Photo Credit ＆Article Source ：Drama Draft Dragon Film Production Co
Translated by Lawrence Kou (郭令鈞)
Blue Lan, renowned for his exceptional acting and now proving his versatility as a director, returns with his second film After School on September 22. Preceded by his debut directorial A Fool in Love, Love Like a Fool in 2019, Lan's latest featuring an exciting main cast of new-generation actors and actresses, including Zhan Huai-Yun, Chiu I-tai, Wu Chien-ho, Charlize Lamb, and Phil Hou. As the closing film of the 2023 Taipei Film Festival, After School will also have sneak previews from September 15 to 17 before its official release.
Adapted from true stories of Lan and his close cram school teacher Mickey Chen, who was also a documentary director. After School pays tribute to the memory of Lan's beloved teacher Chen, who died in 2019 and inspired Lan to shoot this film. Motivated to honor his mentor and celebrate his youth golden days, Lan embarked on this heartfelt project. The film revolves around "the three musketeers of buxiban (cram school)" - Zhan Huai-Yun, Chiu I-tai, and Wu Chien-ho - during their transformative pubescent years in 1994. Set in an era where excelling in education was paramount and student romance was strictly prohibited, these three spirited individuals, along with Hermione, embraced the tumultuous nature of their youth in the buxiban. And as they meet the “cram school belle” Charlize Lamb, the friendship of the tree starts to change subtly. At the same time, an “alternative” new teacher, played by Phil Hou, appears to lead the trio on an enlightening journey of self-discovery.
Lan mentioned, "During adolescence, the 'three musketeers' grapple with questions about gender identity, the uncertainty of the future, and the longing for love. Through After School,