Tāi-kiap Muî-hue-lo̍k 大俠梅花鹿 – The Fantastic Adventures of the Deer Knight

Taiwanese Film Series

大俠梅花鹿 - "The Fantasy of Deer Warrior"
Directed by Ying Chang
1961｜Taigi / Taiwanese｜80 mins

In a forest where the animals once lived peacefully, the arrival of a pack of wolves upsets the balance. Seriously injured whilst trying to protect the others, an old stag asks his son to avenge him. But the young stag also finds himself caught up in a romantic rivalry, whilst a jealous fox sets his traps and the wolves take advantage of the chaos to invade the forest. All the ingredients of a chivalric tale are there — heroes, enemies, love, betrayal and clashes — but transposed into a world populated entirely by animals.

The screening will be followed by a discussion with the audience about the film, its genre conventions, the portrayal of animals and the place of taigi in Taiwanese cinema. A brief introduction to Taigi will also be offered: no prior knowledge is required. A few simple expressions will allow participants to rediscover, through language, some of the sounds heard on screen.

This event is organised by the Chair in Taiwanese Studies at INALCO, in collaboration with the Taiwan Film and Audiovisual Institute (TFAI) – 國家電影及視聽文化中心.