This study explores the cultural and social landscape of colonial Taiwan by examining cinematic sociability—the collective and ritualistic nature of movie-going—as a pivotal medium that reshaped everyday existence under Japanese rule (1895–1945). Moving beyond institutional film history, this research investigates how the act of "watching films together" functioned as a transformative social practice for the colonized. The research draws upon extensive primary sources, including archives from the Taiwan Daily New Paper and the private diaries of local intellectuals such as Huang Wang-cheng and Wu Xin-rong. By analyzing these "ego-documents," the study reconstructs the socio-technical environment and the affective experiences of early 20th-century Taiwanese audiences. Utilizing Marshall McLuhan’s Media Tetrad, the paper analyzes how cinema amplified the sensory desire for modernity and social gathering, obsolesced traditional folk performances, retrieved local community identities, and reversed into a tool for imperial mobilization. The findings reveal that cinematic sociability provided a unique "narrative space" where authority was co-constructed by anchors (interpreters/narrators), participants, and the platform’s affordances. Within these spaces, the Taiwanese people negotiated their identity, practiced modern subjectivity, and navigated the complexities of colonial governance through the shared ritual of cinema. This research contributes to the micro-history of media consumption and illustrates the internalization of colonial modernity in East Asia.

Authors:
Wenlu Huang, Guangzhou University, China
Congyan Huang, Guangzhou University, China

About the Presenter(s)
Wenlu Huang, Lecturer at Guangzhou University. PhD from NCCU. Research: Taiwan cinema history, media history, & cultural studies. Current project: Reconstructing the micro-history of colonial media consumption via private diaries.

See this presentation on the full schedule – Wednesday Schedule

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