Strawman

The screening on 25 November will be introduced by Professor Chris Berry (KCL). New restoration.

Filmmaker in Focus: Mark Lee Ping-bing.

Strawman (1987) is the first chapter in Wang Toon’s celebrated ‘Modern Taiwan Trilogy’, followed by Banana Paradise (1989) and Hill of No Return (1992), which traces the lives of ordinary Taiwanese through the upheavals of Japanese colonial rule (1895-1945) and the early Kuomintang era. Shot by master cinematographer Mark Lee Ping-bing, the film won six Golden Horse Awards, including Best Feature Film, Best Director and Best Original Screenplay.

In 1940s Taiwan, two impoverished tenant farmers struggle to support their family as the war draws to a close. When an unexploded American bomb lands in their field, they carry it to the Japanese authorities, hoping for a reward. Their simple plan soon spirals into absurdity, revealing the indignities, ironies and stubborn hopes of everyday life in the waning days of the Japanese occupation.

Cast:
Cho Sheng Li, Chang Po-Chou, Yang Kuei-Mei

Please arrive promptly - we do not show adverts.

Part of Made in Taiwan Wang Toon, Taiwan, 1987, 94m.