PoYu Chen

My work reflects the history of my hometown, WanHua, Taipei — the earliest developed district in the city and once its center of commerce, religion, and politics. In the later half of the twentieth century, however, WanHua became increasingly marginalized despite its long history of resistance against oppression. During the Covid pandemic, when WanHua experienced Taipei’s first major outbreak, it was quickly labeled a “cave of poison.” I became determined to make this film after a moment in New York City when someone asked where I grew up in Taipei, and I hesitated to answer. That hesitation forced me to confront my complicated relationship with the place that raised me.
The protagonist symbolizes the people of WanHua, while the lyric “Kept in the shadows, locked away” reflects emotions I have carried throughout my queer life. Through a speculative future and cyberpunk-inspired world, I reimagined WanHua as both futuristic and haunted by memory, combining neon urban landscapes with Taiwanese religious culture. I incorporated Jiàu-kíng, WanHua’s signature religious parade, and transformed it into a ghost-hunting mission pursuing the protagonist. Although fictional and fantastical, the film’s visual language, music, and emotional atmosphere ultimately document my own memories and connection to home.