Taiwan

Using the history of Taiwanese puppet theater as his starting point, the director cast his eye over the whole of Taiwan’s modern history, creating a documentary of epic proportions. He explored the different styles of the main schools of glove puppet theater(such as the Huang family of the Wu Chou Puppet Theater).

Shooting for“Theater in the Palm of Your Hand”began in March 1998. The production team traveled all over Taiwan to document puppetry events (including Wang-ah festivals in many areas, theater competitions and public performances).

Work on“Theater in the Palm of Your Hand – Glove Puppetry in Taiwan”began in 1997. Based on an initial design put forward by the Government Information Office (GIO), Hanson was commissioned to make the documentary with Yu Kan-ping as director.

Qiu-yan lives in Tainan Guantian Village’s Fanzaitian town. Alizu is a spirit of that place. Qiu-yan must watch over of a whole family’s livelihood, while Alizu must protect the whole settlement’s peace and prosperity.

Qiu-yan complains that she was never able to study enough as her marriage was determined by Alizu at the age of eight, and marrying very early brings some regrets. She says as she speaks, “This is life.” Alizu also has some complaints. When the shrine was remodeled time was too tight, and it was oriented wrong so he would rather stay in the same small home as before.

Qiu-yan is Qiu-yan, and Qiu-yan is also Alizu. One body sometimes holds two souls living inside. Occasionally, Qiu-yan isn’t to be found. Alizu will speak to the director and to the camera, and we can sense another world before us. Often when Qiu-yan returns, excited family members will tell her all that Alizu said and did. The world on the other side of the camera transforms back to the familiar.

1+1+363=365

1= The game has finished. The crowd thunders out applause. The young ball players on the field smile, yell in excitement, and run about. Its fall of 1998 in Monterey and the players’ last game.
1= They are met at the airport by all sorts of media, dazzling lights, and a showy welcome parade. People pack the streets to welcome them.

363= Besides all the grueling practice, there are only more drills. This is a baseball player’s life. This is their life After Championship.

The teens count their fingers in earnest, counting out the hours that they’ve practiced each day. They have some complaints as to their life with no vacation, but it is all for the championship. They don’t need to be too serious about school, just focus on practicing their game. They neglect all their summer homework. After all they can just become coaches if they don’t become national champions. If not that, then there is always framing houses.

This film explores the leadership system in lives of chiefs such as Rangalu who was sworn in as the Head of Santiman District, Taiwan, which consists of 10 villages with population of 70,000, most of whom are of indigenous Paiwan. The Paiwan people live in the mountain area of southern Taiwan. Their rich oral traditions and cultural traits are revealed in this unique film of the reflection of chief. The two director, Lee Daw-ming and Sakuliu Pavaavalung exchange their view points on political and economic issues.

Hong Shu-mian was born in Weitou, Fujian Province of the People’s Republic of China in 1949 and served in the Red Guard. Lu Shui-tong was born in Kinmen , Fujian Province of the Republic of China in 1937 and served as a naval intelligence officer.

Before coming to Kinmen’s 8/23 Bombing War Victory Memorial, this widow from Xiamen and this widower from Kinmen still argued over the circumstances of the war: as to say which side truly initiated the war and which side suffered the most tragic losses? Then they strode past the political barriers built between the two countries’ shores and passed into a new life together.