Programme Review

Prism of Society: Taiwanese Documentaries Focus

22 May 2024

In May this year, we presented a selection of Ukrainian films at the Taiwanese International Documentary Festival (TIDF) titled Exchange. A decade of blue and yellow: Ukrainian documentaries. At the 21st Docudays UA, our colleagues from TIDF present a film programme with a humanistic approach to their own history and a perspective on society.

 

“In the 14th edition, TIDF (Taiwan International Documentary Festival) initiated its first-time ever exchange programme with international film festivals. In collaboration with Docudays UA, we hope to introduce Ukrainian and Taiwanese documentaries to audiences in the two countries. 

 

The six works featured in this selection delve into various aspects of humanistic care. They listen to the witnesses, survivors of the political oppression and their descendants (Taste of Wild Tomato, 2021), and raise questions about imperfect victims through the death of a migrant worker (And Miles to Go Before I Sleep, 2022); they view our colonial history from an innovative perspective with a musical performance on archaeological findings (A Performance in the Church, 2024). And they address diverse concerns ranging from an intimate family issue (A Holy Family, 2022), high-risk young laborers (In Their Teens, 2020) and indigenous communities (The Catch, 2020). Through the lenses of documentary filmmakers, we can gaze at the complexity of Taiwan’s history and the rich diversity within our society,” tells Jessie YANG, TIDF Exchange Programme Executive (Taiwan Docs).

 


The programme Prism of Society: Taiwanese Documentaries Focus includes:

Main photo: a still from the film A Performance in the Church.
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The 21st Docudays UA is held with the support of the Embassy of Sweden in Ukraine, the US Embassy in Ukraine, International Media Support, the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Ukraine, the Embassy of Estonia in Ukraine, the Polish Institute in Kyiv, Institut français d'Ukraine, Danish Cultural Institute, the Czech Centre in Kyiv, and the Embassy of Hungary in Kyiv. The opinions, conclusions, or recommendations do not necessarily reflect the views of the governments or organisations of these countries. Responsibility for the content of the publication lies exclusively on the authors of the publication.
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