Taiwan Docs

The Lost Kingdom traces the rise and fall of the Kung Le Society, one of the most prominent Taiwanese opera troupes to emerge after Japanese Rule. The film compiles archive footage, photos, and rare interviews with former troupe members, telling the story of how entertainment mogul CHEN Cheng-San led his troupe to success, transforming the traditional folk opera into mainstream entertainment. CHEN brought innovative new features to the opera to attract crowds into the theatres, and even ventured into the film business, creating the first Taiwanese language film, Xue Ping-Gui and Wang Bao-Chuan in 1956. However, with the advent of television, and the Nationalist government’s policy of banning any language other than Mandarin in public places, CHEN’s kingdom gradually declined until it eventually dissolved.

Source : Taiwan International Documentary Festival