2020
Some choose to change society through words. Some release pressure through acts of violence. Others exile themselves in sex. When values and beliefs collapse, what remains—ghosts or humans? In a world spiraling out of order, they descend into collective ecstasy and moral decay— yet also rise in fierce, unrelenting debate. They may be revolutionaries from Japan’s student movement era, a gay man reenacting the Oedipal tale of desire and patricide, or men and women consumed by the thrill of power and lust. But beneath these extremes of reason and emotion lies a common thread: a desperate, lucid critique of existence itself. Giloo presents six handpicked films from East Asia— each delving into a raw and radical human struggle on the edge of belief, where the urge to live collides with the desire to disappear.
The Kishu An Book Festival aims to overturn the stereotype of books as dull or monotonous by infusing literature with vibrant musical elements and bringing artistic experiences into everyday life. Through engaging sessions led by guest speakers, participants are invited to discover how closely literature resonates with their own lives. The 2022 edition of the festival, themed “Musical Narrative: Music x Reading”, featured lectures, performances, an online film screening series, and a themed marketplace. It brought together music critics, writers, and singer-songwriters who navigate both the literary and musical worlds, sharing how they translate experiences between these forms and explore unique modes of expression and interpretation.
In times of turmoil, I find myself drawn to documentaries. There’s something profoundly moving in watching people carve out a sense of “home” amid chaos—guarding a fragment of peace and expanding the inner landscape of the heart. I’ve always loved the phrase “a heart set on distant meaning.” We are born into constraints and often stumble through thorns, but perhaps it’s precisely these entanglements that awaken our yearning for freedom and for becoming. With that in mind, I’ve selected three documentaries. Some feature lives caught in inescapable webs; others portray souls that remain free, even when the body cannot move.
The Future Makers Selection 2022 is now underway. We spoke to the jury about their vision of a “Future Maker”: Is it the kind of talent the world urgently needs? A bold change-maker? Or perhaps someone like Top Gun’s Maverick—fearless, unconventional, and unapologetically themselves? Every year, we search for emerging voices across Taiwan—young individuals who are reshaping what “success” means through their actions. If you're still searching for what a future leader might look like, the jurors have recommended a few films to broaden your horizons. May these stories inspire your youthful heart—and give you the courage to step into the vast world ahead.