Film set in Taiwan receives special mention at Cannes Film Festival

Taipei, May 26 (CNA) — A transnational film titled “Mongrel” about the struggle of illegal migrant workers in Taiwan received a special mention at the Cannes Film Festival on Saturday.

The 128-minute film was co-produced by Taiwanese, Singaporean and French filmmakers and received a special mention at the Camera d'Or as part of the festival's “Quince de l'études résolution”, which took place from May 14 to 25.

The Camera d'Or recognizes the excellence of a first feature film, while a special mention is given to films that do not win the main prize but deserve recognition for their outstanding quality.

“Mongrel” tells the story of an undocumented Thai nurse in Taiwan and deals with themes such as immigration, labor exploitation and the resilience of the human spirit.

Chiang Wei Liang (曾威量), a Singaporean living in Taiwan who co-directed the film with Yin You Qiao (尹又巧), said at Cannes that the team was pleased with the film's reception at the French festival.

“Some people have come to me in the last few days and told me that they have the same job as the protagonist of the film,” Chiang told reporters.

“The actors were also praised for their performance on the street,” he said. “We are extremely pleased about that.”

On Sunday, Taiwan's Ministry of Culture congratulated the film on its recognition at Cannes, saying it, along with other films, showcased the talent of Taiwanese filmmakers.

Other critically acclaimed films at the Cannes Film Festival with Taiwanese participation included “Locust,” “Colored,” “The Shameless” and “Blue Sun Palace,” the ministry said in a press release.