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Documentary Review: Whale Island (2020) by Huang Chia-chun

"I am not an island but a fish. I can wake up and set sail at any time."

Although the majority of our planet is covered in water, lately, especially with regard to issues like climate change, our connection to the sea has changed to some extent. While provider of life and a large variety of species on the one hand, it seems also to be a taker, with the amount of floods and other natural catastrophes increasing each year. However, while this dichotomy has always existed, it is perhaps time to closely look at our relationship with the sea, as it may contain answers to our current crisis and hold the key to a better future. Interestingly, this relationship is different in each culture, for example in Taiwan, where the whole nation is surrounded by the ocean, and it is associated with troubled times, in politics, history and religion. In his 2020 documentary “”, director aims to explore this link further, and how a paradigm shift with regard to this relationship may hold the answer to the country's future.

Whale Island is screening at Taiwan Film Festival Berlin

Over the course of the documentary, Chia-chun follows two people whose lives and work is closely connected to the ocean. First, we get to meet Liao Hung-chi, a former fisherman, who is a now a writer of “oceanic literature” and has dedicated his life to exploring the sea, its secrets and its creatures, giving lecture to people all over Taiwan about the importance to re-gain a personal link to the sea. At the same time, we follow , a wildlife photographer specialized in images of sea creatures, especially whales, which has become his passion, but also part of his dilemma as he has to often decide whether to follow his work or spend more time with his family. Both Liao and Ray have a very special link to the sea, which has become an obsession that has come at a price. Focusing on these two men, Chia-chun attempts to answer the question about the gains of re-establishing that connection with the sea, personally and as a culture, and arrives at interesting answers.

There is no denying the beauty of a documentary such as “Whale Island” from a pure visual standpoint. As the feature begins, we witness the majestic image of whales in the ocean, shot from wide angles in order to emphasize their size and dimensions, as well as their freedom, which is precisely what attracts people like Liao or Ray. Both men consider the restriction in their lives, their families but also their upbringing, which, like Ray's two sons, has infused them with a certain trepidation towards the sea. Chia-chun explores this kind of freedom these men have found, are perhaps even still looking for and how aspects of their view on life show a possible future for Taiwan, a new way of regarding their country and its surroundings.

In the end, “Whale Island” is an interesting documentary and quite thought-provoking through its choice of protagonists and their views. At the same time, Huang Chia-chun emphasizes the majestic beauty of the ocean and its many creatures, especially thanks to Ray Chin's cinematography, which is a true testament to his dedication to the sea.

About the author

Rouven Linnarz

Ever since I watched Takeshi Kitano's "Hana-Bi" for the first time (and many times after that) I have been a cinephile. While much can be said about the technical aspects of film, coming from a small town in Germany, I cherish the notion of art showing its audience something which one does normally avoid, neglect or is unable to see for many different reasons. Often the stories told in films have helped me understand, discover and connect to something new which is a concept I would like to convey in the way I talk and write about films. Thus, I try to include some info on the background of each film as well as a short analysis (without spoilers, of course), an approach which should reflect the context of a work of art no matter what genre, director or cast. In the end, I hope to pass on my joy of watching film and talking about it.

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