Taiwan-produced film “Stray Dogs,” which was subsidized by the Ministry of Culture, won the Grand Jury Prize at the 70th Venice International Film Festival. Director Tsai Ming-liang, together with the film’s leading actor Lee Kang-sheng and actress Chen Shiang-chyi, attended an awards ceremony in Taipei on Oct. 2 and received NT$2.5 million (US$83,010) from Culture Minister Lung Ying-tai in honor of the film’s achievements.
Nearly two decades into his career, director Tsai tackles again the marginalization and loneliness in human nature through his slow-paced film that touches people’s hearts. The movie breaks away from the customary cinematic narration and opens a new window for the international motion picture community to see the infinite possibilities of filmmaking art.
Filmmaking inspired Tsai when he was a child, and his production team has also created a unique style of slow narration, proving that art films have an irreplaceable cultural force. In line with this perspective, the Ministry is promoting film education on a national level, hoping to make the appreciation of films a part of daily life.