Taiwan Docs

As a filmmaker with a background in Chinese and Taiwanese literature, I focus on personal narratives and use essayistic writing to empower myself in a foreign land. My proposed project will interweave my immigrant experience with those of two other immigrant women who also use art to amplify their voices, showcasing the diversity of the overseas Taiwanese community. I reflected on the meaning of making the film, as an Asian woman holding the camera, questioning its Western and masculine nature. I realized that the challenge is to maintain authenticity while performing for the camera. The identity crisis of being an overseas Taiwanese and a filmmaker emerged together. My creative challenges include language translation and establishing Taiwanese identity in cinema language. The professional challenge is the lack of representation of first generation Taiwanese filmmakers in the U.S. I do not aim to separate first and second generation immigrants but acknowledge the different challenges they face. I am learning from other ethnicities' immigrant experience and hope for more discussions on Taiwanese immigrants in documentaries.