Arran from Film in Revolt spoke with Taiwanese filmmaker Chou Tung Yen about his international quest to find the answer to the most commonly asked question on all gay dating apps – ‘Looking for?” Looking For? will be screening at the Mardi Gras Film Festival this weekend.
I really love your film, even though it was a film about the gay male dating community [as a queer woman], I still found it really relatable and a good insight into modern dating.
Thank you for saying that. Yes, when we made the film, actually we had a female editor who is straight and didn’t even use dating apps. We hope the film can communicate with a broader audience.
What drew you initially to the topic and to specifically to focus on the gay male dating community and online dating?
Well it’s basically a personal curiosity. Because you can see it’s really my personal journey into this area. Because as a gay man in Taiwan, somehow I didn’t experience all the cruising or hooking up culture before I was thirty.
I went into this discovery rather late. This language and this system that I have come into while having my first smart phone and this kind of app. It was really eye opening for me and somehow almost shocking and then I started to talk to my friend about this and then they said ‘Oh I have some friends with similar experiences. Do you want to talk to them?’ And I said, ‘Can I film them?’ And they were like ‘Fine,’ and so I was making the film without knowing if it’s a documentary.
I also had chance to go to different cities working as a theatre director. When I had free time I would just meet up with people and then, share talk and discuss. And so, it became a film that you just saw.
In terms of personal growth and discovery, what did you feel like you learnt at the end of making the film?
I started the interviews of this film around 2012. So that’s almost 7 years ago, is that crazy? I mean, everyone’s having their first smartphone. The film had its first screening in 2017 which is 1.5 years ago.
I feel that a lot of people ask me what I have found since the film is titled Looking For. And I just realised there won’t be a definite answer. It will always mean something that is changing – whether it’s in a relationship or in a bigger question. Funnily enough, I’m actually in Melbourne now working with an Australian director and we are working on a project called Virtual Intimacy. We have both made personal projects. I made this documentary and he made a project called Zero Feet Away which is an interactive theatre project that’s about dating apps.
I’m still looking for how we respond to this, whatever this kind of ambivalent situation, having this abundance of opportunities of sex and love and all this. And how is the situation nowadays.
Do you think in the process of making this film there was any moment or story that stuck out to you?
No. I actually feel that the process itself is very helpful. And also listening to all kinds of stories – a lot of things pop up. I didn’t expect that someone would share personal experiences of S&M or drug usage. It was very real and very personal. In a way it was just, somehow, when I opened up myself they also opened up to me. It was a really nice part of making of it. I think the process of sharing stories is very helpful.
In terms of the process of making the film, what advice would you give to aspiring filmmakers?
I have a theatre background and I just love making videos since I was in college. I guess I have clichéd advice: Follow your heart, listen to your heart and what makes you curious.
Listen to your own questions and then formulate and find a good question to ask and then talk to people. That’s exactly what I did making the film.
In terms of theatre, what would be your documentary style?
I don’t know if I have any style to start with. But I’m probably “lucky” enough, because I didn’t have any training in documentary even though I have made three or four features. I just really love holding the camera or being in the situation and asking the question.
The interviews sometimes made me feel so empowered. I am empowered from the words. I love the process. In terms of theatre practice, to me in terms of Looking For, the black box theatre is a really perfect reference or perfect demonstration of cyberspace. It’s sort of tangible in dark, it’s in blackness and nothing’s there. And then two lights pop up and then two people start to chat. And then they leave and then they meet up and they go to their own place.
And it’s like, just visually, a very good visual representation of what I feel about online dating and cyberspace. Actually, in most of my theatre work I tend to explore dreams and illusions more. But in my documentary practice there’s not even very much animation it’s mostly straight forward things. And I sort of just follow my instincts.
I felt like watching the film, the re-enactments were a really good metaphor for dating. It just feels very reflective of how online dating feels. I think it also surprised me how similar online dating is for me on tinder and it mirrors a lot of the experiences the men were talking about. It just felt very relatable. I gained a lot of insight into dating. It was also nice to see, like what you were saying before, you feel like you’re the only one experiencing these things with online dating but there are all these people who have very similar experiences and attitudes to dating.
Yes. I feel that one thing that was very important in the film, I want everybody to be in front of the camera directly. Instead of hiding or being obscured. There was only one guy who talked about sex party and drug usage who really felt more comfortable not showing his face. Other than that, especially with the expectation that Asian society is more closed or conservative. It’s really so nice and natural. Nowadays, we should make a documentary that’s more direct. You do see their face, their hesitation, their smile. Whilst talking about what they’re looking for romantically or sexually or anything.
Yes definitely, it feels way more personal. I was also wondering what film(s) made an impact on you in your youth?
Oh, you know, Almodovar, Talk to Her and of course In the Mood for Love directed by Wong Kar Wei. I also like Italian directors. But these are all rather random. So, I don’t know if they make any sense for your article! An all-time favourite would be Tsai Ming-Liang’s What Time is it There? Do you know this Malaysian/ Taiwanese director Tsai Ming-Liang? His films can be often seen in Berlin or Venice Film Festivals. The film is called What Time is it There? It’s very slow and you should watch it.
Why do you think that [film] made such an impact on you?
I think these films communicate things that are not verbal. That are only- you are immersed in the light and the sound and shadow and the situation. It was very profound, something that is not spoken. In his film, a lot of long shot and some of them can last five minutes. It’s in a way, very theatrical. There isn’t any quick, sparkling editing. It’s just very observative to each character’s mind, that I care a lot about.
(In research of a professor’s study I found this article, which it’s title answered it.
“Intimate public world”. I think it’s related to “Looking for?” and also to my currently collaboration “Virtual Intimacy” with an Adelaide based theatre company “ActNow”)
I’m already familiar with In the Mood for Love and I feel like although there isn’t a very direct connection with your documentaries I can see similarities with that and your own film as there is something more theatrical about it in terms of those long scenes and it’s not a typical movie style.
We all admire someone’s work. But while making it I really don’t have a direct connection or am trying to make something that looks like something.
What’s a question that you’d like to be asked about the film? What’s something that you wished more people would ask?
Oh! Wow, interesting question. Interesting because the film went to several cities..Most people ask me about cultural impact when I’ve done the interviews. I think that’s quite interesting. People really want to know what cultures are coping with in this situation.
What do I want people to ask? Actually! I don’t expect any questions. But making the film, putting myself in it, and there’s all these talking heads, all these opinions and experiences. I just really hope that it can make a silent dialogue and conversation within the mind to the audience.
A lot of people ask me what my opinion is of apps, of smartphones, of hooking up culture. I feel that a lot of people want to have a positive or negative answer. Yes, it’s a good thing or, no, it’s a bad thing. Like, a very binary answer. By making the film I wish to provide all kinds of experiences and discussions and thoughts behind it. Rather than just saying “Oh, we should put our thumbs down,” and go to the reality and kind of rather idealistic saying or solution. So I wish that people come with their own ideas and try it rather than ask for one definite answer. I think that would be my answer to it.
Looking For?
Mardi Gras Film Festival