Director Lien Yi-chi, Scriptwriter Yu Shang-min, Actress Nikki Hsieh and Sonia Sui appeared on the stage for Q & A of Make Up which is a film about a mortuary cosmetologist who finds her self facing a corpse of a beloved high school music teacher and has to discover a brand new definition of death.
Q: Ms. Sonia Sui, would you tell us the story behind your starring role in the film for the first time?
Sonia Sui: When I was consulted for the role, I wanted to be in the film very much because I’ve known the director and we were good friends. The part that was described in the script was not a type of role that I have played in the television drama before so it was challenging for me as well.
Q: Director Lien Yi-chi, what were the reasons for casting the two actresses?
Director Lien Yi-chi: Well, because they look beautiful.
Q: Because you were playing both roles of the deceased and also the parts in the flash back scenes, how did you act the both roles apart?
Sonia Sui: In an impressionistic manner of speech, I’ve played the two parts as happiness and unhappiness. When I played the high school teacher in the flashback, I thought about the feelings of happiness to be with a girl that I really liked. But after the marriage, I am unhappy, feeling strained because of being with a person that I didn’t like. I’ve differentiated the emotions in this two ways.
Q: I thought Nikki looked very pretty as a high school student. How did you feel about acting this role?
Nikki Hsieh: I felt that a role as a high school student would be the most difficult one when I read the script. Being 17yrs of age was long time ago for me, so I acted trying to remember how I walked and talked when I was 17.
Q: I have a question for Scriptwriter Yu Shang-min. The characters in the film which you wrote, all wanted to love somebody or be loved by somebody, but their relationship just doesn’t work. Was this your intention from the starting point?
Yu Shang-min: It is a difficult question to answer but you are right. There are couples of man and woman and also a couple of two women in the film which are in love but their needs are not fulfilled. However, I think this is the way the fate is. It is hard to explain it in few words, but as it has been referred to in the title, this is about fate. People must keep moving on face to face with the fate.
Q: You have death and life as a motif of the film. Death is being seen from the side of life and life is perceived from the side of death. The swaying of the life and death left an interesting impression of the film. Was the motif of the mortuary cosmetologist there in the beginning or was the motif of life and death there first and the mortuary cosmetologist was enhanced to the story?
Lien Yi-chi: The motif of the mortuary cosmetologist was there first and then the story plot was created afterwards. Although the mortuary cosmetologist is the theme, the premise of the story is that when the make up is cleaned away, people must face the truth and move on. Although I am an optimist myself, I have directed such a gory film. Nevertheless, I believe that no matter how painful the life is, there must be a meaning to keep on living. For example, Min-hsiu’s past gives her the strength to live. As an optimist like myself, I do feel that life is so very wonderful.
Q: The kissing scene with the corpse is still fresh in my memory. Were you nervous compared to the kiss with a male person?
Sonia Sui: I was very embarrassed. Because Nikki is very beautiful.
Q: How about you, Nikki?
Nikki Hsieh: I was very embarrassed because Sonia is the actress that I’ve been idolizing all along.
Oct. 23 happened to be Sonia’s birthday and TIFF Student Cheerleader Takashi Mizushima presented a flower bouquet.
Sonia Sui: Thank you very much. I am very happy because this the first time that I’ve received the flowers from a Japanese gentleman.
©2011 TIFF
From the left, Yu Shang-min, TIFF Student Cheerleader Takashi Mizushima, Sonia Sui, Nikki Hsieh and Lien Yi-chi
Make Up
