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Taiwan Black Movies 台灣黑電影

In the late 1970s, a unique body of cult B films – characterised by an unusual dose of violence and sex – had taken Taiwan cinema by storm, yet quickly faded into obscurity within a few years. Hou Chi-jan’s award-nominated documentary had set out to explore and rediscover these forgotten films.

This incisive documentary brings back to life a Taiwanese film genre that was given up for dead. In the early 1980s, a time of strict censorship and political repression in Taiwan, an unexpected trend in “social realist” crime films suddenly flourished in the corner of exploitation cinema. However, the “social realism” here is a euphemistic description for what is really a B-film genre, which exploited both sex and violence.

Given momentum by sensational dramas featuring female avengers, these films marked an interesting counterpoint to the rise of Taiwan New Cinema, the definitive new wave movement in Taiwan’s film history. This documentary comprises fragments from many of these now untraceable films, alongside interviews with the filmmakers who were involved.

Events

Hou Chi-jan: Director’s Q&A

Closing the first series this special Q&A session will give attendees the opportunity to ask questions and discuss with the director

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