Fleeing By Night

Colour, 35mm
Taiwan, 2000, 123 min
Section: Another View

Synopsis

Set in 1930’s China, the film tells the story of an encounter between three young people which completely alters the future course of their lives. Shaodung, who has been studying cello in the United States, returns home to his impatient and happily expectant fiancée, Ing’er. Her father is the owner of a theatre at which the opera Fleeing by Night will be performed. A big theatre and opera fan, Ing’er invites her fiancé to a performance. There, Shaodung meets the famed singer and star of the opera, Lin Cheung, for the first time and is completely dazzled by his beautiful voice. While Shaodung futilely attempts to gracefully combine Western musical expression with Eastern musical traditions, Ing’er begins to be drawn by turns to both men. She cannot, however, avoid noticing, with feelings of trepidation, their growing attraction for each other.

About the director

Hsu Li-kong is one of Taiwan’s best-known producers. As production manager for Central Motion Pictures he worked on, among others, the following films: The Wedding Banquet (1993), Vive lîamour (1994) and Eat Drink Man Woman (1994). In 1997 he founded Zoom Hunt International productions which, in addition to many television movies, co-produced Sweet Generation (1997), Love Go Go (1998), The Personals (1999) and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000). Chi Yin graduated from film school in California and then began shooting commercials, documentaries and TV movies. His first feature film was In A Strange City (1995), produced by Hsu Li-kong. They then collaborated on Fleeing by Night.