In the Taiwanese film industry, the dichotomy between 'art-house' and
commercially viable films is heavily emphasized. However, since the
democratization of the political landscape in Taiwan, Taiwanese cinema
has become internationally fluid. As the case studies in this book
demonstrate, filmmakers such as Hou Hsiao-hsien, Edward Yang, Tsai
Ming-liang, and Ang Lee each engage with international audience
expectations. New Taiwanese Cinema in Focus therefore presents the
Taiwanese New Wave and Second Wave movements with an emphasis on
intertextuality, citation and trans-cultural dialogue. Wilson argues
that the cinema of Taiwan since the 1980s should be read emblematically;
that is, as a representation of the greater paradox that exists in
national and transnational cinema studies. She argues that these
unlikely relationships create the need for a new way of thinking about
'transnationalism' altogether, making this an essential read for
advanced students and scholars in both Film Studies and Asian Studies.