Tsao's works are grand and magnificent, and her portrayal of characters is deep and delicate. This can be attributed to her background in psychology. Through Tsao's lens, it appears as if one can directly point to the heart and see the character's soul at its deepest. Her humanistic accomplishments and spirit are embodied in the film, ensuring her works are always infused with gentle emotion and artistic expression.
Pongso no Tao〜 Island of People
Pongso no Tao〜 Island of People
Pongso no Tao〜 Island of People
Synopsis
We stepped on Orchid Island (Lanyu) because of an ancient chant, which is the earliest sound of the Tao people recorded by Japanese scholar Kitasato Takeshi in the 1920s. Our filming journey, a 3-hour boat ride from the southeast coast of Taiwan, became a heartfelt exploration of the island's intersections between old and new, tradition and modernity.
'Pongso no Tao〜 Island of People is a documentary about the life stories of several Tao friends in Lanyu, and it is also the most challenging work I have encountered since I started filmmaking. It's difficult because of Orchid Island's remoteness. A friend who also filmed on Orchid Island said that it is not easier to go to Lanyu than to go to Japan. In summer, the tourist season, friends on the island are busy making a living, and have no time for anything else. In winter, under the strong attack of the northeast monsoon, it is not easy to land on the island. In total, we have visited Lanyu 6 times, and the longest time we stayed there was two months in a row.
'I admire the Tao people of the past, who, in an era of scarce resources and difficult natural environment, relied entirely on their own hands and physical strength to cut wood to build boats, reclaim wasteland to plant crops, and build houses. The precious cultural assets they left behind are the pride of the Tao people today.
'The Taiwanese government has always considered Lanyu to be a remote area. In recent years, the island has been unable to cope with the demand of the tourism industry. However, the issues that are urgently needed to be resolved, such as the livelihood of the Lanyu people, land issues, and the education and employment of young people, are the deep concerns of the Tao people, and they are also the aspects that we care about.' - TSAO Wen-chieh and LIN Wan-yu
Director's Profile
TSAO Wen-chieh
Filmography
1996 Master v.s. Master – Taiwan Hand Puppetry
1997 Dreaming of Home - Marginal Tribe of the City
1998 A Random Life
1998 Please Come Home, My Boy
2001 Heaven Peace in Small Town
2003 Dreaming of Home--Marginal Tribe of the City
2012 The Eyes of Nan-Guang Deng
2015 Recalling My Youth, My Songs
2016 Art Duet- Visual Arts
2023 Pongso no Tao〜 Island of People
LIN Wan-yu
Lin's works are close to ordinary people, delicate and brilliant. Perhaps due to her experience growing up in the mountains, she possesses a down-to-earth sense of humor and ease in her personality. She has worked as a film producer, advertising planner, executive producer, etc. She is currently the producer and director of the Revision Broadcasting Company. Her recent work Growth with Hope won the Jury Special Recommendation Award at the 2021 Taiwan Ecological and Environment Film Festival. Architecture．Glory was nominated for Best Documentary Director at the 2021 Golden Bell Awards. Circus Underground was nominated for Best Humanities Documentary Program at the 2022 Golden Bell Awards.
Filmography
1998 Days Beyond River Side
1999 My Life as a Stripper
1999 The Last Home
2000 Memories of the Mountains
2001 Eternal Chant
2021 Growth with Hope
2021 Architecture．Glory
2022 Circus Underground
2023 Pongso no Tao〜 Island of People
Credit
Producer｜CHIU Hsien-chun
Cinematographer｜CHANG Nian, LIN Wan-yu, CHEN Chao-hung, WANG Hụi-chu
Editor｜TSAO Wen-chieh, LIN Wan-yu
Print Source
Revision Broadcasting Company｜LIN Wan-yu｜ashulou1031@gmail.com