OLD FOX | SB Film Society Screening Q&A Recap

SCREENING REPORT

Old Fox

Old Fox x SB Film Society Screening Q&A Recap

– Tuesday, November 19 at 7:00PM PT

Q&A RECAP

Moderator:

Roger Durling

Panelists: 

Hsiao Ya-Chuan ( Director and Screenwriter)

Davis Chang (Translator)

The SB Film Society screening of “Old Fox” at the Riviera Theater had 120 attendees. Following the film was a conversation with Director/Writer Hsiao Ya-chuan. Hsiao started by talking about his larger visual approach with the film. His goal was to use create a visual language that reproduced the feeling of inequality, something achieved through broader cinematographic choices as well as more specific devices, like the use of a one-way mirror to shoot a key scene between Old Fox and Liao Jie.

Hsiao also talked about the importance of the age of the young boy, Liao Jie. For Hsiao, 10 is a special age, one where kids start to form their own values and world view. In fact, it was at this age that his own children started asking him questions about the world, and specifically, about inequality and justice. Hsiao took time to think about their questions, eventually leading him to make this film, his way of explaining the complicated ideas to his kids.

Talking more about the cast, Hsiao shared his approach to working with actors. For him, it’s very important to get on the same page with his cast. To this end, he does thorough script walkthroughs with each actor, talking about the emotions and ideas both on the surface and beneath the text of each scene. Once this mutual understanding is established, Hsiao allows his actors freer reign, giving them room to improv a bit and explore the character in their own way.

To close the conversation, Hsiao spoke about the larger message of his work. Hsiao’s idea was a story exploring the wide space between moral black and whites, calling attention to the choices we have over where we land on that spectrum. Hsiao also noted how great stories aren’t regional, but instead, universal. For him, it was a great joy to see the film connect so deeply with audiences outside of Taiwan, showing the depth and wide reach of its ideas and questions.