At the 62nd Golden Horse Awards announced on October 1, Tamkang University alumni once again shone brightly. Yu-Hsun Chen, an alumnus of the Department of Educational Media and Library Sciences (now the Department of Information and Library Science), earned 11 nominations for his film A Foggy Tale (《大濛》), including Best Feature Film, Best Director, Best Actor, and Best Actress. Meanwhile, Ke-Yin Pan, a graduate of the Department of Mass Communication, received 8 major nominations for his film Family Matters (《我家的事》), including Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress, and Best New Director. Remarkably, Family Matters made history as only the third film in Golden Horse Awards history to have all its principal cast members nominated for performance categories.

Yu-Hsun Chen’s A Foggy Tale is set during Taiwan’s White Terror era, focusing on the lives of victims’ families. With a production budget of NT$130 million, the film aims to highlight humanity's resilience in the face of political oppression. Chen shared that the film was inspired by moving stories from that period: “It’s a story about warmth in the darkness. In times of suffering, only love enables people to carry on. We must confront painful memories to understand the value of love truly.”

The title A Foggy Tale draws from the Taiwanese pronunciation of “dense fog,” with clouds and mist serving as essential symbolic elements throughout the film. “Whether it’s cloud or fog, we must not forget the landscape we’ve passed through; only then can we become a beautiful part of someone else’s scenery,” Chen said. Regarding the film’s multiple nominations, he added, “The production team is truly outstanding. It has been a joy working with them. I’m deeply grateful to everyone involved, thank you to the judges and to the Golden Horse Awards.” The film is set to premiere in Taiwan on November 27, inviting audiences to step into theaters and experience the heartfelt humanity of that era on the big screen.

Family Matters previously won the Uncaged Award for Best Feature Film at the New York Asian Film Festival this July — the first Taiwanese film to win in that category, marking a milestone for Taiwan’s cinema. The film has received glowing reviews since its release, praised by music producer Adam Hsu and director Yu-Hsun Chen. Drawing from his personal life, Pan first explored the story in his short film Sister (《姊姊》) before expanding it into Family Matters. He hopes that through this family’s story, audiences can feel the presence and significance of “home” in everyone’s heart.

Pan explained, “I realized my memories of family events differ from those of my family members. Everyone has their own version, their own gaps. What I wanted to express is that the unconditional love shared among family members is one of the deepest emotions, yet it is often impossible to fully express in words.” On learning about the Golden Horse nominations, Pan shared: “I was both shocked and overjoyed. Having all 5 lead actors nominated is truly a blessing! I invite everyone to watch the film and experience these amazing performances — now showing in theaters.”

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