Brief
Lu Po-Shun brings debut film ‘Will You Still Be My Friend’ to Busan after San Sebastián run
The coming‑of‑age drama, set in Yunlin County, will play in Busan’s A Window on Asian Cinema strand after earning two Golden Horse nods.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Variety reports that Taiwanese filmmaker Lu Po‑Shun is taking his debut feature “Will You Still Be My Friend” to the Busan International Film Festival, where it will screen in the A Window on Asian Cinema strand. The film, which premiered at the San Sebastián International Film Festival and has secured Golden Horse nominations for adapted screenplay and new performer, follows two boys in Yunlin County as their friendship is tested by adult political and solar‑energy conflicts.
What happened
Lu first sought final financing for the project in March, expanding his pandemic short “When Henge Meets Crescent” into a full‑length narrative. After completing the film, it debuted at San Sebastián, where it was later nominated for two Golden Horse awards. The Busan screening marks the film’s first appearance in South Korea.
What the reports add
Variety notes that the Busan slot is part of the festival’s A Window on Asian Cinema programme, which highlights emerging Asian voices. The outlet also details Lu’s field research in Yunlin, his decision to down‑play adult storylines in the edit, and the casting process that led to Jaden Wang, a Taiwanese‑Italian actor discovered via his mother’s social‑media account.
What was said
Lu explained to Variety, “I built the feature out of the short by mapping out each character’s arc, giving everyone a clear beginning, development, turning point and resolution.” He added, “The adult storylines were actually more complicated and more explicit in the full script, but in the edit we chose to make those storylines less explicit, allowing them to emerge more through the changes in the children’s relationship.” Regarding casting, Lu said, “From our first meeting, I felt Jaden was the one. He already played basketball and did lion dancing, which were exactly the skills the character needed.”
How it came about
Lu’s earlier short, part of PTS’s pandemic anthology “Quarantini,” provided the seed for the feature. Extensive field research in his hometown informed the film’s depiction of local politics and solar‑energy development. The project’s progression from short to feature, its San Sebastián premiere, and subsequent Golden Horse nominations were covered in Felo’s recent festival round‑up, linking this Busan entry to the broader wave of Asian cinema highlighted at recent festivals.
Key facts
- Lu Po‑Shun’s debut feature “Will You Still Be My Friend” will screen at the Busan International Film Festival in the A Window on Asian Cinema strand. (variety.com)
- The film premiered at the San Sebastián International Film Festival and earned Golden Horse nominations for adapted screenplay and new performer. (variety.com)
- The story follows two boys in Yunlin County, Taiwan, as their friendship is strained by adult political and solar‑energy conflicts. (variety.com)
- Jaden Wang, cast as one of the boys, was discovered through his mother’s social‑media account and brings basketball and lion‑dancing skills to the role. (variety.com)
- Lu expanded his pandemic short “When Henge Meets Crescent” into the feature after extensive field research in Yunlin. (variety.com)
Sources
- [1] variety.com — originally reported as “‘Will You Still Be My Friend’ Director Lu Po-Shun on Finding Common Ground From San Sebastian to Busan”
