The Hong Kong Film Festival UK, HKFF (UK), aims to shine an international spotlight on Hong Kong’s creativity and humanity through film. The festival also strives to promote cultural interactions and exchanges between Hong Kong communities and UK citizens. Hong Kong’s world-renowned cinema was born out of its unique history and rich social context. Building on this vivid and eclectic history, the Festival aims to introduce a new wave of Hong Kong cinema that has blossomed in an era of drastic transformation. It is time to tell Hong Kong’s story again, to preserve and promote Hong Kong's cultural heritage, and to reflect on the city's enchanting, complex, and challenging reality from a fresh perspective.
Description
Taiwan / 2021 / Colour / 123 mins / In Taiwanese with Chinese and English subtitles
Director: Kek Huat LAU
This film is being played as part of A Mirror Image : Hong Kong X Taiwan Documentaries parallel programme.
Kaohsiung served as an important military base under Japanese rule. It suffered heavy casualties during the 228 Incident, in which the civilians were brutally suppressed. The film shows how each individual survives and sustains their memories through the different eras of oppression. To this day, memories of it still live in some people and places, and the wild tomatoes grown from this land.
高雄是日治時期的軍事重地,也是二二八事件中遭受嚴重軍事鎮壓的地區。本片尋訪經歷過二戰的台籍日本兵、二二八事件雄中自衛隊成員,及二二八事件受難者遺族,他們走過被噤聲的年代,恐懼及創傷如影隨形,成為一生都無法卸下的歷史馱負,鏡頭緩緩隨著他們的日常身影流動,他們從日常中撿拾記憶,還原歷經歷史劫難的生命軌跡,從被迫參戰的無奈際遇,到失去親人又背負標籤、跌宕波折的成長處境,沒有悲憤控訴,只有娓娓傾吐,讓他們重新擁有屬於自己的個體傷痕記憶。深植在他們身體裡的記憶,也留存在時間、空間的縫隙中,本片亦靜靜凝望散落高雄各地的軍事遺址,見證著工兵的血淚與青春;當倖存者逐漸凋零,就以訴說及凝視抵抗遺忘,記憶猶如在這塊土地上努力生長的野番茄,結出強韌的生命果實,展現堅毅不拔的姿態。
Awards:
- Taiwan Competition Grand Prize at Taiwan International Documentary Festival 2022
Selected in:
- Busan International Film Festival 2021
- Kaohsiung Film Festival 2021
Director's Statement:
Regardless of identity, I hope the traumatic memory of every individual on this island will be treated with dignity and respect.
導演的話
我希望在這塊土地上,無論任何身份,每個人的傷痛都可以被尊重。
Director’s Biography:
Kek-Huat LAU is a Malaysian filmmaker based in Taiwan. His debut film, “Boluomi”, was shortlisted for Best New Director at Busan International Film Festival, New Currents section and was nominated for the Golden Horse Awards. The project won him the Tokyo Talent Award in 2015, Best Script Award in 2013 Taiwan and was selected for La Fabrique. Cinema du monde. His short film “Nia Door” won Best Short Film Award, Sonje Award in Busan International film festival, selected for 38th Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival. Both his documentaries “Absent Without Leave” and “The Tree Remembers” still face censorship today in Malaysia. He is an alumnus of Golden Horse Academy and Berlinale & Tokyo Talents. Lau was also jury and mentor for regional filmmaking events such as Doc Doc, Asiadoc, FFD, New Asian Scenery.
導演簡介
廖克發,臺灣崛起的導演。第一部劇情長片《菠蘿蜜》入圍釜山國際影展新潮流競賽單元以及金馬影展最佳新導演提名。短片《妮雅的門》也曾在釜山影展獲得超廣角亞洲最佳短片。《菠蘿蜜》被選為2015法國南特影展,台北劇本工作坊,並獲選康城影展「世界電影工廠新導演工作坊」。創作持續反映真實世界,其兩部拍攝家鄉的紀錄片《不即不離》與《還有一些樹》依然面對馬來西亞政府的審查禁止。曾參與柏林影展新銳營與金馬電影學院。
![](https://cdn.simpletix.com/f29b699f-5951-41d3-88a4-80c79b0f256f/shows/638128786826992728TasteofWildTomato7.jpg)
![](https://cdn.simpletix.com/f29b699f-5951-41d3-88a4-80c79b0f256f/shows/638128786848109228TasteofWildTomato9.jpg)
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Date & Time
Wed, Mar 29, 2023 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Venue Details
The International Anthony Burgess Foundation
3 Cambridge Street, ManchesterManchester, Lancashire M1 5BY
![The International Anthony Burgess Foundation](https://cdn.simpletix.com/f29b699f-5951-41d3-88a4-80c79b0f256f/venue/41021-638132194346396151.png)