Taiwan

In the Atayal legend, the soul of a deceased person will arrive at the Atayal heaven via the rainbow after they die. And the face tattoo is the only way that they can rely on to get to the rainbow. This film is a documentary about the viewpoints of the elders who have tattooed their faces. It portrays how the elders go with their everyday life in the mountains; it also shows how deeply the elders long for the lost family members, friends and the homeland, as well as their feelings about the impending return to the rainbow.

In Taiwan, when talking about “old soldiers”, most people consider them as members of the Kuomintang (KMT), the political party that followed Chiang Kai-shek to Taiwan. In October 1949 after the KMT had lost the entire mainland, the Communist army invaded Kinmen Island. After three days of intense fighting, the Communists were defeated at Gu-ning-tou on the northwestern coast of Kinmen. Communist soldiers who were not killed were captured by the KMT. Chen Shu-yen was one of the captured soldiers being brought to Taiwan. He never revealed his actual identity except when getting drunk. Not until his daughter started to converse with him via the camera did Chen begin to tell his personal secrets…

This film documents the inspiring and spirited journey of a group of aboriginal kids who found their confidence through singing. Bukut is the principal of a primary school located in Tong-Pu, an aboriginal village in central Taiwan. With a background in sports curriculum, Bukut is the least likely candidate for directing a choir, but that is just what Bukut did: He formed a choir made up of children in the village who could not read music and who were free to switch parts at any time. They won multiple championships in national contests. Soon, Bukut and his unconventional choir faced an incredible opportunity but an even greater challenge: They were asked to record an album professionally. Not used to the rigors of recording music, the kids were soon pushed to limit, frustrated by the long days at the recording studio and with singing the same passages over and over again. How will Bukut guide these kids and help them concentrate on recording in order to lead them in achieving the dream of a community?

“Voices in the Clouds” is an intimate exploration of Tony Coolidge’s quest to understand his heritage. At the heart of the film lies the celebration of family and cultural preservation. Through his amazing journey, the film hopes to encourage viewers to carve their own path toward self-discovery. With his mother gone, Tony reunites with his relatives in Taiwan, only to discover that he and his family are descendants of a unique, indigenous tribal culture named Atayal. The Atayal—and other tribal cultures on the island—are in danger of disappearing forever. Encountering new people in Taiwan brings greater purpose to Tony’s journey. Each discovery for him, his stoic brother, and caring wife, opens a new window into the history, struggle, and unique beauty of Taiwan’s indigenous people. They witness the remnants of an abandoned, war-torn village frozen in time. They are enthralled by the wisdom of a 100 year-old tattooed woman, and devastated by the loss of a loved one. Yet, in the end, new bonds are formed, old wounds are healed, and a new voice is given to their ancestors.

Drugs sending which was based on the idea of paying after using was originated from the third year of Genroku (Japanese year). During the domination of Japan, due to the lack of medical resources and the inconvenient transportation in rural areas of Taiwan, almost every family hanged a medical kit called Yao Pao Tsai on the wall for the people who deliver drugs to put some usual medicine. They came regularly, checked the kit of every house and then resupplied it. This system of sending drugs had been the mainstream of Taiwan’s medical service. However, with the sheer number of pharmacies and the execution of both labor and health insurance, drugs delivery had gradually become part of our memories. Mr. Chang’s brother who had worked for a pharmaceutical factor thought it was good to make his living by delivering drugs. Therefore, he decided to leave for Yun-Lin to have his own business. As for Mr. Chang, he was asked to help his brother right after he graduated from junior high school.