As Level 3 Covid-19 Alert continues, there is no better way than being an indoorsy and watching films during the Staycation. New Taipei City Documentary Film Award Festival held by Department of Information, New Taipei City Government, has selected series of award-winning documentary films for all home-stayer on Giloo and PTS PLUS（PTS+）from July. Minister of Department of Information, New Taipei City Government, Chiang Chih-Wei, invites all to stay home and stick with these prime documentary films together!
With diversified selection of multiple social issues, New Taipei City Documentary Film Award Festival 2021 brings all audiences go deeper with issues from the transformation of traditional industry, politics issues which the world is facing with, to ethnic diversity, gender identity, rare disease and self-worth that are closer to all individuals. As the word “documentary” written, these films documented all the bitter-sweet of the past, written stories among and surround us. “Ms. Lin -The Retouching Lady” from director Lin Shih-Chun, dates back a whole half-life of a photo retouch editor, it brings us scanning an era that prospered and elapsed. “Rama and Rara” from director Zheng Wei-Xuan, traces the growing footprints of second generation of Indonesian migrant workers in Taiwan. The two kids eventually went back to Indonesia with unforgettable warmth and friendliness received in Taiwan. A story about Vietnamese immigrant spouse A-Gui,“Sung's Family” from director Sung Yan-fei depicts cross-cultural marriage issues from individual A-Gui, to most of the new immigrant spouses that face unhappy marriage life, alongside their identity recognition to either themselves or the whole society.
Seeing through the lenses, these films bring all the audiences new perspectives to the world ,and embrace the diversity of the current society. “Today, You Are You.” and "Moving In Between", the documentary of gender identity of transgender people, respectively shot by distinguished directors Chen Kuan-chun and Tsai Chia-Hsuan, have documented stories of transgender people who have reborn and embrace new life bravely. Ｍanly as it sounds, “The Old Men's Party” from Lin Tse-yu, brings all the audiences to the live chat of Brother Tsao and his buddies with those Man Topics alongside stories, complaints deep within! In “My Way” from director Su Mei-Yu, the story depicts the deep bonding of father and daughter who returned hometown after a car accident and started business, also videographed the purest part of Yunlin. “Ning”, from Chen Wei-Chieh, is eyed on a Down Syndrome patient Peter. From Peter’s obedience, resistance and confusion toward all social norms, this film reminds the society that what seems normal might have shackled and constrained a certain group of people.
Many of us are eager to seeing multiple possibilities of life, watching documentary films provides a way that approaches feelings that we might have never felt. Films by Myo Aung,“Fire At Forest” followed a young Myanmarese who returned from Taiwan to hometown for riding on the wave of land developing, and recorded all winding route he stepped on. “Where We Belong”, portraited how Myanmar Chinese family separate thousand miles away for living and education. “Hide: Price of Freedom”, from Chan Lok-ray, followed steps and interviewed those Hong Kong people stood for freedom on the streets. How they see about democratic Taiwan? And what is in mind for themselves about that happened and facing with?
For Giloo platform, the broadcast starts from 2021/7/1 to 2021/7/31, and for PTS+, will be available from 2021/8/1 to 2022/7/31. For more information, please check the official website of New Taipei City Documentary Film Award (https://www.doc.ntpc.gov.tw) and official Facebook Page : (https://www.facebook.com/NewTaipeiCityDocumentary).
