'Cry' event in tribute to Tsai Ming-liang's movie to be held in Taipei

Taipei, Nov. 12 (CNA) An event inspired by the crying scene of "Vive l'amour" (愛情萬歲) by Taiwan-based director Tsai Ming-liang (蔡明亮) will be held at Daan Park in Taipei on New Year's Eve to mark the 30th anniversary of the award-winning movie.

The New Year's Eve special took inspiration from Tsai's two-hour drama, which ends with the main actress, Yang Kuei-mei (楊貴媚), walking to Daan Park, which was then still under construction, by herself before bursting into tears on a bench by an outdoor stage in the early hours of a New Year's Day, following a series of unfortunate events.

The scene, which lasts nearly seven minutes, has become an iconic moment for many film enthusiasts. Tsai also brought home the Gold Lion -- the top prize at the Venice Film Festival in Italy -- in 1994.

The event will kick off with a screening of the movie at the park's outdoor stage at 9:45 p.m. on Dec. 31., followed by a countdown to 2025 with Tsai, Yang and another actor from the movie, Lee Kang-sheng (李康生), the Taiwan Film and Audiovisual Institute (TFAI) said.

The TFAI, the main organizer, told CNA that the event will hold "considerable significance" as this year marked the 30th anniversary of "Vive l'amour" and the completion of Daan Park.

According to the TFAI, Tsai was "moved" by a similar "cry" event initiated by netizens on social media last year, which led him to discuss expanding the event this year with the film institute, so that people can watch the movie and then celebrate the new year.

The event will be free of charge and the movie will be screened with Chinese and English subtitles.

Born in Malaysia in 1957, Tsai has been based in Taiwan for nearly five decades and is regarded as a prominent figure in Taiwanese cinema.

The auteur has received numerous international accolades for his movies, characterized by their distinctive aesthetics.