#TIDF

[pillarboxed]

Taman-taman (Park) (2024) Review

Director: So Yo-hen

Runtime: 101 minutes

Language: Indonesian and Javanese audio; Mandarin (繁體) and English subtitles

Certification: PG13 (Singapore; smoking scenes)

Via SGIFF.com

Can Taman-taman (Park) be considered a documentary? The film seemed like one to me as I watched it. But there were some elements that felt contrived. Still, it won three prizes at the 14th Taiwan International Documentary Festival (TIDF) earlier this year. “The Grand Prize of the Asian Vision Competition goes to a more or less non-fiction film,” says the jury comments. I like that description: “more or less non-fiction”.

Well then, it’s a documentary talking about the experiences of Indonesian migrants in Taiwan. I say “talking” because that’s what the bulk of the film depicts: two Indonesian men, Asri and Hans, having conversations in Tainan Park. It’s mostly through their conversations and through poetry rather than visuals that we learn about what they and fellow migrants experience.

Asri contributes much of the poetry presented in Taman-taman, including a poem about a worker who picks up his girlfriend on an electric scooter. We do get to see Indonesian scooter enthusiasts hanging out in the park, and a group—either the same one or another—singing together, but other than these, we don’t observe the discussed events. Though using this elliptical technique can make the audience feel detached, it means the film avoids exploitation of the subjects’ struggles for the sake of drama, a risk of documentary filmmaking.

Speaking of the scooter enthusiasts, they appear in one of those parts that feels contrived. Because it is. After Asri and Hans talk about the scooterists, they get up from a table and walk through the park. Scooterists soon circle around them in a neat line, and the two carry on as if nothing’s unusual. In a Q&A session at the 35th Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF35), director So Yo-hen said that the first time they shot this scene, some scooterists did appear but not as many. After the filmmakers got more scooterists, Asri and Hans repeated the scene.

I’m guessing the decision to recreate the scene this way was to maintain viewer interest. I recall hearing light laughter from the audience at this moment.

But I wonder if there’s some other reason for the fictional elements in the film. For example, the radio station that Asri and Hans pretend to run, inspired by stones with embedded speakers found around the park. The two sit in a guard hut when they “host” their radio show. With its bright red lightbulb acting like an on-air sign, the hut does look as if it could be a studio. Hans blends Indonesian and Mandarin to come up with the name Ini Radio Yinni, meaning “This is Radio Indonesia”. The concept of the programme is to share stories of Indonesian migrants in Taiwan, accompanied by readings of poetry inspired by these experiences.

In a Facebook post from May, Asri says that the Taman-taman “film project sought to give voice to the experiences of migrant workers in Taiwan, with all the ups and downs of their lives”. So why blend fiction and reality? Why not use non-fiction material only? Why do we mainly hear about the experiences of migrant workers through Asri and Hans, and not through the people they speak about as well?

According to a bio provided by the 12th Momentum biennale, So Yo-hen and his filmmaking group Your Bros. “take filmmaking as a method to re-interpret reality.” In film critic Jason Tan Liwag’s review of Dorm (2021), a previous work by the group, he states that “documentary is not reality itself, but a reflection, refraction, and reconstruction of an accumulation of experiences.” Maybe this is what Your Bros. are trying to get the audience to remember.

Throughout Taman-taman, the filmmakers remind us that what we see is through their lenses. The opening scene directly shows us one crew member who’s helping to set up the shot. We also hear a voice telling Asri and Hans, who describe their roles in the film as “actors”, that they can start. Each time Ini Radio Yinni “airs”, the hosts tell listeners not to worry if they see people filming in Tainan Park, because the film might not actually be made. In the last scene that Asri appears in, there’s crew members onscreen again—well, the shadows of them and their filmmaking equipment are onscreen, all following Asri.

After my first watch, I thought it was unlikely that I’d write a full-length review of Taman-taman. I related to Asri during a scene in which he and Hans discuss their thoughts on the project so far. Asri says he’s tired of filming and doesn’t even understand what message the filmmakers are trying to convey. I couldn’t see where the film was going and was getting bored. On the other hand, Hans seems satisfied with the idea of letting the audience come up with their own ideas and says that the more he works on this project, the more interested he gets.

In the process of writing this review, I realised Taman-taman is more intriguing than I originally thought. I still relate more to Asri’s confusion than to Hans’ playful curiosity, though.

Rating: 3.5/5

Thank you to SGIFF for the Cinephile Pass and for the screenings of Taman-taman.

[alphalin]

《Knit's Island》（末日小隊請登入）

這部電影最有趣的地方是它拍出了虛擬和現實之間幽微的部分。其中一位玩家，邊玩遊戲一邊要注意現實生活中小孩的狀況，本來沉浸在遊戲中的氛圍，一下子���打回現實。另一位玩家說，想像未來人類花一點點成本就可以完全沈浸在遊戲世界裡，如果所有人都這樣，現實世界就會崩壞。

我想著，如果在遊戲的世界待得比現實世界久（而且快樂？），會不會現實才是虛擬，虛擬才是現實？現實跟遊戲世界的差別，可能只差在生理的疼痛感？不過這點如果想要做得有體感，也不是完全做不到，但應該沒有人會想要玩戰爭遊戲的時候真的實際觸發槍枝射擊肉身或是被刀子捅吧...。

有位玩家說進入遊戲的籌碼就是時間，可能浪費也可能有所收穫，但我想人生中任何的體驗都是一樣的。

（以下防雷線）

影片中拍攝團隊連絡上一組人是不殺生主義，在遊戲內不殺任何動物，我想起老王說的素食者故事。（很有趣請一定要看）

遊戲裡面還有玩家自稱牧師跟神父，我一開始想著，現實的宗教直接入侵遊戲也太厲害了，這個宣傳管道我完全沒想過，後來發現好像有點不太一樣。他們是真的在玩角色扮演（不是遊戲內設定好的那種），是在遊戲內的新創宗教，聚會也煞有其事，腦洞超開。

另外訪問了一組人，我簡稱「樂子人」（以破壞殺戮為樂趣的人），裡面有一個發言者，導演請他介紹自己的團隊的時候，他清了一下喉嚨，然後認真的開始介紹，不知道為什麼我笑了出來。（反差萌？）

還有一對男女是現實生活中認識的朋友，這兩位的氣氛拍起來很曖昧，也可能是導演故意營造？就不猜測現實是什麼狀況了。（笑）

剛好拍攝的時候有跨到疫情期間，所以後段有帶入這個話題，對宅宅玩家們不出門感覺不是什麼大問題，還有人說WFH之後他再也不想回辦公室。（這我）

想像了一下如果是自己在玩這個遊戲會發生什麼事，如果沒有朋友一起玩，我可能會想玩玩看孤狼狙擊手。但有沒有社群��玩起來的感覺應該會差滿多的。

最後一段，導演選擇拉回現實，用玩家在家中的窗外視角作為結尾。而某些風景又跟電影裡面拍攝過的遊戲場景有點相似，這一段的攝影語言很出色，滿喜歡的。

在TIDF放映時的映後座談：

[a-cat-in-toffee]

I HEART MAKING TIDE MORALLY WEIRD IN AU.S…what’s his deal now is he weirdddder

HELL YEAH in the case of apocalypse you kind of HAVE to get morally weird. im not sure what hs deal is . . . dakota is trying to find him though tidfe was his guardian before the whole. outbreak thing. maybe hes tried to help people though normally in vain . . . having to mercy kill people who get turned

[fgdsfsdf234]

tidf

[py27]

看電影看得昏天暗地。

適逢人人自危的疫病期間，各大影展宣布停辦或延期，紛紛與串流平台合作，釋出免費序號，讓大家在家就能觀看。

金馬奇幻影展 X myVideo，輸入指定序號「GHFFF2020」，#7天內可無限���觀看線上影展任一影片。

TIDF則在giloo上架， 影展歷屆選片開放30天免費看，註冊為Giloo會員，輸入序號720D36F2B101即可。

giloo另個方案則為即日起至7/15，只要使用學校信箱認證就可以全站免費觀影。

接下來則是國外的各影展及釋出平台

SXSW西南偏南電影節則跟亞馬遜合作，將本屆參展影片全數放到線上免費觀看。觀眾不需要有Amazon prime會員，只消有免費的亞馬遜會員，便可有10天的期間任意收看。參展團隊可自行決定是否參與，參加後也會根據自己影片的點擊率獲得現金回饋。 西南偏南電影節是北美最重要的電影節之一，今年因應疫情雖然停辦，但獎項照常發放，改由評審線上閱片。  原文出處

日本國際交流基金每年在東南亞舉辦的日本影展改為線上影展，提供多部日本長片與短片的線上免費觀賞。

MUBI.com–30天30部另類串流，在同一時間平台上永遠只會有30部電影，每天增加1部電影，每部電影只有30天的壽命，號稱「獨立電影界的Netflix」是以外語片、藝術片、冷門片或經典片為核心的小眾串流平台。

可惜的是幾乎尚未有亞洲市場字幕，大部分只有英文與歐洲各國語言。目前有7天免費使用優惠，另外還有推行MUBI Film Schools Program讓世界超過60000所電影學校可以免費觀賞線上所有影片。

Festival Scope–FS在影展放映後，接著立馬限時限量線上放映。有時候還會跟大影展合作，除了坐飛機去參展以外，使用FS是最快速看到外國影展的串流平台。

#NHK On Demand　  日本NHK串流平台，架上多部紀錄片提供中文繁體字幕。

原文出處：電影補給站

法國國家電影中心上線的亨利電影平台，免費提供少見的法國藝術電影。

Berliner Festspiele推出的香港影像專題 “Sundays for Hong Kong II”，5/7前免費觀看。

紐約Company藝廊推出 In Company With，收入將捐給Queer | Art（Barbara Hammer Lesbian Experimental Film Grant 的承辦者）

獨立電影導演Gary Hustwit以紀錄片《設計三部曲》而聞名，該片研究了歐美趨勢在平面設計，印刷術，工業設計，建築和城市規劃方面的影響。

他希望在疫情非常時期，提供全球被困在家中的人們保持設計的靈感，現正全球免費播放他的紀錄片。每週二，他會開放一部自己的影片限時免費觀看一周，三月時播放了經典設計三部曲《Helvetica》（傳奇字���）、《Objectified》（設計面面觀）、《Urbanized》（城市化），接下來還會有更多影片釋出。Hustwit也在平台發起將自由捐獻的一半收入，作為資助紐約的防疫單位。

原文出處：cacao 可口雜誌

[percy-pc]

ウンタマギルー (1989) 

運玉義留

[patrickcactus]

飯局__ 很被需要的醍醐灌頂 才發現早就已經沒有更多時間 10th TIDF 05092210A 05101000A 05121020A 05131730B 05132100A 05141030C 05141300C 05141520C 該徵影伴 還有雨貝梭裴 #tidf#deals

[joneswumovie]

我想《跑道終點》的放映，對導演(以及電影本身)來說，是漫長等待的結束、對觀眾來說，是補上台灣電影很重要的一塊拼圖、對劇中演員來說，是重溫各自的青春時光，而對當時年紀仍小的兩位年輕演員來說，是更確定那年暑假，兩個孩子跟著一群電影人跑遍全台灣，拍了一部關於青春、友誼、死亡、以及巨大負罪感的電影，那個如夢般的14歲夏天冒險回憶，原來不只是一場夢。 完整文章：http://mypaper.pchome.com.tw/hatsocks75/post/1375191904

[mypartismyown]

Tidf看到現在第三部 都還沒坐過買票的位置⋯

前兩場都遲到⋯⋯

最近這場是還沒開演一進場就超暗

開了手機手電筒 不小心轉錯���向閃到已就坐觀眾 趕緊關掉 找到我那排的最近位置馬上坐下

超慌亂 希望下週掌握好時機餘裕充足

[a-cat-in-toffee]

I think it's funny how I picture mark kinda tall yet I picture tide taller then him and I do not want yo get into how tall I think he is

i always imaged tidfe as shorter than mark idk why

[fuckelu420]

okay so like,,, I can't help but be legitimately curious what skam france is gonna do for s7. like, what will be the main plot? are they gonna give tidf the lola treatment and just have this season be 10 weeks of hell? are we ever going to know who the father is? is the show going to address tiff's really shitty behavior last season and show that she has actually grown into a better person? (they won't but a girl can dream that skam france can actually do some decent writing some day. lmao it sounds crazy just saying it)

[coffeeormilk]

真不敢相信今天完全沒花錢在三餐上呵呵（狀態：受夠麵包了 買了煎蛋髮圈，其實一部分是因為想支持自己手工設計、車布製作的藝術家。(And also because of her correct spelling on the handicraft lol)

翡翠之城，緬甸的紀錄片，導演是趙德胤。 「我們只是聽命行事」——又聽到這句經典臺詞== 多少種族大屠殺、電擊實驗、攻擊學運學生的警棍，那些加害者��殺燒擄掠，偶爾良心過不去也只會用這句話合理化所有的暴行。其實他們不過就是一群權威下的棋子，一群不敢為自己負責任的懦夫。 美國的淘金夢，西伯利亞的石油夢，緬甸帕敢的玉石夢。第一次看到吸毒、鴉片與水煙的樣貌，第一次看到翁山蘇姬時代的另一種真實鏡頭，第一次看見台灣在他們口中的閃閃發光。 看到其中一位工人打手機給太太的那幕我居然哭了（自己也嚇了一跳ㄏㄏ），太太關心他有沒有匯錢過來啊最近開銷大，兒子學電腦一個月一萬一呢，之後升學還要住校，除了學費還得支出住宿費。過幾天匯啊。匯多少啊？大概四五萬緬幣吧。哈哈哈哈，最近採礦怎麼樣？有沒有採到玉石啊…… 其實他們採玉石的成果並不樂觀。 「別跟孩子提錢的事，」那位工人對著話筒那頭的太太叮囑。然後換女兒跟他講，「爸爸，我要耳環」然後另一位小男孩的嗓音傳來：「我要車～」 烈日下，站在礦山之間，他幾乎就要答應了。耳環呀，爸爸回去就買給你。但提到車時，他遲疑了，旁邊的同事（其他工人）聽到了，插嘴提醒他：別答應得太快啊！一萬塊的耳環也是耳環… 很快速的寫下這篇，還有好多想記錄喔，但沒時間了。 今天是很開心的一天:) 和室友一起買了來自台東鹿野的檸檬冰棒！超超超超超級幸福 （下次想試試對面的甘蔗冰棒^^ 明天我一定要吃到正常的飯菜啦XD 也希望明天迎新順利～～待會要敷面膜了^^/

[northeastjob]

IITG TIDF Guwahati Recruitment 2023 – 17 Post Doc Fellow Vacancy

[mariacallous]

The film Under the Sky of Damascus by exiled Syrian filmmakers Heba Khaled, Talal Derki and Ali Wajeeh won the International Competition Golden Alexander at the 25th Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival, TiDF.

Under the Sky of Damascus follows five young Syrian women, Farah, Eliana, Inana, Souhir, and Grace, who want to produce a play based on individual women’s stories.

They record stories from actresses to factory workers to stay-at-home mothers; what emerges are stories of abuse, blackmail, and even imprisonment at the hands of husbands, brothers, fathers, employers and powerful officials who use their patriarchal power to keep them trapped without access to justice.

The film has secured a place in the selection shortlist for the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature Film.

The awards ceremony took place under the shadow of the deadly train accident on February 28 that claimed the lives of 57 people. The opening and closing ceremonies and all festival events were canceled as a sign of respect for the victims.

“In these difficult moments we experience, wishing to provide the audience with the chance to discover Greek films that touch upon issues and concerns shared by all of us, we extend the time window for the online screenings of the films taking part in the sections Platform and From screen to Screen (online.filmfestival.gr),” a press release issued by the TiDF said.

The Silver Alexander, which is accompanied by a 5,000-euro cash prize, went to the documentary Who I Am Not by Tünde Skovrán, which is about a South African beauty queen who plunges into an identity crisis after finding out she is intersex.  A Special Mention was bestowed on Narrow Path to Happiness by Kata Oláh, a film about a gay gypsy couple living in Hungary.

TiDF was one of the first film festivals to host a Podcast Competition section, exploring the affinities of this new genre with cinema. The Best Podcast Award, accompanied by a 2,000-euro cash prize, was won by From a Wonder to a Trauma by Constantinos Vrettos, about a mother who lost her child.