In Our Time () is a 1982 Taiwanese anthology film directed by Edward Yang, Yi Chang, Ko I-Chen and Tao Te-Chen. Each set in a different decade between 1950 and 1980. The vignettes explore various themes and genres, including drama, comedy, economics, and society, and showcase characters at different stages in their lives. The film's four vignettes each take place in a different decade between 1950 and 1980 and depict characters at different points in their lives. The film deals with a range of dramatic, comic, economic and social themes.
Style
The film is divided into four segments that differ in terms of theme, tone, and style. The first two episodes are more reflective and dreamlike, whereas the latter two episodes have more dialogue and overt comedy. Tao's “Dinosaurs” or “Little Dragon Head” segment tells the story of a young boy who creates a fantasy world populated by his dinosaur toys to escape from parental neglect and social rejection. Yang's "Expectations" or “Desires”, episode follows a teenage girl who develops feelings for an older man staying at her house, leading to a love triangle. In Ko's “Leapfrog” segment, a college student tries to cope with the pressures of life by starting a club and organizing a competition. Finally, Yi Chang's “Show Your ID” or “Say Your Name” segment features Sylvia Chang as a newly-married woman who, along with her husband, gets accidentally locked out of their house and barred from their workplace, resulting in comedic situations.
Produced by the conservative Central Motion Picture Corporation, In Our Time marked director Edward Yang’s second feature film project, following a TV movie he directed a year prior. Yang's segment in the film was noted by John Anderson as being more documentary-like in content, with a poetic touch added to it in “Expectations.” According to the Harvard Film Archive, the film stands out for its hard-hitting and realistic portrayal of everyday life, rather than indulging in escapist or melodramatic themes. In Our Time is often considered as a key film in the New Taiwan Cinema movement, which prioritized authentic representations of Taiwanese culture and society on screen.
Origin
In the 1970s, Taiwan’s film industry was dominated by melodramas for nearly two decades until the import of Hong Kong cinema, which achieved tremendous commercial success. Considering the decline in Taiwanese film industry, young intellectuals including Hsiao Yei and Wu Nien-jen recruited by Central Motion Picture Corporation (CMPC), an official propaganda organization under the ruling KMT nationalist party, realized that Taiwan cinema was in need of innovation and embarked on a groundbreaking endeavor. Enlisting a fresh new wave of young directors aim to revolutionize the film landscape by defying the conventions of melodrama and introducing a new cinematic style. It was against this backdrop that In Our Time was born.
The English title In Our Time was derived from Ernest Hemingway’s first work, suggesting a sense of modernity. This film made an attempt to explore Taiwanese society through a fresh approach and faced contemporary reality with an open mindset. On the other hand, the original Chinese title 光陰的故事(Guangyin de Gushi) translates to “The Story That Unfolds with the Passage of Time,” emphasizing the trajectory formed by the four interconnected stories that make up the film. Therefore, the film marked a significant departure from the traditional narrative and visual aesthetics, signaling the emergence of Taiwan New Cinema. Grounded in realism, Taiwan New Cinema focuses on capturing the beauty of the slow, the gentle rhythm of life. These films embraced unconventional narrative structures, leaving behind the melodramatic building of tension and adopting a lifelike pacing.