Arvin Chen- A Director’s Take on Taiwan
By J.S
It’s not everyday you hear about a Taiwanese-American director doing big things in the film industry. Meet Arvin Chen. He is the award-winning director of Au Revoir Taipei – a romantic comedy based in Taipei. The film most notably won the “Best Asian Film” at the 2010 Berlin International Film Festival, and has been the opening or closing night film in several Asian Film Festivals across the US. Taiwan543 was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to chat with Arvin, and talk about his love for movies, the realities of the industry, and the charm of Taiwan.
Q: Could you please start by sharing a brief background on yourself?
Arvin: I was born and raised in the US, although my parents are from Taiwan. I grew up mostly in the Bay Area, and went to Berkeley for college. In terms of film, I didn’t get serious about it until after college. It was always apparent that I had a passion for movies but it never really took hold until I decided to take up a job in Taipei working for director Edward Yang. Edward was an inspirational figure for me, whose film includes, Yi Yi. It was during and after that experience that I knew I wanted to make films. I then enrolled in film school at USC, and as my thesis film, I made the short film, MEI.
Mei from Arvin Chen on Vimeo.
Q: What was your initial and continual inspiration for film making in Taiwan?
Arvin: The reality of it is that there are more opportunities in Chinese-language films. In Taiwan, local films are primarily funded by the government. Once you’ve established some credibility in the film industry in Taiwan, funding becomes more accessible and you have a good chance of getting your film to a wide audience. Financing is definitely the hardest part of filming. Also, I’m not sure why, but at the time, I felt like there weren’t a lot of interesting things to shoot in Los Angeles. Hence, why I decided to shoot Mei, and then Au Revoir Taipei in Taiwan. These days, I find myself going back and forth between Taiwan and the US. I find it refreshing as it helps me maintain an outsider’s perspective of Taiwan.
Q: You seem to be a big believer in the charm and film potential of Taiwan. What do you hope to show the world more of in Taiwan?
Arvin: It’s about Taiwanese societal issues but the issues are also very universal. And it’s anywhere, not just Western audiences. Everyone is really curious about Taiwan. Additionally, I think it would be cool to shoot parts of a film in China, cities like Beijing and Shanghai. It would have to be a co-production with China, although unfortunately at the moment, it is still very difficult to have Taiwanese films shown in China.
Q: What are you currently working on?
Arvin: I’m working on two scripts at the moment. One is set in the 1980s and another is modern day, both of which are based in Taiwan.
Q: What’s the next big thing you’re looking forward to?
Arvin: Finishing the scripts, getting funding, and starting filming again. Although filming may only be a span of a few weeks, it really is like working in a different world. I can’t wait to immerse myself in a new film.
Q: And because food is such a large part of Taiwan’s culture, I have to ask you – what is your absolute favorite snack food in Taiwan?
Arvin: Everything! In particular night market food. It’s the complete experience. A meal doesn’t have to consist of just one entree, but rather five different snacks. A favorite of mine is Shengqianbao (Fried Dumplings).
