Mongrel (2024 film)
| Mongrel | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical poster | |
| Directed by | Chiang Wei-liang Yin You-qiao |
| Written by | Chiang Wei-liang |
| Produced by | Lai Wei-jie Lynn Chen Chu Yun-ting Marie Dubas Elizabeth Wijaya |
| Starring | Wanlop Rungkumjad Kuo Shu-wei Daniel Hong Lu Yi-ching Atchara Suwan |
| Cinematography | Michaël Capron |
| Edited by | Dounia Sichov |
Production companies | Le Petit Jardin E&W Films Deuxième Ligne Films |
Release date |
|
Running time | 128 minutes |
| Countries | Taiwan Singapore France |
| Languages | Mandarin Thai |
Mongrel (Chinese: 白衣蒼狗) is a 2024 drama film directed and written by Chiang Wei-liang, with co-direction by Yin You-qiao. Starring Wanlop Rungkumjad, Kuo Shu-wei, Daniel Hong, Lu Yi-ching, and Atchara Suwan, the film explores themes related to migrant caregivers in Taiwan, focusing on one caregiver (Rungkumjad) who develops a bond with his new patient (Kuo).
The film had its world premiere at the 77th Cannes Film Festival on 20 May 2024, where it received a special mention for the Caméra d'Or. It received generally positive reviews from critics, particularly regarding the film's themes, characters, and tone, while Chiang's direction and visuals garnered both praise and criticism. It also secured seven nominations in the 61st Golden Horse Awards.
Premise
[edit]Set in rural Taiwan, an illegal migrant caregiver struggling to make ends meet encounters a new patient, Hui, and develops a bond with him.[1]
Cast
[edit]- Wanlop Rungkumjad as Oom, a Taiwan-based illegal migrant caregiver[1]
- Kuo Shu-wei as Hui, Oom's new patient[1]
- Daniel Hong as Hsing, a gangster who oversees illegal caregivers[2][3]
- Lu Yi-ching as Mei, Hui's elderly mother[2]
- Atchara Suwan as Mhai, Oom's friend and fellow expat[4]
- Akira Chen as Brother Te, Hsing's gangster boss[2]
Production
[edit]Development
[edit]The screenplay for Mongrel began development in late 2018, simultaneously with fieldwork.[5] Director-screenwriter Chiang Wei-liang, a Singaporean expat based in Taiwan, was interested in exploring the situation of South Asian migrant caregivers in Taiwan, feeling a sense of social responsibility as a filmmaker due to his own similar identity.[6] The plot was inspired by his personal experiences working as a caregiver in Taiwan, as well as his encounters with other migrant caregivers, with the story revolving around rural communities with poor healthcare and forced to rely on these illegal migrant caregivers.[7] The film's Chinese title is derived from Laozi's Tao Te Ching, which Chiang found it resonating with the overall theme of the film.[6] Chiang completed the first draft during the Cinefondation Residence from late 2019 to early 2020.[5] In June 2020, the project was awarded funding by the Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée, receiving a development grant of 5,000 euros.[8] Chiang then participated in TorinoFilmLab and Talents Tokyo to refine the screenplay.[5][9]
The film's producer, Lai Weijie, and Lynn Chen were acquaintances of Chiang prior to the project, and Lai provided advice on fine-tuning the story.[5] The project is set to be jointly produced by Taiwan, Singapore, and France, with Yin You-qiao credited as co-director.[9] Hou Hsiao-hsien and Liao Ching-sung also attached as executive producers in early stages.[4] The film also received funding from the Taiwan Creative Content Agency.[10] Location scouting and casting took place concurrently with the writing process, and Chiang attributed the lengthy pre-production to the COVID-19 pandemic.[5] Thai actor Wanlop Rungkumjad and former triad member-turned-rapper Daniel Hong were offered lead roles after Chiang watched Rungkumjad's film Eternity (2010) and a short film starring Chen, deeming them suitable for their respective characters.[5] Rungkumjad spent five months in Taiwan preparing for and shooting the film, which included learning Mandarin and communicating with illegal migrant workers.[11]
Filming
[edit]Principal photography began in late winter 2022, primarily in rural Taiwan.[5] Real paramedics were hired to portray EMTs in the film, and during a shoot in 2023, a man in the village where they were filming suffered a cardiac arrest.[12] Although the paramedics on set attempted to rescue him, they were ultimately unsuccessful.[12] Location shooting also took place at Taichung Hospital, Taichung City in February 2023,[13] and filming wrapped in late March.[5]
Post-production
[edit]Mongrel was presented at the project market of the International Film Festival Rotterdam in January 2024, with the film still in progress and only the first 15 minutes of footage screened.[14] In April, the France-based Alpha Violet picked up for international sales.[1] Post-production was initially reported to be completed by the second or third quarter of 2024,[14] but ultimately concluded in May 2024.[5]
Release
[edit]Mongrel had its world premiere at the Directors' Fortnight during the 77th Cannes Film Festival on 20 May 2024,[15][16] followed by a UK premiere at the 2024 Edinburgh International Film Festival.[17] The film is set to be screened in the A Window on Asian Cinema section at the 29th Busan International Film Festival.[18]
Reception
[edit]On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, 100% of 7 critics gave the film a positive review with an average rating of 7.8/10.[19]
Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian gave Mongrel 4/5 stars and described it as a "sombre, sober movie made with impressive artistry", highlighting the "Zen state of suffering and sadness" that poignantly captures the despair and exploitation faced by illegal migrant workers, particularly through the lead character Oom.[20] John Berra of Screen International also recognized director Chiang Wei-liang's thematic focus on illegal migrant workers, describing the film as a poignant yet powerful character study that effectively explores their challenges through an unflinching presentation marked by moral ambiguities, enhanced by Michael Capron's careful use of cramped interiors and night-time exteriors, as well as Dounia Sichov's "docudrama feel" editing.[2]
Stephanie Bunbury of Deadline Hollywood described the film as "an absolutely brilliant piece of filmmaking", praising director Chiang Wei-liang's masterful control of pacing and visuals that evoke a sense of sci-fi dystopia, along with the rare decision to end the film with a "brief flash of optimism" amidst its harrowing subject matter.[3] Namrata Joshi of Cinema Express described the film as "sombre, sobering, and ambiguous", noting its "rare grace amid utter despair" and highlighting challenging yet deeply humane exploration of migrant workers and emphasized the moral dilemmas reflected in the characters' struggles.[21]
Josh Slater-Williams of IndieWire gave the film a B and offered a rather critical review, noting its similarities to Sofia Coppola's Lost in Translation (2003) and emphasizing that the visuals, editing, and pacing made it challenging for audiences to fully absorb its themes, although the messages about the struggles in rural Taiwan and the Southeast Asian diaspora still resonate amid the film's grim and impactful techniques.[4] David Katz of Cineuropa also observed the resemblance between the film's executive producer Hou Hsiao-hsien and Edward Yang in their masterful use of craft and composition, but criticized Mongrel for its overreliance on "hermetic" storytelling and mise-en-scène, which led to an unsettling focus on the characters' suffering, while expressing uncertainty about whether adding more levity would undermine the film's overall themes and emotional impact.[22]
Awards and nominations
[edit]| Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 77th Cannes Film Festival | Caméra d'Or | — | Special Mention | [23] |
| 61st Golden Horse Awards | Best Leading Actor | Wanlop Rungkumjad | Pending | [24] | |
| Best Supporting Actor | Daniel Hong | Pending | |||
| Best Supporting Actress | Lu Yi-ching | Pending | |||
| Best New Director | Chiang Wei-liang, Yin You-qiao | Pending | |||
| Best Cinematography | Michaël Capron | Pending | |||
| Best Art Direction | Yeh Tzu-wei | Pending | |||
| Best Sound Effects | R.T. Kao, Lim Ting-li, Chen Yung | Pending |
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d Frater, Patrick; Ramachandran, Naman (16 April 2024). "Directors' Fortnight Title 'Mongrel' Picked Up for Sales by Alpha Violet (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Archived from the original on 2 October 2024. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
- ^ a b c d Berra, John (20 May 2024). "'Mongrel': Cannes Review". Screen Daily. Archived from the original on 2 October 2024. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
- ^ a b Bunburry, Stephanie (22 May 2024). "'Mongrel' Review: Superbly Controlled And Paced Taiwanese Drama Bears Witness To One Of The Great Crimes Of Our Time – Cannes Film Festival". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 2 October 2024. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
- ^ a b c Slater-Williams, Josh (20 May 2024). "'Mongrel' Review: Impressive Taiwan-Set Debut Explores a Thai Migrant's Troubles in the Mountains". IndieWire. Archived from the original on 2 October 2024. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Carré, Patrice (22 May 2024). "Cannes 2024 - Chiang Wei Liang co-réalisateur de "Mongrel" : "J'ai voulu aller au-delà de ma simple satisfaction créative personnelle"". Le Film français (in French). Retrieved 3 October 2024.
- ^ a b 鍾錦隆 (22 May 2024). "閃亮光芒的黑色電影！台片《白衣蒼狗》坎城獲迴響". Radio Taiwan International (in Chinese). Retrieved 3 October 2024.
- ^ Bergeson, Samantha (14 May 2024). "'Mongrel' Trailer: Semi-Autobiographical Migrant Care Drama Interrogates Taiwanese Social Norms". IndieWire. Archived from the original on 14 July 2024. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
- ^ "La Résidence de la Cinéfondation du Festival de Cannes dévoile ses lauréats". Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée (in French). 25 June 2020. Archived from the original on 22 May 2024. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
- ^ a b 王祖鵬 (17 April 2024). "侯孝賢、廖慶松監製，曾威量首部劇情長片《白衣蒼狗》入選2024坎城影展導演雙週單元". The News Lens (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 8 May 2024. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
- ^ Scott, Mathew (15 May 2024). "How Taiwan Is Helping Filmmakers Explore the Boundaries of Cinema". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 11 July 2024. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
- ^ Rithdee, Kong (22 May 2024). "A Thai actor takes the stage at Cannes". Bangkok Post. Archived from the original on 15 June 2024. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
- ^ a b Lui, John (29 May 2024). "Medics on Singaporean director Chiang Wei Liang's Cannes-awarded Mongrel went into action when a real emergency hit". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 2 September 2024. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
- ^ "白衣蒼狗 台中影視協拍服務網". Taichung City Government (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 2 October 2024. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
- ^ a b Frater, Patrick (18 January 2024). "'Manta Ray' Star Wanlop Rungkumjad Heads Cast of Taiwan Drama Film 'Mongrel,' Screening at IFFR Darkroom (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Archived from the original on 16 April 2024. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
- ^ Leffler, Rebecca (16 April 2024). "Cannes 2024 Directors' Fortnight line-up unveiled". Screen Daily. Archived from the original on 19 May 2024. Retrieved 2 October 2024.
- ^ 廖俐惠 (19 May 2024). "《白衣蒼狗》進軍坎城 春風自嘲網壞 蟲國際影評人週首映 歡呼聲不斷". Liberty Times (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 7 June 2024. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
- ^ Ntim, Zac (10 July 2024). "Edinburgh Film Festival Sets 2024 Competition Lineups And Events Including Gaspar Noé Masterclass". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 10 September 2024. Retrieved 2 October 2024.
- ^ Lin, Sean (23 September 2024). "Taiwan productions to be featured at Busan International Film Festival". Focus Taiwan. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
- ^ "Mongrel". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Archived from the original on 2 October 2024. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
- ^ Bradshaw, Peter (20 May 2024). "Mongrel review – Zen-like tale of compassion and suffering among migrant care workers". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 2 October 2024. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
- ^ Joshi, Namrata (2 August 2024). "Cinema Without Borders: Mongrel—Of human bondage". Cinema Express. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
- ^ Katz, David (20 May 2024). "Review: Mongrel". Cineuropa. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
- ^ Lim, Ruey Yan (29 May 2024). "Singaporean director Chiang Wei Liang receives Camera d'Or Special Mention at Cannes". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 2 October 2024. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
- ^ Chou, Inna (2 October 2024). "【2024金馬獎】金馬獎完整入圍名單公布：夏于喬、張艾嘉、吳君如角逐影后；喜翔、張震競爭影帝！". Vogue Taiwan (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 2 October 2024. Retrieved 2 October 2024.