{"id":14457,"date":"2012-11-22T01:11:15","date_gmt":"2012-11-22T01:11:15","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2012-11-22T01:11:15","modified_gmt":"2012-11-22T01:11:15","slug":"Blind-pianist-beats-odds-to-become-Taiwan-movie-star","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/asiancemagazine.com\/?p=14457","title":{"rendered":"Blind pianist beats odds to become Taiwan movie star"},"content":{"rendered":"

Huang Yu-siang was born with a gift and a devastating disability. He has a huge talent for music, but he is blind. His story has become a movie that has captivated audiences in his native Taiwan.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The film, “Touch of the Light”<\/strong>, marks a double triumph for the 25-year-old. First he overcame awe-inspiring odds by becoming a successful pianist in real life. Then he beat the odds once more by playing himself on the big screen.<\/p>\n

“I was surprised by the warm reactions at home and abroad. Many people told me they were encouraged by the film to persist in their dreams,” Huang told AFP in an interview.<\/p>\n

Huang’s musical gift was discovered at the age of two when he could play on the piano songs he had heard only once.<\/strong> He went on to win many competitions and became the first blind person to obtain a bachelor’s degree in music majoring in piano in Taiwan.<\/p>\n

His story was made into a short film in 2008 by Taiwanese director Chang Jung-chi, which attracted the attention of acclaimed Hong Kong filmmaker Wong Kar-wai, who encouraged Chang to build it into a full-length feature.<\/p>\n

It has become a top-grossing movie in Taiwan since its September release<\/strong>, winning over fans including President Ma Ying-jeou, who praised its “subtle character portrayals” on his Facebook page.<\/p>\n

The film has also been welcomed by civil groups that hope it will sharpen the focus on the plight of the island’s blind.<\/p>\n

While attitudes towards those with disabilities have improved in recent years, support groups and charities say Taiwanese society still has some way to go when it comes to equality.
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\nTaiwan prides itself on its facilities for the physically impaired<\/strong> — wheelchair ramps abound in the cities — but the fact remains that blind people face drastically limited opportunities.<\/p>\n

“The visually-impaired are a minority among the minorities, as employers are more willing to hire the physically or hearing-impaired,” said Chiang Pei-fen, a spokeswoman for Taiwan Foundation for the Blind.<\/p>\n