Director
What is the relationship between art and society? Is it possible for art to exist outside of society, as a kind of “pure land”? How does art reflect the evolution of an era—or even move ahead of its time to drive change? This has been the central question I’ve explored since I first began creating. From the great creators of East and West, to protestors striving for change, and finally to local actors taking action on the ground. “Living in this era, what dreams can we still hold on to?” In pragmatic despair, I pragmatically believe that both creation and action, like water, can flow into and fill the cracks that our times so urgently need.
Veteran Taiwanese documentary filmmaker Chu-chen Hsiao has long focused on Taiwan’s history, grassroots culture, and collective memory. Through a deeply humanistic lens, she captures overlooked stories with nuance and care. She won the Golden Horse Award for Best Documentary for two consecutive years with The Legend of the Red Leaf and The Silver Hairpin. Her films The Dove Project: 20 Years of Taiwan New Cinema and How We Make Films document the creative journeys of dozens of Taiwanese filmmakers, and are considered essential works in the study of Taiwanese cinema.