Tradition in Near Future: Ritual Corporeality in Contemporary Taiwanese Arts, the latest exhibition of Taiwan Academy in Los Angeles, shows the Taiwanese parade (Zhen Tou) and ritual ceremony by using the documentary, contemporary video works, as well as photos. To correspond with this exhibition, Taiwan Academy in Los Angeles is holding a film screening of “Din Tao: Leader of the Parade” on Friday, September 21st, at 7 p.m.. The movie is based on a real story of Zhen Tou’s family, and we also invite Taiwanese director Charlene Shih to join our screening, and share her point of view on this movie specifically. Feel free to join our event.
The movie “Din Tao: Leader of the Parade” is directed by Kai Fung, he was nominated as the best new director in the 49th Golden Horse Awards. Also, in the same year, the movie was nominated for the best original movie song. “Din Tao: Leader of the Parade” is a family-based drama, and also an original story from a Taiwanese troupe called ‘Chio-Tian Folk Drums and Art Troupe.’ The content of the movie has fully reflected how folk rituals display in Taiwanese local culture significantly.
The main character, Ah Tai, who was born into a famous Din Tao family in Taichung, Taiwan. Since he was little, he always teased the mask of San Tai Zi deity, and it was one of the reasons why his father looked down on him. When he was growing up, his relationship status with his father became worse due to his disobedience. However, Ah Tai took over his father’s director position of the Din Tao accidentally.
In the Din Tao team he is responsible for, everybody doubts his ability. What’s worse, another Din Tao family is also waiting for his failure. Despite all the pressure from elder’s traditions and doubts from his Din Tao members, Ah Tai decides to prove himself in his own way. He carries the drum, put the deity’s costume on, bring a group of young team member on their way to travel around Taiwan and also aims to expand Taiwanese Din Tao culture in a different way.
For the Taiwanese director Charlene Shih as mentioned above, she received her MFA in Experimental Animation from California Institute of the Arts. She has been working on filming documentaries, dramas, and animations for a period time. At the same time, she has her sense of understanding of Taiwanese movies, and it was one of the reasons we invite her to be our speaker in this panel. We believe that she will do a great job on guiding audiences from the Taiwanese local culture of Din Tao to the spotlights of the movie storyline, the visual effects and also other elements within the movie.
Film Screening: “Din Tao: Leader of the Parade”
Date: Friday, September 21st, 2018, 19:00-21:00
Venue:Taiwan Academy in Los Angeles
(1137 Westwood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90024)