But don't let the fact that this is a new director hold you back from buying tickets, or at least give "Taipei Exchanges" 第３６個故事 a chance.

"Taipei Exchanges" is Hsiao Ya-chuan's first full-length feature. He is a good storyteller, and the film's breezy, playful style sets itself apart from what we often see in local films.

While it is arguable that "Taipei Exchanges" is Taipei's version of the French box office hit "Amelie," it is also true that Hsiao captures a Taipei that has never been seen on screen, a city of color and personality, with a story that is simple but sincere and easy for local audiences to relate to.

This is a film about love, courage, practical jokes, dreams, snapshots of Taipei, dozens of cups of coffee, and many mouthwatering desserts. The young heroine, Doris (played by Taiwan heartthrob Guai Lun-mei) lives with her mother and her sister Josie (played by Zaizai Lin) in urban Taipei. Doris is the kind of girl who is brought up to live up to her parents' expectations -good grades and a stable job.

At the age of 28, she quits her job in a design company and decides to follow her heart to open up a cafe in Taipei. The coffee shop specializes in coffee and desserts.

But business is not as good as expected. Josie then comes up with an idea to attract customers - she buys lots of vintage items and antiques from a pawn shop and puts them in her sister's coffee shop. The items are not for sale, but people who want to take one home must bring in an item in exchange for it. A Japanese customer discovers a rare music book at the cafe and wants to bring it home for his mother as a birthday gift. But he doesn't have anything on hand to make an exchange. Eventually he makes a deal with Doris to sing two songs as his barter, and his beautiful voice wins him the music book.

Business goes up, and customers, either in the mood for a cup of coffee or in the mood for sharing the stories behind each used vintage item, make it a habit to visit Doris' cafe They tell Doris and Josie many of their own personal and travel adventures.

The more stories Doris gets from her customers, the stronger she realizes that she wants to go after her dream-a dream that goes beyond opening a coffee shop. She leaves her cafe to Josie and embarks on a journey that is about to lead her to discover more stories, her own stories.

Hsiao said the character of Doris was inspired when he visited a coffee shop in Shanghai. He saw a French girl with short hair who always devotes her full attention to making desserts at the counter. In the film, Hsiao said he wanted to deliver the idea of "making exchanges without using money." "I am not against using money to buy things," he said in a press conference held earlier this month. "But if we value an item with only one fixed standard (referring to money), the item will lose its appeal very soon."

In addition to Hsiao's heart-warming storylines and the visually impressive images, Guai shows mature acting skills in the film. She departs from her regular gentle/girly look and acting style to show a more whimsical side that makes her no less attractive than the 19-year-old actress Zaizai Lin, who delivers a strong presence in the film.

The insertion of street interviews shot in Taipei is a complete surprise, and famed DJ host/musician Summer Lei's original music score helps keep the rhythm of the movie flowing. When the movie approaches its end, it leaves the audiences wanting to hear still more stories.

As a coffee addict, Hsiao said he has always dreamed of opening up his own coffee shop. The movie actually helped make his dream come true. The film crew found a location in Taipei and set up a coffee shop from scratch. The lovely cafe (Daughter's Cafe朵兒咖啡館) is located on Fujin Street 富錦街 Taipei City and has become a popular tourist attraction since it opened to the public last October. "Taipei Exchanges" will open in Taipei tomorrow. The film was nominated yesterday for Best Feature at the 2010 Taipei Film Award.