When same-sex marriage became legal in Taiwan in 2019, this was the result of a long struggle within the country, of activists and private citizens, which became a landmark event in Asian history. In a culture steeped in tradition but also open to outside influences, it was perhaps only a matter of time (and endurance) when the concept of relationships would change as a whole, even though there are still a few obstacles to overcome, legally as well as culturally. Although director Zero Chou's “Splendid Float” was made in 2004, when the issue itself was somewhat different and the chasm between tradition and change more drastic, it nevertheless sheds some light on topics such as acceptance of homosexuals as well as the difficulty of coming out.
Splendid Float is screening at Taiwan Film Festival Edinburgh
In Taipei, Xiao Qiangwei (James Chen), or Roy, leads something of a double life. At day he is a Taoist priest who specializes in guiding the spirits of recently deceased back towards their families, so they can begin the burial procedures. Accompanied by a group of partners, they spend most of the day listening to the police radio searching for cases which would make the appearance of someone like Roy necessary. However, the priest slips into the role of a drag queen at night and, going by the name of Rose, performs, together with other dancers and singers, every evening in many establishments.
After one night at the “Splendid Float”, a mobile stage, Roy and the other members of the group need to stop at a restaurant, where he meets Sunny (Hong Bo-Hoa). The two men quickly fall in love and spend the rest of the night together, promising each other they will move away from Taipei, even Taiwan, in order to find a place of their own. However, when Sunny is found dead and Roy has to accompany his family during the time of grief, he finds himself questioning this double life, wanting to grief for his lost lover in the context of a society expecting him to behave otherwise.
Within the context of the long struggle of the LGBT-community for equal rights, “Splendid Float” is an interesting story about the chasm of tradition and liberation, most prominently presented by the double-life of its main protagonist. As a Taoist priest Roy signifies traditional and religious values above else, a role he is constantly reminded of by his business partners whose financial gain depends on his performance, and who become disturbed by Roy turning into a “wailing woman” after the loss of Sunny. Unaware (or ignorant?) of his sexuality, their criticism of his behaviors as unmanly is one of many instances Zero Chou's script contains in order to present the difficulty of swaying from the social norm. Many times, especially during the burial proceedings, we are made aware of this conflict within the main character, whose grief and sadness is the source of confusion and frustration.
However, “Splendid Float” perhaps even works better when regarded as a love story. Even though this bond, similar to other same-sex relationships in cinema, ends in tragedy, its is thanks to the performances by James Chen and Hong Bo-Hoa that the emotional connection and thus the love between these two men is believable and feels authentic. Additionally, this is also due to the quite beautiful cinematography by Liu Yun-Hou, which emphasizes the depth of the feelings shared by the two characters as well as the gap between their love and how it is regarded by the rest of society.
In the end, “Splendid Float” is a well-acted drama about grief, love and same-sex relationships. Zero Chou manages to direct a feature whose performances and images tell a touching story about the difficulties of being in love with someone within a society that does not accept this kind of bond.
