By Christina Ng

AMERICAN-CHINESE director Arvin Chen, 32, attempts to evoke the feeling of Paris, the city of love, in Taipei, with endearing results.

His first feature film, Au Revoir Taipei, currently in cinemas, stars theatre actor Jack Yao and singer-actress Amber Kuo. The two share a bizarre night together on the streets of Taipei.

Yet, the star of the movie is the city itself, as the camera pans across scenes of everyday life, from parks to roadside food stalls. And the 24-hour bookstore where Chen's two leads meet is "the new bar for intellectuals", as actress Kuo puts it.

Chen says these locations define his notions of romance. "I never thought sitting on the beach watching the sunset was romantic," he said. "What tugs at my heartstrings are the things that we see around us, but never notice. Taipei always surprises me."

Chen was born in the San Francisco Bay Area, where he grew up. He studied architectural design at the University of California at Berkeley before moving to Taipei to apprentice with Taiwanese film-maker Edward Yang (Yiyi, A Brighter Summer Day).

Chen debuted with a 2006 10-minute short film, Mei, which was also set in Taipei.

On his love affair with the capital city of Taiwan, the director said: "Taipei has a rhythm of its own... Here, the people and culture inspire me.