The other happy piece of news for the beginning of the year 2025 is that Chu Chun-Teng‘s first feature Eel 河鰻 will have its premiere at the Berlin Film Festival in the ”Perspective” competition section.
Filmed on the Shezi Island, in the northern area of Taipei, the film stars Devin Pan (Goddamned Asura) and pop songstress Misi Ke, with gorgeous cinematography by Nguyễn Vinh Phúc, who distinguised himself in recent years for his lensing of films such as Trần Thanh Huy‘s Ròm and Lê Bảo‘s Taste.
It was Nguyễn Vinh Phúc who actually suggested to invite Tôn Thất An to compose the score for Eel, as both of them had previously worked together on Ròm.
Besides teaming up again with his long-time musical collaborators, namely violinist Edric Chang and cellist Emily Chang, Tôn Thất An made use of Misi Ke’s singing, as her vocals appear in the score and give it an ethereal quality which enhances the fantasy aspect of her character and of the story.
He also produced and arranged the end title song, Bird Talk, which she wrote and performed for the film.