Taiwan Docs

This documentary traces the rise and fall of LI Xianglan, one of Asia’s biggest movie stars during World War II. A Manchurian born Japanese who could “pass” as Chinese, she was a propagandist’s dream. On the other hand, LI’s friend, the Taiwanese-born, Japanese-educated writer and filmmaker LIU Naou, was not so lucky. As the war raged, LIU chased his dream of directing feature films, first working with the Chinese, then the Japanese. But neither side trusted him and he ended up dead as a result. The film invites reflection on the nature of film, art, identity, gender and individual freedom.

Source: Taiwan International Women Make Waves Film Festival