Crossing Life and Death
November 20th-22nd
How do we make sense of life on this world, and how do we make sense of death? This fundamental question drives the many religious and secular philosophies around the world. In this section of FCFF, four stories dialogue on the ultimate topic that unites all human cultures. A group of mothers fights for natural birth in Our Happy Birthday, while another group decades earlier was forced to be sterilized in Mothers. A patient loses his optimism to live on a ventilator in A Decision, while Buddhist volunteers keep their devotion even as they face death in Walking Dharma. “Crossing Life and Death” builds a dialogue between life and death, and the choices people make to begin or end life.
timerAll films, except The Wheel of Life and Super Citizen Ko (screening for two hours), are available on demand for 24hrs starting from their show times.
US PREMIERE
11/20 (Fri) 7pm Eastern - 11/21 (Sat) 7pm Eastern
Yu-Ting SU, Yu-Ching CHEN│ 2017│ 82min│ Mandarin (English + Mandarin subtitles)
In choosing how they want to deliver their child, few women in Taiwan have options other than the standard procedures at hospitals: they push on you, they cut you, they’re quick to perform surgeries. There is a small network of women working to change this. This is a documentary about the 0.1% of women in Taiwan seeking alternative, gentler birthing methods, and the midwives and doulas helping them. (Source: Spot-Link Cinema)
11/20 (Fri) 9pm Eastern - 11/21 (Sat) 9pm Eastern
XU Hui-Jing│ 2013│ 68min│ Mandarin (English + Mandarin subtitles)
ZHANG is the sterilization officer and a psychic for a fertility goddess. As a woman and one that has conflicting identities, she is caught between contradicting beliefs. She went as far as sterilizing her own daughter-in-law. However, as her life progresses, her ideas also change. How will she reconcile the conflicting ideas that come from her identities? (Source: CNEX)
US PREMIERE
11/21 (Sat) 7pm Eastern - 11/22 (Sun) 7pm Eastern
Maso CHEN│ 2019│ 73min│ Mandarin (English + Mandarin subtitles)
Taiwan's health insurance system is among the world's best, but like many around the world has arguably led to futile interventions near the end of life. Chen’s documentary follows two stories – one of a doctor and patient, the other a son and mother – as they make crucial decisions on whether to prolong life with treatment.
A Decision: Q&A with Director Maso Chen
11/21 (Sat) 9pm Eastern - 11/22 (Sun) 9pm Eastern
HSIEH Hsih-Chih, CHEN Chih-An, YEN Po-Wen│ 2019│ 71min│ Mandarin (English + Mandarin subtitles)
“In Giving without Expecting Any Reward, You Will See the Power of Companionship.”
A group of people are silently taking care of those who are struggling with their stressful life in the dark corners of society, such as elderly who lived alone, orphaned teenagers, and cancer patients. These volunteers view suffering as the usual occurrence. Having no regret for their dedication, they believe that 'giving' is a way of enrichment. (Source: Creative Century Entertainment Co., Ltd.)