Hua chi liao na nu hai / Candy Rain, 2008
Mandarin with English Subtitles
This is Hung-i Chen's first feature film which happens to be four separate shorts put together. First there is "If the southlands were frozen"-- the first story about Jessie, a young woman who broke up with her boyfriend and is taken by another young woman whom has been secretly in love with her for many years. The second story is "City under invisible attack"-- this story follows the trails of a young woman called U, who happens to be Aries, and is looking for love and wonders where such love is, even though she is protecting herself quite well. The third story is "Dreaming the opposite dream"-- it is about Spencer, a woman in love with a friend who is getting married. They make a strange pact to return to one another in ten years. The fourth story is the title of the film "Candy Rain" and is about a young woman known as Ricky.
Although one assumes these stories would have interlocked themes as they are all about stories that have to do with being a lesbian in Taiwan, they are not. There is a clear disconnection between the themes tackled. Chen misses a great opportunity here. This film could be very moving and change the perceptions people have about women in Taiwan. Instead it leaves the viewer feeling bored and lost. That said, the film is wonderfully directed. There are many beautiful scenes in the film that leave the viewer longing for a country that is not theirs. The acting by some of the cast also seems to make impact. So it is not exactly a waste of time.
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