[2011.06.19] TENG YUNG-SHING WINS SHANGHAI NEW TALENT BEST DIRECTOR

courtesy of takungpao.com

The 14th Shanghai International Film Festival "Asian New Talent" award was unveiled. Two Japanese films were the big winners as KAASAN MOM'S LIFE and BIRTH RIGHT won Best Feature Film and Jury Prix. Taiwan director Teng Yung Shing with RETURN TICKET won Best Director. Jury chair Shunji Iwai said, choosing three films from nine excellent work was very difficult. He was full of expectations for new directors and said, "Everyone need to believe in themselves, maintain their own styles and make their own movies."

Director Naoki Hashimoto with BIRTH RIGHT received the evening's first award Jury Prix from jury members Kwai Lun-Mei and Derek Elley. Xia Yu and Alex Law Kai Yui presented the Best Feature Film award to KAASAN'S MOM LIFE. As for the final award, when Teng Yung Shing accepted the Best Director award from the jury chair Shunji Iwai, he was so excited that he could not speak.

Farm worker film RETURN TICKET is a semi-documentary about the farmer work "spring migration" problem. Qin Hailu stars and famous director Hou Hsiao-Hsien produces. Teng Yung Shing said, "I feel like a kid doing his homeworking, after doing it for so long finally I pass. Although this is my second film, in terms of age it's already very late. I am very happy to still be able to win the New Talent Award at such an age, I consider it answering to myself." Teng Yung Shing said that he was teary eyed because he thought of his mother. "Because I mentioned this film to my mother before she passed away. The film is a story of going back as well as the journey of my heart. I have been very rebellious since I was little, when I think of going home I realize that being close (to family and relatives) is so hard."

Japanese film KAASAN'S MOM LIFE is about a comic book creator and housewife Reiko's daily experience. In a comedic way it examines a series of family problems in the modern society. The film's director Syoutarou Kobayasi said, "This movie is dedicated to my mother." Kwai Lun-Mei said about this year's Asian New Talent award Jury Prix winner BIRTH RIGHT, "The film displays the director's serious yet uncompromising style in an all new narrative as a genre. The jury has reasons to believe, the director's future film career will definitely be very exciting."

This year's Star Hunter new talent event also unveiled its winner. Jury Italian film star Maria Cucinotta and famous Hong Kong director Mabel Cheung Yuen Ting will select a winner to participate in their new films.

Shanghai International Film Festival reportedly is China's only class A international film festival. Since its inception its goal is to help new talent. In 2004, the film festival created the Asian New Talent award and according to the rules Best Director and Best Feature Film winners would receive 150,000 yuan RMB cash prize.