Touch of the Light (2012)

A drama centered on the experiences of a blind piano prodigy.

Director:

Jung-chi Chang

Writer:

Nyssa Li

Stars:

Sandrine Pinna, Yu-Siang Huang, Lieh Lee

14 wins & 18 nominations.

Cast

Credited cast:
Sandrine Pinna	...	Chieh (as Yung-yung Chang)
Yu-Siang Huang	...	Huang Yu-hsiang
Lieh Lee	...	Yu-hsiang's mother
Samantha Shu-Chin Ko	...	Chieh's mother
Lian-yu Huang	...	Yu-hsiang's father
Na-Dou Lin	...	Chieh's boss
Harry Chang	...	Chieh's boyfriend
Fang-yi Sheu	...	Teacher Hsu
Ivy Yin	...	Teacher Wang
Amy Sisson	...	Dance Judge
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Simon Hsueh
Alice Tsai-yi Huang
Yi-Siang Huang

Storyline

Based on true events related to the life of Taiwanese piano prodigy Huang Yu-Siang (Siang played by himself), this is a story of inspiration, discovery and love. Born to a rural family in Taiwan unprepared for the birth of a blind son, Siang was a curious and precocious child. Touch and sound was everything to him. With the love of his mother and support of his family, he grew up with no barriers - that is until he had to face the real world as he left his family behind in order to attend university where he had to compete on the same playing field as the sighted students and to find his own way. He soon crossed paths with Jie (Sandrine Pinna), a beautiful but frustrated cold drinks vendor who dreams of being a dancer, but whose struggles against the harsh realities of her life render her helpless. However, when she witnesses Siang's fearless determination and understood his optimism and inner peace, she is inspired and determined to hold on to her dream. Touch of the Light - a story ...

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [Japan]

Country:

Taiwan

Language:

Min Nan Mandarin

Release Date:

21 September 2012 (Taiwan)

Also Known As:

Dotyk swiatla

Company Credits

Production Co:

Block 2 Pictures, Jet Tone Production, Sil-Metropole Organisation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

110 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The official submission of Taiwan to the Best Foreign Language Film of the 85th Academy Awards 2013.

User Reviews

Touch of the Light

2012 Oscar BEST FOREIGN FILM submission from Taiwan, saw it in the local multiplex in Shanghai, a more-than-10-months procrastination from its Taiwan theatrical run, its mainland box-office never really kicked off since it is an an art cinema alternative from a first-time director and without any bankable names in it, still I was intrigued by its warm reviews (also it got 3 Golden Horse Awards nominations last year), so needless to say it is the kind of film I prefer to offer my contribution.

Adapted by a true story, a blind pianist prodigy Yu-Siang Huang, who plays himself in the film, and the film stretches out his pristine university life with a college drop-out girl's endeavor to pursue her passion for dancing (played by Yung-Yung Chang, already a three-time Golden Horse Awards BEST ACTRESS nominee at the age of 25, including one she got from this film), the film's greatest merit is the light touch of its tear-jerking scenario, the mother-son affection has managed to deliver a kitchen-sink authenticity without too many embellishments, actress Lieh Li who plays Huang's mother, brilliantly incarnates a subtle flair of humbleness, lovingness and tenderness.

It is an encouraging film, exhorts everyone to follow his or her dreams, to strive for it, and it also shuns a hackneyed underdog's victory, neither the quartet performance nor the dance competition has functioned as a means of gaining instant fame or success, more or less it symbolizes Huang's motto - everybody is born equally, although he is blind, it should not be considered as his disadvantage or his perk, his zeal of music is out of his heart, not a tool to grandstand for his own favor, the same can be inducted to Yung-Yung, she may not be pick of the bunch, but when she dances, she radiates with happiness.

The uplifting theme is perpetually presented by a hazy cinematography (a nice focus on Huang's eyes with mostly looking-up angle) under the accompany of gentle light and a melodic score, this type of film is categorized as a sub-genre in Taiwan's cinematic scene, in Mandarin we call it "Xiao Qing Xin", literally means "small, fresh and novel", aiming at youngsters' love and friendship in rural or urban lives. TOUCH OF THE LIGHT is an engrossing storyteller, although all its components are stock-in-trade, the sleight of hand and a competent cast are worth at least some ovations and for me it is always delightful to discover new blood from that insular isle.