When same-sex-marriage was officially declared legal in Taiwan in May 2019, it was a major step for Asia as a whole. With many countries still steeped within their cultural traditions and objected to such a change, Taiwan set a milestone regarding LGBTQ rights as well as human rights in general. German-based filmmaker Lucie Liu was inspired by Germany legalizing same-sex-marriage in 2017 to take a look at Asian countries, specifically Taiwan, with regard to its LGBTQ scene, how the government dealt with its demands for equality and how society was shaped through the movement. The result is her documentary “Taipeilove*”, a “testimony of what progressive and open societies can achieve”, as she states on the projects Indiegogo page.
“Taipeilove*” is screening at Taiwan Film Festival Berlin
At the core of the film, Liu's documentary follows the lives of Kevin, David and Sarah. Through extensive interviews she talks about their coming out, their relationship to their families before and after and how society reacts to them. Parallel to their stories, Liu also includes several interviews with members of the Taiwan Alliance to Promote Civil Partnership Rights (TAPCPR), legislators and other activists, shedding light on various social issues as well as the gap created within the Taiwanese society regarding the LGBTQ community demanding equal rights.
Within the course of 70 minutes, Liu takes a look at one of the most important social issues of our times, the fight against inequality, concentrating on the LGBTQ movement in Taiwan. Based on personal stories about the struggle to come out, the anxiety to show your feelings in public and the growing distance between homosexuals and their families, Liu manages to paint a rather thorough and very informative image of the issue. Especially through the added input of legislators and activists, her viewer is able to understand the road the country is on with regard to equal rights, but also the various obstacles in the way.
In many ways, this aspect is the most significant point in “Taipeilove*”, as its approach does not shy away from the complexities of the issue. Over the course of the documentary, her viewer gets to know about the various features in Taiwanese society which help or hinder the struggle for equal rights, most importantly the varying access to information through an education system, as well as the differences between rural and urban areas. Considering these issues, the story she tells becomes more universal as many of these characteristics can be easily applied to other countries and cultures. However, her message of hope inherent in a generation who has more access to information is at times a bit too optimistic with the companies and institutions supplying it also having agendas of their own.
Nevertheless, “Taipeilove*” by Lucie Liu is a very hopeful documentary. Through its thoughtful approach regarding the fight against inequality of the Taiwanese LGBTQ movement, Liu manages to give her viewer an informative and insightful look at the development of LGBTQ rights and why the fight against inequality is a concern for all of us.
