Film: Cinema Paradiso
Director: Hou Hsiao-Hsien
Country: Taiwan
Released: September 1989
Runtime: 157 minutes
Genre: Historical Drama
Studio: 3-H Films
Influenced: Edward Yang, Jia Zhangke, Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Hirokazu Kore-eda, Lav Diaz
A City of Sadness is the third film in Hou Hsiao-Hsien's trilogy of historical films that explore different eras of Taiwanese history, following on from The Boys from Fengkuei (1987) and Dust of the Phoenix (1989). The film tracks the lives of several families in Taipei during the Japanese occupation of Taiwan, and is set in the years 1945-49, a period marked by Taiwan's transition from Japanese colonial rule to Chinese Nationalist Party (Kuomintang, KMT) governance. Unlike any filmmaker before him, Hou is unafraid to delve into the country's painful historical period known as the "White Terror", a time of political upheaval and repression in Taiwan. Hsiao-Hsien based the film loosely on the novel The Sadness of the City by Chen Yingzhen, inspired by the novel's depiction of historical events and its themes of loss, nostalgia and the search for identity.
The film's plot is loosely based on the novel, but Hou took many liberties with the story, centring it on the lives of the Lin family, a wealthy family of landowners trying to survive against a backdrop of political turmoil. The Lins are a Hakka family living in a small town and their eldest son, Wen-heung (Tony Leung), is a hearing-impaired photographer who documents the family's experiences. Language becomes a significant theme as Mandarin is introduced as the official language, creating a barrier for the Hakka-speaking characters. The family's struggle to adapt to this linguistic change mirrors the broader challenges faced by Taiwanese society. As the KMT regime takes over, political tensions rise. The family becomes embroiled in the turmoil, with Wen-heung's brothers taking different paths – one becoming a soldier, another getting involved in the anti-government movement and a third getting caught in the crossfire.
The film begins with the end of World War II, as Taiwan is handed back to Chinese control by the Japanese. A particularly notable moment in the film is the "228 Incident", referring to a brutal crackdown on anti-government protests in February 1947. This event impacts the Lin family deeply and forms a pivotal moment in the film. The Incident's violent aftermath and the subsequent wave of repression cast a shadow over the family's lives, with the Lin family experiencing profound personal losses, reflecting the broader tragedies faced by Taiwanese people during this period of upheaval. In addition to its impact on cinema, A City of Sadness played a role in encouraging discussions about Taiwan's history and the legacy of the White Terror period, prompting audiences to reflect on the nation's past and the importance of acknowledging historical injustices.
In terms of its cinematic impact, Hsiao-Hsien developed a unique directorial style, characterised by long takes, minimalistic dialogue and an emphasis on capturing the everyday lives of his characters. The film uses music in a wonderfully emotive and stirring way, while I also found innovative the director's use of intertitles in various scenes to show what the characters are writing to each other, creating a sense of intimacy with their thoughts. A City of Sadness earned critical acclaim for its thought-provoking exploration of history, identity and memory, and won various awards, including the prestigious Golden Lion award at the 46th Venice International Film Festival in 1989. The film's nuanced approach to historical events and its emphasis on personal experiences rather than grand narratives set it apart from conventional historical dramas, and its success contributed to the rise of Hou Hsiao-Hsien as an internationally renowned filmmaker.
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