Movie set in Taiwan gets Special Mention at Cannes Film Festival

Taipei, May 26 (CNA) A transnational film about the struggles of illegal migrant workers in Taiwan, titled "Mongrel," received a Special Mention at the Cannes Film Festival on Saturday.

Co-produced by Taiwanese, Singaporean and French filmmakers, the 128-minute movie gained the Camera d'Or Special Mention in the Directors' Fortnight section of the festival, which was held May 14-25.

Camera d'Or recognizes excellence in a first feature film, while Special Mention is conferred on films that are not awarded the main prize but deserve recognition for outstanding quality.

"Mongrel" tells the story of an undocumented Thai caregiver in Taiwan, and it delves into themes such as immigration, labor exploitation, and the resilience of the human spirit.

Chiang Wei Liang (曾威量), a Taiwan-based Singaporean who co-directed the movie with Yin You Qiao (尹又巧), said at Cannes that the team was pleased with the reception of the movie at the French festival.

"Some members of the public have come up to me in the last few days to tell me that they have the same job as the film's protagonist," Chiang told reporters.

"The actors have also been praised in the street for their performance," he said. "We're extremely happy about that."

On Sunday, Taiwan's Ministry of Culture expressed congratulations on the movie's recognition at Cannes, saying that along with other films, it showcased the talents of Taiwanese filmmakers.

Other critically acclaimed films at the Cannes festival that involved Taiwanese input included "Locust," "Colored," "The Shameless," and "Blue Sun Palace," the ministry said in a press release.