Chen Yi-wen started his career as an actor, repeatedly cooperating with the late Edward Yang, before he decided to become a director himself. He continued with his two capacities until 2006, with the film “Tripping” being the last he directed to date. As an actor, he has repeatedly cooperated with Chung Mong-hong, netting the Best Leading Actor Award for “A Sun” in the 56th Golden Horse Awards. Five films he starred in were released in 2021, including “The Falls”, “Increasing Echo” and “Leave Me Alone”
On the occasion of the latter screening at Osaka Asian Film Festival, we speak with him about his career and the way the industry has changed through the years, his collaborations with Edward Yang, Chung Mong-hong and Fan Yang-chung, streaming platforms and many other topics.
Leave Me Alone screened at Osaka Asian Film Festival
You have been in the movie industry since the 90s. Which are the most significant changes you have witnessed?
At that time, during the 90s, filmmakers like us were more focused on the idea or our philosophy when we thought about a movie or when we wanted to make a film. Also, we needed to be more street smart to get what we wanted, and the crew was much smaller at the time. Now, the main focus of filmmakers is market success, and there are a lot of rules about the production and the crew. Of course, for the industry, that is good but it is a little bit different for filmmakers.
How have you changed through the years?
As a filmmaker, I think I follow the current. However, when I have a new idea, I check if it is fitting my philosophy or addresses a social issue. I do not think about the market success of the movie, it is hard for me.
How does your mentality differ, between being a filmmaker and an actor?
Being an actor means you are following the original idea of the director or producer, so I focus on the role, the man in the story and I try to interpret him. I won't really focus on philosophy or market success. The creation aspect is completely different, in my opinion.
How come you have not directed any movies recently?
I won't say I will not be a director in the future, I am still writing some script play. However, in the past I wanted to be the director, but now I want to be the main character of what I write and find someone else to direct. Sometimes, a producer will suggest that I direct and also be the actor, but I do not have that kind of courage (laughter) . I haven't done anything like that yet, maybe in the future. I still have two ideas I want to direct myself, but I haven't done that yet.
Can you tell me a bit about The Great Buddha+ and your cooperation with Chung Mong-hong?
Chung Mong-hong is great, a wiser director than me I think (laughter) I first cooperated with him in “Godspeed”, where I had three scenes. After that, he liked me and I also liked his film so when he produced the Great Buddha+, he invited me for something similar, three or four scenes. Chung Mong-hong is the producer and also the DOP for that film, but there is not much difference than when he is directing, just the director is different. I love that film, I feel awesome being in that film. And the team is great, if you are a filmmaker in Taiwan you can feel the team is great, and you feel like a great film is already there, since that team is involved. That is my experience and my feeling about Chung Mong-hong's production team
What is your opinion about Huang Hsin-yao?
I think Huang Hsin-yao is unique, especially for a local person in Taiwan because he can get the irony between people and he has a very unique sense of humor.
How was your collaboration with the late Edward Yang?
I can tell you that I still think of him a lot even though he passed away so many years ago. He is a mentor to me, he invited me to the world of filmmaking. He was my teacher and my boss before he was my director and he was also my friend. I got a lot from him, especially the structure of how to shape your creation, in script writing, directing or acting or even some other creative work. He was a serious guy, most people did not like him when they met him, because he was very serious when talking about filmmaking. If you think filmmaking is the most important thing in your life, you have to pay all your attention there, all your concentration should be placed there, and that is what I got from him. For example, he has mentioned before that if you make a film that is not good, people can laugh at you or blame you even 50 years later, because the film will stay there, and people can see it.
Lately, a number of the films you starred in are streaming on Netflix. How do you feel about that and the whole concept of streaming platforms?
Regarding the possibility of promoting content, it is a good thing, because if you make a film and it will only show in theaters for some weeks, let's say, there are still some opportunities to show on streaming platforms later, and that is good for the promotion of the movie. The frustration, however, is that when you make a film for the theater, you consider people will see the film in that setting and all the decisions about the details are for the big screen. When I am acting, or the director sets the mood or the art director is considering the details in a frame, it is for the big screen. When the film is showing on streaming platforms though, we don't know where people will watch it, it could be on their cell phone or a home cinema or on the computer. I think the mood will be different and that is the most difficult part for the director. It is like seeing a painting of Picasso or Dali in the book, it is not the same thing.
In 2021, five films that you starred in were released. How did you manage?
(laughter) I am lucky. As I remember, three of them were shot in 2019 and two in 2020, they just screened in the same year. For me, that was a lot of promotion but it was always different, since it was about five different films. I am lucky they trust me.
Why do you think they trust you?
(laughter) Maybe because there are few middle-aged actors in Taiwan. Maybe most actors my age focus more on their families, their children or some other business.
Do you find it difficult getting out of one role and into another?
It is ok for me. For example, if I know how to ride a horse, I know how to get on a horse and how to get down from a horse. It is the same with acting, so I do not find it difficult to change into different characters. However, I had some experiences after several years, since most of my roles are of unhappy individuals (laughter). This led to my mood changing towards being unhappy, a bit at least. So after finishing shooting, I try to change my mood by hanging out with friends or going to live concerts or even speed walking or reading or meditating. Basically, I am switching to using another part of my brain to forget that unhappy mood.
So, would you say that your roles affect your actual life, change you as a person?
No, in general I am happy. I saw that in all the screenplays about such characters in Taiwanese cinema, middle aged people are old and traditional so I always interpret that kind of roles. Most of my friends are like that, I know a lot of such people, but I am not like that.
Can you tell me a bit about your cooperation with Fan Yang-chung in “Leave Me Alone”?
He is amazing! I actually know him since he was 15-16 years old and he worked for a drama group. I was proud of him when he got a Golden Bell award for one of his TV movies and luckily, he wanted me to guest act in his first feature film, “Leave me Alone”. Beyond that, I feel that he is a kind of a gentle director and he will focus a lot on the characters of the roles. Because some directors always focus on camera or other aspects but he focuses a lot on his different characters. After that, I cooperated again with him, we just finished another new work and he is amazing.
He told me that he took some members of the crew on a tour into hostess clubs. Were you among the group? (laughter)
(laughter) I was not so lucky, like some of the young actors in the movie. I just went there to sing some songs, karaoke.
How would you describe your character in the movie?
He is not a powerful person, but when he was placed within the government system, he managed to do something for himself. He is greedy, selfish and he wants to get more money for himself. I think that even people who are not powerful can be greedy, the role is this kind of character, he is just a normal person.
Do you like him though, would you be friends with him in real life?
(laughter) In real life, he would not be my close friend. If I had the opportunity to change his mind or give him good advice, I would do that though.
How was your cooperation with Fandy Fan?
He was very young when we shot the film, he is now more experienced I think. I remember when we were shooting the movie, he told me that he is part of the younger generation and does not have much experience with filmmaking. I was struck by his innocence and he came across as a very pure individual, and this was his charm. He plays a character that is living on the edges of society but because of this kind of sense of purity and innocence that he has, the character becomes very likable as a person, anyway. I liked working with him, I would definitely like to work with him again.
In such circumstances, when you work with younger actors, do you find yourself acting like a mentor, giving advice for example?
I do not think about this. Maybe the producer, the director, or the young actors will think like that about me. However, I don't have that kind of concentration to do that, because I have to put all my focus on my role. On the other hand, If I put all my concentration to my roles, that could lead them to being good, leading by example let's say. But I don't teach them or tell them how to do this or that.
How about when working with young directors, as in the case of “Leave me Alone” do you give advice or ask to make changes?
I will give some advice regarding my role sometimes. I will try to understand their thoughts and feelings about my role and I will try to lead my creation towards them. I will ask, “is that ok, is that good, is that what you want?”. In that kind of situation, I will give some advice, but I will not give advice about directing.
Maybe that is the reason you get so many roles (laughter)
(laughter) If I gave too much advice they would not hire me (laughter) Thank you for telling me that (laughter)
What is your opinion about the Taiwanese movie industry at the moment?
I think it is a great opportunity for the Taiwanese filmmakers to think about because due to streaming platforms, more and more people can watch our content. So , we can do more in terms of content and overall creativity. On the other hand, I hope people in Taiwan, not only filmmakers, take more notice of the industry. Everyone says that culture and art are important but I hope people actually act on this to make it important not just because someone got an award in some festival and people decided at that moment that filmmaking is important. I think everyone should start thinking about doing something new creatively, even in music or painting, any kind of art. Also, teachers should not judge their students when they do something new, they could be geniuses and we should not stop that kind of ingenuity, just because of money issues. I think filmmakers have to show that to others.
Are you working on anything new at the moment?
I just finished a screenplay for the theater. It is actually Greek, Plato's “Apology of Socrates”. I just finished the first draft, which I adapted in a Taiwanese setting. I hope to act on stage and I hope it happens this or the next year. I still have a kind of a story for a movie screenplay and I will present it to various directors to see if they like this story. And there are also some parts in movies I am considering.
Was there ever a role that you would have liked to play?
(laughter) That is difficult to answer. I liked most of the characters I played. In the future, though, if I have the chance to interpret wiser people or extreme people, people who are really evil or really good or even very funny people, I would definitely take the chance. That is why sometimes I am writing myself in scripts because maybe I will have the chance to play such a character.
