Official Selection in competition 66th Venice Film Festival
Far Sun Film Co Ltd. Hong Kong and
Peony5 Film Co Ltd. Taiwan
Present
Prince of Tears
National Athem. Please rise.
These visuals are from the only 1950's surviving copy of
the Republic of China's National Anthem
which was screened in evey cinema before evey film in Taiwan.
The audio is a medley of sound from that era including
speeches by Generalismo Chiang Kai Shek, news broadcasts,
radio commercials and talk shows.
After the 1949 revolution in China,
Chiang Kai Shek took his army and people from Mainland China to Taiwan
with the dream that one day theywould defeat the Communists and return home.
The government proceeded to imposed martial law on the island.
But for the children of the Mainlanders, life remained a paradise.
Please sit
Taiwan 1954
At that time, ''Communist'' is the other name for Terror.
Cystal Rock Primay School, near an air force base in Central Taiwan
What are you looking at?
That is my father'sjet.
No, that's my father's jet.
My dad said your dad isjust a co-pilot.
My father said,
your dad is a drunkard.
Forget it, our dads are small potatoes.
Rainbow's father is the General.
He is the The Godfather.
That is my father'sjet.
No, that is my father'sjet.
Where is it?
The prince...
dropped his first tear.
He felt he didn't know his people.
Rainbow, what are you reading?
''Prince of Tears''
Starring : Fan Chih-Wei Terri Kwan Joseph Chang
lhu Xuan
Kenneth Tsang Chiao Chiao Kao Jie Li Lie Lin Yeo-Wei
Yan Xin-Rou Cai Pei-Han Lee Bo-Shiuan
Cinematographer Chin Ting-Chang Sound Tu Du-Che Music Yu Yat-Yiu
Theme Song George Lam Art Director Yonfan
Editors Kong Chi-Leung Derek Hui
Line Producer Wade Yao Aileen Li
Producer Fruit Chan
Written & Directed byYonfan
The stoy begins
The handsome prince and his princess...
They finally live happily ever after.
They bring their lovely daughters
to this beautiful island named Formosa.
They intended to build a happy family,
seeking a faiy...
tale-like life,
However...
''Stoy of the children''
''Master Qiu''
This statue David is...
by a vey famous Italian artist.
When we draw this picture,
other than his handsome face,
you must notice his curly hair, too.
l think Mr.Qiu looks better than David.
Rainbow Liu,
what are you laughing at?
Nothing
She said you more handsome than David.
Sun Xiao_hou
Show me your drawing.
This is the statue of David in her mind.
Drawing is important to express oneself.
lt doesn't have to be real nor unreal.
Drawing is to express our thinking.
To liberate our thoughts on paper and by colors.
Do you get it?
Yes.
Ok, class is finished.
When do you think...
you can return home?
l don't know.
l have been here for manyyears.
How is your home town?
l hope we can return soon.
How is your novel coming along?
So-so; l haven't found the heroine.
- Mr. Qiu... - Hi, come in.
Come on, sit on the bed.
What are you going to tell me?
Sir, l want to maryyou when l grow up.
Silly kid, don't say that.
l am old enough to be your father
you're like my father. Since l can't mary my father,
l want to maryyou.
Do you also want to mary me?
l don't want to maryyou.
Sir, where are you going to?
l am going to the cliff to paint.
l want to go too.
Ok, but you have to tell your family.
l can just tell my sister before l go.
Sir...
lt's so windy, how can we draw here?
lfyou stay calm, you can draw an_here.
lt's so beautiful here,
why hasn't anyone taken me before?
This is a restricted zone, no one is allowed to come here.
But why can we come here today?
Because...we are artists.
Wow, artists are great!
That's right.
lhou, look!
How beautiful is the ocean!
You can put it in the painting.
Ok!
lhou!
Where are you? lhou!
-lhou! - Mom, come here, l am right here!
lhou, how can you come here?
Mr Qiu, you've gone too far!
This is a restricted zone!
l know,
ljust want her to see the ocean.
Let's go!
l'll stay a bit longer.
l am inspired.
Why did you come here with Mr. Qiu?
You can get killed by coming here.
- Freeze! -Wait...
Wait...
Wait!
This is the militay zone.
l suspect you're...
spying on naval defence.
l want to arrest you as ''Communist Spy''.
l am an artist, not a spy.
Nonsense artist, Take him away!
-Go. -Letmego!
Take him away...
- Move on! Move! - Let me go!
Good morning, Miss Xie.
Good morning, class.
Painting is a kind of human behavior,
we must seek truth from facts.
Today, the subject is watermelon.
Don't look down on this watermelon...
Thus Mr Qiu
disappeared from the School forever...
ln lhou's memoy,
this is the beginning of missing...
the coolness of the wind,
the beauty of the sunset...
the melancholy of the man...
the vanishing innocence of her childhood.
Sis, what is $ times 22?
176
How come you're so good at Math?
Because l like our Math teacher.
l like master Qiu. But he left us.
Li
l made 100 dumplings for Mrs lhang.
Can you bring them to her later?
Sure.
Tell her not to let them overnight.
Have you finished your homework?
Yes.
So, let's go to pick up Dad.
All right
Mom, l'lll go first.
lhou, slow down.
All right.
Good Afternoon.
- Mrs Sun - Howareyou?
Hi, Li.
Li, greet your auntie.
What do you have for dinner?
Dumplings!
Oh, that's what you're good at.
l must learn it from you.
J Little ball on the floor
flowers count twenty one,
256, 257
2$, 29, 31
l feel nervous evey day at this time.
ljust wory that Han-Sun is not coming.
Nonsense! Why think this way?
Han-Sun is a pilot,he is great!
Dad is back! Dad is back!
Dad,l want to see the sunset.
All right.
l made a special fish dish...
for tonight.
lsn't Ke-Qiang coming with you?
l almost forgot him!
Ke-Qiang is Uncle Ding to the kids.
He has a scar on his face because of a fire.
lt was scay to the children when theywere little.
Dad said neverjudge anyone by his appearance.
Ding's scarwas a result of saving someone from the fire.
You made so many dishes in no time.
Come on,
ty this dumpling with turnip.
There is a party next week at the camp.
We are short of one musical item.
l'd like Ding to play violin.
Ping, what would you say?
Good!
Haven't heard Ding's violin for a while.
Uncle Ding plays violin?
Dad and Uncle Ding are great musicians.
One plays accordion & one plays violin.
With their handsome uniforms,
they charmed so many girls.
You girls of the Qing-ling School choir,
in those days,
you enchanted many of us.
You boys...
only paid attention to Ou-Yang.
You never notice me.
Come on! In the end,
l married you, right.
-What'd you say, Ding? - That's right.
, Well, from now on, lhou and Li
you followyour dad and Uncle Ding.
One plays violin...
& the other accordion.
Ok,
l like Dad's...
''Lonely Accordion Player''
That is the first song l learned.
Come on, Ding, have some more.
Thank you.
Don't be shy, this is your home as well!
How are the dumplings?
Han-Sun,
your music is too Eastern European.
Better change your style.
l like...
the Slavic romanticism.
l don't think that is a problem.
ls your violin still with you?
Yes,it is.
So, better get more practice.
All right.
Have some noodles?
See you.
Take care.
Be careful!
Why did you mention Ou-Yang?
You did it yourself.
Now l regret telling you that we met.
Come on, it's histoy.
''Two months ago, Parents' Day at Cystal Rock Primay_'
You brought all your furnitures...
from Shanghai?
Can we visit...
your house sometime?
Mrs Sun, what do you think?
Oh, yes...
You stay here for a while.
Sory. Can you take care of Rainbow?
-Sure! -Thankyou.
You're back!
You're cleaning up, huh?
Where have you been?
Let me roll you a cigarette, ok?
All right.
What's up?
l'll cook Lion's Head meat balls tonight.
l bought Five Flower Pork.
Let's go inside.
Baiguan will sing in the Air Force Club.
Let's go to Taipei, next week.
Sounds great!
We haven't been there for a long time.
We can do some shopping.
Today at Parents Day.
l bumped into Ou-Yang.
So, she also lives here!
No wonderyou are lost.
You're so bad!
As first, l thought you were after her.
And l thought you felt for Ding.
That is not possible!
l love onlyyou.
Ou-Yang married General Liu.
Her daughter is the classmate oflhou.
Perhaps,
we can get together sometime.
l think it's quite difficult.
We are home now.
lt smells great!
Hury up, line up, kids...
Good morning class.
Good morning, Miss.
J Lin Xiao-Bi
why are you standing here?
l am being punished.
Why?
Because l refuse to drink skim milk.
Why don't you drink skim milk?
lt's horrible, only poor people drink it.
l only take high class things.
Kids,
you know the stoy behind skim milk?
lt is a sign of the friendship between American & us.
You must know that other than us
only those who go to Sunday school can drink it.
Ordinay people hardly get the chance.
Since you're children of the Air Force.
You can drink it daily,
get it?
Yes, Miss.
So, drink it without hesitation.
lf not, Uncle Sam will say...
the China kids are not behaving.
Yes.
Come on, be quick.
lt's almost finished.
Finished byyou?
l mean the whole bucket of milk.
Does it taste good?
l...l reallywonder.
See, put in a piece of Black Sugar,
Stir it, it tastes sweet.
lt looks like chocolate.
Wow, chocolate! It's classy!
Rainbow Liu is so generous.
Shake it, then the taste comes out.
And the color is changing!
That's right.
Look,
they all want Black Sugar from Rainbow.
Big deal!
Sun Xiao_hou
Do you want a piece of Black Sugar?
No.
Put the filling inside. Right, then fold it.
Fold it.
Look, it's like this.
lhou, watch carefully.
That's right, let mom teach you.
Coming.
Hi, Ding, come in please.
No, thanks.
Sory to trouble you with my laundy.
Don't mention it;
Li should be glad to do it.
Thank you.
Don't you want to come in?
No, l must leave now.
Take care.
See you later.
Li, some laundy from Uncle Ding.
How come it is like this?
Coming...
- Ding. - Ping, l am sory.
Uncle Ding.
Li, have you seen a paper note?
You mean this one?
Have you read it?
Did your mother read it?
Ding, what's the matter?
l am sory, Ping.
Dad, charge up!
Go...Hury up!
Why don't you go in?
lt's not so convenient.
This isn't your first time! Don't be shy?
Thank you.
lt doesn't matter, it's ok.
l will go home now.
Take care, Mrs Hu.
What's up?
Mr Hu was arrested.
They suspect he is a spy. He is now under investigation.
Don't wory.
As long as he is innocent,
he will be fine.
But you never knowwhat will happen!
Ding, you are from the Bureau of Political Security.
Can you give Mr Hu a hand?
Ping,
don't get involved in this matter.
Let's go in first.
Let's talk inside.
How's dad's accordion?
Do you want to learn?
No!
Do you want to know...
how he wooed me?
Your father took me to his plane.
lt was a beautiful morning.
We went to the airport.
l said ''How can it be?
You're breaking the rules_'
He said ''Never mind ''
Each pilot can break the rules 3 times.
So, the first time was with me.
On that day,
he flew vey slow,
we saw all the houses,
the people and the animals.
They are all under our feet.
l could even...
see your grandparents.
How can l not help falling in love?
How about the second time?
Oh, it was foryour sister Li.
How come l don't remember?
l want the third time?
lf there is a third,
your fatherwill never be allowed to fly!
Never be allowed to fly again...
Line up, one by one.
Kid, you should line up.
Time for skim milk!
How come you have such a big piece of Black Sugar!
Father gave that to me.
lhou, do you have Black Sugar too?
Keep yours,
ty mine first.
Take a seat.
Thank you.
Welcome.
Hury up!
ls Sun Han-Sun here?
Yes.
We'll take you to the Commander's office. You are now under arrest for spying.
Have you got it wrong?
This is the warrant.
Ping, l am fine.
l have been loyal to the county,
l did nothing wrong.
l will be fine.
l will followyou.
Take him away.
Han-Sun!
Are you Jin Wen-Ping?
Yes.
You're accused of being pro-Communist.
We'll take you into custody.
Take her away.
Search the house.
Yes.
The sun will rise tomorrow.
The flowers will bloom next year, too.
But the beautiful bird flies and never returns.
lhou, Li, come on, follow me.
My little bird ofyouth will never return.
, lhou, Li
something happened to your family.
Give way...
Search again!
Search evey inch of it.
Ding.
Yes.
Little girl, look
We didn't take away anything.
Remember that.
Ding,
let them sign on the warrant.
Then, tell the girls that...
their parents will be gone for a while.
And this place... it will be sealed tomorrow.
Ask the neighbors to take care of them.
Yes, sir.
All right, let's go.
l'll take you...
to Uncle Kou's home.
They'll take care both ofyou.
l want daddy's accordion.
Don't take anything useless.
You will stop going to school for the time being.
Help Auntie Kou to do some chores.
Come with me now.
You'll be back.
J Li
are the lunch boxes readyyet?
Yes, they are ready.
-WakeAh-Lun up. - He is dressing.
Take care of the babywhile l am out.
Yes.
Come on, be a good girl.
Take care.
Ah-Lun, get up for breakfast.
Girls,
-did you sleepwell? -All right.
Eveyday is the same, dressing up...
and eating breakfast.
You're lazy!
Why don't you eat breakfast?
lt will help you grow tall...
-and strong. -l am tall enough.
You are not!
Come on, eating more...
will help you become smart.
Come on, eat your breakfast now.
Mom, l want Lion's Head meat balls tonight.
- Lion's Head again? -You naughty boy!
Li is not your maid.
Lion's Head is delicious but you can't have it eveyday.
This is a difficult time. We should be thrifty.
Just let him eat what he likes,
what a nag!
Come on, let's have breakfast.
You look beautiful!
Because of their help.
So l will have a break,
l am going to play mahjong.
Who is coming this early?
Who is it?
Are the Sun sisters...
living here?
Yes, they are.
l am the driver of General Liu.
Ms Liu would like to bring them a gift.
Staywhere you are. Wait right here.
Sign this.
The meeting begins.
Dad, l miss you,
are you going to abandon us?
Don't be silly! l will never abandon you.
Are you taking good care ofyour sister?
Yes!
Good! How is your grade in Math?
l haven't got it yet.
Haven't got it...
Wait here for me,
l have to talk to Uncle Ding.
l was accused of flying to the Communist lone during the war.
You knew my purpose is going there.
ljust wanted to bring back Li with me.
They are accusing me of treason.
But the people l saw,
the things l did,
you were with me all that time.
You knewwhat l said, what l did.
You witness it all.
Help me!
''General Liu''
Whywas he arrested?
Treason, Sir.
He is unyielding.
Who are these girls?
His daughters.
Pity!
Mom.
lhou.
Mom...
Ding.
Why did you take her along?
Hasn't she dragged us down enough?
Mom...
l am not your mom.
Because ofyou,
your dad snuck into the Communist zone
Because ofyou,
he is now being accused of spying.
You're not born by me, l do not deserve to be your mother.
And you do not deserve to be my daughter.
Mom...
Sis...
Mom...
J Li
l am sory...
Forgive mom.
Li then remembered...
she loved sitting under the big tree at school...
always had the feeling that...
why mother always treated her better than her sister?
The reason is she was not born by her.
But, so what?
She has only one family, one sister.
lhou...
Let me take you to see your dad.
No, l am taking care of the baby girl.
Hury up, oryou may never see your father again.
Kids, don't touch the car.
Are you lhou and Li?
Auntie.
Let me take you to see your father.
Madam, they were just sent to the Dy River.
So, let's hury there.
Madam, that's a forbidden place.
Move on, l knowwhat l am doing.
Yes, Madam.
Madam, here we are.
lhang,
take them to see their father.
Promise me,
don't tell anyone that you've been here.
lhang, be careful, don't let others see them.
Don't let the kids make a sound.
Yes, Madam.
Come on, hury up.