The Islands

Come Hungry: A Day in the Luzhou Night Market(en)

As dawn breaks over Taipei, a whole world comes to life around the Luzhou temple night market, only to be dismantled by sunrise. In COME HUNGRY, Oscar-winner Carol Dysinger creates a city symphony out of the rhythms, sounds, colors, and flavors of this ephemeral community that revolves around Taiwanese food, traditions, and identity.

Taiwan: The Generation After Martial Law(zh)

This program illustrates how video activists have developed sophisticated use of small format video, with poetic and powerful imagery, complex mixes of sounds and scores and an effective editing style that belies the urgency under which it is being made. The video movement in Taiwan has made successful use of home cassette distribution, via both mail and street vendors. The Green Team collective has pioneered in this effort with over 100 titles in distribution, documenting the struggles of farmers, students, workers and environmentalists.

Unfinished Progress(zh)

Giraffe-like construction cranes are avid eaters. They forage around in the woods and fields for their feeds: the collective longing for development and prosperity. As they crane their necks longer, they make the fantasy of progress more alluring. And that is what Chung-Ming Wang steps forward to fight. Left his stable life behind, he devoted himself into local environmentalism in his hometown Tamsui(Danshui), tried to keep it distant from developmentalism that Taipei had been suffered for long. Few years later, he decided to change his way of political participation. This documentary film depicts his third attempt to run in the City Council Election in 2014, including the difficulties and conflicts he encounters and the diverse imaginations toward progress. The film also tries to brings up an important question: do we need more edifices in our city, or we need to find a way to edify ourselves?

Taipeilove*(zh)

Taipeilove* is a documentary on the perception of homosexuality in the Taiwanese society. As Taiwan is the first country in Asia that is in the process of legalizing same-sex marriage, the documentary follows activists, politicians and experts in the Taiwanese society who have been fighting for marriage equality and navigating their lives through the hardship of coming-out, reaction of families, abandonment and finding love.

Turning 18(zh)

Two girls in the bloom of youth meet at a vocational training program. Afterwards, their lives move in completely different directions.

The Lucky Woman(vi)

This film follows the lives of undocumented Vietnamese workers in Taiwan doing odd jobs to survive, after having been forced to flee their employers due to harsh working conditions and lack of medical care. How will living this way for more than a decade shape their lives?

Inside Taiwan: Standing Up to China(en)

Taiwan is at the heart of a struggle between two nuclear powers – China and the United States - and there are fears it will become the next global conflict. President Xi Jinping insists Taiwan is part of China and must re-unify with the motherland. But Taiwan’s president, Tsai Ing-wen, says the island is already independent and must maintain its freedom and democracy. Jane Corbin investigates how the Taiwanese government and young people are fighting what they say is Chinese disinformation, cyber attacks and dirty tricks.

China vs USA: Empires at War(en)

China keeps claiming sovereignty over Taiwan. The USA believes the Tech industry of the island nation needs to be protected. Prominent international experts from both sides, China vs. USA, Empires At War explores all the issues that could lead to war.

Globe Trekker: Hong Kong and Taiwan(en)

Hong Kong and Taiwan are 2 islands inextricably linked by their huge neighbour. Modern metropolises full of eastern traditions, they're forging forward in the 21st century as China's little dragons. Traveller Megan McCormick begins her journey in Hong Kong, looking out at the incredible skyline from Victoria Peak. She then takes in the contrasts of the city before taking the ferry visit Tap Mum Chau and Lantau Island. After a flight to Taiwan she explores the capital Taipei, ending her trip with a visit to its most remote outpost - Orchid Island.

Taiwan - Angst vor der Invasion(fr)

Peng! Snowman(zh)

'Peng! Snowman' is a feature length documentary about a farmer's son who became one of the worldwide best martial artists. Just forget what you know about martial arts master. Peng will redefine the term: He's a funny, crazy genius! At the age of 60, Peng Wu-Chi was willing to share his incredible story for the first and last time - before he disappeared.

My Life with the Wave(zh)

In order to pursue a life different from the past, two musicians with different backgrounds leave Taipei. One is Tz-Fan Hsu, the head of the band, The Last Wave, and the other is Thomas, the driving force behind Sheng-Xiang & Band. The two landed in Kaohsiung to start a new musical life.

Asie-Pacifique - la nouvelle poudrière(fr)

As soon as he came to power in 2012, Xi Jinping clearly stated his ambition for a national renaissance. He will combine this with the construction of a powerful army and a certain vision of Chinese territory, which includes the reunification of Taiwan. In this quest, control of the oceans has become a crucial issue, and America an obstacle. In the South China Sea and the Pacific, the Chinese Communist Party has been pursuing a strategy to undermine American influence for the past decade. Relying on the active participation of maritime militias - fishermen trained by the military - China is creating a grey area between war and peace that destabilizes both its neighbors and the world's leading military power.

Flowers of Taipei: Taiwan New Cinema(zh)

With Taiwan remaining in the grip of martial law in 1982, a group of filmmakers from that country set out to establish a cultural identity through cinema and to share it with the world. This engaging documentary looks at the movement's legacy.

In the Golden Age of Chinese Craftsmanship(zh)

The essence of progress in civilization has always been handiwork. In traditional Chinese civilization, the emperor was supreme. Vested with the authority to enjoy the best of handiwork, all crafts used for residence, clothing, food, and travel were the most refined and splendid.

A Greater Chance(zh)

Upon learning of his father's terminal illness diagnosis, a young, autistic, hearing-impaired artist travels back to Taiwan with a filmmaker to make a film in his honour.

Taiwan: The Face of Free China(en)

A documentary produced by the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) that covers the history, land reform, industry, religion, educational system, and urban activities of Taiwan.

Our Time, Our Story(zh)

Richly illustrated with film clips and interviews, OUR TIME, OUR STORY tells the still-evolving story of the Taiwanese "new wave," from its rise in the early 1980s, as the island was democratizing after decades under martial law, through growing international recognition and domestic debate in the 1990s. Spearheaded in its early years by such filmmakers as Edward Yang, Ko I-cheng, Hou Hsiao-hsien and Wan Jen, the movement revitalized Taiwan cinema through low-budget experiments that emphasized personal stories, political reflection and stylistic invention. Said filmmakers, writers and actors like Wu Nien-jen and Sylvia Chang, even "second wave" directors Tsai Ming-liang and Lin Cheng-sheng provide fond reminiscences and retrospective insights in this compelling account of one of the most distinctive national cinemas of the last quarter-century.

Hand in Hand(zh)

This documentary focuses on the love story between Dr. Tian and Mrs. Tian. And how fought for democratization of Taiwan.

Kuzoku meets Formosa(zh)