Finding Shangri-la

Casts : Zhiying Zhu, Matt Wu, Ismene Ting, Teresa Cheung

The noted picture, depicting the introspective journey of a young mother grappling with the sudden death of her child, received a special mention for the director of photography at the 32nd Cairo International Film Festival last November.

Speaking to reporters during a preview event held in Taipei, renowned producer Stan Lai said: “The release of ‘Finding Shangri-La’ comes in spite of Taiwan’s growing economic woes, almost in defiance of it, as a mean to teach how to overcome difficulties in life.”

“Notwithstanding our thorough preparation ahead of the filming, for instance, we had to get over last year’s riots and violence in Tibet to eventually complete the movie,” he added.

In addition, he remarked that he suffered from altitude sickness, also known as acute mountain sickness (AMS), during the filming, which mainly took place in the prairies and snowy mountains of Yunnan, in the far southwest of China.

AMS is a pathological condition that is caused by acute exposure to low air pressure.

“Finding Shangri-La,” directed by renowned playwright and stage director Ismene Ting, hints at searching for a mystical and harmonious valley, synonymous with the earthly paradise existing in the mythical Himalayan tradition.

It is loosely based on one of Ting’s contemplative musicals, titled “Welcome to Shangri-La.” Her other plays include “Come Dance with Me,” and the farce, “The Taxi Driver, the Gangster, the Dog, and their Two Wives” among others.

“The transition from stage to film making wasn’t easy since I had to direct actors from behind a monitor rather than on the stage,” she said.

“The beautiful but rapidly changing weather on the set was another challenge during the filming,” she added.