China
17:09, 22-Jan-2018
Taiwan time-traveling romcom illuminates living with no regrets
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"Take Me to the Moon" is a coming of age teen film inspired by the music of Mandarin pop singer/songwriter Tom Chang Yu-sheng who died in a car crash in 1997.
Director Hsieh Chun-yi's film is about a star who dies in a car crash and her admirer from her school days goes back in time to save her.
"Chan Yu-sheng was a very popular singer whose music has been remade by lots of singers," Hsieh told CGTN Digital.
"Take Me to the Moon" Movie. /"Take Me to the Moon"
"Take Me to the Moon" Movie. /"Take Me to the Moon"
In his second feature film, Hsieh tells the story of Wang (Jasper Liu Yi-hao) who has had a crush on a close friend and popular classmate Emma (Vivian Sung Yu-hua) since high school but never found the courage to confess his feelings.
Twenty years after Emma won a local audition to work under a Japanese mega-producer in Tokyo, however, she has failed so miserably in her music career that she ends her life at 38.
"Take Me to the Moon" pays homage to Chang with several of his songs laced throughout the film with the lyrics relating to the themes of the movie, Hsieh said.
Behind the scenes with the Director & cast:
The film has been released in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Malaysia with an anticipated release on the Chinese mainland later this year.
Hsieh told CGTN Digital that “Take Me to the Moon” is considered a big budget film because most films made in Taiwan are usually made for under 2 million US dollars.
"I want to try many different types of movies, but my first and second feature it is all about romance and comedy," Hsieh said.
Director Chun-Yi Hsieh, going over a scene with cast members from "Take Me to the Moon" Movie. /"Take Me to the Moon"
Director Chun-Yi Hsieh, going over a scene with cast members from "Take Me to the Moon" Movie. /"Take Me to the Moon"
This marks his second feature film since graduating from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts in 2011. But the new director has no plans of slowing down anytime soon.
He said he is working on several projects awaiting a green-light including projects in Taiwan and the Chinese mainland, as well as a romantic comedy set in New York.
With “Take Me to the Moon” awaiting release in China and South Korea, as well as several other countries, Hsieh is grateful for its success but still admits he is unsure about if it will ever hit cinemas in the US.
"My first feature went to several festivals in the US," Hsieh told CGTN Digital.
Director Chun-Yi Hsieh, going over a scene with cast members from "Take Me to the Moon" Movie. /"Take Me to the Moon"
Director Chun-Yi Hsieh, going over a scene with cast members from "Take Me to the Moon" Movie. /"Take Me to the Moon"
"Some good reviews but not sure if this film will release in America. I hope so but I think it is very difficult."
During initial casting for “Take Me to the Moon,” Hsieh said he did not want a big star to play either of the leads.
"I couldn’t find the perfect person for these two roles so one of my producers knows the lead actress Vivian Sung because we needed to find different ways to look for actors,” he said.
"She read the script and really liked it so we had a conversation. She is kind of perfect for this role because she can act and she can sing and she also can dance."