Through the Lens of Taiwan: Film, History, and Identity

About this episode

The episode discusses the interplay of film, history, and identity in Taiwan through the insights of Prof. Robert Chen.

This podcast episode is hosted by Mart Tšernjuk, the Taiwan Coordinator at the University of Tartu Asia who is talking to Prof. Robert Chen, a leading scholar of Taiwanese cinema, discussing the relationship between film, history, and identity in Taiwan. Drawing on Chen’s teaching experience at the University of Tartu, he highlights how Estonian students engage deeply with Taiwanese films, particularly due to shared historical experiences of colonisation and political repression. This common ground allows students to connect emotionally with themes such as trauma and national identity, especially in films addressing the White Terror period. Chen emphasises that understanding Taiwan’s cinema requires strong historical awareness, as film history closely mirrors Taiwan’s broader political and social development. Unlike other East Asian film industries, Taiwan’s cinematic identity is shaped by its complex colonial past, multicultural society, and ongoing geopolitical tensions. Language also plays a crucial role, reflecting shifts in identity from a China-centred perspective toward a distinctly Taiwanese consciousness. Aesthetically, Taiwanese cinema, especially the New Cinema…

People in this episode

Host: Mart Tšernjuk

Guest: Prof. Robert Chen

Topics covered

• Taiwanese cinema
• film and history
• national identity
• colonial past
• political repression
• New Cinema movement
• cultural engagement

Keywords

• Taiwan
• cinema
• identity
• colonization
• political repression
• White Terror
• New Cinema
• Hou Hsiao-Hsien
• King Hu

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: University of Tartu, Taiwanese cinema

Books & works: New Cinema movement

Places: Taiwan, Estonia

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