SYNOPSIS
A-Juan left her rural roots behind her when she moved to Taipei to become a photographer. But after a brawl, a broken camera and a black eye, she is forced to return to her village.
When A-Juan returns, home is nothing like she remembers. Her brother resents her for leaving, and a mysterious sickness is killing villagers. In an attempt to repent for her past, she decides to take matters into her own hands and investigate.
But when she discovers that a local factory could be to blame, A-Juan must decide what she’s willing to sacrifice to take them down.
DIRECTOR'S STATEMENT
I originally came to Taiwan in the spring of 2015 as a creative director for a Taiwanese startup. Later that year, I began to think deeper about my values and aspirations. That's when I started writing a short story about a young rebel who pursues revenge on behalf of the voiceless.
Escaping to the natural beauty of Pinglin made me realize there was an opportunity to make a meaningful film. Shortly afterward, I decided to quit my job and committed to pursuing a lifelong dream.
The ongoing water crisis in Flint, Michigan, compelled us to incorporate real-life incidents of gross negligence and corruption into our first draft. This is when our Executive Producer, Belinda Hsieh, alerted us to the RCA Corporation Incident in Taoyuan County, in which a foreign conglomerate poisoned their own employees and skirted the responsibility. Researching this historic case provided the fire Gideon, and I needed to complete the final draft and further ground our story in Taiwan.
There are many examples of environmental crises around the world. Rather than be disheartened about how many are undiscovered, we hope that this movie starts more in-depth conversations about corporate responsibility, the power of an individual, and the world in which we want to live.