The organizers of the Venice Film Festival yesterday changed the country of origin for Taiwanese director Lee Ang's (李安) new film Se, jie (Lust, Caution, 色, 戒) from "China-US" to "Taiwan" on the festival's official Web site following a protest from Lee's office.
When the films that were selected for competition at the 64th Venice Film Festival were announced yesterday, Lee's film and director Lee Kang-sheng's (
Taiwanese flavor
Taiwanese director Alexi Tan's (陳奕利) film Tiantang kou (Blood Brothers, 天堂口) has been chosen as the closing film, giving the festival a particularly strong Taiwanese flavor.
A report yesterday in the Chinese-language United Evening News said that when the selected films were first listed on the film festival's official Web site two days ago, the country of origin for Lee Ang's film was listed as "China-US," which upset his Taiwanese fans.
Lee's office in New York received a wave of concerned telephone calls.
Lee Ang's assistant, Li Liang-shan (
The registration form for his film had listed Taiwan as the film's country of origin.
Country of origin
According to the newspaper, Li said that the film had received US financing and was shot in China, but the three major European film festivals -- Venice, Cannes and Berlin -- all list the director's home country as the country of origin for a film. As Lee is a citizen of Taiwan, the film should be listed as Taiwanese, Li said.
Tan's film is listed as originating in "Taiwan/China/Hong Kong," Lee Kang-sheng's is listed as "Taiwan," and Jiang's as "China/Hong Kong."
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old