By Winnie Lin Imagine you’re standing in front of the cinema, thinking about which movie you should see that night. Will you choose an exciting Hollywood movie full of computer graphic effects, explosions, and superstars, or a seemingly dull documentary film that only tells of small potatoes? I believe most people would choose the former. However, more and more people are starting to notice documentary films. Even if you’re not a big fan of documentaries, you must have heard of “Jump Boys”, “Let It Be,”; and “My Football Summer.” Right now, there seems to be a documentary wave in Taiwan: are you curious about this alternative that is so different from Hollywood movies? For the past ten years, the government has established policies to support documentaries. They regard documentaries as a way to preserve the history of Taiwan, so they sponsor documentary filmmaker training, subsidize several documentary films, and help sponsor documentary festivals. Most of the filmmakers grew up in a conservative society and have experienced its transformation since martial law was lifted in 1987. Naturally, their experiences and observations have become the subject of documentaries. However, making a documentary was still difficult due to the expensive equipment, but that has now changed. Equipment is now handy and affordable to most people, and making a documentary is no longer an impossible mission for filmmakers.
Even though documentary filmmaking has become easier, there wouldn’t be a wave if the audience didn’t support it. Thanks to the International Documentary Film Festival in Taiwan, people got a chance to take a look at famous documentaries such as “Fahrenheit 911,” “Super Size Me,” and “To Be and To Have.” People started appreciating documentaries that focused on different subjects and no longer found them boring. Also, many more people started to see documentaries; the subjects are normal life events, the pace of the film is quick, the dialogue is extremely amusing. Even the background music is very cheerful. Early examples of successful documentaries in Taiwan include “Gift of Life,” a documentary about the victims of 921 earthquake, and “Viva Tonal,” a film about the history of Taiwanese folk songs since Japanese rule. The most popular documentary last year was “Let It Be,” a film focusing on four rice farmers in Tainan. We follow the filmmakers to see how the farmers grow rice, take care of their crops, and harvest the golden shining rice after a year of hard work. Through the presentation of the camera and interviews with the farmers, the filmmakers present the daily life of the farmers, their religion, their experiences, and their positive attitude toward life. Another well-liked documentary is “Jump Boys,” a film about seven boy gymnasts and their coach in an elementary school in Ilan. The filmmaker captured the boys’ tears and laughter during their difficult training, their interaction with the strict coach, and their road to National gymnastics group championship. The humorous tone and lively atmosphere not only won the audiences’ hearts, but also the Golden Horse Award. This year, “Doctor,” the best documentary of the Taipei Film Festival, has deeply moved audiences. Doctor Wen has a 12-year-old Peruvian patient Sebastian. Sebastian reminds doctor Wen of his only son, who committed suicide at the age of 13. During the treatment, Doctor Wen recollects memories of his beloved son and tries to save Sebastian’s life. The audience shed tears when they saw Doctor Wen trying to cope with this traumatic experience and yet they had another perspective about life and death. In September, “My Football Summer” continued World Cup fever. The film centers on a team of aboriginal teenage football players in Hualien. After three years of training, they finally come to their last game before graduation. Their strong feelings of brotherhood, enthusiasm for football, and persistence in pursuing their dreams reminded people of their own youth. These films break our stereotype of boring documentaries by presenting various subjects that are familiar to us, thus attracting our attention and receiving great popularity. Do not be surprised if last year, the box office draws of “Let It Be” and “Jump Boys” reached four million and two million. A year before that, “Gift of Life” had more than ten million. These statistics are better than many Hollywood movies released in Taiwan. Why do people choose documentaries instead of glamorous movies from tinsel town? I think we have to see these films because they concern the place where we live, teach us lessons about life, and touch us with their emotions and actions. Since you now know more about documentaries and how they fascinate us, aren’t you attracted by these Taiwan documentaries? Next time when going to watch a movie, why not choose a documentary instead? A film about the NTU solar car production team, called “For More Sun,” has recently been released. It’s a good start to see a documentary about our university. Or you can go to our library and find “Let It Be” and “Jump Boys” as well as other examples. Come take part in this wave! a
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May 2024
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