2019
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.
Classical is elegance. Classical is romance. Classical is also wild, and untamed.
Japan—a land of paradox and fascination—has long captivated travelers from afar. With deep-rooted traditions that have withstood over 150 years of rapid Westernization, Japan continues to preserve a unique national identity and way of life, while also giving rise to a distinct and globally influential pop culture. This month, Giloo Documentaries presents a curated selection of films that explore the many faces of Japan. Journey with us across mountains and oceans, through surface and depth—encountering the worlds of fashion, Takarazuka theater, love hotels, fine cuisine, robotics, and contemporary art. Modern Japan is vibrant, eclectic, and often wildly unexpected—and these films capture its raw, untamed spirit.
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.
When you think of your favorite film, chances are the first thing that comes to mind is its unforgettable music. A film’s score breathes life into its story—it is the soul beneath the visuals. Behind each moving melody lies an extraordinary level of artistry, craft, and emotional labor far beyond what we see (or hear) on screen. In conjunction with Hans Zimmer: The Sound of Hollywood, a special concert taking place at the Taipei Music Center from April 21 to 24, 2022, Giloo Documentaries presents a curated playlist celebrating the magic of film scores. Join us as we journey into the imaginative world of cinematic music.