2017
在男性音樂人的辭典裡，「繆思」或許是他們所能想到，對於女性最崇高的讚詞了。他們不單單把愛情故事入歌，更親手捏塑一尊尊神像，在他們筆下就連性欲也神格化。美貌是天啟，情話如神諭，激發各種創作想像：吉他之神艾力・克萊普頓（Eric Clapton）曾肖想好友老婆，以致有了經典名曲〈Layla〉，最後還真給他抱回美人⋯⋯
Music and sound may seem fleeting, yet they leave lasting impressions in the hearts of listeners—sometimes even becoming songs passed down through time. Beyond sensory pleasure, the act of creating sound often carries a message shaped by a specific social context. Whether it is to resist mediocrity or to resonate with the land of daily life, sound conveys cultural memory and helps bring individuals together.
To document an extraordinary soul through the lens is to constantly wrestle with the dilemma of completeness. How can one capture the vastness of a life within the limited time of a film? It challenges the filmmaker’s depth of understanding and precision of perspective. Rather than striving for an all-encompassing portrait, it may be more powerful to focus on select moments—those glimmers that illuminate the subject’s essence. The camera becomes not only a tool to pierce through the surface, but also a means for sincere conversation with the person in front of it.
Female power is finally on the rise! Nearly half of the world’s population is female, yet the attention and resources women receive remain disproportionately low. What are women thinking? Are they truly happy living in today’s society? Do they have access to the resources they need to fulfill their potential? Are women born gentle and obedient—or are they shaped that way? What does it take for a woman to become a woman? What kind of “femininity” has been predefined by families and social norms? These documentary films explore the many facets of womanhood—the struggles, the expectations, and the remarkable stories of women who defy conventions and fight to become their truest selves. Is female empowerment truly here? We’ve come a long way, but there’s still much more to do.
During Taiwan’s Level 3 Alert, the idea of a “normal life” felt impossibly distant. While many responded with anxiety, fear, and blame, others quietly held onto their values and beliefs—trying to preserve what it means to be a “normal person.” This curated selection features five films from China, the United States, the former Soviet Union, Hong Kong, and Taiwan—each portraying a life caught between individual freedom and overwhelming systems: totalitarian regimes or capitalist monopolies. Some are artists, some are not. Some succeed, others don’t. Most drift through a world where “success” has no real meaning. And yet, despite immense, shadowy powers and marginal existences, it is the modest desire to live as a “normal person” that sustains our will to move forward. In the end, mutual understanding remains our greatest force of momentum.