You Are the Apple of My Eye-new kid in town(2)

The allure of adolescent tales

Other Taiwanese films have focused on youth, such as Blue Gate Crossing in 2002 and Holiday Dreaming in 2004. But back then such films were not given wide release and didn't raise much attention. A change came in 2006, with some popular films like Eternal Summer and Summer's Tail leading the way, and others, like those directed by famous singer Jay Chou, Secret (2007) and Kung Fu Dunk (2008), following along.

These films reached audiences with their simple subject matter by invoking nostalgia for their adolescent years.

"When we grow up, we lose the sincerity and honesty we adopt as children. You have to put on a mask, which kills your spirit," said a 32-year-old engineer surnamed Zou. "So, the sickness of the adult world makes our adolescent years look like the Garden of Eden."

Art imitating life, not reinventing it

Chinese mainland films, including Heaven Eternal (2009), High School Musical: China (2010), and Under the Hawthorn Tree (2010), have also focused on the topic of the adolescent experience in recent years. However, none of them were able to make much of an impression on audiences.

Su Mu, professor at the Beijing Film Academy, believes this is because mainland films are not as true to life as Taiwanese films are. Comparing Under the Hawthorn Tree and You Are the Apple of My Eye as an example, Su said the love story told in the former is "a fantasy," while in the latter it is "a real story" that happened to the director himself. This is why Giddens is able to move audiences with this simple and real portrayal of the lives of young people.

Su pointed out another shortcoming of mainland films: they focus too much on the appearance of characters and neglect the plot. Su explained that we often see beautiful actors and actresses in films made on the Chinese mainland, but few achieve a truly human story.

"It's like trying to scratch an itch on your foot through your boot," he said.