Six months after the 24-day occupation of Legislative Yuan, Sunflower participants and supporters will return to the scene tonight — not to protest, but to watch Sunflower Occupation (太陽．不遠), a compilation of nine short documentaries that explore the multiple aspects of the movement and the various issues it raises.
Shortly after the students and activists occupied the legislative floor on March 18, the Taipei Documentary Filmmakers’ Union (台北市紀錄片從業人員職業工會) initiated the collective project and called on filmmakers to join. Eventually, 10 directors, 26 cinematographers and dozens of animators, editors, musicians and volunteers answered the call to create the standalone shorts, funded by 3,154 individual sponsors on VDemocracy.com, a crowdfunding platform for social movements.
Each work tackles a specific theme or issue. The Night of Enlightenment (一夜之間我長大), for example, brings viewers back to the night when the violent crackdown on students occupying the Executive Yuan left many wounded, disenchanted and politically enlightened. Student leader Chen Wei-ting (陳為廷) takes center stage in A Commander Made by Accident (不小心變成總指揮), which offers an honest portrait of Chen’s transformation as an activist. History is revisited in 1990 (我們的1990), revealing how Taiwan has gone through the Wild Lilies (野百合學運) student movement in 1991 to the Sunflowers, as seen through the eyes of former Wild Lilies.
Photo courtesy of Activator Marketing Company
Tonight’s event will take place on Jinan Road (濟南路) outside the legislature. The outdoor screening will start at 7pm, followed by a brief talk by two participating filmmakers He Chao-ti (賀照緹) and Tsai Tsung-lung (蔡崇隆).
After tonight’s screening, the film will tour to 17 cities and towns across the country from tomorrow to Nov. 16. All screenings are free. Those interested need to sign up through www.accupass.com, where screening schedules and venue information are available.
More information about the project can be found on its Facebook fan page at www.facebook.com/318doc.
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