a film by Yee Chih-yen
2002 | 85 mins | Taiwan
Chen Bo-lin .... Zhang Shihao
Guey Lun-mei .... Meng Kerou
Liang Shu-hui .... Lin Yuezhen
Joanna Chou .... Mrs Meng
Blue Gate Crossing
an ever so tender tale of sexual
discovery - girl style!
Screened in Great Britain as part of the
17th London Lesbian & Gay Film Festival
- 2003
Available on DVD as part of the
Peccadillo Pictures catalogue
www.peccadillopod.com
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You know at times it's nice to check out the competition, only here I'm referring to what's
screening on the lesbian side of the film festival circuit. For in 2003 the British Film
Institute presented us with this ever so tender tale of sexual discovery - girl style
and what a delight it is at that too.
For ever popular student Lin Yuezhen has a crush on the school swimming star, one Zhang Shihao,
only inspite of her looks and style, somehow she just hasn't got the confidence to approach him
direct. Thankfully her best friend Meng Kerou is on hand to grudgingly act as a go-between. Yet
whenever Shihao appears, Yuezhen promptly exits stage left, leaving Shihao with the impression
that the seemingly non-existent Yuezhen is all but a pretext for Kerou to get up close and
personal with him. Trouble is, as much as Shihao likes the idea, Kerou's affection
lies elsewhere or to be more precise, in the direction of her best friend!
Reminding us of what it was like to be seventeen, writer and director Yee Chih-yen has created a
joyous coming-of-age work in which the ever poignant question of 'do you like boys or do you
like girls' is once again asked. The answer from whatever your perspective be, is not
surprisingly the reality of sexual acceptance, coupled with the knowledge that as
much as you have come out to yourself, at some point you equally have to
face the world around you.
Yet the central theme of sexual orientation in many ways takes a backseat to the examination of
friendship, love and that ever-important first kiss. For this engaging love triangle notably
showcases the teenage heart in its pure adolescent form, well before life gets complicated and
weighed down with the responsibilities of adulthood. To this end Guey Lun-mei as Meng Kerou and
Liang Shu-hui as Lin Yuezhen create a genuine sense of teenage playfulness, whilst Chen Bo-lin
as Zhang Shihao is splendid as the straight boy who falls for a girl, only to discover that
the feeling is mutual. That their performances are fresh and natural greatly adds to the
upbeat feel of the piece, in a film that far from shouting at you, prefers to detail
the struggle to accept ones emerging sexuality in a gentle and understated way.
Complete with a simple piano score, together with the catchy tune ACCIDENTLY KELLY STREET, this
marks a beautifully told coming out work that reflects the lyrical theme of 'I never thought
life could be so sweet.' Whether life for those of same-sex orientation is really that
sweet in Taiwan is another issue, but this is certainly one cinematic gate
you'll want to cross!
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