20-23 SEPTEMBER 2025
ASIAN PROJECT MARKET Asian Project Market
ASIAN PROJECT MARKET Asian Project Market
Completed Projects
Completed Projects
Back to list (Sex) Appeal
| Production Country | Taiwan |
|---|---|
| Director | WANG Wei-ming |
| Producer | HSU Hsiao-ming |
| Writer | HSU Kun-hua |
| Production Company | COOLIE FILMS, CHINESE SHADOWS |
| Completed Year | 2014 |
| Genre | Drama |
| Running time | 105min |
| APM Selected Year | 2013 |
- Director’s Profile
-
Born in Taipei, Taiwan, Wang Wei-ming graduated with a bachelor’s degree from Taipei National University of the Arts in 1992. He had already started working with Edward Yang on A Brighter Summer Day in 1991, as Assistant Director, and Edward Yang became his mentor.
Wang Wei-ming then participated in Edward Yang’s films A Confucian Confusion (1994) and Mahjong (1996). He also worked on Kaizo Hayashi’s The Breath (1995), and Andrew Lau’s Born to be King (2000). His short film A Private Matter was selected for the Vancouver International Film Festival in 1995. He also made several TV movies, such as True Image (selected for the Spot-Taipei TV Festival in 2002), and Apartment No. 101.In 2003, Wang Wei-ming began working as a commercial director on unique and diverse projects in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and China. His works reveal a sensitive touch of humanity and have been widely recognized by professionals; winning multiple international prizes including Times Asia-Pacific Awards, Effie Awards, London International Awards, Spikes Asia Awards, and AAA China Awards.
Sex Appeal marks his return to film-making after ten years spent in advertising, and will be Wang Wei-ming’s first feature film.
- Synopsis
- 22 year-old Pai Hui-hua arrives in a small Taiwanese town to pursue a master’s degree at the Music Conservatory of a university. For the first time in her life, she is free from the fetters of her mother, a single parent. Far from the big city where she grew up, she can finally enjoy herself, the independence that she has long desired, and the pursuit of her dream to become a musician in a professional orchestra. Shortly after her arrival in town, Pai becomes involved in an unusual relationship with her teacher, Mr. Lee. Using his power and influence over his student, he rapes her and slowly forces her into a dominative sexual relationship. The girl submits herself to her teacher and suffers in silence. At university she meets Mu-Hung, an innocent 19 year-old student. He is soon convinced that he is in love with Pai, but doesn’t know how to tell her. City girls are too complicated for him to understand. One night, he invites her to the seaside to tell her how he feels, but Pai refuses him and his kiss. That same night, Pai tries to commit suicide and is admitted to hospital. Discovering the truth of Pai’s situation, a teacher at the university, Mrs. Wang, decides to help and protect Pai. Mrs. Wang asks her long-time friend Mrs. Fang An-yu, a notorious shyster, to step in. The case is far from easy, as the entire university sides with Mr. Lee, as does the University lawyer, Mr. Lee’s wife. Pai herself is not convinced that Mr. Lee really did anything wrong. Yes, he raped her, but all Fang has on which to begin building her case is a diagnosis from the hospital of Pai’s Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. She has no other evidence or witnesses. Despite this, Mrs. Wang and Mrs. Fang are determined to get justice for Pai.
- Achievements
-
2014 Busan International Film Festival
2014 Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival
2014 Hanoi International Film Festival
2014 Singapore Chinese Film Festival
2014 New Taipei City Film Festival
2015 Shanghai International Film Festival
2015 Focus on Asia International Film Festival
2015 Goteborg Film Festival
2015 LA Asian Pacific Film Festival
2015 Vancouver Taiwanese International Film Festival