The Trio Hall

Nothing is sacred in this eccentric romp of a revue. Stalin dances with Chiang Kai-shek, Mao with a roller-skating Hitler in 80s attire, not to mention Churchill sporting a bathing costume. This contest of dictators is flashy, flamboyant, Hegelian-dialectical and global – a provocative pop re-enactment of Cold War worlds! A satire that screams a loud No to chauvinism and colonialism, told here from the perspective of the East Asian island nation of Taiwan (with vague side glances at the near future). Its mastermind: the exceptional artist Su Hui-yu, who has turned his eponymous 2023 performance at MOCA Taipei into a very special feature film debut oozing with boundless creativity. While his “reshooting” short film series resurrected the spirit of Taiwanese film history – mostly from the martial law era – The Trio Hall draws us into the orbit of two visual cultures at the ultimate crossroads of entertainment, escapism and ideology: the romances of the ‘Three Hall’ cinema of the 60s and 70s (made famous by Chiung Yao & Co) and the TV and variety shows of the 80s. What the hell is going on, asks The Trio Hall, and answers with the very best of everything! (Fabian Tietke, Barbara Wurm)

Su Hui-yu obtained an MFA from Taipei National University of the Arts in 2003 and has remained active in the contemporary arts scene and the film society ever since. Su’s works have been part of renowned festivals, exhibitions, and arts institutes, including the International Film Festival Rotterdam, Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival, Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival, Singapore International Film Festival, BAFICI, and KIVFF. In 2017, the International Film Festival Rotterdam dedicated a retrospective to Su’s video works.

Director Su Hui-yu. Screenplay Su Hui-yu. Cinematography Chen Kuan-Yu. Editing Chan Ki-Yan. Music Modern Cinema Master, Monbaza Chang, Emma Shih. Sound Design Kao Chin Lun. Production Design Liao Yin-chiao. Costumes Jing Han Huang. Make-Up Tzyy Leng Chow. Casting Cookie Chen. Producers Jing Han Huang, Chen Ping-chia. Executive Producer Huang Jing Han. Co-Producer Vladimir Nadein. Production company Jing Moving Image (New Taipei City, Taiwan). With Hsiao Kurt, Chen Ching, Lai Hao-zhe, Liao Yuan-ching, Yang Chia-en, Ng Chi-wai, Shu Wei-chieh, Chen Kim.

Films: 2008: The Fable Shoots (short film). 2009: Bloody Beauty (short film). 2010: Stilnox Home Video: The Midnight Hours (short film). 2012: The Upcoming Show (short film). 2015: Nue Quan (short film), A Man After Midnight (short film), Man Carrying Shame (short film), Thou Shalt Not Self-pollute (Dr Kinsey) (short film). 2017: Super Taboo (short film). 2018: The Glamorous Boys of Tang (short film), The Walker (short film). 2020: The Women’s Revenge (short film). 2025: The Trio Hall.