1990
International Documentary Filmfestival Amster
長片競賽單元提名
長片競賽單元提名
《城市時裝速記》（Notebook on Cities and Clothes, 1989）是德國新浪潮大將溫德斯（Wim Wenders）受法國龐畢度中心所託，以時尚設計師山本耀司為主題的紀錄片作品。而《山本耀司時裝哲學》（Yohji Yamamoto│Dressmaker, 2016）⋯⋯
German contemporary master Wim Wenders captures the poetry of everyday life through his lens. Whether retracing the footsteps of Ozu Yasujirō as a devoted admirer, or uncovering the soul of unknown musicians in the heart of Havana, Wenders reveals profound reflections on himself and his work. Giloo presents a curated selection of Wenders’ timeless classics—step into his journey and witness how a master sees other masters, and the beauty of ordinary lives.
Old-school lovers often say: It’s not that I like old things—it’s just that the things I like have grown old. Being “old-fashioned” evokes the charm of a bygone era: a certain simplicity, sincere and warm human connections, and the grace of staying composed amid sweeping change. These are qualities slowly fading in our fast-paced, instant world. But through precious archival footage, we can once again feel the elegance of that old-school spirit—be it colonial-era Taipei, a jazz festival in 1950s America, the streets of Tokyo in late Showa, or a Paris fashion runway in the 1980s. If I must stay at home in isolation, I choose to retreat into this spiritual time capsule of vintage films—as if boarding the carriage from Midnight in Paris, traveling to a world that’s unfamiliar, yet deeply nostalgic.
Our world is shaped by design. Spaces, clothing, typography—these elements quietly determine how we live, often without us noticing. Let’s turn our attention to the overlooked details and forgotten corners. How do people with a heightened sensitivity to the world around them experience a city? How do they wear their beliefs? How do they bring imagination into form through their hands? How do they speak about design? And how can design be discussed beyond the realm of iconic masters? What everyday creativity lies just within reach, waiting to be seen?
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.
Why is it called "Touching the Essence of Humanity"? The phrase is actually drawn from a quote by Steve Jobs in The Lost Interview: “The key is to get in touch with the essence of what it means to be human—and then bring that into the work you do. I believe the reason the Macintosh succeeded is that the people who created it were musicians, poets, artists, zoologists, and historians—who also happened to be the best computer scientists in the world. Had they not entered computer science, they would have excelled in their own fields. They brought a sense of humanity into the machine. That humanistic attitude allowed us to draw the best from other disciplines. You can’t do that if you’re narrow.” This film program centers on diversity—selecting classics across five different forms of cinema. Through this range, we aim to explore the roots of what makes a work “classic.” Diversity protects us from narrowness. The essence preserved in each field offers us a broader, more open-hearted way to expand the boundaries of life.
Old films, classics, and cinematic relics from the past always hold a certain allure. In these moving images, we see the spirited youth of the 1990s fighting for creative freedom, the vibrant chaos of 1980s Japan, and, through the pioneering lens of Taiwanese home-movie maker Deng Nan-Guang, fleeting moments of beauty from the Japanese colonial era. And of course—let’s not forget the soulful rhythms of Cuba’s legendary old-school jazz musicians.
"I want to keep creating until my final breath—always shaking people to their core." So said the sensational artist Yayoi Kusama, whose bold vision reshaped a generation’s sense of beauty. But what is art? And what isn’t? Giloo presents a selection of eight biographical documentaries, offering a rare glimpse into the lives of trailblazers who have redefined aesthetic boundaries and challenged the way we see the world.
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.
"Through synchronicity, the subjective and objective worlds intertwine, allowing the psyche and the material to resonate." When we imagine the contours of things, the camera begins to speak. It casts light and sound, strikes chords of language, and imprints memory upon the screen. Five films. Five creators. Five echoes of synchronicity from the depths of their souls. Let us rise from the seats of spectatorship and, with the heart of art as our vessel, journey toward the distant shore—where beauty and the numinous await.