The 2020 Freedom Crossing Film Festival (FCFF) focuses on sharing stories of freedom, memory, and historical reconciliation. The final week of FCFF is themed on Memory and History and features spiritual storytelling to reflect on unspeakable massacres in Asia, including the:
- Taiwan White Terror (1949-1987) of the Cold War (Super Citizen Ko, directed by Wan Jen)
- 13 May 1969 race riots of Malaysia and persecution of the aboriginal Orang Asli people (The Tree Remembers, directed by Kek Huat Lau)
- The Mao Cult and Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) of China (The Spokesperson, directed by Xu Huijing)
- The 1661 colonization of Taiwan of Han Chinese, led by general Koxinga, and the native Siraya aboriginal people (Journey with Invisible Friends, directed by Mitch Lin)
We open a discussion of these historical tragedies through Asian documentaries. We invite directors based in Taiwan who are confronting the pressure and trauma from authoritarian governments in Malaysia and Taiwan. This workshop aims to build a dialogue by depicting authentic and diverse life stories which were once hidden or erased in ideology and one-dimensioned historical narratives. Many times, these stories can only be spoken outside of modern society by traditional Asian spiritual mediums.
While these stories that may appear unimaginable on the surface, documentaries shed light on the subtle truths behind the scenes. In turn, audience members can recognize the cruelties of the past, cross historical traumas, and to build a sense of shared humanity that opens new bridges toward social reconciliation and liberal democracy. The 2020 FCFF is addressing the future of freedom by confronting history and memory.