GOLDEN SLIPPER CONTENDERS – part I.
This year’s competition will be yet again full of interesting features from around the globe. Let’s get acquainted with the candidates for Golden Slipper one-by-one.
This year’s competition will be yet again full of interesting features from around the globe. Let’s get acquainted with the candidates for Golden Slipper one-by-one. To start us off, we can look across the ‘big pond’ to the USA’s representatives along with their colleagues from Taiwan!
Do you still remember last year’s independent film Terri directed by Azazel Jacobs? Yes, it was about the overweight outsider who insists on wearing his pyjamas to school as he simply finds it comfy. This superb film feature was later selected for several other festivals and in Poznan won the award of youth jury as well as a special award from the Polish Filmmakers Association. At the end of May, there will be another film with Zlín’s rising star Jacob Wysocki (in photo)in the leading role appearing on Zlín’s festival cinema silver screens. It will be Fat Kid Rules the World by director and actor Matthew Lillard (known from features such as Scream and Scooby-Doo) that will be competing for the award in the international competition of films for youth. The film is based on a novel of the same name written by K. L. Going. It tells a story of another outsider called Troy who’s boring and monotonous life is turned upside down by a bohemian rocker Marcus. Troy finds himself recruited as a drummer in an emerging punk-rock band. That would not be all that strange but there is a small problem, Troy has no clue about drumming. And how will Troy’s dad, former soldier, view his entry among this devilish punk gang?
An entirely different perspective on the world of the young is brought by the film Touch of Light co-produced by Taiwan and Hong-Kong. This story of inspiration, discovery and love is based on true events surrounding the life of blind piano prodigy and genius Huang Yu Siang. Siang, who portrays himself, leaves the security of his family nest in the countryside in order to study at a music college in Soul. Before long he meets a young woman who thanks to him begins to realise her lifelong dream of becoming a dancer. This poetic drama has wonderful visual features and excellent acting performances in abundance. Sandrine Pinna won two awards for her role at the Taiwan film festival.
Director Chang Jung-Chi says: „In 2005, when I saw Yu-Siang playing the piano for the first time, it was his smile that has made the main impression on me. My friendship with Yu-Siang encouraged me to take more interest in the world of the blind.“