Film Festival Highlights Restoration Efforts, Producer Acquires Rights for Heartwarming Film

Director Zhu Yanping expressed his sorrow over the passing of many actors and filmmakers he collaborated with in the past, noting the preciousness of seeing their works restored and preserved. At the 2026 Taoyuan Film Festival, Zhu, alongside Chu Ming-jen, chairman of the National Film and Audiovisual Center of Taiwan, discussed the restoration and preservation of classic films.

Zhu highlighted the importance of preserving shared cinematic memories, citing films like "Ah Chung" and "Report Classmates" as carrying the memories of different generations. He mentioned that "Runaway" received a positive response when it was re-released in Taiwan. However, Zhu revealed that the film he most wishes to restore is "The Big Soldier." Despite holding the copyright, he has struggled to find the original master tapes for the film, which he considers "seriously overlooked," even though its influence endures despite not breaking ¥100 million at the box office.

Isabella Chiu, marketing director of寬魚國際 (Kuan Yu International), also shared her experience acquiring the Taiwanese distribution rights for "Letters to Grandpa." She was moved by the film's natural and warm emotions, which achieved significant box office success in mainland China. Chiu mentioned that she decided to purchase the rights for Taiwan, even joking about her "bad luck" with the lottery system for theatrical release dates. She expressed her commitment to bringing the film to Taiwanese audiences, stating that she would consider it worthwhile even if it meant arranging private screenings or hosting a "Kuan Yu Film Festival" if a theatrical run was not secured.