Filmed in Taiwan: Trailer for Scorsese’s “Silence” Released

Paramount Pictures released the official trailer for Martin Scorsese’s “Silence” yesterday, providing a preview to the sets and locations used around Taiwan, where the movie was filmed in 2015.

Paramount announced the film will appear in theaters December 2016.

Scorsese chose to shoot the film in Taiwan after talking to Taiwan-born director Ang Lee. Lee filmed “Life of Pi” on the island.

Taiwan provided a suitable, and much cheaper location to film the story, which is set in 17th century Japan. Locations included Yangmingshan, Beitou, Taichung, and Hualien.

“Silence” is based on the 1966 historical novel of the same name, written by Shūsaku Endō, and tells the story of Jesuit Priests facing persecution and violence. It’s a film Scorsese has been wanting to make since 1990.

The cast includes Liam Neeson, Andrew Garfield, Adam Driver, and Asano Tadanobu.

Scorsese first came to Taiwan to scout for locations in 2014. Taiwan still contains traditional Japanese style buildings built by the Japanese during Taiwan’s Japanese colonial period, 1895-1945. Some of these buildings can be seen in the trailer.

Scorsese received subsidy and production support from the Taipei City Government and Taipei Film Commission. The production was partly financed by Taiwan film distributer Catchplay.

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