Yee Chih-yen started working at the
Central Motion Picture Corporation as a producer and director after returning to Taiwan as a
MFA in Film. In addition to creating many popular television commercials, he also received China Times Advertisement Awards for his commercial productions. In 1995, Yee Chih-yen made his directorial feature-length film debut with the
Lonely Hearts Club. It was not a box office success, as the film deals with topics the public was disinterested in, such as
queer identities and
coming of age stories. However, the film was screened and nominated in multiple international film festivals, including the
Toronto International Film Festival and the
International Film Festival Rotterdam, and even winning the Best Female Lead Award (
Pai Bing-bing) at the
International Film Festival Prague – FEBIOFEST. In 2002, Yee Chih-yen directed
Blue Gate Crossing, which saw both commercial and critical success. Featuring young actors
Chen Bolin and
Gwei Lun-mei, who he will frequently collaborate with in the future, Yee Chih-yen tells the coming of age struggles of queer teenagers. The film was screened at many film festivals, including being nominated at the
Tokyo International Film Festival, the
Hong Kong Film Award, the
GLAAD Media Award, and the
Bratislava International Film Festival. It won the Special Jury Prize at the
Bratislava International Film Festival.
Blue Gates Crossing is Yee Chih-yen’s best known work. In 2005, Yee Chih-yen collaborated with directors from
Japan and
China for the production of
About Love, an omnibus film consists of three episodes. Yee Chih-yen directed the Taipei segment. In 2006, Yee Chih-yen adapted Hou Wen-yong's same name novel into a television series:
Dangerous Mind. The television series' depiction of the educational reform in Taiwan and its reflection on issues concerning Taiwanese teenagers were well received by the public. It also went on to win the
Golden Bell Awards for Best Television Series and Best Male Actor the following year. In 2011,
City of Lost Things (2020), a feature length animation directed by Yee Chih-yen and produced by Lee Lieh won Top Prize for the
Taipei Golden Horse Film Project Promotion. Adding to Yee Chih-yen's long emphasis on the younger generation, this animation also focuses on raising environmental awareness.
City of Lost Things is Yee Chih-yen's first feature length animation. Due to its complex production and funding issues, its theatrical release was postponed from 2015 to 2021. Yee Chih-yen’s fourth feature length film,
Meeting Dr. Sun (2013), won Best Original Screenplay at the 2014
Golden Horse Awards. Its production and funding were supported by the Feature Film Subsidy funded by the
Ministry of Culture of Taiwan. In March 2021, Yee Chih-yen took over, from
Mark Lee Ping-bing, as the Chairman of the
Taipei Film Festival (TFF), for his role as a spearheading figure that strives for improvements in the Taiwanese film community, along with consistent recognition in young emerging filmmakers. In May 2021, Yee Chih-yen’s first animated film,
City of Lost Things, was nominated at the
Annecy International Animation Film Festival and the Stuttgart Trickfilm International Animated Film Festival (ITFS). It also won Best Animated Feature at the 57th
Golden Horse Awards, along with Best Animated Feature, Best Artistic Direction, Best Costume Design, and Best Special Effects at the
Taipei Film Festival. ==Experience==