CAFÉ LUMIERE

Taiwan, 2003, 108 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Hou Hsaio- Hsien.

Café Lumiere was made by Taiwanese director Hou Hsaio- Hsien (Flowers of Shanghai, Millennium Mambo). Having made many films in Taiwan and examining Taiwanese society and history, he has now gone to Japan and has decided to make a tribute to the celebrated director Ozu (whose centenary of birth occurred in 2003).

The director takes themes dear to Ozu (Tokyo Story was the best-known of his films) and offers a portrait of a young Japanese woman, her relationship with a Taiwanese student, her friendship with a bookseller in Tokyo, her relationship with her parents. The cinematic style is borrowed from Ozu and is meant as a homage to him. There are long focuses on particular characters, a gentleness in presenting the action as well as the interpretation of character.

The film is entertaining in itself, a reminder of the skills of Ozu in presenting ordinary Japanese life and some of its transcendent dimensions. However, the film is ultimately quite slight in its characterisation while strong in its impact.

1.The film as a tribute to Ozu? Subject, style, visuals? Ordinary Japanese life, the transcendent in the ordinary, characters, action? The visual score?

2.The opening and the trains, the theme of trains, the diagram, the symbol? The meaning?

3.The focus on the girl, her return from Taiwan, her studies, her putting out the washing, talking on the mobile phone? (Where Ozu would have had conversations between people?)

4.The portrait of the girl, at home, her boyfriend, a student in Taiwan, her pregnancy, her announcing the pregnancy to her parents? At the shop, her friend, listening to the music? The visits to the shop, the man’s love for her? His continued help? Her wanting to find the café, looking up the address, travelling, the buildings, getting the information about the past? Her relationship to her parents, their reaction to her pregnancy, visits to them, the stepmother, the father?

5.The portrait of the parents, the stepmother and her not knowing what to say about the pregnancy, trying to support the girl? The father and his sitting in silence?

6.The young man, the shock, music, his help, the search for the café? His unspoken love for her? Inarticulate about the pregnancy?

7.The film showing the girl’s character developing, the pregnancy, her greater self-awareness, relating to people?

8.The symbol of the café, the symbol of the past, the transition to the present?

9.Japanese society, the Taiwan connections? The director and his bringing a Taiwanese perspective to Japan? The continued visits, the boyfriend, students?

10.The resolution or not of the action, of the girl’s character, of her problems? The way that Ozu considered and dramatised such problems in his own films?