Orz Boyz
Mei Fang, Lee Kuan-yi, Pan Chin-yu
Director: Gilles Yang
A bittersweet look at childhood that is idyllic yet grounded in harsh reality, the directorial debut of author Gilles Yang Ya-che (for which he was named best director at last year's Taipei Film Festival) is a rare 'children's film' that navigates the fine line between cute and saccharine. Two friends, nicknamed Liar #1 (Lee Kuan-yi) and Liar #2 (Pang Chin-yu), engage in a rich fantasy life as they cope with family dysfunction and the more mundane pressures of primary school and home.
Yang, best known for the movie version of his novel Blue Gate Crossing, deftly directs the young stars, capturing such natural performances it's hard to believe there was a script. The story is separated into three chapters, punctuated by animation sequences (by Wang Teng-yu) that include imagery ranging from robots to rough-hewn versions of The Little Prince and Pied Piper of Hamlin.
Thematically and stylistically, these provide offbeat counterpoints to the boys' yearnings of escape into instant adulthood and, presumably, total happiness. For despite the seeming placidity of their lives amid the beauty of Taipei County's seaside suburb of Tamsui, their home lives are far from ideal.