The first program of Voices of Youth has two films: the short city symphony A Morning in Taipei, newly scored by Lim Giong, and Mou Tun-fei’s feature debut I Didn’t Dare to Tell You. In his introduction, Dr Victor Fan from King’s College London places both films in Taiwanese cinema history. The short film was made by Pai Ching-jui (1931-1997), considered a founding father of Healthy Realism and modern cinema in Taiwan. He was also the mentor of Mou Tun-fei (1941-2019), who worked as an assistant-director for him.
I Didn’t Dare to Tell You Mou Tun-fei (1969, 78’)
Aided by a classmate, a pupil tries to find a way to help pay off the gambling debts of his father, a widower with health issues. At the same time, he also tries to keep his teacher satisfied, a young woman who has a relationship with an artist. This is Mou’s first film after graduating from Taiwan Art College. After its completion, I Didn’t Dare to Tell You only had a few private screenings. One reel of the original 35mm copy has been lost, and this only available complete copy has an ending imposed by government censors.
A Morning in Taipei Pai Ching-jui (1964, 20’)
As dawn gradually breaks, we see the neon lights of the city being swallowed by the morning light. We traverse parks, churches, markets, factories, and follow the morning paper on its way to the breakfast table of a small white-collar family. The silent film has been scored by Lim Giong, singer, musician and film composer (Millennium Mambo, A Touch of Sin).
Press
Asian Movie Pulse, ‘Short Film Review: Run (1966) by Han Hsiang-ning’, 18-4-2021 [EN]
Asian Movie Pulse, ‘Film Analysis: I Didn’t Dare to Tell You (1969) by Mou Tun-fei’, 19-4-2021 [EN]
Windows on Worlds, ‘I Didn’t Dare to Tell You (不敢跟你講, Mou Tun-Fei, 1969)’, 21-4-2021 [EN]
Frameland ‘(Art)house Violence: I Didn’t Dare to Tell You’,2021 May issue