Soul of A Demon (2007)

Original title

蝴蝶

Directed by

Chang Tso-chi

Genre

drama film

Country

Taiwan

Runtime

2h 02m

Rating

6.2 of 10 from 9 voters

Elsewhere

IMDb

How it feels

The film follows several marginalized characters in Taiwan whose lives intertwine through moments of violence and connection. It takes place across coastal fishing towns and a remote island, showing the struggles of people living on the edge of society.

slow-burncontemplativegrittymelancholicvisceralintimatenaturalisticbittersweet

What happens

Soul of a Demon (Chinese: 蝴蝶) is a feature-length narrative film made by Taiwanese director Chang Tso-Chi in 2007. The film was selected for the Panorama section of the 58th Berlin International Film Festival as well as the Competition entry at the 21st Singapore International Film Festival. Setting an unprecedented record, Soul of a Demon opened both the 44th Golden Horse Film Festival and the 32nd Hong Kong International Film Festival. Taking five years for director Chang Tso-Chi and his crew to shoot, Soul of a Demon cost a production budget of one million New Taiwanese dollars. Exploring a rare film genre in Taiwanese cinema, Soul of a Demon incorporates four languages: Mandarin, Taiwanese Hokkien, Japanese, and the Yami language of the Tao People. The shooting locations range from Nanfang'ao Fishing Port to Orchid Island (Lanyu), showcasing the pristine beauty of Taiwan's eastern region. "The film continues Chang Tso-Chi's previous focus on the lives of the underprivileged and carries on his unique aesthetic of violence." Known for his focus on the struggles of the marginalized, Chang Tso-Chi weaves a narrative that intertwines personal journeys with larger societal issues. Through his unique blend of violence and beauty, he exposes the harsh realities faced by those living on the fringes of society while showcasing the resilience and indomitable spirit of his characters. Soul of a Demon tells the story of Yi-Che, who grew up in Nanfang'ao. His grandfather is from Japan, and his mother belongs to the Indigenous community in Orchid Island (Lanyu). All of this makes Yi-Che's background a microcosm of the local history of Nanfang'ao. Chang Tso-Chi's initial creative concept for this film was ambitious, involving the local history of Nanfang'ao and incorporating elements of traditional puppetry of Taiwan as well as other Indigenous cultural references. He also attempted to combine CGI animation to further develop and enhance the "magical realism" technique frequently used in his previous films. Unfortunately, unexpected issues arose during the production process, preventing the realization of the original plans to their full extent. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

Trailer

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