Documentary "Life on the Eight-Mile River" premieres on August 5

A warm invitation to everyone~~

Documentary: A Life in Bali
(First chapter of urban development)
A Life in Bali, Taiwan
54mins/2012/Taiwan, China/Chinese and English subtitles

Director: Sophie Seeing
Filmed by Sophie Seeing

[Documentary screening and post-screening discussion]
Time: 08/05 (Sun) 2:00~4:00pm
Venue: 228 National Memorial Museum 3F
Post-screening discussion: Professor Huang Jui-mao, Sophie Seeing
Discussion topic: The birth and dreams of urban planning
Free admission!
International Human Rights Documentary Photography Exhibition - Silent Witness

Documentary 'A Life in Bali' trailer

[Film synopsis]

From a bustling trading port to a silent farming and fishing village, "Bali" seems to have been abandoned in a corner of the city, quietly living the tranquil life that belongs to the people of Bali. It was not until greater Taipei needed a "wastewater treatment plant," needed a "garbage incinerator," and needed a "Taipei sand and gravel port" that she was finally brought up and noticed. But these "developments" were one nightmare after another for the people of Bali. In particular, after a land expropriation case with the fine-sounding name "Taipei Port Special District Urban Plan" was launched here, the government, with lightning speed, drove a group of long-time residents who had lived on this land for over a hundred years away from their homes. Was it all just to create a "mosquito port" and a "ghost town"?

From a bustling trading port to a silent farming and fishing village, “Bali” seems to be abandoned on a city corner. Bali people live quietly in their peaceful way. Until Taipei City needs the wastewater treatment plant, the incinerators and Taipei Port, she was finally noticed. However, these constructions are nightmares for the Bali people. Especially, it’s named “Taipei Port Area Urban Planning”, which levied a lot of lands at lightning speed. The Government of Taiwan drives out the native residents who have been living here for hundreds of years, and it's just for an idle port, and a ghost town ?

[Discussion topics]

1. Reasons for urban development: What exactly is our "urban plan" based on? Why is residents' participation always missing? With such a high vacancy rate and such a low birth rate, do we still need to develop so many new towns and build so many idle buildings? Who exactly benefits from the value increase of urban and land development? And where is the "public interest"?

2. Direction of urban-rural development: Is "development" to "fully utilize" land the only way to imagine a city's future? Why not let the natural environment also take part? Let agriculture also have room to survive? Do residents want a city where they can "live and work in peace and contentment"? Or a city where land can "appreciate or be speculated on"?

3. Shortcomings of land expropriation: Even if the reasons for expropriating land are sufficient, why can the rights and interests of the people who have lived here for several hundred years be sacrificed? Not only do residents suffer property losses, but their future lives are left without security. What is the meaning of the people's right to housing and right to property guaranteed by the constitution? Does the state have a duty to care for the people, or is it in fact exploiting them?

[Director's bio]
Has been engaged in image and text creation for more than ten years, and began making documentaries in recent years. Current documentary works: Silent Sandbar, Battle at Penghu Bay, The Photo Fanatics, A Life in Bali. Published books: Going Out to Europe, Islands Under the Sun, Settlements by Taipei Lake, A First Exploration of Yunnan, The Treasure Land of Zhutian, Ocean Music Dream, The Story of the Old Oil Workers of Chuhuangkeng, and others, seven in total. Solo photography exhibitions: Islands Under the Sun, Toward Northwest Yunnan, as well as many joint art and photography exhibitions.
Blog: http://seeingimage.blogspot.tw/