Short Films by CJ Wang
划船 ROWBOAT
2014 | Taiwan | DCP | Color | 28 min
Is love nothing but an illusion mixed with memories and imagination?
Or is it a fantasy that keeps lingering in one’s head throughout life?
50 years ago, a boy and a girl rowed together on a famous outing site in Taipei: the Green Lake. 50 years after the trip, as the once-invincible old man shares the story with his daughter on that clear summer day, one becomes bewildered by the indescribable connection between the boy and the girl. No one is sure what really happened, except that all the sceneries upstream along the lake remain mesmerizingly appealing.
Director's Note
Bi-tan (the Green Lake) was a famous dating location for youngsters of my parents’ generation. Annoying boys boasted themselves by showing off how well they can row to the girls. The only chance for anyone to touch one another would be to hold hands when getting on a boat. Once you get on a boat, there would be so little space between a boy and a girl that you would almost feel obligated to have a conversation.
After retirement, my dad started to write novels but he was afraid to share it with anyone. One day he told me the story about how he met a beautiful girl in Bi-tan and I thought that was an awesome story. Just like him, I never told anyone that I wish to make that story into a movie. A movie that is shot on a lake. How cool would that be? However, I was surprised when I received the script from my dad. What he wrote was completely different from what he had told me.
小偷 THIEF
2011 | Taiwan | DCP | Color | 29 min
Those who steal your belongings are thieves, but how about those who steal your dignity?
Three elements contribute to Thief’s script: Taiwan’s night markets, cell phone thefts and lively fight scenes.
The plot focuses on two girls. Both of them are the straightforward and vigorous types. Both of them have a strong sense of urgency, always ready to satisfy their desires and face problems head-on. They look different but have a lot in common, especially their honesty. Even when pushed to desperate situations, they still remain incredibly honest. To me, they are the very embodiment of modern Taiwanese women. Apart from the two main characters, the story also includes a bunch of buffoons. These are hilarious guys who won’t help much in times of trouble. But anyway, just let them be. They don’t need to be helpful. Their charm lies in their little gags.