Dear EX 誰先愛上他的
Taiwan | 2018 | 115 minutes | Mandarin (English subtitles)
Directors: Mag Hsu, Chih-Yen Hsu
Cast: Roy Chiu, Ying-Shiuan Hsieh, Joseph Huang
Equality in matrimonial rights
Inspired by real life characters, this entertaining dramedy is a triumphant promotion for Taiwan’s progressive march towards equality in marriage rights. After professor Zhengyuan’s death, his wife Sanlian is incensed when she finds out that his insurance beneficiary is his male lover Jay. Things get even messier when Sanlian’s teenage son moves into Jay’s home. Awardwinning TV writer Mag Hsu’s script ties together flawed yet sympathetic characters in an intriguing knot of poignant secrets and unpredictable emotions. Co-director Kidding Hsu enhances the story with cute animated sequences and cool music that show Taipei in a hip, wacky light. The film shone at Taipei Film Festival, winning Best Narrative Feature, Audience, and Best Performer awards.
Film Festival Participation
Film Festival Participation
55th Golden Horse Award (Nomination) – Best Feature Film, Best Leading Actor, Best Leading Actress, Best New Director, Best New Performer, Best Original screenplay, Best Original Film Song and Best Film Editing
2018 Far East Film Festival in Udine (Competition)
2018 Taipei Film Festival (Nomination) – International New Talent Competition/Taipei Film Awards
Awards
2018 Taipei Film Festival – Audience Choice Award of International New Talent Competition
2018 Taipei Film Awards – Best Narrative Feature, Best Actor, Best Actress, Media Recommendation
About the directors
Mag Hsu
Born in 1966, Kaohsiung, Mag Hsu is famous for her creative writing and her role as a theater director. She is also the business owner of Dear Studio Co., Ltd. Years of writer/director experience in the theater not only solidified her enthusiasm for storytelling but also enriched her creativity. The stories she created made her a frequent nominee for TV awards. Production companies in Korea and China buy remake rights of her stories (including, but not limited to, In Time with You). Her novel caught Japanese publisher’s attention and was adapted into comics and TV series. However, she has never forgotten the biggest dream of her life—to be a director! After having directed two TV series, Mag is making her feature film directing debut in “Dear EX.”
Chih-Yen Hsu
After graduating from university, Chih-Yen Hsu made his first music video with the lowest budget to create a special effect shot in which “1 person is playing 8 people at the same time”. This was the start of his career as a director. His creative ideas for images are bold and diverse, which has made him one of the most sought-after young music video directors in Taiwan. His creativity in images completes director Mag HSU’s strength in directing actors—the two clicked and the perfect director duo was born.
See more: Natlab Website and CinemAsia Film Festival Website
Text source and photocredit: CinemAsia Film Festival
