music)

Taipei Super Summer Music Festival, because of disruptions to her travel plans caused by Typhoon Soudelor, the organizer said Saturday.

Promotor B’in Music said Jepsen was unable to arrive in Taiwan as scheduled on Saturday when the storm played havoc with international flight arrivals and departures, and it was later confirmed that she would not come to Taiwan to perform on Sunday.

The organizer said it was very sorry and apologized to music fans, and Jepsen also expressed her disappointment at not making it. “I am heartbroken that our trip to Taiwan is postponed bc of the typhoon, but we hope to be there soon to party with you all!” Jepsen said on twitter.     [FULL  STORY]

Actress Lee Li-hua to receive Golden Horse lifetime award

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/08/06
By: Christie Chen

Taipei, Aug. 6 (CNA) Lee Li-hua (李麗華), whose acting career has spanned close to four

Li (R) in Storm Over the Yangtze River Courtesy of Taiwan Film Institute

Li (R) in Storm Over the Yangtze River Courtesy of Taiwan Film Institute

decades, will receive a lifetime achievement award at the Golden Horse Awards this year, the festival’s executive committee announced on Thursday.

The 91-year-old actress was trained in Peking opera as a child. She made her first movie “San Xiao” (三笑) in 1940 at the age of 16 and has appeared in more than 120 films throughout her illustrious career.

Lee played the female lead in the 1962 film “The Magnificent Concubine,” which was the first Chinese-language film to win an award at the Cannes Film Festival, according to the Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival Executive Committee.

Other memorable films in which she appeared include “Empress Wu” (武則天). “Bright Day” (艶陽天) and “General Chai and Lady Balsam” (小鳳仙).     [FULL  STORY]