HuanDao Documentary follows the story of two young women embarking on a two-week bicycle trip (known as huandao) through the country of Taiwan. One is Taiwanese American, and her return to the island explores her relationship with her family, her bicultural identity, and her greater understanding of self, home, and belonging. They travel through the beautiful island, experiencing its food and culture, befriending strangers along the way that challenge the question-- what does it mean to be Taiwanese…
Starting in the early 1970s, thousands of Taiwanese immigrants came to the United States each year, in pursuit of higher education and better lives for their families. Yet, mostly untold, is the story of how hundreds of these Taiwanese in America were put on a blacklist by the government in Taiwan, for speaking out for democracy and human rights in Taiwan while they were in the United States. Once outside of Taiwan, that generation of Taiwanese graduate students were exposed to the values of freedom…
Each year, TaiwaneseAmerican.org is pleased to support the premier Asian American Film Festival in the San Francisco/Bay Area. CAAM Fest, the Center for Asian American Media’s annual festival features not only amazing works in film, TV, and digital media, but also includes showcases in music and food. This year marks the 35th anniversary of the festival--a treasure trove of great Asian American works from established as well as emerging talent. This year, we are proud to co-present the centerpiece…
If you're Taiwanese American or have friends who are, you've certainly heard of "Love Boat"--the summer program that brings hundreds of young high school and collegiate-aged Taiwanese Americans back to Taiwan for an experience they'll never forget. For the parents who sent their child to this six-week summer camp in the homeland, it's an opportunity to expose their kids to Taiwan for a substantially subsidized fee. For the young Asian American participants, it's a liberating experience discovering…
Who Is Arthur Chu? is a documentary feature executive produced by 3-time Academy Award winner Mark Jonathan Harris, about the controversial Jeopardy! champion and Taiwanese American internet celebrity. The film follows Arthur from his hometown of Cleveland to Los Angeles (where he competes in the Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions) and then finally to Taiwan. The film examines Asian American stereotypes, the relevance and impact of TV game shows on society, the changing nature of the American dream…
A year after the historic occupation of Taiwan's Legislative Yuan, a 9-part collaboration documentary has been made featuring the stories and timeline of events during this student-led "Sunflower Movement." The Sunflower Student Movement, driven by a coalition of students and civic groups, protested the passing of the Cross-Strait Service Trade Agreement by the Kuomintang party in the legislature without a clause-by-clause review. The Sunflower image was associated with this massive student…
The Sunflower Student Movement was a protest movement driven by a coalition of students and civic groups between March 18 and April 10, 2014, in Taiwan's Legislative Yuan and, later, also the Executive Yuan. The activists protested the passing of the Cross-Strait Service Trade Agreement (CSSTA) by the ruling party Kuomintang (KMT) at the legislature without clause-by-clause review. Gain a more in-depth understanding of the history, context, and events leading up to this historic event through…
At the beginning of this year, America met Arthur Chu. As a contestant on the long-running game show, Jeopardy!, he was, rather unexpectedly, the target of social media backlash, allegedly for his style of play. Since then, it’s become abundantly clear that Arthur’s game strategy could not have been the only factor in his notoriety. So why is it, when there have been other players in Jeopardy!’s history that have also used the “Forrest Bounce,” that Mr. Chu gets the heat? This is the…
Taiwanese American filmmaker Anita Chang's most recent documentary film, Tongues of Heaven, revolves around the issue of language loss and asks the essential question: “what do you lose when you lose your native language?” Her film explores the challenges of young indigenous peoples of Taiwan and Hawaii in learning the heritage languages of their ancestors — languages that are endangered or facing extinction. TaiwaneseAmerican.org is proud to be a Co-presenter of this limited theatrical…
