Whale Isand(HKAFF 2020)

Despite living on an island, people in Taiwan have been taught for generations to fear the sea. Two men are determined to change that perception in director Huang Chia-chun’s documentary. Oceanic literature writer Liao Hung-chi takes on an ambitious project that involves riding the Kuroshio current on a small plastic raft. Meanwhile, acclaimed underwater photographer Ray Chin travels to the Polynesian state of Tonga every year to capture photos of whales in their natural environment. Captured by Huang’s cameras over the course of three years, the two men’s respective journeys result in a visually stunning cinematic experience that must be seen on the big screen.