Underplayed Gems

Mongrel (2024)

Mongrel poster
Original title
白衣蒼狗
Directed by
Chiang Wei-liang
Genre
drama
Country
Taiwan, Singapore, France
Runtime
2h 10m
Rated
15
Rating
8.0 of 10 from 2 voters
Elsewhere
IMDb
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How it feels

An undocumented migrant caregiver in rural Taiwan forms a quiet bond with his elderly bedridden patient. The film shows the daily routines and small moments between them.

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What happens

Mongrel (Chinese: 白衣蒼狗) is a 2024 drama film directed and written by Chiang Wei-liang, with co-direction by Yin You-qiao. Starring Wanlop Rungkumjad, Kuo Shu-wei, Daniel Hong, Lu Yi-ching, and Atchara Suwan, the film explores themes related to migrant caregivers in Taiwan, focusing on one caregiver (Rungkumjad) who develops a bond with his new patient (Kuo). A co-production between Taiwan, Singapore, and France, Singaporean director Chiang Wei-liang envisioned creating a film centered on migrant caregivers and the South Asian diaspora in Taiwan in 2017. He began developing the screenplay in late 2018, concurrently with pre-production, and completed the first draft in early 2020 during the Cinéfondation Residence. Principal photography took place from late 2022 to early 2023, primarily in rural areas of eastern Taiwan. The film had its world premiere at the 77th Cannes Film Festival on 20 May 2024, where it received a special mention for the Caméra d'Or. It received generally positive reviews from critics, particularly regarding the film's themes, characters, and tone, while Chiang's direction and visuals garnered both praise and criticism. It also secured seven nominations in the 61st Golden Horse Awards. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

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