In the Taiwanese capital of Taipei a growing number of stores are specialised in weddings and pre-ceremony photographs. The country has changed rapidly in the past 50 years and the stores reflect the force of globalization at work. Young people are taking western visuals and symbolism to heart, replacing the Taiwanese traditions of previous generations. Fascinated by this shift and the resulting tension between home-grown values and modern aspirations, Floor Hofman follows three couples and their romantic ideals in her documentary Behind the Backdrop. How do their dreams conflict with their parents’ wishes? Can the contrast between their personal expectations and those of their parents be bridged?

Watch the teaser: 

stills:





This documentary was screened in the exhibition ‘Pinky Swear’ in Taichung (2020), Dutch Design Week Eindhoven (2017), at the lecture ‘Me, Asian?! Asians in Popular Culture’ at Leiden University (2018), and at CinemAsia On Tour Eindhoven (2018) during a special evening called ‘Love Talk’ co-hosted by Oranje Express 荷事生非. During this event, the screening of Behind the b=Backdrop was followed by by a panel talk about weddings, marriage and love in Taiwan and in the Netherlands.

Photo’s of ‘Love Talk’ 



Photos by Willie Wong 

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Behind the Backdrop at the exhibition Pinky Swear at Everspring Museum of Fine Arts, Taichung, Taiwan